The Next Dodger Rookie SS
I used to have favorite players. My first was Sandy Koufax, followed by Ron Fairly. I loved Willie and Tommy Davis and Ron Cey. For a while, I had no favorites, and then Adrian Beltre burst on the scene. Later, it was Clayton Kershaw, but after that, I really did not have a…
I used to have favorite players. My first was Sandy Koufax, followed by Ron Fairly. I loved Willie and Tommy Davis and Ron Cey. For a while, I had no favorites, and then Adrian Beltre burst on the scene. Later, it was Clayton Kershaw, but after that, I really did not have a favorite player because, in some respects, they are like cattle that can be marketed. I know that some people think Miguel Vargas is my favorite, but they are wrong. I like Miguel’s bat-to-ball skills a lot. I like guys with those skills… guys like Keibert Ruiz and Alex Verdugo. Ruiz showed a lot of progress last year, hitting .260 with 18 HR and a .707 OPS, but is struggling this year. Alex Verdugo has not reached my expectations and remains an enigma.
I guess Miguel Vargas falls into that class, too, since the Dodgers ran him out there last year while he was hurt, but he won’t play him when he is healthy. It has been speculated that the Dodgers intend to trade him, which is why he is not playing. Maybe they think his .324 BA in 34 ABs will sway some trade partners. I still think Miguel will be a special player, but Andrew Friedman is in charge and he is never wrong… right? Well, I was right, and he was wrong about Lux being a SS, so there is that. But he was right in trading Ruiz and Verdugo… and Busch, for that matter. Vargas will likely have to blossom somewhere else as well.
However, I do again have a new favorite player. It is Alex Freeland of the Tulsa Drillers. Alex was drafted in the 3rd Round (#105) in the 2022 Draft. Alex is a switch hitter and was a SS at the University of Central Florida… and not many people thought he could stay at SS when he was drafted. I was one of those as well, but I have changed my mind. I think Alex is the Dodgers SS of the future. This was so highly improbable 22 years ago, before Alex was born. An ultrasound revealed that Freeland might be born with a clubfoot, a condition where one or both feet are twisted out of position. He was indeed born with his right foot misaligned and spent his first year undergoing various procedures to correct it.
As an infant,Alex wore tiny casts that he frequently kicked off. At four months old, he had surgery to lengthen his tendons. Three months later, he underwent what his father describes as a full foot reconstruction. Freeland learned to walk with a cast reaching up to his hip, a challenge that has given him a slightly stilted gait… still. Despite all this—every kicked-off cast, every surgery—jump throws from shortstop were a distant dream. He is not without limitations — his right foot and calf are smaller than their counterparts, and he has limited flexibility in that ankle — but he has always managed to overcome them. The Athletic wrote a piece on him and said this:
“But he’s never allowed himself to be defined by his foot, and he’s determined to succeed or fail on his own merit. He’s in the right place to do it. The Dodgers drafted him there because they think he’ll hit and stick in the middle of the infield. They knew his backstory — “We definitely noticed it,” says amateur scouting director Billy Gasparino — and they weren’t concerned.
–– Zach Buchanan, The Athletic
“I’m just another kid playing the game of baseball,” Freeland says. “If I suck, tell me I suck. Don’t blame it on my foot.”
After all, he never has.“
Alex Freeland is a baseball player, a baller, and a shortstop. Being called a “ballplayer” is the highest compliment a baseball player can get, in my humble opinion. Alex Freeland is not going to be a superstar. I have no illusions about that. But I do think that Alex can be the team captain and anchor the infield while hitting .270 with a .360 OB% and .750 OPS. He will come up big in the clutch and play up to his competition.
Alex will likely hit the Show in 2026, so I see Mookie and Miggy Rojas still at SS in 2025. In 2026, Rojas will be in the Dodger’s Front Office, and Mookie will be their 2B. Memo to Andrew Friedman: Do not sign Willy Adames as a Free Agent, because Freeland is going to be the next Dodgers SS. Trade Trey Sweeney. Keep Noah Miller… he’s young! He’s a switch-hitter and very athletic. Yes. Keep him… he’s the next Swiss-Army-Knife.” Freeland will be solid, if not spectacular.
Alex Freeland should not be walking in a straight line, let alone playing shortstop at the AA level at age 22. I am not saying that he’s going to be an All-Star, but he has exceeded expectations in everything he has done – I would not bet against my new favorite player. He’s just a baseball player. He’s a baller!
Why is Joe Kelly on the Team?
Mookie Betts says that Joe Kelly is the guy he would least like to face. Why? Because as he says, “Joe Kelly does not care!” Joe Kelly is an assassin! Getting him healthy and keeping him that way is paramount. He is made for October. Let’s hope he is available.
Rants & Raves
- I hear that the Dodgers do not believe Lipcius can play a credible 3B. Trejo is now playing 3B with Hoese.
- Austin Gauthier is a guy who can also be the new Kike Hernandez!
- A shout-out to Eric, who has been on his best behavior and has added a lot to this site. I like this version of Eric.
- My wife and I watched a great movie last night, and I highly recommend it: CIVIL WAR
X-CITES
Happy Independence Day
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Discussion (60)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Thursday schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Payton Martin) vs. West Michigan (Colin Fields)
5 p.m.: Tulsa (Carlos Duran) vs. Wichita (Kyle Jones)
5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Alec Gamboa) vs. Las Vegas (Brandon Bielak)
7 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Cam Day) at Visalia (Nate Savino)
“Carlos Duran makes his Double-A debut on the mound Wednesday. The 22-year-old had Tommy John surgery back in 2022 and missed all of 2023. He pitched 13⅔ innings over seven games with Low-A Rancho Cucamonga this season before his promotion to Tulsa on Tuesday”.
The Dodgers are promoting pitchers in the minors at a faster pace than in previous years. My take on that is a major trade is coming to include minor league pitching at or before the trading deadline along with Vargas.
Happy 4th to all the contributors! We must not forget we live in the greatest country in the world!
Excellent outing by River Ryan yesterday.
Would not surprise me if he plays a role down the stretch for us.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!
I may be in the minority here but if the Dodgers are able to acquire Garrett Crochet, I bet they find a way to place him on the IL for most of the regular season. Walker sure loves Dodger Stadium.
I like your lineup JV!
Happy 4th of July to all posters. Good lineup Jorge I like it. Get Zac Gallen tonight but I think this is his first start from coming of the IL so hopefully he is a little rusty. Can we maybe pitch around Christian Walker, sheesh dude owns us.
nice piece on Freeland Mark! Starters are looking fatigued to me. … Looked like the dodgers were going to blow the sD-backs off the field early. Then they went into sleep walking mode. Peterson and Ramirez ? yuck! A new day, but i guess it’s a Barnes day! probably kiki, biggio, taylor too! oh well , maybe the fireworks will light a fire under their cold as ice bats! Would it be a bad thing to bring Sweeney up? Can’t be any worse than Biggio , could it? happy 4th!!
Betts should bat second, no more Smith or Teo batting second. It’s just me, but I think once Betts and Muncy return, I’d like to see this lineup…
DH – Othani
2B – Betts
1B. – Freeman
LF. – Teo
3B. – Muncy
C . – Smith
RF – Heyward
CF – Pages
SS – Rojas