What Minor Leaguers Will We See in 2020?
Last year, the Dodgers had Nine (count em, 9) rookies on the roster in total. I did a hurried comparison and I think only San Francisco had as many rookies as the Dodgers. I could be wrong feel free to do the research and get back to me. But the point is: The Farm System is productive and still a TOP 3 system. In fact, if the Dodgers just
Last year, the Dodgers had Nine (count ’em, 9) rookies on the roster in total. I did a hurried comparison and I think only San Francisco had as many rookies as the Dodgers. I could be wrong … feel free to do the research and get back to me. But the point is: The Farm System is productive and still a TOP 3 system. In fact, if the Dodgers just sign Rendon and Cole and don’t make any prospect trades, it’s possible they could have the #1 farm system by spring. Here are the eight rookies:
- Alex Verdugo
- Gavin Lux
- Will Smith
- Matt Beaty
- Kyle Garlick
- Tony Gonsolin
- Dustin May
- Edwin Rios
- Josh Sborz
Is it possible we see nine rookies in 2020? Well, the answer is yes, because at least 6 of the above players will still be rookies in 2020, but who else could make it? Of course, Gavin Lux, Matt Beaty, Tony Gonsolin, Edwin Rios, and Dustin May will be on the list. Josh Sborz and Kyle Garlick will show up only in an emergency. Here are the other rookies who could see time with the Big Club in 2020:
Brett de Geus – He only pitched in High A Ball last year, where he dominated and again dominated in the AFL. He will start in AA next season and move up quickly if he keeps on this same track. In my opinion, his progress is predictable and sustainable. I think he will be in the LA bullpen sooner than later.
Keibert Ruiz – His 2019 season was shortened by injury. He will be 22 in July and hits better from the left side of the plate. Unless Austin Barnes really, really turns it around, I expect to see Kaybear platoon with Will Smith by the All-Star Break. Smith is superior defensively, but it’s not a by a huge margin. Ruiz is a very good catcher in his own right and his bat-to-ball skills are among the best I have ever seen.
Jo Jo Gray – He started out 2019 at Great Lakes, went to RC and ended up at Tulsa at the end of the season. For the season, he pitched 130 innings with a 2.28 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and struck out 147 while allowing just 98 hits. He may start out back at Tulsa or OKC, but if there are multiple injuries and Maeda is traded, we could easily see him in 2020. To me, he profiles as a #3… possibly a #2. He will be 22 in two weeks. This kid has a huge ceiling. Get back, Jo Jo.
Victor Gonzalez – He’s a 24-year-old LH pitcher whom the Dodgers added to the 40-man roster. Across 3 levels last season, he put up a 2.31 ERA in 89 innings. He is more effective against RHH than Adam Kolarek, so he has a chance to be a lefty in the bullpen. The Dodgers only have Kolarek, Alexander (coming off an injury), and Caleb Ferguson (who has allegedly accepted his bullpen role). Gonzo could see some time at the Show.
Other Possibilities – Dennis Santana, Mitch White, Michael Grove are on my watch list, but it would involve any of them taking a huge step forward. It’s not likely, but it is possible and if it happens, it could mean that other bad things have happened in the bullpen. Gerardo Carrillo has an outside shot, but I think he’s a year+ away and he has to wrap his head around relieving. I guess we could add Marshall Kasowski to that list… if he can develop another “plus” pitch. Big IF! BIG, BIG IF!
Position Players – Zach McKinstry was added to the 40-man, but he’s (in my opinion) the most likely to get traded. DJ Peters is at least a year away (if ever), and that is about it for 2020.
Memo to Fans Who Want to Make BIGGGGG Changes
It ain’t happening… nor should it. Lindor, Kluber, Betts, and others are FAKE NEWS manufactured by the media whose ratings depend upon what they write! I call BS on it all. I am certain that the Dodgers are in on Cole, Strasburg, Rendon, and Donaldson, but if someone is willing to overbid like the D-Bags were on Greinke, then AF will bow out – AND HE SHOULD! The reality is that the Dodgers may or may not end up with one of those players.
We know that Gerrit Cole grew up a Yankees fan. We know that he is from So-Cal. We don’t know if he wants to play on the Right or Left Coast. Maybe he doesn’t care… but maybe he does. I think it’s between the Yankees and the Dodgers, but I have no inside info. I think the Rangers will “way overpay” for Rendon and, being from Houston, he will go to Texas. Josh Donaldson could be “our guy” but someone may be willing to overpay for him too. There are so many dope fiends out there. On the field, Rendon is the better solution, but in the clubhouse, JD may be just what the Doctor ordered!
As the winter wears on and if the Indians feel the pressure to trade Lindor, maybe they would include Kluber in this deal: Lindor and Kluber for Pederson, Taylor, Maeda, Stripling, Beaty, and Dennis Santana. If that’s all they can get, the Indians might take it and they would likely be better!
There is so much uncertainty, that I can’t predict when the next sunrise might occur. But, I can tell you that AF will not get swindled. Many Most Dodger fans begged and pleaded for Giancarlo Stanton… and you should be happy AF did not make that Dope-Fiend Move. Stanton’s contract will be the worst boat anchor in the history of baseball.
The Yankees are allegedly “fixated” upon Cole. The order to get him came from Hal Steinbrenner. Hal gets what he wants as a rule. If the Yankees offer 8 years and $320 million to Cole should AF beat that? I think not! But, we don’t know the thought processes of any of the players, agents, and teams right about now. There are a lot of factors that go into this. In retrospect, Manny Machado was more Clark Kent than Superman outside of Camden Yards. Bryce Harper was/is a good, but not a great player. AF did right in allowing the other teams to make a dope-fiend move.
Yes, I believe in incremental growth. Look no further than Anthony Rendon. In his first two playoff years, he hit .150 and .175. Then in 2019, he was a stud! It paralleled his incremental growth each season. I also believe in keeping the Farm System strong and productive and AF has done just that. It doesn’t mean every player will be a major leaguer and the fact of the matter is that AF has traded a large number of prospects. It’s not like he doesn’t do that. I just don’t think now is the time to gut the farm. I don’t think you have to.
There is an opportunity to get a top player or two without giving up the farm. You only lose a draft pick and I know AF is OK with that in this situation. I know that Gerrit Cole is going to command the largest contract ever given to a pitcher. The biggest one (until now) was to David Price, the boat anchor to the Red Sox organization. If Cole costs $50 million more than Price, the Dodgers might be in. If it’s $100 million more, I would say “walk away.” I think Freidman will.
It will be a fun and interesting Winter Meetings. I have a feeling that Friedman has told Ryu to “get your best offer and come back to me before you sign.” That’s the fallback position. I would rather have Cole but not at any cost! Don’t forget that the last team who walked away from a $300 million dollar contract, won the World Series. Like AC, I believe in going BOLD… Just not Stupid!
One More Thing…
Ther is an interesting read at Dodgers.com on the best valve draft picks ever for each team. Of course, we all know the Dodgers was Mike Piazza but look at the rest of them right HERE. Some of it is luck and some of it is preparation. The Draft… even the lower levels can yield some gems.
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Discussion (74)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Excellent points, Mark. Headline in this morning LA Times: Will cash-rich Dodgers back up the Brink’s truck? Boys in blue have the green to land at least one star.
No one knows. The Dodgers under Friedman are masters of misdirection so it wasn’t a surprise to see Bill Plunkett’s story in the Orange County Register and Friedman being quoted that the Dodgers could do nothing and they’re still a championship team. They are about as tight lipped an organization as there is in baseball.
All we really know is that they’ve met with Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg and Anthony Rendon. They’ve also expressed interest in Josh Donaldson. Friedman has said the bullpen is always an issue.
All the talk about a $280 or $300 million contract for Cole is just nonsense. I can’t imagine a GM or owner who is that dumb. Not even the Yankees. All a record setting contract means is that it will exceed $217 million.
There is speculation that the Cole sweepstakes really boils down to the Dodgers and Yankees since both of those teams are already in championship mode. The Angels are not.
Cole or Strasburg are the only real difference makers on the market. The Dodgers already have a team good enough to get to the playoffs and probably reach the World Series. If healthy and if they perform, another elite pitcher could push the Dodgers over the top, leading to the first Series title since 1988.
Now, if Friedman is looking to resolve third base long term and get a big right hand bat, then Rendon makes perfect sense. If Rendon is looking for a chance to win another ring, then the Dodgers make sense.
As everybody tries to interpret all this, we also have to factor in Scott Boras, who is very good at getting teams to bid against themselves. Remember, Bryce Harper was going to get $400 million.
One other thing, Mark, Baseball contracts passed stupid a long time ago.
If all Dodger fans can see that the team needs another right-handed hitter, another starter (ace quality or close) and to augment the bullpen, I know that the Braintrust can see it too. Heck, as of now, they don’t have Hill or Ryu – adding a SP is a necessity.
You can add talent via the minor league system, trade or free agency.
You have the best chance of addressing the ‘pen via the farm. You can mix and match, plug guys in and see what works. Very few starting pitchers start out as aces. The Dodgers have talented youngsters, but a team with World Series aspirations isn’tgoing to count on one of them being a co-ace with Buelher (and Kershaw). The Dodgers have no stud RHH ready to make an impact in 2020. So any new co-ace SP or RHH has to come from outside the organization.
Free agents cost $$; trades require that you give up good stuff to get good stuff back. I am always amused at some poster who propose Austin Barnes, AJ Pollock and Ross Stripling for some other team’s All Star player. It ain’t happening. Since prospects are the coin of the realm, a trade for a high-end player will require high-end prospects. A certain Dodger blogger that I read once wrote that the Dodgers have 19 untouchable prospects. Of course, that’s hyperbole, but if Friedman wants to hold on to prospects really tightly, a trade is not going to happen.
How much $$ are the Dodgers willing to spend this year? Is it Friedman’s decision or the bean-counters’ in the front office? If signing Cole or Strasburg is what’s needed to put them over the top, will they spend what’s needed to make it happen? Or will they, in Friedman’s words, be rational and always finish 3rd trying to land a major free agent?
The have 3 choices – standing pat, spending prospects or spending $$. What will they do?
Your list of 8 rookies should be 9 with Edwin Rios also on the list.
I’m pretty sure the biggest boat anchor ever would have to go to Albert Pujols. Stanton probably has a couple of good years left and already had a couple of pretty good years on his current contract and isn’t signed for as “old” as Albert will be when his deal is finally done.
You toss around “boat anchor” a lot. I would rather have a “boat anchor” and a championship than no boat anchor and no championship. See David Price.
I know it’s easy to say that spending money on the best players won’t guarantee a championship, but not spending and not tanking will also not deliver a championship. If you play middle of the road all the time, you will come up short every time.
I’m wondering how many guys that interview for a GM position go in saying that we’re never gonna sign a top free agent and we’re always going to hold onto all of our prospects and we’ll win a World Series by signing castoffs from other teams.
Andrew Friedman has never won a championship, so maybe, just maybe, his strategy isn’t the best strategy.
If you can spend 275M in payroll to secure a television deal, you should be willing to come near that number to win a Championship.
If you can’t offer big bucks to free agents, and you never extend your own, how can you ever resign your own elite players once they hit free agency?
If you only rely on developing your own talent without ever bringing in outside help, you will never win a championship. As your next wave of talent develops, you will continue to lose your own stars to free agency.
Here’s some vision for you. Even Ray Charles can see that your fan base will start to become disinterested if the perception is that you’re hoarding the money they spend on your product. We saw it with the McCourts.
I find it repulsive that The Angels and Yankees both publicly stated that they’re gonna go hard after Cole, then AF comes out days later and says we’re not going to do something just to do something. The Yankees were a 100+ win team last year. They have less cap space than we do, and they publicly say that they’re going to address their biggest need. That’s why they win championships. They do whatever it takes to do so. Meanwhile, AF is signing a 31YO Independent League pitcher who has problems strikes in a BULLPEN SESSION!
Jesse Pearce had an article in Think Blue LA were he made 5 trades the Dodgers could make for RHH, here is his third trade scenario.
Outfielder / first baseman Trey Mancini from the Baltimore Orioles? What would it take? A lot! Perhaps Matt Beaty, DJ Peters, Chris Taylor, and Mitchell White. I would love this trade if the Dodgers would include Muncy. The Dodgers get a RH bat who can play First base which puts Lux at second, Seager at SS, and leaves third open for Rendon or Donaldson.
Turner would be able to play 2 or 3 days a week at third or first and also be used as a pinch hitter.If the Dodgers don´t get a third baseman then Turner is the guy for now.
It´s time, what will the Dodgers do?