Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The draft is quickly approaching (seriously, it’s later today). We’ll have at least one more profile, but this one is on local product Keoni Cavaco.
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Previous profiles
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Vitals
6’0, 185 pounds
Position: Third base/Shortstop
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
DOB: June 2, 2001
Location
Chula Vista, Calif.
Commitment: San Diego State
Rankings
Baseball America: 31
ESPN: 37
FanGraphs: 23
MLB.com: 28
Perfect Game: 38
Slot recommended bonus (No. 25): $2,740,300
Slot recommended bonus (No. 31): $2,312,000
Note: All information of draft prospects compiled from Internet sources, scouting reports and video.
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Prep players have dominated these profiles, and with the premium being put on college pitching and some of the college bats, it wouldn’t be surprising for the Dodgers to land a prep player or two early in this draft. Cavaco is a kid who has some of the most helium leading up to draft day, and there’s a thought that he won’t even make to the Dodgers’ first pick at 25.
Cavaco was relatively unknown coming into the season — he certainly wasn’t a 1st-round draft prospect. But, a strong spring at the plate has firmly entrenched him as a 1st-rounder — as high as the mid-1st. Cavaco has a wide base and quick-twitch actions at the plate. He generates loft and has big-time raw power for a kid who doesn’t look the part of a power-hitter. He does struggle to make consistent contact, which could be his biggest hangup in the pros. But it’s easy to dream on him being a hard-hitting third baseman because of the athleticism and bat speed.
He’s also an above-average athlete that serves him well in the field and on the base paths. That might go down as he fills out physically, but for now, he projects to be an above-average third baseman. Some even wonder if he can handle shortstop, which would make him an even more intriguing prospect. One of the Dodgers’ biggest international signings in the past year was Alex De Jesus. He was seen as a third baseman, but the Dodgers are trying him at shortstop. Cavaco reminds me of him a bit.
Video
Videos courtesy of FanGraphs and Perfect Game.
The local kid has a commitment to San Diego State, but I’m guessing that won’t hold him up from accepting a signing bonus north of $2.5 million, especially since he wasn’t really on the radar over the summer. He has a chance to be a middle-of-the-order hitter who has value on defense at third base (or maybe shortstop).
