Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The full rosters for the Arizona Fall League were released Wednesday. The Dodgers are sending six prospects this year, with Zyhir Hope and Jake Gelof as the biggest names in the group.
Hope and Gelof are the only position players going. The remaining four are all right-handed pitchers: Eriq Swan, Jerming Rosario, Alex Makarewich and Kelvin Ramirez.
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As was noted by Josh, Hope is the first teenager the Dodgers have sent to the AFL since Corey Seager in 2013. It is especially aggressive considering that Hope played just 61 regular season games this year due to an early shoulder injury that took away much of his season. After getting activated in late July, Hope slashed .290/.433/.473 across 36 games.
In his small sample size of competition, Hope showed ability that was advanced well beyond his age. That must have helped the Dodgers feel comfortable sending him to Arizona to make up for some of the time he spent on the IL this year. Acquired alongside Jackson Ferris in last offseason’s Michael Busch trade, Hope has rocketed up prospect boards and established himself as one of the higher ceiling players in the system.
The level of competition in the Arizona Fall League is very roughly equivalent to somewhere between High-A and Double-A. There is a wide variety of experience levels present, as there are players rostered who have played in the Majors already as well as some who have yet to advance passed rookie ball. Still, the Dodgers have shown a pattern in recent years of sending players who are in the Double-A or close to reaching it.
Gelof falls on the lower end of that spectrum as well, having played only 85 games in High-A. After beginning the season on fire for Rancho Cucamonga, Gelof faltered at the plate after moving up to Great Lakes, posting a .598 OPS in the Midwest League. He still compiled 24 extra-base-hits, and the University of Virginia career home run leader will look to get back on track with extra reps in Arizona.
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Swan has the highest ceiling of the pitchers in this year’s group. Drafted in the fourth round last year out of Middle Tennessee State, Swan has a fastball that can surpass 100 mph when it is right. Swan bounced on and off the IL this year and was only able to compile 22 2/3 Single-A innings.
Similar to Hope’s situation, the fall league is a chance for Swan to make up for lost time on the field. He was mostly deployed as a starter this year, but he only pitched in short stints and could conceivably see time in relief in Arizona.
Rosario is closer to the variety of player who more commonly gets the AFL nod from the Dodgers. The 22-year-old has been in the organization since 2018, and he made his first 16 Double-A starts after an early promotion this year. The Dominican is a safe bet to do some more innings-eating this fall.
Makarewich wasn’t picked until the 13th round last year but he has quickly made a name for himself in the organization. He struggled mightily with command this season, oftentimes missing the zone altogether or leaving pitches in easily hittable locations. Despite this, he struck out 45 batters in 32 innings.
Last but not least, Ramirez spent the full year in Great Lakes’ bullpen. He’s had solid campaigns each of the last two seasons, combining for 81 games between Single-A and High-A. The Venezuelan will continue delevoping his craft in Arizona this year.
