Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
It seems like Spring Training has been going on for months now, but really, we’re just three weeks into it. As such, the Dodgers have made their first round of cuts.
- RHP Ralston Cash
- C Kyle Farmer
- OF Henry Ramos
- RHP Jacob Rhame
- RHP Josh Sborz
Farmer and Rhame were optioned (since they are on the 40-man roster), while Cash, Ramos and Sborz were reassigned to minor-league camp.
There aren’t any big surprises, really. Cash is a candidate to make his MLB debut at some point, but he’s about 27th on the pitching depth chart as it stands. Ramos has a pulled groin and is going to be out 4-6 weeks. He was viewed as minor-league depth anyway. Sborz (my No. 12 prospect) getting consistent work on the minor-league side is what he needs right now, so that’s OK.
Farmer getting the boot so early is a bit surprising. He’s, technically, the third catcher on the depth chart behind Yasmani Grandal and Austin Barnes. But non-roster invitee Bobby Wilson is doing enough to impress the coaching staff and front office to stick around. He’s not doing it with his bat, but more with his glove and working with pitchers. It wouldn’t be at all surprising to see him be the first catcher called up if either Grandal and/or Barnes misses any time in 2017.
Rhame getting sent down also isn’t terribly surprising, but as a 40-man roster guy, one thought he might stick around a little longer. But reports on him from Spring Training are not encouraging. As a guy who works off his fastball that has been in the mid-90s in years past, it has been in the 90-92 MPH range in the spring and got hit around on the back fields. He also was suffering from a sore back, so maybe that factors.
Five down, 31 to go.
