Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Here’s the first set of rankings for 2019. There are some familiar names, some names you’ve never heard of and potentially some guys who could move up with strong 2019 performances.
There are some guys who are in either make-or-break seasons or seasons when they just need to play. There are definitely some sleepers in this group, and also some really young players.
Odds are, most of these guys won’t be heard from much outside of this list. That’s the life of a baseball prospect. There could be guys who make noise, and that’s what’s always most fun about these lists.
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Previously
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Editor’s Note: I am not a scout (#notascout). I am an amateur when it comes to evaluating players. I don’t claim to be a pro, I just want to pass along the information I observe/obtain to the people. Notes and comments are based on personal observation, talking to sources, reading scouting reports and watching video. For future entries in this series: All ratings in the charts below are on the standard 20-80 scouting scale, where 50 is roughly average, 80 is elite and nearly unattainable and 20 is unacceptably poor. Enjoy.
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| Rank | Name | Position | Age | Best Tool | Height | Weight | ETA |
| 100 | Osvanni Gutierrez | RHP | 17 | Fastball | 6’1 | 170 | 2024 |
| 99 | Alfredo Tavarez | RHP | 21 | Cmd/Ctrl | 6’5 | 250 | 2022 |
| 98 | Aldrich De Jongh | OF | 20 | Speed | 5’8 | 167 | 2023 |
| 97 | Carlos Duran | RHP | 17 | Cmd/Ctrl | 6’7 | 231 | 2024 |
| 96 | Jair Camargo | C | 19 | C | 5’10 | 219 | 2023 |
| 95 | Dan Robinson | OF | 22 | Hit | 6’2 | 216 | 2022 |
| 94 | Preston Grand Pre | SS | 23 | Arm | 6’4 | 175 | 2022 |
| 93 | Justin Yurchak | 3B | 22 | Defense | 6’1 | 204 | 2023 |
| 92 | Jose Martinez | RHP | 20 | Fastball | 6’0 | 193 | 2024 |
| 91 | Rolando Lebron | CF | 21 | Speed | 5’9 | 170 | 2023 |
Notes
- Gutierrez was signed in October for $600,000; already up to 93 MPH as a 17-year-old
- Tavarez is a large adult who will face a test in Rancho Cucamonga
- Grand Pre has been limited to just 26 games in two seasons, but is extremely toolsy
- Yurchak was acquired on Nov. 1 for Manny Banuelos
- Lebron could move up if he proves he’s more than just a complex ball guy
| Rank | Name | Position | Age | Best Tool | Height | Weight | ETA |
| 90 | Jesen Therrien | RHP | 26 | Slider | 6’2 | 200 | 2017 |
| 89 | Devin Mann | 2B/3B | 21 | Hit | 6’3 | 202 | 2022 |
| 88 | Jaime Schultz | RHP | 28 | Fastball | 5’10 | 200 | 2018 |
| 87 | Zach Willeman | RHP | 23 | Fastball | 6’2 | 217 | 2022 |
| 86 | Zach Reks | OF | 25 | Hit | 6’2 | 190 | 2020 |
| 85 | Yaisel Sierra | RHP | 27 | Fastball | 6’1 | 170 | 2019? |
| 84 | Stephen Kolek | RHP | 22 | Fastball | 6’3 | 217 | 2023 |
| 83 | Luis Carlos Diaz | OF | 19 | Hit | 6’1 | 155 | 2024 |
| 82 | Aldry Acosta | RHP | 21 | Changeup | 6’4 | 205 | 2022 |
| 81 | Romer Cuadrado | OF/1B | 21 | Arm | 6’4 | 205 | 2023 |
Notes
- Therrien is in the second year of a 2-year minor-league deal signed last winter; coming back from Tommy John surgery
- Mann was the Dodgers’ 5th-round pick in ’18; scouting reports don’t match production
- Schultz was acquired from Tampa Bay on Jan. 8 for RHP Caleb Sampen
- Willeman is also coming back from TJ; has been up to 99 MPH since returning
- Sierra didn’t pitch in ’18 because of shoulder issues; half-way through original 6-year, $30 million deal
- Acosta has a 3-pitch mix: fastball in the low-90s, mid-70s curveball and mid-80s changeup
- Cuadrado showed his 2017 production was due to the Pioneer League after struggling in the Midwest League
| Rank | Name | Position | Age | Best Tool | Height | Weight | ETA |
| 80 | Marco Hernandez | C | 21 | Defense | 6’2 | 197 | 2022 |
| 79 | Orlandy Navarro | RHP | 20 | Fastball | 6’2 | 190 | 2023 |
| 78 | Andy Pages | OF | 18 | Power | 6’1 | 214 | 2024 |
| 77 | Eddys Leonard | SS | 18 | Hit | 6’0 | 158 | 2024 |
| 76 | Andre Jackson | RHP | 23 | Fastball | 6’1 | 200 | 2022 |
| 75 | Joan Valdez | RHP | 20 | Fastball | 6’4 | 190 | 2023 |
| 74 | Kenneth Betancourt | IF | 19 | Speed | 5’8 | 155 | 2023 |
| 73 | Jose Hernandez | LHP | 21 | Fastball | 6’3 | 170 | 2023 |
| 72 | Nathan Witt | RHP | 23 | Fastball | 6’2 | 213 | 2022 |
| 71 | Jake Peter | 2B | 26 | Hit | 6’1 | 185 | 2019 |
Notes
- Navarro has a fastball up to 93 MPH with good spin, mediocre breaking pitch, non-existent changeup
- Pages hit 10 home runs in the Dominican Summer League, a league notorious for not a lot of home runs
- Leonard had a good pro debut and could move up this list if he performs stateside
- Valdez has a projectable frame, but needs to show he can handle advanced competition
- Betancourt is an interesting utility player with a decent bat and quickness
- Witt hasn’t pitched much, but if he ever stays healthy, he could move quickly
| Rank | Name | Position | Age | Best Tool | Height | Weight | ETA |
| 70 | Elio Serrano | RHP | 20 | Fastball | 5’11 | 160 | 2022 |
| 69 | Yunior Garcia | CF | 17 | Hit | 6’0 | 199 | 2024 |
| 68 | Julian Smith | LHP | 22 | Fastball | 6’4 | 192 | 2022 |
| 67 | Jose Rodulfo | RHP | 18 | Fastball | 6’0 | 215 | 2024 |
| 66 | Marcus Chiu | 2B/3B | 22 | Hit | 6’1 | 200 | 2022 |
| 65 | Max Gamboa | RHP | 23 | Fastball | 6’4 | 180 | 2022 |
| 64 | Logan Salow | LHP | 24 | Slider | 6’1 | 185 | 2021 |
| 63 | Joe Broussard | RHP | 28 | Fastball | 6’1 | 240 | 2019 |
| 62 | James Outman | OF | 22 | Defense | 6’2 | 205 | 2022 |
| 61 | Bryan Warzek | LHP | 22 | Fastball | 6’0 | 205 | 2020 |
Notes
- Garcia is a favorite of mine; had an impressive showing for a 16-year-old in the DSL
- Smith was a nice get in the 15th round last year; could skip rookie ball all together; big-time sleeper with premium stuff
- Gamboa might be a reliever, and his stuff should play up in that role
- Salow was acquired from the A’s early last season; little old for A-ball, but could be more than just a LOOGY
- Outman (2018 7th-rounder) might stick in center field; showed well after an 0-for-23 start to his pro career
- Warzek (2018 6th-rounder) missed a ton of bats in his pro debut; could move quickly as a lefty specialist
| Rank | Name | Position | Age | Best Tool | Height | Weight | ETA |
| 60 | Morgan Cooper | RHP | 24 | Fastball | 6’4 | 207 | 2022 |
| 59 | Joel Ibarra | SS | 16 | Hit | 6’0 | 176 | 2025 |
| 58 | Niko Hulsizer | OF | 22 | Power | 6’3 | 223 | 2022 |
| 57 | Wills Montgomerie | RHP | 24 | Fastball | 6’0 | 235 | 2021 |
| 56 | Drew Finley | RHP | 22 | Fastball | 6’3 | 200 | 2022 |
| 55 | Deacon Liput | SS/2B | 23 | Defense | 5’10 | 187 | 2021 |
| 54 | Dan Jagiello | RHP | 24 | Fastball | 6’3 | 200 | 2021 |
| 53 | Andre Scrubb | RHP | 24 | Fastball | 6’4 | 265 | 2020 |
| 52 | Albert Suarez | SS | 19 | Defense | 5’11 | 150 | 2023 |
| 51 | Sauryn Lao | 3B/1B | 19 | Hit | 6’2 | 191 | 2023 |
Notes
- Cooper has yet to throw a professional pitch since being drafted (2nd round, 2017); has battled shoulder issues
- Ibarra was signed last month and has loud tools
- Hulsizer (2018 18th-rounder) has big-time power potential; will need to show outside hitter-friendly league
- Finley was acquired in November; son of David, Dodgers’ VP of international scouting
- Liput was drafted by LA in 2017 (29th round) and ’18 (9th round); signed as a senior and had a great pro debut with Great Lakes
- Scrubb showed well in Arizona Fall League; has command/control issues, but has swing-and-miss stuff
- Lao is still developing, but has a good frame and could stick at third base
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Next Up: Prospects 50-31
