Arizona Fall League for 2017
Phil Gurnee ♦ August 29, 2017 ♦ 3 Comments
Last year the Dodgers Arizona fall league was loaded with Cody Bellinger, Willie Calhoun, and Alex Verdugo. Willie Calhoun would win the AFL All-Star game MVP while Cody Bellinger let everyone know he was going to be a player to be reckoned with in the summer of 2017.
Will Smith needs the reps after getting hurt this summer as he tries to keep in front of Keibert Ruiz and Connor Wong on the catching depth chart but I don’t think he’s going to be able to hold them off.
Matt Beaty will get a chance to show his skill set in front of the multitudes of scouts who inhabit the AFL. Beaty had a great year at AA, and was named the Player of the Year for the Texas League but isn’t on any prospect lists.
DJ Peters was the California League MVP and should enjoy the light air of Arizona.
Yusniel Diaz is the highest ranked of the prospects and should be intriguing to watch as he tries to show a reason for his prospect status.
Pitchers don’t fare well in Arizona and I don’t expect Sopko or Spitzbarth to do much impressing.
- Posted in: Los Angeles Dodger Prospects ♦ Uncategorized
- Tagged: Andy Sopko, DJ Peters, Matt Beaty, Shea Spitzbarth, Will Smith, Yusniel Diaz
Dodgers, Yesterday and Today 
2020
Verdugo/Diaz LF – Kendall CF – Peters RF
Seager 3B – Lux/Santana SS – Taylor 2B – Bellinger 1B
Barnes/Ruiz C
???
Kendall
Seager
Taylor
Bellinger
Peters
Verdugo
Ruiz/Barnes
Lux/Santana
Hmmm …
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I can’t believe in DJ Peters with that K rate in the California League. The only kids currently in the system that I think will be Dodgers are Ruiz and Verdugo. Kendall has a lot to prove. 2020 is so far away I won’t try to take a swing but I hope Puig signs an extension with the Dodgers. Have you given up on Toles? I think I like Starling Heredia more than Kendall even though he has also struggled mightily with the Loons. A few more days before the end of the minor league system and I’ll take a shot at my top ten position players and top ten pitchers.
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We will see if Peters can tame the strike outs.
Ted Williams helped HOWARD with this.
Heredia is just 18, but he could be ready by 2020.
Toles will be on his third try in consecutive seasons attempting to establish himself.
He missed many, many reps this season at the plate and in the field.
The Dodgers had a more compelling need to play him this season.
Lots more OF competition in ST 2018.
Of course I’m rooting for Toles, but missing the 2017 season really puts a damper on his learning curve and development.
Yeah, 2020 is far away and I was thinking about projections similar to this from years past and how they wind up matching up with the later reality.
Lots will change.
I do not believe the Dodgers will be interested in a big FA contract for the 30 year old Puig though. Those legs gonna get bigger and those feet gonna slow down.
If he keeps the new approach with the bat, his next stop should be Boston …
Until then, wishing him nothing but success!
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