Andrew Toles hits and waits

Phil Gurnee ♦ July 2, 2018 ♦ 1 Comment

The Dodgers are so loaded in the outfield that their top position prospect Alex Verdugo can’t crack the roster and the same holds true for Andrew Toles who was the opening day starting left fielder in 2017.

The only thing either of them can do is keep knocking on the door and eventually, the Dodgers or another organization will give these two a chance at the major league level.

Andrew Toles has already done enough at the major league level to prove he belongs, what he hasn’t been able to do, is stay healthy. Toles missed almost two months of 2018 after missing almost all of 2017 for different injuries. I’m not sure if there is a hotter hitter right now than Andrew Toles who has had six straight multi-hit games. In those six games, Toles has fourteen hits including home runs in the last two games. Over his last ten games, Toles is hitting .400 and now has his AAA triple stat line sitting at .353 / .395 / .534.

I don’t know much about Connor Joe but it is time to find out who he is. The 25-year-old 3rd baseman tore up AA and earned a promotion to AAA, and has continued to scorch the earth. Connor Joe has a 1.253 OPS in 30 AAA at-bats so far.  He was a 2014 first round pick by the Pirates so why is he in the Dodger organization? Turns out the Dodgers acquired him from the Braves who had acquired him from the Pirates with the price simply being international signing money.

John Sickels gives us more on Connor Joe.

It’s little to go on, but Connor Joe has valuable prospect history. He was a first-round pick and has already overcome an injury as well as two trades. The Dodgers may have bought great low value here and added another piece to their National League pennant winning organization.

Manny Banuelos has been the Dodgers best pitcher at AAA all season but will probably never see the mound for the Dodgers until Sept if he is still in the organization at that point.

Brock Stewart had the best game of the season for him yesterday, throwing six shutout innings.

On the downside, Mitch White just can’t get it going and is dropping as fast as Yadier Alvarez in the Dodger prospect ranking.  Two years ago these guys were two of the jewels, but have been bypassed this year as they struggle in AA.

Will Smith the AA catcher sharing time with Keibert Ruiz had a power surge the week before hitting four home runs in four games, and this past week went on a base on balls binge, walking six times in his past three games.

Rylan Bannon is the name to watch for the A Plus Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Bannon has nineteen home runs and sports a 1.000 OPS. Over his last ten games he is hitting .447 along with eight walks. The 8th round pick from 2017 has blossomed quickly and might be the steal of the Dodger draft. They needed a steal because number one pick Jeren Kendall continues to struggle in the same league, and 2nd round pick Morgan Cooper has yet to throw one professional inning.  Bannon leads the California League in home runs with 19, RBI with 54, 2nd with runs scored with 50, 2nd in OBP at .405, 2nd in OPS at 1.000.  A massive season for Bannon.