It is a bit difficult to write now. We have a house full. Jamie , Laura and three-year-old grandson Rowan are here, as are Elanya and Dean. Plus two dogs that are not ours as well as our two cats. Also, I am retired as a writer. So here goes a bit at a time.
BulldogsandPenguins, to my recollection, is the only one on TBLA who has mentioned the next prospect I had in mind.
Ismael Alcantara
There is almost nothing written about Ismael Alcantara except for post-game columns in which he has contributed offensively. He is a 23-year-old outfielder, not to be confused with another Alcantara bearing the same name. That would be 21-year-old Ismael Alcantara who is a San Francisco minor league outfielder.
Alcantara, who is from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, was signed as an international free agent by the Dodgers on June 2, 2017.
He had a good start at age-18 with the Dominican Summer League Dodgers in 2017 playing in 64 games in which he posted a triple slash of .267/.372/.734.
The following year he came stateside and played 36 games with the Arizona League Dodgers in which he most likely had very little fun while hitting .168, which is about his current listed weight.
However, in his second shot with the AZL Dodgers in 2019, he found a new groove slashing .301/.406/.404 over 46 games. In an additional nine games with the Ogden Raptors he hit .360.
It is difficult to imagine how the missed 2020 season has impacted and even impeded the progress of young minor league players. It appears Alcantara might have weathered the storm. He will play all of 2022 as a 23-year-old and no doubt begin the season with the High-A Great Lakes Loons.
During the past season with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes over 61 games his stat line was .307/.377/.590 with an OPS of .967. He showed some power with 12 home runs and drove in 34. The right-handed batter in 150 at bats hit .307 against right-handed pitching and .309 in 55 at bats against left-handed pitching.
Breyln Jones – Next Man Up
Breyln Jones was the Dodgers 29th selection in the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Rutherford High School in Rutherford, New Jersey.
The son of former MLB pitcher Bobby Jones, the younger Jones has yet to make his professional debut.
I do not know why he missed the 2021 season, nor can I find out even by Google. How can that be?
However, he was not selected by accident so I thought this might be an opportunity to catch a glimpse of Jones as we wait to see him make his professional debut during the 2022 season. He turned 21 in October so could be a prospect to start the season with the Low-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes so he does not have to wait even longer for the short-season Arizona Complex League to start.
The 6’2”/ 180 lb. right-handed hitter was drafted as a shortstop but also had success as a pitcher in high school.
After spending two seasons at Northern Highlands High School in Allendale, New Jersey, he transferred to Rutherford High School where he starred as a shortstop and as a pitcher.
With the Bulldogs he had a two-year pitching record of 9-2 along with a 0.45 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 62.2 innings pitched.
His skills include outstanding speed and a strong throwing arm. In his senior year with Rutherford he hit .403 (27-for-67), scored 29 runs and, stole 19 bases.
Rutherford High School Varsity Baseball coach, Carmen Spina, in an interview with This is Rutherford, described Breyln Jones as extremely athletic and a player with strong baseball instincts.
“Brelyn is one of the best players I’ve coached in past 22 years. He has tremendous baseball instincts and it is evident that he has grown up around the game. We wish him the best of luck in the Dodger organization and hope that one day he can come back to RHS and tell the players how he was in their shoes and made it to the big leagues!”
Jones was asked when he learned he was being drafted. did you learn you were being drafted? It apparently was not a strong expectation on his part.
His reply:
“I learned that I was being drafted after school on the third day of school when Coach Carmen Spina called me while I was asleep. He was screaming into the phone saying, “You got drafted.” That was definitely the best news I’ve ever woken up too.”
He was also asked what advice he could give to current ballplayers. His response gives us a brief look into his baseball psyche and his approach to the game as a teenager just turned 19.
“Just believe in your game. Go out there on the field and compete. Don’t be scared of any opponent and give it your all. Work hard and trust what you can do on the field. Perfect the little things in your game; that will help you a lot when you are in pressured situations because it will all be natural and all you have left to do is go out have fun and play.”
This is a Tough Game
By following the Loons closely, I develop a certain affinity for certain players. That affinity comes by the way they play the game, especially those who do so in an unexpected way, and from something I may have learned about their background.
Going back to 2018, left-hander Bryan Warzek was one of those players as he made his way to the Loons after being selected by the Dodgers in the 6th round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft. Over 19.2 innings he struck out 33 and walked three.
Dodger Nation wrote this about Warzek following his 2018 season.
“Bryan Warzek is the only left-hander on this list and is one that many have not heard of. He was not in a lot of draft lists, but the Dodgers reached for him in the 6th round and seemed to have found a gem. Warzek throws a fastball, curveball and changeup and misses a lot of bats as he struck out 38 in 22.1 innings in his first professional season. He made it to low A and I expect him to reach high A early in the 2019 season.
As one of the few highly regarded lefty relievers in the Dodgers system I expect Warzek to move through the system quickly with a debut sometime during the 2021 season. However, I would not rule out 2020 as he’s the only one on this list who does not have control issues. So far, he is one of the steals of the 2018 draft.”
Things change in the blink of an eye and did so for Warzek. During the 2019 season with the Quakes and the 2021 season with the Drillers he walked 91 batters in 91 innings pitched while striking out 107.
He was released by the Dodgers following the 2021 season.
I don’t know if he will catch on with another organization at age 25 but whatever his future endeavors may be, I wish him well.
Andrés Meléndez
Cleveland Guardians prospect Andrés Meléndez died suddenly in Miami on Thursday afternoon, the team announced. No cause of death was given for the Venezuela native. Meléndez was 20 years old.
As word of the catcher’s death circulated Thursday night, former teammates and his organization took to social media with tributes and to express their condolences.
Signed as an international free agent by Milwaukee in 2017, Meléndez was traded to Cleveland in November 2019. He made his organizational debut this year with Low-A Lynchburg and put together a solid first full-season campaign. Meléndez set numerous career highs with the Hillcats, batting .247/.367/.431 with 46 RBIs and 26 extra-base hits in 73 games. He was especially adept defensively, throwing out 33 percent of attempted base stealers.
The Guardians released a statement Thursday evening:
“Andrés is remembered by his teammates and friends as a positive, respectful, and thoughtful young man with a beautiful smile who had a profound impact on others. He will be greatly missed.”
Life is Fragile
Don’t count your blessings…
Share them!
I was wondering… if MLB and MLBPA do not come to an agreement, could the MiLB teams play?
Did you see the look in Ismael Alcantara’s eyes when he fouled off strike 2 in his first AB? It was a “steely determined” look! He looked awfully good in that video.
This is the best baseball news in weeks.
I guess I am retired too… I like writing once a week.
Love hearing about the kids DC.. Looking forward to seeing the Rancho kids..
But most important, all you LADT folks have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year..
Be safe…. Peace out
Thanks DC. Good to read a post from you.
Merry Christmas to all.
Bear, enjoy your journey to California.
Thanks Phil, already here,
Great stuff as always DC. I do love reading about these kids. Some of these kids will be the future of the team. We have seen some good ones over the last few years and now and then a flameout or two. I am one of those who after a player leaves the organization I will check in to see how they might be doing with their new team. I was very interested to see that DJ Peters signed so quickly with a KBO team after the Rangers cut him loose. Enjoy your Christmas holiday with your family.
It’s a crying shame that a post this good only gets a few comments.
Is everyone tired of the bunch of greedy bastards ruining the game?
Maybe it is information overload.
I remember back in 1975 when I lived in Brooklyn and worked on a construction job in Spanish Harlem. There was no way to get the West Coast scores in NYC at that time. Radio – Hell no! TV – Ha! I could only get the scores with the City Edition of the NY Post. It generally came out after 10 AM, so when I took my break, you would find me wandering Spanish Harlem looking for an English newspaper (which was rare). I always found one and “fondled” the boxscore for 15 minutes imagining what the game was like.
How times have changed!
It is a great post. I think many of us simply aren’t checking in on baseball stuff given the lack of news and depression from the potential for a catastrophic beginning to the 2022 season.
By what would be opening day, we may have no baseball, NATO might be at war with Russia and we might very well be once again locked down from COVID waiting for our 7th booster shot for the Voltron variant.
Happy days
Finally: DC, I really, really appreciate your work!
It is TOP SHELF!
https://www.ibj.com/articles/u-s-navy-sending-team-to-methodist-hospital-to-help-with-rising-covid-19-cases
Federal officials are sending a 23-person U.S. Navy team to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis to help relieve overwhelmed staffers at Indiana’s largest hospital.
The U.S. Army North in San Antonio announced Monday that medical personnel from the Navy team will include physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists. The move comes at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Responding to an inquiry by IBJ, the Indiana Department of Health specified that Methodist would receive four doctors, 14 nurses and two registered technicians, along with three administrative staffers.
Indiana University Health, the parent of Methodist Hospital, requested staffing assistance from FEMA, according to an IU Health spokeswoman. The team is set to work with the hospital for 30 days, beginning this week.
“[The team will] be integrated into medical units at IU Health Methodist in areas of greatest need,” said public relations manager Lisa Tellus. “IU Health leadership continues to meet with U.S. military leadership to navigate the operations plan and ensure optimal utilization of this support team.”
The Indiana Hospital Association said Tuesday morning it was grateful for the assistance and for the work of the Indiana Department of Health in coordinating federal help as COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to climb.
“There has never been this much strain on Indiana’s health care system, and it does not look like it will let up any time soon,” said Brian Tabor, IHA’s president.
I have set it up with my Doctor to get the monoclonal antibodies if I get Covid-19 for a third time.
It’s bad here!
God bless these people lending a caring hand to those in need. I’m pretty sure they would rather be somewhere else celebrating Christmas with family and friends. True heroes.
Thank you DC, really enjoyable read as usual, except for the tragic news of Andres Melendez’ death.
Real young men, daring to dream big and work hard in pursuit of their dreams. How can you not love that? I appreciate your insight and commitment to getting them noticed. I have to believe that the majority of them will make an important contribution to the world in some way during their lifetimes. Dedication and hard work are reliable predictors of future value.
It’s good to hear about the medical staff headed to Indianapolis to help with the crisis there. We acknowledge our great debt of gratitude owed those who sacrifice to serve in such selfless ways. Thank you.
Happy holidays everyone. Spread love and good cheer.
What’s to keep players from playing Winter Ball to get experience & stay in shape during the lockout? Could the Dodgers field a team?
Thanks for the article, DC!
Baseball is indeed a tough game.
And every day is a blessing.
Merry Christmas to all!
As expected, the Dodgers and Padres are the two teams that exceeded the luxury tax threshold this past season. The Associated Press reports that Los Angeles will pay $32.65MM in fees, while the Padres’ tax penalty lands at a more modest $1.29MM. No other teams exceeded the threshold in 2021.
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Neither the Dodgers nor the Padres exceeded the threshold in 2020. Under the terms of the 2016-21 collective bargaining agreement, teams were only subject to escalating penalties for exceeding in consecutive years. Thus, both teams will be treated as first-time payors this offseason.
Teams are only subject to penalties on the dollars they spend above the threshold. The 2021 penalties for first-time payors checked in at 20% on every dollar between $210MM and $230MM, 32% on overages between $230MM and $250MM and 62.5% on each dollar spent above $250MM. CBT figures are calculated by summing the average annual values of all of a team’s player contracts (plus benefits), not by looking at a team’s actual payrolls in a given season.
As their hefty tax suggests, the Dodgers were by far the game’s biggest spender in 2021. Los Angeles’ final luxury tax number checked in at $285.6MM. (Their tax payment is calculated as the sum of $4MM on their overages between $210MM – $230MM, $6.4MM on their overages between $230MM – $250MM and $22.25MM on their overages above $250MM). The Dodgers flexed that financial might to build a star-studded roster that went to the NL Championship Series.
By exceeding $250MM, the Dodgers also accepted a minor hit in next year’s amateur draft. Teams that exceeded the highest tax threshold in the previous CBA saw their top choice moved back ten spots in the ensuing Rule 4 draft. Instead of picking 30th overall next season as originally scheduled, they’ll first select at pick No. 40.
This probably explains why fans of every other team hate us.
From MLB Trade Rumours
Merry Xmas and Happy Holidays to all! Let’s hope that 2022 is a better year for the country and the insanity that is taking place can stop as the Republicans can take back the House and Senate. A one party control of the Congress and the Executive branch is not a good thing for the American people.
Even if they don’t they can always say they did.
Very good article DC thank you very much, to the entire community of Dodgers Talk LA I wish you happy holidays in the company of your loved ones and take care of that damn virus.
Morning guys, I think I brought the cold weather with me. And rain is coming. What we need is some real baseball news. Seems the Cubs are also in the Correa sweepstakes. They can have him.
The Dodgers are currently on the hook for just under $235 million in 2022. And that’s with Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen among others still on the free agent market.
Hard to buy Correa with so much already committed to payroll.
Should be A LOT more snow here when you get back OB48. Snow in the forecast starting tomorrow for just about every day into the year end.
Merry Christmas!!
On the bright side, literally, the days are getting longer and the nights shorter.
Great article DC.
I just purchased my ticket package for minor league season. If the MLB season doesn’t start on time I don’t believe we will be going to any MLB games this year. We will stick with minor leagues, as they will be playing on MiLB opening day. My friend who runs sales for the local Angels affiliate told me the only effect on the minor league season will involve the 40 man roster. AAA players on the 40 man can’t participate. Players will be moved up to AAA to fill any players on the 40 man who can’t play. Which will have a small trickle effect down the levels. But otherwise it’s business as usual for the minors.
At least we have that to look forward to.
Carlos Correa will not be coming to the Dodgers. Since the QO is attached to him, the penalty would be too great. No deal.
The Dodgers have a SS this year, so there is no need to do anything.
I still think Kelly and Jansen make a lot of sense.
There is no need to do anything.
The Dodgers are set… sure another starter would be great, but what if a rookie is ready?
Of course, there may be no season… so there is that!