Well we have played GM long enough, and yet they still will not listen to us. Now it is time to play Director of Player Development A couple of weeks back there was a blog that posed the challenge to name the starting rotation for the OKC Dodgers. Never let it be said that I would not accept such a challenge and I of course gave me 2 cents worth. I cannot absolutely remember who my five were, but I did premise my thoughts knowing that the Dodgers are very much into signing AAAA pitchers to filter into the OKC and Tulsa rotations during the year to not put undue pressure on the up and coming LAD rotation possibilities by pushing them to a level they do not belong. I think my five were Daniel Corcino, Caleb Ferguson, Dennis Santana, Mitchell White, and Andy Sopko. But I also thought that Ben Holmes was a likely candidate. We know Sopko is gone in the Russell Martin deal.
During the 2018 season, the Dodgers added the following starters to the OKC and Tulsa rosters:
Daniel Corcino
Zach Neal
Manny Banuelos
Tyler Pill
Guillermo Moscoso
Justin De Fratus
Logan Bawcom
Kyle Lobstein
Frank Duncan
Corcino has already re-signed with LAD, and it is a match that makes a great deal of sense. Corcino likes being with the Dodgers, and the Dodgers love his versatility. He is an emergency to be sure, but he was called last year (6/9) optioned back to OKC (6/13), DFA (7/4), cleared and outrighted to OKC (7/7), where he remained for the year. Daniel knows who he is and would relish the opportunity to get re-called to MLB. I am sure he can see the roster and the players in the Dodgers MiLB system and recognize that the chances LAD will re-call him are not high, but he loves the organization. I am a Daniel Corcino fan.
Let’s see if I can place the current group of minor league starting pitchers into their initial assignment. I am going with 6 each, as that quite often is how many they keep.
OKC:
Daniel Corcino, Caleb Ferguson, Dennis Santana, Ben Holmes, AAAA, AAAA
Ferguson has been told he is still considered a starting pitcher, and I can see him starting the year at OKC. But if the bullpen needs a LHRP, he will most certainly get the call. I see Santana only getting recalled in an emergency. He is more of a 2020 potential, or more probable in the bullpen in late inning high leverage situations. Ben Holmes is a candidate for the bullpen once one of the Tulsa group is ready.
Tulsa:
Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Mitchell White, Leo Crawford, Parker Curry, AAAA
None of May, Gonsolin, or White will be blocked by AAAA pitchers if they pitch as well as expected at Tulsa. Tulsa could get a bevy of AAAA pitchers if May, Gonsolin, and White are moved to OKC, and none of the RC starters have shown they can compete at AA. As somewhat of a projection, I can see Michael Grove end up in Tulsa before September.
RC (Perhaps the toughest to predict):
Edwin Uceta, Gerardo Carrillo, Jose Chacin, Max Gamboa, Chris Mathewson, Wills Montgomery
I think Uceta, Carrillo, and Chacin will get every opportunity to shine at RC, and that Gamboa, Mathewson, and Montgomery will need to prove themselves in the rotation or look to the pen. That will be especially true if any of the Great Lakes starters prove they should get an early promotion.
Great Lakes:
Michael Grove (to start with a quick promotion to RC)
Josiah Gray
John Rooney
Bryan Warzek
Joel Inoa
Jesus Vargas
Victor Gonzalez
Because of the potential inclement and cold April weather at Great Lakes, I can see Grove staying in Arizona and then getting assigned to RC. But for this exercise I will place him at Great Lakes to start. Depending as to how the RC group fares, I can see both Josiah Gray and John Rooney getting moved to RC relatively early on as well. One thing the player development group does do well, is that they do not quit on the players. If the pitchers are not pitching well, they will keep shoving them out there, but not at the expense of not promoting a deserving player at a lower level.
I suspect that Yadi Alvarez, Jordan Sheffield, and Melvin Jimenez will all be fully converted to relievers. Sheffield and Jimenez have already started that conversion, and Alvarez should (IMO). If Alvarez balks at relieving as Brock Stewart did, I would try to package him before all his value is relinquished as is Stewart’s.
I see Braydon Fisher and Robinson Ortiz both being held over in extended ST in AZ and then getting assigned to Ogden in June. There is still no word on Morgan Cooper (that I have heard).
One other player that I would have included was RHSP Isaac Anderson who has retired. I wish him well in whatever endeavor he chooses. My understanding was that he was a very good teammate.
Discussion (63)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Go Rams!
Go Pats!
I cannot ever compromise my principles and lower them to root fot the Pats. They are the Devil.
Rams are going to the Super Bowl baby!
Forget about such a young coach.
What a good coach, and such a good decision to go with him, when the Rams did.
I have to focus on football for the next few hours. Go Rams! Go Chiefs! That would be a nice Super Bowl!
Concerning minor league pitchers: What about Kawsowski? & theTiwanese? pitcher just signed?
As always with Friedman, he will only go with the right deal.
I am really curious to see what happens after the season starts.
Because our line ups never seems to be like we all think it will be, as the season goes a long.
I like Taylor, but I am not sure he will hit much better then he did last year, unless he shortens his swing.
And if he shortens his swing, I don’t think he will have much power, and he only hit 16 HRs last year, at the expense of the most strikeouts in the National League.
Josh Harrison
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/01/latest-on-josh-harrisons-market.html
What if Muncy is the player other teams want? If Muncy is traded, Belli would move to first base and open CF for either Taylor or Pollock. Since I believe Taylor will be the second baseman, that means Pollock in CF. Would the Dodgers trade Muncy or include Muncy in a trade for Realmuto, Kluber, Haniger, Jose Abreu, Syndergaard?
Sounds like Joc is a good fit in a lot of places. Baseball has been good to him. Send him to the Rays and then send the Rays to Portland, OR.
I could see Joc going to Atlanta too!
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Or maybe TB!
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Or the CWS.
Fearless Predictions:
1. Joc will be traded (I hope Bums is not listening);
2. Russell Martin will be the starting catcher, and pull a “Matt Kemp;”
3. Julio Urias will start out in the bullpen (I think AAA innings and/or extended spring training is dumb);
4. Morgan Cooper is done; and
5. Castellanos will be a Dodger.
From
@Ken_Rosenthal
“On rumors of Joc Pederson trade to #WhiteSox: #Dodgers have been discussing Pederson in possible deals, rival executives say. CWS one of clubs in those conversations, according to sources. Not known if talks are advanced to point where teams are close to a deal.”
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Have no idea whether this comes to fruition, but it suggests AF is not done yet, if he can find a deal. Still expect an addition to the current OF
AC/DC. Here’s a quick article from the South Side Sox blog by Eric Sim, former low minor league catcher, that you might enjoy
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https://www.southsidesox.com/2019/1/20/18190300/eric-sim-so-you-think-its-easy-being-a-broke-minor-league-baseball-player
I forgot to put the dots in between the paragraphs. Sorry about that.
AC – I certainly can’t disagree with your starting minor league rosters very much, if at all. It does seem different to look at them without Dean Kremer and Devin Smeltzer in the mix. I wish them well in 2019 with their new organizations, Baltimore and Minnesota respectively. Isaac Anderson was a 40th round selection in the 2015 draft by the Dodgers and actually pitched very well with the Quakes in 2018. I expect at age-25 he saw the road ahead was getting longer rather than shorter.
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2019 would seem to be a rather important year for Wills Montgomerie, Max Gamboa and Chris Mathewson, a trio of 23-year-olds with the Quakes, although Montgomerie and Gamboa will only be starting their third year of pro ball.
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I think left-hander Victor Gonzalez might also be at a crossroads. He too is 23 and although he missed the entire 2017 season he would be starting his fourth actual season with the Loons. I would not be surprised to see him begin the year with the Quakes or be loaned out to a team in Mexico to expand starting positions. He is from Mexico and presently pitching in the Mexican Pacific Winter League.
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Two guys I think might continue to start for a while are right-handers Alfredo Tavarez (21) and Andre Jackson (22). I expect it might be with the Loons again with hopefully mid-season promotions to the Quakes. I also wouldn’t be surprised it John Rooney started with the Quakes, like Grove with expanded spring training.
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I am not sure what 2018 holds for Riley Ottesen. He has “stuff” if he can control it. I think relief is in his future.
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Two recent acquisitions might be considered as starters in a crowded Tulsa starting corps which might push Gonsolin and White to OKC. Right-handers Markus Solbach returning after a successful stint in Australia and free agent signing Eric Carter. Solbach might be considered for OKC.
I didn’t know where to place him initially. His innings will be monitored and the best way is the beginning of the year. He could start in OKC, but my thought was extended ST.
AC, are you assuming that Urias starts in AZ at extended ST? Other options would be L.A. starting rotation or L.A. bullpen. I would actually have pegged him for OKC starter but you obviously have a different idea.
What about Urias? Is he going to stay with the big club out of ST, or is he headed to OKC in order to keep his innings limited?
When you draft near the bottom of the first round, it is difficult to snag pitchers who are of “Ace Quality.” That’s why the Dodgers drafted Walker Buehler who needed TJ at the time of the draft. With him they got that quality of starter. They also took Michael Grove who also needed TJ. While not “Ace Quality” he could be a Numebr 2 or Number 3. Along with Dustin May, I think they have the highest ceiling, although Mitch White could be right there too IF he can find consistency and stay healthy. On any given day, he has Ace-Stuff, but most days he can’t control it.
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I am also high on Tony Gonsolin – his ceiling is a #3… maybe higher… as he has shown the ability to adapt. Even though the Dodgers don’t have that one ACE PITCHER in the system, I cannot remember ever seeing this much depth in starters in the organization. Alvarez, Sheffield and Jimenez all should be converted to relievers as Brock Stewart should have been two years ago. I still do not understand why he wasn’t?
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Also, Ferguson and Santana both need to be relievers. We already saw what Caleb can do… and he will only get better and Dennis Santana is likely the next Dodger closer or at least a key releiver. The starters are loaded and the relievers are loaded in the minors. A few of these guys will see the Show THIS Season.
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My personal favorite is Tony Gonsolin.
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Great writeup, AC – are you sure you didn’t forget anyone? When you are doing stuff like this you are paramoid that you will leave someone out. 😉