Posted on 26 April 2009
H/W: 6-3 220 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 8/20/84
Hoffmann signed with the Dodgers in 2003 as and undrafted free agent after being drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL. Last season, Hoffmann flashed an array of tools at AA Jacksonville, hitting .278 with 10 HR 71 RBI 28 SB and 64 runs scored. He has a big, strong frame that has the potential to hit 20 HR per season at the major league level. He is an extremely disciplined hitter at the plate as well. Last season, Hoffmann had a respectable 54 BB/73 K rate and was successful on 28 of his 37 SB attempts. Defensively, Jamie has decent range as a centerfielder, but his arm strength and his body size is more serviceable in right field. His seven errors in right field last season were due in large part to a powerful arm that, at times, can become inaccurate. At 24 years old, Hoffmann is not the youngest prospect at the AA level and he will need to progress quickly through AAA in order to maintain his allure as a low-cost sleeper prospect.
2009 Projection: Hoffmann is back at AA with the Dodgers' new affiliate, Carolina. He is off to an excellent start, hitting .333 with a HR, three RBI, three SB and 14 runs scored in his first 11 games. Additionally, he has walked 14 times versus 9 strikeouts. Expect Hoffmann to jump to AAA at some point this season, though his chances of cracking the Dodgers big league lineup in 2009 are remote, to say the least. One thing that could change this is if he can more effectively tap into his power potential. A 20 HR/20 SB season would do wonders for his resume by either making him a potential late season call up or, more likely, a possible trading chip within the next season.
Key Baseball Cards:
- 2006 Bowman Chrome Prospects
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Posted on 21 March 2009
H/W: 6-5 195 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 10/19/84
The transition from outfielder to pitcher has been a successful one for this former 2002 draft and follow pick. McDonald compiled a 7-4 record with a 3.26 ERA and 141 K's in 141 IP between AA Jacksonville and AAA Las Vegas before making his MLB debut. While his fastball sits at a respectable 89-92 MPH, it is the quality of his offspeed pitches that have determined his success. His curveball has 11-5 break and trails only Clayton Kershaw's as the best in the Dodgers organization, and his changeup has excellent late fade and deception. He has a good idea of how to pitch, locating his fastball well and altering his velocity with clean mechanics and consistent arm speed. One area of concern is his tendency to be a flyball pitcher. Last season, McDonald forced just 0.65 GO/FO and surrendered 15 HR. His good control helped to keep runners off of base, but he will have to continue to work on commanding his fastball down in the strike zone going forward.
2009 Projection: McDonald was impressive in the post season as a reliever for the Dodgers, and there is a good chance that he will be back in that role for the 2009 season. If the Dodgers opt to go with Jeff Weaver in that role, McDonald will be back in AAA to gather more innings and experience as a starter. Ultimately, his ceiling is as a mid-rotation starter (likely a #3 or 4) who can throw 150-180 innings each season and win 12-15 games. With the Dodgers' depth and options, both young and old, it may be difficult for him to fulfill that role with this organization.
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Posted on 14 March 2009
H/W: 6-3 195 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 4/1/89
2008 was a lost season for the former 1st rounder as a sore elbow caused for the Dodgers to cautiously shelve Withrow until August. Upon his return, the young righty struggled with his command walking 6 hitters in 4 innings. Regardless of the injury, there is quite a bit to like in Withrow. His fastball sits between 91-94 MPH and he has excellent command of both his curveball and changeup. He throws each pitch with clean mechanics and lively arm action, giving the ball excellent movement and late life. His frame is strong and projectible, and scouts have raved about his athleticism. Additionally, he has shown a high acumen for pitching as his father was a standout pitcher for the University of Texas and spent time in the Chicago White Sox organization. All reports have Withrow ready for the start of the 2009 season, most likely at Low-A Great Lakes.
2009 Projection: Surely the Dodgers will handle Withrow's development with extreme caution. His athleticism and good mechanics should allow for him to move beyond this early setback, but his health will undoubtedly be the key thing to focus on this season. There are some other fine arms in the Dodgers' organization (Ethan Martin, Josh Lindblom, Nate Eovaldi) that may get more attention this season, but Withrow's upside is at least as good as any of them and, if healthy, he could be a nice sleeper investment for the long term.
Key Chris Withrow Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2007 Bowman Sterling Auto
- 2007 Donruss Elite Extra TOTC Auto #/168
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Posted on 05 March 2009
H/W: 6-2 200 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 3/11/88
The 20 year old Dominican struggled mightily at full season Low-A Great Lakes hitting just .178 with 1 HR and 16 RBI in 185 AB. The Dodgers promptly sent him back down to short season Ogden where he acclimated himself much better, batting .267 with 12 HR 50 RBI and 20 doubles in 247 AB. Baez has prolific power that emanates from his smooth right handed swing and accelerated bat speed. He profiles as an agile and sure handed defensive player, though his defensive numbers took a large step back after his demotion (20 errors in 196 chances). Baez has a howitzer for an arm, but still struggles to make accurate throws. The main cause for his early season struggles at the plate is due almost exclusively to his raw plate discipline. Baez walked 17 times while whiffing 45 times and his discipline declined after his demotion (18 BB/69 K). There are some good tools that the Dodgers have to work with in this youngster and their history of refining raw international talents lends optimism to Baez's future going forward. However, there is a great deal of work that needs to be done to propel this young player to a more noteworthy status as as top prospect.
2009 Projection: Pedro will give Great Lakes another try this season in hopes that he has a more patient and disciplined approach at the plate. If he is able to work counts more effectively, Baez should be able to make some significants strides this season. This will be important for him as the Dodgers have a couple of other fine 3B prospects (Josh Bell, Austin Gallagher, and even Blake DeWitt) that will compete for the right to play the hot corner at Chavez Ravine in future seasons.
Key Pedro Baez Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects
- 2008 Playoff Contenders Auto
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Posted on 21 February 2009
H/W: 5-11 150 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 4/22/88
The son of 19 year MLB veteran Tom Gordon got off to a blazing start to his professional career, hitting .331 with 2 HR 27 RBI 18 SB and 45 runs scored in 60 games. World class speed is Gordon's best weapon, as his 6.35 time in the 60 yard dash makes him the fastest player in the L.A. Dodgers organization. Gordon slashes line drives through holes and down lines which, combined with his advanced bunting skills and plate discipline, makes him a game changing, top of the order hitter. Gordon's excellent speed allows for him to cover a wide range on the left side of the infield and his strong arm allows for him to make throws from deep in the hole. Gordon is built like his father, which means that he should never become a big power hitter, but there is some projectibilty in his sinewy frame for more XBH power to develop. The upside for Gordon to be an impact player is far from being reached. With his bloodlines, athleticism, and considerable makeup, Devaris is one of the more intriguing prospects to watch in 2009.
2009 Projection: The superb numbers that Gordon put up at Ogden earns him a promotion to Low-A Great Lakes to start the season. Ogden has served as a hitter friendly environment for several years and many a player has suffered markedly poorer numbers in seasons following. Gordon should buck that trend. His exceptional hand-eye coordination and blazing speed makes him averse to prolonged slumps. Watch the XBH numbers this season. Gordon will never be a double digit HR hitter, but his ability to drive more balls into the gaps will allow for him to get into scoring position more often. Also, expect the SB numbers to rise dramatically this season to be at or near the top of all of MILB in 2009. Gordon has the potential to be one of the best leadoff hitters in all of the minor leagues in '09 and beyond.
Key Devaris Strange-Gordon Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2008 Playoff Contenders Auto
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Posted on 14 January 2009
H/W: 6-5 215 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 11/16/88
The Dodgers challenged their young 3B shuttling him to High-A Inland Empire for the '08 season. Gallagher was up to the task, batting .293 with 5 HR 55 RBI and 33 doubles in just 78 games. Though his fence-clearing power has yet to show up, one look at Austin's tall, powerfully built frame shows that it will indeed come. Gallagher worked dilligently last season to avoid opening up his hips prematurely and as a result, he hit balls well to the other field, but was unable to consistenly tap into his pull power. Given some time and strength development, this should not be a long term issue. What will be, though, is hs lack of fluidity in the field and on the basepaths. Splitting time at both 3B and 1B, the young infielder struggled with the glove committing 25 errors in just 78 games. The Dodgers would also like to see him shore up his plate discipline (29 BB/73 K) a little bit. The fact that Gallagher was playing at an advanced level as a 19 year old, though, shows that the organization feels optimistic about the potential blend of power and batting average that Austin can bring to the table in next couple of seasons.
2009 Preview: The good performance at Inland Empire almost assures Gallagher of a promotion to L.A.'s new AA affiliate in Chattanooga. Perhaps this can be the season that Austin can clear the fences with a little more regularity. Keep an eye on his HR totals as they will need to increase significantly, especially given the fact that his future as a 3B prospect is fading quickly. One oddity in Gallagher's '08 season is the fact that, while he swooned in August (.174 BA), his plate discipline increased (10 BB/9 K). A breakthrough in that department should allow for him to threaten the .300 mark as a hitter and elevate his status as a noteworthy corner infield prospect.
Key Austin Gallagher Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2007 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/500
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Posted on 06 January 2009
H/W: 6-5 240 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 6/15/87
The Dodgers added to their stable of good young arms by selecting the former Purdue Boilermaker in the second round of the '08 draft. Previously a closer, Lindblom was converted back to a starter by the Dodgers and the early returns were quite good. In 9 starts between Low-A Great Lakes and AA Jacksonville, Josh did not have a decision but earned a 2.12 ERA and a stellar 5 BB/37 K in just 34 IP. Additionally, Lindblom held hitters to a lowly .157 BA and forced 1.5 GO/FO. Lindblom has a fastball that sits between 91-94 MPH, but he can bump it up to 96 at times. His slider and splitter improved greatly in his final collegiate season which bolstered his stock as a potential starter. Scouts love his competitive makeup and the ability to control all three of his pitches, but he has yet to throw more than 90 innings in any given season. Given his size and strength, there is optimism that he should be able to handle a sizable workload in the future.
2009 Projection: The Dodgers are quite pleased with Lindblom's debut and the chances of him starting the '09 season with L.A.'s new AA affiliate Chattanooga. Watch to see how many innings Lindblom accrues this season at AA. Though he was limited to 3-4 innings per start last season, he will likely be stretched to 6 or 7 innings. Will this affect his BB/K rate? If Lindblom is able to maintain it, he will immediately become a top prospect in the Dodgers system. If not, he may move back to the pen.
Key Josh Lindblom Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Donruss Threads Rookie Class Patch Auto #/240
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/131
- 2008 Bowman Sterling Auto
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Posted on 29 December 2008
H/W: 6-3 200 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 6/6/89
For the 5th consecutive season, the Dodgers drafted a high school pitcher in the first round. Martin was a spectacular two way player at Stephens County High School in Georgia garnering interest as a pitcher and 3B prospect. Equipped with a 92-95 MPH fastball and a hard low 80's curveball, Ethan wowed scouts in a late spring start, elevating him from an intriguing two-way player to an elite prep pitching prospect. Martin also is working on a splitter that has nasty downward movement and could be a strikeout pitch down the road. In addition to his stuff, Martin is a gritty competitor on the mound who also has good poise and a high baseball IQ. The biggest question marks in Martin's game right now stem from his lack of experience. He has the physical stuff and internal aptitude to be a frontline pitcher at the big league level, but it remains to be seen if he can translate his projectibility into productivity.
2009 Projection: Martin has yet to pitch a professional inning which means that he will almost surely toil at extended spring training before heading to either the Dodgers' GCL affiliate or to rookie level Ogden in June. Like many young power pitchers, control will be the key thing to watch out of Martin. If he can keep his BB/K ratio down, he should be able to punch out enough hitters to raise many eyebrows. The Dodgers have a high aptitude when it comes to evalutating and developing young pitching talent. Martin's ceiling is just as high as the Chris Withrows and Chad Billingsleys of drafts past.
Key Ethan Martin Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/699
- 2008 Razor Exclusive Auto
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H/W: 6-3 220 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 8/20/84
