For the third consecutive spring, teams of top prospects from each MLB organization will face off against one another in a series of exhibitions showcasing the game’s rising stars. Every team will participate, with the Brewers — who boast the top farm system in the game according to MLB Pipeline — and Phillies playing in two games apiece.
On Saturday, getaway day for the MLB team, the Dodgers Spring Breakout prospects will face off against the Chicago White Sox prospects at 2:30 PM.
Here is the Dodgers spring breakout roster:
- Left-handed pitchers (4): Maddux Bruns, Cody Morse, Zach Root, Adam Serwinowski
- Right-handed pitchers (4): Cam Day, Payton Martin, Marlon Nieves, Christian Zazueta
- Catchers (2): Francisco Espinoza, Victor Rodrigues
- Infielders (7): Moises Bolivar, Chase Harlan, Elijah Hainline, Kellon Lindsey, Emil Morales, Joendry Vargas, Logan Wagner
- Outfielders (10): Charles Davalan, Josue De Paula, Zach Ehrhard, Kendall George, Zyhir Hope, Eduardo Quintero, Mike Sirota, James Tibbs III, Brendan Tunink, Landyn Vidourek
Obviously the strength of this roster is the OF. Every one of the 10 are top prospects in the Dodgers organization, with 4 consensus top 100 overall. I think we have seen every OF other than Tunink in ST games.
I will be watching 18 year old catcher Francisco Espinoza (Acarigua, Venezuela). As an 18 year old in the Arizona Complex League last year, in 140 PA he batted .350/.443/.467/.910, 2 HR, 9 XBH, 19 BB, 17 K. I did not see any of his games so I cannot comment on his catching skills.
The other catcher, Victor Rodrigues, will probably start. He is 21 from Maracay, Venezuela, and was productive as a 20 year old in full season A Ball (RC). He is a contact over slug hitter. He had just 1 HR, 10 XBH, with 62 BB and 40 K. He also had 10 SB with 2 CS.
I am also looking forward to see how Kellon Lindsey has rebounds from his injury last year. He still intrigues me, and I have hopes for him. This should be a good showcase for Emil Morales. I am still hyped for Joendry Vargas, and want to see how he responds to a lost year in 2025.
This will be our first time seeing LHSP Zach Root. Christian Zazueta is getting a lot of good hype. As I have said multiple times, I am not a Maddux Bruns fan. But if last year’s reports are correct, Bruns is being transitioned to the bullpen. I will be interested to see how he handles his command and control if he only needs to navigate 1 inning.
I wonder why Cam Leiter is not on the roster. I assume he is still recovering and rehabbing from his 2024 shoulder surgery.
In addition to Zazueta, Marlon Nieves is also a RHP to watch. A lot of early hype on him. He has gone from a $10,000 IFA signing to a potential mid-rotation starter prospect. Last year as a 20 year old he pitched in the ACL and full season A Ball. He totaled 84 innings and compiled a combined ERA of 2.79. He had 94 K and 44 BB. He has gone to a 2-seamer and can get it up to 99, with a potential swing and miss slider.
Appreciate the annotations. Serwinowski is certainly a fascinating arm to watch. Good size and possibly the best two pitch mix in the org. Agree about Lindsey. Looking forward to seeing what he looks like. Elite speed plus a good bat at SS could launch him toward the top of the list with a healthy year. Vargas needs a bounceback season to still be considered among the big names. Had not heard the Bruns news but makes sense, and thanks for the heads up on Espinoza. New one to me.
Purchasing the contract of Santiago Espinal was a no-brainer. Ryan Fitzgerald being re-assigned was an obvious move. I am guessing that his contract did not have an opt out, at least not out of ST. Why has Alex Freeland not been optioned? Why hasn’t Nick Senzel been reassigned to MiLB camp or traded or released? Hyeseong Kim has done absolutely everything asked of him and has clearly been better than Freeland and Senzel this Spring. And I went into Spring hoping that the job would go to Freeland. Kim earned the job.
In a head scratching move, AF/BG and LAD coaches have decided that Roki Sasaki inexplicably deserves the rotation spot more than River Ryan. In his last start in Spring, Ryan went 4.0 innings allowing 1 run. For ST, River has pitched in 4 games with 9.2 IP. He has allowed 2 runs, on 5 hits, 4 BB, and 12 K. 4 of his hits allowed came in the 1st inning of his last game. 1 of those hits was 66.4 MPH and a 2nd was at 77. The other two were hard hit, but that is going to happen every game. He got out of it thanks in large part to some bad baserunning by Joc. But he got out of it.
Sasaki has not completed 3 innings in any of his starts other than his last when he was brought back in the 4th.
Sasaki was advising the media that he was working on his slider in his last start which was not working very well for him. Great. Why not work on it at OKC instead of Ryan.
Ryan is more stretched out than Sasaki. But Sasaki did strike out a bunch of ChiSox MiLB players in a B game. That is like saying he had a great bullpen. You want to move him to the bullpen, I am all in. But he is not ready to start at the MLB level right now. He has not pitched well in any of his starts. And Ryan has pitched well all Spring.
And yet Ryan is the one who is optioned.
With Ryan and Hurt already optioned, it appears that Edgardo Henriquez will be on the 26-man. It also appears that Emmet Sheehan will be Sasaki’s piggyback and long reliever until a 6th starter is needed.
Dave Roberts also said Kyle Hurt was sent down for now so he can keep building a “foundation” in his return from Tommy John surgery. They want to put more “tread on his tires” right now, but expect him back in the majors at some point.
I guess Henriquez is a proven veteran, and does not need anymore tread on his tires.
IMO, many decisions were made before ST. Espinal was the only non-roster player selected, and he would not have been had Edman not been out or Freeland having a horrendous spring.