I have started about 4 different posts in the last couple of days, and every time I start one, another subject takes my mind elsewhere. Today I was watching Tulsa Drillers vs Frisco RoughRiders (Texas) in the Prospect Showcase game, where Tulsa’s SP, Patrick Copen, was highlighted.
Copen pitched well enough, but certainly not dominant. In 5.0 IP, Copen allowed 1 run on 6 hits, 3 BB, and 4 K. He was helped by a DP and a baserunner caught stealing. Copen is one of the posts I am working on, but watching ineffective OFers for the Drillers got me shaking my head.
The Drillers have four OF/DH, all 24 or 25.
- Damon Keith (25) – .241/.287/.425/.712
- José Ramos (24) – .228/.310/.401/.711
- Chris Newell (24) – .199/.337/.353/.690
- Ezequiel Pagan (24) – .248/.303/.416/.719
Pagan turns 25 on July 8.
Not one is considered a prospect, certainly not as a potential regular at the MLB level. It is not as if they are young and being pushed too fast. They are MiLB players, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, except when they are blocking more deserving players. That is exactly what these four are doing.
At Great Lakes, Midwest League (A+), there are four more deserving OF prospects, all four top 18 LAD prospects.
- Josue De Paula (20) – #2 Prospect – .275/.424/.463/.887
- Zyhir Hope (20) – #3 Prospect – .296/.404/.472/.876
- Kendall George (20) – #12 Prospect – .236/.358/.322/.680
- Mike Sirota (22) – #18 Prospect – .321/.449/.571/1.020
George is more of a defensive and speed prospect, and so appears to be more of a 4th OF prospect. However, he should be a good defensive replacement and late inning base runner at the MLB level.
Sirota is now a top 100 prospect with Baseball America, and is now also the Dodgers #8 prospect in the most recent Baseball America top 30.
De Paula was more of a hit over power prospect early on, with the knowledge that the power will come. It seems to have arrived this year. He leads the Loons with 10, and that is good enough for #4 in the Midwest League.
De Paula, Hope, and Sirota all look to be MLB regulars in the OF at some point, and all are deserving of being promoted to AA. Which of the AA outfielders should continue to block any of the three? If they struggle at AA, they will grow into it. The Drillers are one of the worst teams in the Texas League, and none of the current OF is close to being a difference maker.
That is not all. There are two more youngster OFers who need to be promoted. Both are top LAD prospects.
- Eduardo Quintero (19) – #8 Prospect – .330/.439/.597/1.036
- Jaron Elkins (20) – #22 Prospect – .274/.356/.448/.804
Eduardo Quintero is having a California League MVP type of year. He leads the League in HR, SLG, OPS, 2nd in doubles, 3rd in triples, 2nd in OBP, and 4th in BA. Oh, and he is #2 in SB. What does he have left to prove in the California League?
Elkins is more of a defensive OF with speed, but with some SLG. He leads the California League in SB (42, 2 CS), and is #6 in SLG. He is tied with Quintero at #2 in doubles and #3 in triples. He is another that has nothing left to prove in the California League.
And we are still not done. In the Arizona Complex League, the Dodgers have two young pups that are drawing some attention.
- Ching-Hsein Ko (18) – #13 Prospect – .374/.480/.553/1.033
- Brendan Tunink (19) – #15 Prospect (Baseball America) – .312/.423/.578/1.001
Ko is at or near the top of most offensive categories in the ACL.
- #1 – OBP, OPS, Doubles
- #2 – BA, hits,
- #3 – SLG
He is also considered at least an average defensive CF with a plus arm, who will probably end up in RF.
OTOH, while Tunink is not as celebrated as Ko, he is at or near the ACL offensive leaderboard as well.
- #1 – SLG, Triples
- #4 – OPS
- #6 – Doubles
Tunink is another accomplished defensive CF with a plus arm. Tunink was an 8th round draft pick and the Dodgers paid him the 2nd highest 8th round bonus $$$ to woo him away from his Notre Dame commitment.
Admittedly, I am nowhere close to being as competent at evaluating the talent as the LAD player personnel department. However, if I was asked for my opinion, I would advise both Will Rhymes (VP Player Development) and Galen Carr (VP Player Personnel) to promote De Paula, Hope, and Sirota to AA, Quintero and Elkins to A+, and Ko and Tunink to full season A. I will let them decide as to which 3 Tulsa OF should be moved to make room.
MILB GAME SUMMARY REPORTS
OKC Comets 13 – Sacramento River Cats (Giants) 2
The Comets do not have to face the Giants top prospect, 1B Bryce Eldridge, in this 6 game series who went on the 7-day IL on Tuesday.
OKC’s journeyman RHP, Matt Sauer, was facing off against the SF Giants #2 prospect, LHP Carson Whisenhunt, and fared out very well. Well at least he had better results. In 6.0 IP, Sauer allowed 2 runs (well done in Sacramento), 4 hits, 1 BB, and 7 K. The two runs came on a 2nd inning 2-run HR from 29 year old 1B, Drew Ellis, Eldridge’s replacement.
James Outman slugged his 17th HR in the 1st, giving OKC a 1-0 lead. In the 2nd, Chuckie Robinson and Hunter Feduccia both walked, and Nick Senzel singled to load the bases. Austin Gauthier doubled home 2. Esteury Ruiz hit a SF and Outman doubled to plate 2 more, and a 5-0 lead.
Can we get a heat check on James Outman!?!? 🥵
Make that 6 hits and 5 RBI in his last 6 plate appearances! pic.twitter.com/d3A4xzePTH
— Oklahoma City Comets (@OKC_comets) June 25, 2025
Kody Hoese hit a one-out HR in the 5th. Ryan Ward followed with a single, and Robinson hit a 2-run HR to increase the lead to 8-2.
Don’t know if you can square it up better than this? 🤷♂️
Chuckie Robinson hits homer No.3️⃣ for the Comets tonight! pic.twitter.com/9Dy7mUTH1W
— Oklahoma City Comets (@OKC_comets) June 25, 2025
Kody got ALLLLLL of that one! 💥
Hoese collects his fourth homer of the year! 🍀 pic.twitter.com/nlkoQLCxhS
— Oklahoma City Comets (@OKC_comets) June 25, 2025
Outman got his 3rd RBI with a ground out in the 6th.
Hunter Feduccia hit a 2-run HR in the 7th. 3 singles and a WP scored the final 2.
Make that baseball No. 4 that has gone missing over the outfield wall due to a Comets bat! ☄️
Hunter Feduccia tallies his 5th homer of the year on this 2-run 💣! pic.twitter.com/2Fuc2NXZay
— Oklahoma City Comets (@OKC_comets) June 25, 2025
- Esteury Ruiz – 3-5, SF, 2 RBI
- James Outman – 2-5, 1 BB, 1 run, 3 RBI, Double (15), HR (17)
- Chuckie Robinson – 2-4, 1 BB, 3 runs, 2 RBI, HR (3)
- Nick Senzel – 2-4, 1 BB, 1 run
- Austin Gauthier – 2-5, 2 runs, 2 RBI
- HR – Kody Hoese (4), Hunter Feduccia (5)
Frisco RoughRiders (Texas) 5 – Tulsa Drillers 1
Another wasted outing by Patrick Copen for the Drillers. In 5.0 IP, Copen surrendered 6 hits, 3 BB, while allowing just 1 run. He registered 4 Ks, and threw 83 pitches (50 strikes).
Kelvin Ramirez allowed a 3-run HR while only recording 2 outs in the 6th, and Jorge Benitez allowed another run in the 7th, with a BB, HBP, and two fly ball outs.
The Drillers finally scored in the 8th. Yeiner Fernandez led off with a single and was erased by a Damon Keith DP. Noah Miller followed with his 3rd hit, José Ramos was HBP, and Griffin Lockwood-Powell singled Miller home for the Drillers sole run.
On the day, the team was 1-13 wRISP, and of the 10 hits, 9 were singles.
- Noah Miller – 3-4, 1 run, double (2)
- Kendall Simmons – 2-4
- Yeiner Fernandez – 2-5
Fort Wayne TinCaps (San Diego) 8 – Great Lakes Loons 7
The Great Lakes Loons offense provided three home runs, two from Kyle Nevin, but their pitching walked 16 Fort Wayne TinCaps Fort Wayne won 8-7 via a walk-off win.
#Dodgers Kyle Nevin absolutely crushes a 431ft bomb for his second HR of the game. Loons 4 TinCups 1 @greatlakesloons pic.twitter.com/LxEicZW82O
— 🇺🇸 DooM_Sal (@msalas24) June 25, 2025
The Loons jumped out to a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the 6th. Kendall George started the game with a triple to right center field. An errant relay throw from second baseman Brandon Butterworth went into the dugout and brought George home. Kyle Nevin drove in the next three runs with two homers. He started the second inning, rocking one to deep center field to reclaim the lead. With one on and one out in the fourth, Nevin demolished a 3-1 pitch from Fort Wayne starter Ian Koening. It traveled 431 feet with a 111 mph exit velocity clearing the seats beyond the left field wall. It was Nevin’s first multi-homer game as a pro.
Loons SP Eriq Swan exited after 4.0 IP, and Joseilyn Gonzalez relieved Swan in the 5th. With the help of a DP, Gonzalez got through a scoreless 5th.
Joseilyn Gonzalez came back out for the 6th. Gonzalez, Joel Ibarra, and Jorge Gonzalez allowed 6 runs on 4 hits and 8 BB in the 6th and 7th inning.
Mike Sirota tied the game at seven, with an opposite-field 365-foot 2-run HR in the top of the eighth inning.
TinCaps first basemen Jack Costello doubled to lead off the bottom of the ninth. A six-pitch walk, intentional walk, and a six-pitch bases on balls worked against Evan Shaw made Brandon Butterworth the walk-off hero.
The Loons pitching walked 16 batters tonight, a single-game franchise worst. The previous mark was 14 also against the Fort Wayne TinCaps on August 8th, 2017.
- Mike Sirota – 3-3, 1 BB, 2 runs, 3 RBI, HR (5)
- Kyle Nevin – 3-4, 2 runs, 3 RBI, 2 HR (3)
- Josue De Paula – 2-5, 2 runs, double (12)
- Kendall George – Triple (3)
Mike Sirota had 3 hits for Great Lakes, including his 5th HR of the season, he had 2 RBIs, walked once, and scored a run. Dude is a nightmare for the other team!
His average is up to .349, OPS of 1.112, WRC+ of 191…Wow! #dodgers pic.twitter.com/KAai2LoXyK
— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) June 25, 2025
San Jose Giants 11 – Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 10
The Quakes were no-hit through 6 innings. Jose Meza led off the 7th with a single to break up the no-no.
Down 7-0 in the 8th, the Quakes put up 8 to take a 1 run lead. The Quakes had 5 singles, 4 BB, 1 WP, and a bases clearing 3-run double by Niko Perez.
After the Giants tied the game in the 8th, the Quakes scored 2 after a couple of BB’s scored on a pair of errors.
In the bottom of the 9th, new Quakes pitcher, Ryan Brown came in to close out the game. He walked a batter sandwiched between 2 ground outs. Brown proceeded to walk the next three batters and was relieved by Myles Caba. Down to their last strike, Carlos Gutierrez singled home two Giants for the walk off win.
The Quakes had 10 hits (9 singles) and received 10 BB.
- Eduardo Quintero – 2-3, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 1 run, 1 RBI
- Niko Perez – 2-5, 1 run, 4 RBI, Double (5)
Gotta love games at Coors, you never know what is going to happen. Dodgers with another come from behind win. First 3 in the lineup, Ohtani, Mookie and Freddie just 3-15. The rest of the guys had 11 hits between them with Muncy, Pages, Conforto, Hernandez and Smith all getting 2 apiece. Betts also had 2 hits. Conforto’s two hits were a double and a 3-run jack which put LA ahead for good. Weird fact, Conforto has more doubles, 11, than Mookie, 10.
The game went from a laugher to a nail biter very quickly. Conforto showing signs of life. Would be great if he started producing. Freddie in a major funk. Maybe he needs some time off.
Some of Freeman’s swings lately look like he’s just swinging wildly at the ball. Maybe he needs some corrective lenses. Something’s not right.
Happy to see Elkins doing well. Our PCA?
Sirota oppo power is impressive.
Agree on both. Elkins may have 50 steals before July!
Minor league players. Once again I find myself asking the same questions – in the next three years, one year at a time, who in that group of 24 or so highlighted names above will either be promoted to the 26 or used in trade to land a roster spot player. Clearly I have no idea. Most look like filler to me. Take Nevin for example. He’s crushing 111 mph 430’ home runs as a soon to be 24 year old in A ball. When Bellinger was his age he won an MVP in Major League Baseball. That was fun. Anybody close to that down there? Nope.
I understand how important development is. I also understand that this organization is developing players mostly to be traded. So the question once again is – who are the keepers? Who replaces Mookie at short next year? Who replaces Muncy? Conforto? Centerfield? Freddie? Are there any 3-5 WAR prospects ready to fill in?
Frankly I’m not that concerned about this year’s offense. I believe the depth is there to cover the top 3 not producing for stretches at a time. Hopefully that doesn’t happen in October. And, hopefully the starting pitching will be at full strength in October. IF, all are well a deep Ocober run can be anticipated.
And next year? I see it looking much like this year and the year this and the years before that. The rich get richer. The Dodgers will continue to develop and trade and buy what they need when they need it.
Who in the LAD organization replaces Mookie next year? Nobody. No potential player is anywhere close. Most top LAD SS prospects are now targeted for other positions. The closest possibility would be Kellon Lindsey who has a 2028 ETA. He has been out since May 14 with an undisclosed injury. But he is given the best chance to stick at SS. And yet there have been reports where some wanted to convert him to CF because of his elite speed (80). Other SS prospects?
· Emil Morales ETA 2029, looks to move to 3B
· Joendry Vargas ETA 2028 already moved to 3B
· Noah Miller ETA 2026 – Miggy Ro clone
So if not Mookie, it will have to come from outside the organization. Bo Bichette? There is no other free agent SS worth mentioning. Which team would trade their franchise SS?
Who replaces Muncy? Right now, I am going Muncy. He has a $10MM player option, and I see no reason why the Dodgers will not exercise that option. Alex Freeland is the only organizational candidate. But I do not see him as a 3-5 WAR player right now. I would like to see him get a legit shot at playing 3B at the next level. But maybe his best value for the Dodgers is in a trade.
LF – As I wrote, I would love to see what Sirota, De Paula, and Hope can do at AA. That is the big jump. That was the premise of the article. From there it is possible that any of the three could be in line for a MLB job in LF with LAD, but probably not before 2027. Maybe mid-year 2026.
CF – Sirota 2027? Quintero 2028? Ko/Tunink 2029? – Quintero is the prize here. He is probably the best player in the California League as well as one of the youngest.
Actually, LAD has 4 top prospects who are 19 and playing well in the California League: Joendry Vargas (3B), Samuel Sanchez (RHP), Kellon Lindsey (SS), and Quintero (CF). All could be in MLB by 22. MVP by 23? I never project that kind of talent. Quintero should be in Great Lakes (A+) right now. IMO he should start 2026 in AA. Will he? Probably not for the Dodgers.
IMO, every one of Sirota, De Paula, Hope, Quintero will be MLB players. All Stars? Who can say? Potential? Yes. I cannot get there yet for Ching-Hsien Ko or Brendan Tunink.
Freeland
As the SS? IMO, not happening. Freeland cannot defend like Mookie, and he cannot hit like Mookie. So, what does he add?
3B? Do you think Freeland can match what Muncy produces? Freeland does not have near the Muncy power. Freeland is a switch hitter who hits better LH. Freeland probably takes over the utility role of Miggy Ro.
Muncy would be a good investment at $10MM with Freeland as his understudy until Max fails. However, this looks to be Max’s best WAR year since 2021.
Mookie is third in the majors in defensive runs saved. So, enough crap about him not being a major league SS.
mookie’s deal isn’t up for at least five years. no need to create worry about him.
Freddie has two or three more years, there’s plenty of time to create a first base solution. internally or externally.
i still think Freeland gets a long look at 3rd, but when?
Length of contract is not what I’m talking about. I’m taking talking about getting a legit, considerably younger shortstop to fill that position for multiple years.
Freddie’s health may become an issue. He’s got a lot of miles on that body. He and Muncy both look like future designated hitters to me.
I think, but am not sure that the following SSs will be free agents when or just before Freeman’s contract ends:
Jeremy Pena, Gunnar Henderson, CJ Abrams, Anthony Volpe.
Obviously, not all will get there. Obviously, other FAs exist. it’s just food for thought
Good thought food Bluto.
Freddie has 2 years left on his contract. Mookie has 7 years left on his contract which is up when he turns 39.
Well, there’s an OF spot open next year and another the next year depending on how Teo ages into his 3rd year. Have to believe one of Hope, DePaula or Sirota develops into a big league starter and Quintero could be an all star in the future. I agree, bring them up to AA and see what we have for next year. OF and pitching futures look good. IF not so much. I just think Freeland’s ceiling is an average mlb bat. If it’s all about October, Freddie needs go on IL and get his lower body healed up. Put Rushing at first and bring Feduccia up to back up Will.
Mookie is NOT moving back to the outfield. He says it is easier on his legs playing the infield. Teo is most comfortable in right. Pages has settled into the centerfield job nicely after a rough start. Left field will be the only opening. Teo will be in his second year of his 3-year deal next season.
Why would Freddie be a DH? He’s still a fantastic defender at 1b.
They already have a guy at DH that is pretty good. Some guy named Ohtani. He seems to be pretty good at baseball.
I’m not suggesting Freddie become the every day DH Scott. I’m just pointing out that he is about to turn 36 and currently has lower body issues. Maybe it would be prudent to give both Ohtani and Freddie more days off by sharing DH duty.
?. I propose Freddie go on a 30 day IL
10-day IL for position players is all they have other than the 60-day.
Hopefully we can score some freaking runs for Yamamoto tonight. Their announced starter has an ERA over 6.
Good to see Conforto have a day. I’ve given up on the guy but I’d love to see him get on a run to help out the club
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Okay, I think have have a good understanding of the game but I need help understanding the benefit of an opener in a bullpen game, like last night. I seriously do not understand the benefit of starting Dreyer for one inning and then going to Wrobleski who is basically the starting pitcher (sorry – the “Bulk-guy”).
So what is the benefit of that instead of just starting Wrobleski and using Dreyer in his regular role as a relief pitcher?
Just make Wrobleski a starting pitcher and I can say the same thing for now about Casparius. Both are pitching well and are stretched out. We need starting pitching, so use these 2 and bag the bullpen games. Both can start until we get Snell, Glasnow and Sheehan back and Ohtani stretch out.
I seriously do not understand the benefit of an opener in our current situation with these 2 guys capable of starting.
Can someone tell me what I’m missing here?
i think, and this could be old data, that the first inning is one of the innings where the most runs are scored.
Phil, I am right there with you on this one. I was asking my wife what was the purpose of Jack Dreyer starting, out of his comfort zone, and Wrobleski coming in the 2nd inning. Both are LHP so there is no advantage there. The first three batters for Colorado are RH. Roberts made some off hand reasoning at the post game presser that made no sense to me. Something about sitting back and mentally letting the game come to him. Maybe it makes sense to Roberts/Prior/McGuiness/AF/BG/Wrobo/Dreyer, and if so, okay. But like you I just do not get it. I would much rather have saved Dreyer for a situation when he might be more needed.
The strategy is to have a closer type arm, Dryer, face the top of the lineup so Wrobleski may only see them once in his 5 innings. I think the strategy is sound.
Badger, thanks for your explanation on the use of an opener. I understand what you are saying.
And I don’t agree with it in practice and especially when the Dodgers have Wrobleski and Casparius available to start.
.
“Dreyer, faces the top of the lineup so Wrobleski may only see them once in his 5 innings.”
Okay, Sounds like a excepted rational for using an opener.
In theory, Dreyer pitches to the top of the order once. Assuming limited traffic or one clean inning, that would mean Wrobleski would face the top of the order in the 3rd or 4th inning. And he would be out of the game by the 6th of when the lineup was turned over?
But that’s not what happened. And that’s not what typically happens. While Wrobleski missed the top of the order in the 1st, but he faced them in the 3rd and again in the 5th.
They trusted him enough to not pull him then, so they trusted the guy enough to let him face that group twice. They could have chosen to go with Dreyer or any reliever in the 6th.
It seems to me your explanation is based on the “prediction” that Wrobleski can’t be trusted to face their best hitters, twice. But I bet that nice scenario doesn’t play out very often. Like last night. Why not trust him or Casparius to face the line up at least 2 times through and then decide when to take them out: Eliminating the “Opener”?
It seems to me like computers making pitching decisions based predictions as opposed to “seeing” what actually happens.
I can see the use of openers some times. But not when both Wrobleski and Casparius are available as starters.
Yeah, in that scenario it’s important your Opener has a clean first inning. Dreyer faced 5 hitters. Like I said, your next up MAY only face the top of the order once. And it took Wrobleski 86 pitches to get through 5. That ain’t good.
It’s important to keep in mind we’re still in the throws (see what I did there) of dealing with Junior Varsity pitchers here. How long will this go on? I’m thinking til maybe after the All Star break.
Why are they continuing to do bullpen games instead of building up the starters to go deeper into games? Now they are doing 2 bullpen games per week now with Ohtani pitching one inning per week?
The bullpen has already logged over 350 innings this season (most in MLB), they are on track to throw over 700 innings this season.
Using a opener can provide 2 benefits:
Since Wrobleski is a lefty, on the surface you would think having him follow Ohtani would make more sense than Casperious.
I cannot, no.
But more importantly, Wrobo has looked much better the last few outings. We really need him while our high priced guys are on a paid vacation, and he’s stepped up.
Jeff I may be mistaken but I believe Nevin came up as an outfielder. He has played exclusively in the infield this season for obvious reasons. He was injured at the beginning of the season but he comes from a baseball family and the boy can hit.
Yes, but Kyle is 23 (24 in August) at A+. He is not at the same talent level as Sirota, Hope, and De Paula, and is not the same type player as George. Hope, De Paula, and George are all 3 years younger and Sirota is 22 months younger. Is Kyle Nevin the next Ryan Ward? IMO, Kyle Nevin is not being blocked.
I too like players who come from baseball families. That was one of the reasons I wanted Bichette over Lux in the 2016 draft.
Nevin has a career .724 OPS in MILB. Is 2025 a break through or an aberration?
Nevin spent 3 years at Baylor, and is currently in his 4th year in the minors. He’s turning 24 in August and he’s listed as never having played above A+ ball. Are we to take him seriously?
Best case scenario, he’s a late bloomer like JT or CT3? Hopefully?
Emmet Sheehan has thrown 5 perfect innings so far with 10k for OKC today.
Score is currently 14-0 in the top of the 6th.
Make that 6 perfect innings with 13k in only 73 pitches.
Sheehan, Casparius, Wroblesky, Stone and Ryan. And maybe Miller figures it out next year. Wow! If only, Ohtani, Yamamoto, Snell, Glasnow, Sasaki and May weren’t there.
Miller is () that close to being gone. He has control issues, and I believe his main problem is between his ears. Like Syndergaard last year, I don’t believe he listens to the pitching gurus all that well.
There is zero chance that Miller is close to being gone.
Obviously it’s opinion and Bear is entitled to it, but it’s a far-fetched one.
Traded maybe?
Outfielders are blocked. Pitchers are blocked. What is AF doing?
Winning championships
What the owners want him to do, win. No one has any clue how those kids will do, but they know what they are getting from their vets.
Will the Dodgers ever score again in the first inning?
Props to Max Muncy for that clutch, 2 out, 2 rbi hit