By 3:00 PM on Tuesday, we should learn of the names of the Dodgers prospects who have been added to the 40 man roster and out of the Rule 5 draft. Players signed at age 18 or younger need to be added to their club’s 40-Man roster within five seasons or they become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Players who signed at age 19 or older need to be protected within four seasons.
This was important last year, as 3 Dodgers were selected in the Rule 5 draft. 1B Ryan Noda was retained by Oakland for the entire year, and LHRP Jose Hernández was retained by Pittsburgh for the entire year. Gus Varland was selected by Milwaukee but returned to the Dodgers on May 22, 2023.
This year the Dodgers currently have 35 players on the 40 man roster. There can be some trades before the final selections. Maybe some anticipated non-tenders could be designated if needed.
There are 42 players in the LAD organization who are Rule 5 eligible.
- C – 4
- 1B – 3
- 2B – 0
- 3B – 2
- SS – 0
- OF – 6
- SP – 9
- RP – 18
There are two no-brainers:
- RHSP Nick Frasso
- RHSP Landon Knack
Others who might (should) be considered:
- C – Hunter Feduccia
- RHSP – Kendall Williams
- 2B/SS/C – Yeiner Fernandez
- RHP – Carlos Duran
- RHP – Edgardo Henriquez
Other notable players who will probably not be considered:
- C – Carson Taylor
- 1B – Brandon Lewis
- 3B – Kody Hoese
- OF – José Ramos
- RHSP – Jerming Rosario – Risky not to protect
- LHSP – Robinson Ortiz
- LHRP – Alec Gamboa – Possible Rule 5 Draft Pick
- RHRP – Braydon Fisher
- LHRP – John Rooney
Dodgers Final AFL stats
- 2B/SS Yeiner Fernandez: .289/.413/.526, 4 2B, HR, 3B, 17.4% BB rate, 10.9% K rate
- OF Damon Keith: .254/.329/.507, 4 HR, 4 2B, 3B, 10.1% BB rate, 31.6% K rate
- RHP Ben Casparius: 10.43 ERA, 14⅔ IP, 29% K rate, 13% BB rate, 5 HR
- RHP Kendall Williams: 5.30 ERA, 18⅔ IP, 22.2% K rate, 7.4% BB rate, 4 HR
- RHP Ryan Sublette: 1.93 ERA, 9⅓ IP, 26.2% K rate, 19% BB rate, 1 HR
- RHP Jake Pilarski: 1.00 ERA, 9 IP, 22.5% K rate, 10% BB rate, 1 HR
- LHP Ronan Kopp: 1.13 ERA, 8 IP, 46.9% K rate, 18.8% BB rate, 1 HR
A couple of key players lost as they became MiLB free agents. First baseman and sometimes corner outfielder Imanol Vargas hit .251/.357.,463 with 22 home runs, 29 doubles, a 114 wRC+, 174 strikeouts and 76 walks as a 25-year-old for Double-A.
“Vargas’ raw power is apparently in his 114 mph max exit velocity and extreme damage on contact,” Matt Eddy (Baseball America) wrote. “The issue has been making enough contact to take full advantage. Vargas doesn’t chase much out of the zone but can be beat in the zone with good stuff.”
Also noted by Eddy was outfielder Yusniel Díaz, who returned to the Dodgers as a non-roster invitee and heated up down the stretch. Díaz hit .278/.374/.484 with 16 home runs and a 125 wRC+ for Tulsa, and won Texas League player of the month in August.
Finally some offseason baseball action.
Thanks for the write-up.
A’s might field an entire team of Rule 5ers next season.
Sure hope they get rid of Barnes and give Fedducia a shot.
With Kershaw leaving it might be time.
If we had a better backup catcher, we could give Smith more games off. Some of the days he could DH when a lefty is pitching and Muncy could rest or play 3B.
Yeiner Fernandez. I just read his scouting report and though it reads well, good fielder, quick behind the plate, bat to ball skills, his overall grade was 40. Would he be picked up if left off the 40? He doesn’t appear ready for the bigs.
My inclination would be to protect and develop pitchers. I don’t know who among the many outside the obvious would be selected to protect. My guess would be Duran.
If we had to dump one of our catchers 5 catchers, 6 counting Fernandez (though I think he will become a second baseman) who would it be? I think a strong argument could made that catcher would be Barnes.
I will admit this year I’m not as up to date with our minor league system. I will rely on what Jeff and others say here.
I would have thought so on Fernandez not being ready for MLB. He isn’t. But neither was Jorbit Vivas and Eddys Leonard when they were protected. An argument can be made that neither Diego Cartaya nor Andy Pages were protected when they were protected.
I have no idea who might want Fernandez and hide on the MLB roster for a year.
I think Feduccia has to be protected. If he has to be traded to take advantage of him, so be it.
I do not want to lose Carlos Duran or Edgardo Henriquez. So if it is either of those two over Fernandez, I will be okay with it. The same with Kendall Williams. Williams is close enough that he could be taken. Is he good enough?
I think your point about protecting pitchers is well taken. I haven’t checked actual numbers but it seems to me that pitchers in the lower minors who are Rule5 drafts are much more likely to stick all year than are position players.
I can’t argue against you and Badger about protecting pitchers but 2B/SS Yeiner Fernandez intrigues me. He could be an emergency catcher.
Yamamoto, Buehler, Pepiot, Sheehan plus a Stone/Grove piggyback 5th pitcher.
I’m with you. Yeiner is definitely worth keeping an eye on.
I’d give Bobby Miller a shot too. He looks like he may be ok
You’re just saying that because he shares your name.
Or maybe Fred included him in one of his trades so we don’t have him any longer.
Adames and Bichette for Lux and Muncy plus others as needed to create a new left side.
Why stop there. Ronald Acuña Jr. for RF and Mookie to 2B. Juan Soto for LF. Gerrit Cole, Kevin Gausman, Corbin Burnes, Luis Castillo, Justin Steele as the SP, Emmanuel Clase, Camilo Doval, David Bednar, Devin Williams, Jordan Romano for the bullpen. Sean Murphy to share catching with Will Smith. I guess Freddie can stick at 1B.
Why can’t AF make that happen?
Cranky you are.
Adames and Bichette have been involved in trade rumors while those you listed have not.
I am just playing around. I should have put a 😉 next to my comment. I probably should have saved the snarky for your Witt trade comments.
Burnes and all of the RP save Clase and Dotel have been mentioned.
https://www.truebluela.com/2023/11/14/23960112/dodgers-farm-system-pitching-ranking
Peter Seidler, Chairman and Owner of the San Diego Padres has passed away.
Seidler was the grandson of Walter O’Malley and nephew of Peter O’Malley.
RIP Peter. 👃
Word just out that Padres lead owner (and Walter O’Malley’s grandson) Peter Seidler has died.
From everything I’ve read he was a really good guy. Sad news. RIP.
Per Fabian A:
The Dodgers have added Nick Frasso, Landon Knack and Hunter Feduccia to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft.
Two spots still unfilled.
We’ll probably lose at least a couple of the pitchers that Jeff mentioned above (Duran, Henriquez, Williams) but I guess we can’t keep them all.
Glad to see Feduccia made it, but he might not be. This probably means another year at AAA for him unless AF does the unthinkable and trades Barnes.
Not really surprised by Frasso and Knack. Feduccia deserves a shot at a roster spot somewhere. Yet when the team needed a catcher, they didn’t call him up, they called someone named Wynns I believe.
Different situation. They did not want to add Feduccia to the roster for 2 weeks and then lose an option year. Feduccia would have to remain on the 40 man to keep. Wynns was DFA’d after Smith returned. Management does try to manage the roster and players on the 40 man. Wynns did not hurt the Dodgers while he was on the 26 man.
Yeah, you said that at the time and saving an option year on a 26 year old backup catcher made no more sense to me then than it does now. By the time they might intend to use him Rushing or Cartaya will be ready for that backup position and Feduccia will be gone.
Wynns didn’t hurt? Wynns is a nobody with a .525 OPS this year.
This guy knows
Cleveland DFA’d Cal Quantrill today. Something tells me that he will not stay DFA’d for long, but if he lasts to the Dodgers, I would hope the Dodgers might take a chance on him. They still have two spots on the 40 man open. Did not pitch well last year, but has had a couple of good years.
He earned 5.5 mil this year. I’m not sure anyone will be ready to take on that salary (he’s arb eligible this winter) which will probably be in the same neighborhood next year.
I’m guessing they wind up not being able to trade him and just release him. At that point, anyone could sign him, including Mr. Friedman.
On the other hand, the Giants have money to burn. They might take a chance on him and trade with the Guardians before he’s released.
If Noah Syndergaard is worth $13MM, I am fine with paying Quantrill $5MM-$6MM. Projected costs for the current crop of reclamation projects:
Giolito – 2 years $44MM
Flaherty – 3 years $40MM
Lorenzen – 2 years $22MM
Manaea – 2 years $22MM
Severino – 1 year $14MM
I do not believe Quantrill cost will be out of line.
The Dodgers are 29th in the waiver wire order, so the could let Quantrill go if they do not expect the Braves to select him. However, I am not sure if Quantrill qualifies to become a FA or can simply be outrighted to MiLB. I do not know if he has previously been outrighted. If he has then he could select FA.
Shock, they only protected three, Frasso, Knack and Feduccia. Hmmm