With the Arizona Fall League beginning in September this year, the league is already in full swing, and the rosters for the Fall Stars Game were officially released. As it currently stands, the Brett de Geus is the lone Los Angeles Dodgers prospect set to participate.
However, Omar Estevez is one of the three players up for a fan vote for the final spot on the West team. He may face a tough time trying to get in, going against a top-100 and former Dodgers prospect in Oneil Cruz, and a former first round pick in Blake Rutherford.
Rutherford headlined a 2017 that netted the New York Yankees Todd Frazier, David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle from the Chicago White Sox.
As the least heralded name among the Dodgers’ seven prospects sent the AFL (eight including Justin Yurchak, who was a later add to the taxi squad), de Geus has built off a strong season with Low-A Great Lakes and High-A Rancho Cucamonga during his time in Arizona.
Exclusively a reliever, de Geus has pitched 5.1 innings so far in the AZL, allowing just two hits and no runs. He’s struck out seven and walked none, and even notched a save in the process.
This comes following a strong year for the 21-year old righty, who was taken in the 33rd round (1,000th overall) by the Dodgers in the 2017 Draft. He didn’t pitch that year, and was sent to the hitter’s haven known as Ogden and the Pioneer League in 2018, where he put up a 7.26 ERA (5.92 FIP) in 62 innings.
In 2019, however, after moving to relief, de Geus had a breakout year, making the Midwest League All-Star team and being promoted to the Quakes. He threw 30.2 innings for the Loons before his promotion, with a 2.35 ERA (1.88 FIP), 10.57 strikeouts per nine innings, and 1.76 walks per nine.
He didn’t miss a beat while moving up, throwing 31 innings for Rancho with a 1.16 ERA (2.21 FIP), 10.45 K/9, and 2.03 BB/9.
Small sample size nonetheless, de Geus has impressed in his short time in Arizona, facing a bevy of hitters from levels above where he’s pitched. He can reportedly get into the high 90s with his fastball and adds a cutter and slider, and has embraced the “closer mentality” as a relief pitcher.
Drafted as a 19-year-old out of Cabrillo Junior College, de Geus the more intriguing relief-only prospects in the Dodgers’ system, and will be a guy to watch next year, as he hopefully continues his ascent to Double-A Tulsa at some point in 2020.
After signing for $6 million as part of the Dodgers’ absurdly large 2015-16 international free agent class, Estevez has been a more household name than de Geus, but still flies relatively under the radar in the organization’s system.
Estevez has been the Dodgers’ best AFL hitter, with a .300/.341/.325 line and 3/5 BB/K in 40 at-bats. Like de Geus, Estevez is also coming off his best pro-season, as he was a mainstay in Tulsa’s lineup, aside from a one month absence on the injured list.
In 336 plate appearances, Estevez hit .291/.352/.431 (119 wRC+) with six homers, adding in a 20.8 K% and 9.2 BB%, which is a career best. He’s also doing it all as one of the younger players in Double-A, and improved his defense at shortstop while doing so.
With a start a Triple-A Oklahoma City (and potentially the juiced balls, if they keep them) in his future next season, Estevez could make a play for some time in the big leagues if he performs, but he’s currently blocked from any starting position in the middle infield without some type of injury.
Estevez doesn’t need a 40-man roster spot until 2020, and we know how much the Dodgers love their space and flexibility, so it’d be unlikely for him to be added in the next nine months or so without an injury or incredible performance.
You can vote here for Estevez to make the West roster for the 2019 Fall Stars Game.
