Even in the the final stage of the offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers roster remains a work in progress, as the club most notably needs to address a glaring hole at third base with Justin Turner still a free agent.
Re-signing the 36-year-old is believed to be the Dodgers’ top priority, but they are far from the only suitor. Turner has recently drawn interest from the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers.
As that process continues to unfold, the Dodgers officially announced the signing of Trevor Bauer to a three-year contract. His deal is worth $102 million and includes opt outs after each of the first two seasons.
Elsewhere, the Dodgers continued adding Minor League depth to the organization. According to Pedro Moura of The Athletic, the club recently signed former top prospect Nick Shumpert, who is the cousin of Mookie Betts:
Last month, Shumpert became a Dodger. Betts casually broke the news to him. “You’re gonna be coming to spring training with us,” he said.
The 24-year-old, who is also the son of longtime Major Leaguer Terry Shumpert, was selected in the seventh round of the 2015 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers. He turned down a significant signing bonus and went on to struggle at San Jacinto College in Houston, Texas.
Shumpert was drafted one year later, this time by the Atlanta Braves in the 28th round. He spent three seasons with the organization until his release in 2017.
Shumpert eventually caught on in the independent league, most recently playing for the Sussex County Miners last season. In 22 games, he hit .315/.374/.528 with six doubles, two triples, three home runs, 11 RBI and 15 stolen bases across 99 plate appearances.
With the possibility that Minor League Spring Training could be delayed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it isn’t clear when Shumpert will join the Dodgers in camp. However, when he does arrive, he will be reunited with Betts, who helped turn his career around.
Notable Minor League signings by Dodgers
In addition to Shumpert, the Dodgers have signed a slew of players to Minor League contracts this offseason. The club brought back some familiar faces in Brandon Morrow, Jimmy Nelson, Brock Stewart and Tim Federowicz, and also took fliers on the likes of Carlos Asuaje and Enny Romero.
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