The Los Angeles Dodgers farm system has been among the best in baseball the last few years, graduating prospects like Joc Pederson, Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger into Major League All-Stars.
The next top position player prospect is outfielder Alex Verdugo, who the Dodgers drafted in the second round in 2014 out of Sahuaro High School in Arizona.
The 21-year-old had an outstanding 2017 season that began playing for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, then continued at Triple-A Oklahoma City and ended with him making his Major League debut as a September call-up.
In three WBC games for Mexico Verdugo put himself on the map, going 5-for-14 (.357 batting average) with three runs scored.
He continued that success with OKC, hitting .314/.389/.436 with six home runs and 62 RBIs while also stealing nine bases in 12 attempts in 117 games. He was chosen as a starter in the Pacific Coast League All-Star Game and also represented the world team at the All-Star Futures Game.
Verdugo was called up on Sept. 1 and made his MLB debut that night against the San Diego Padres, going 0-for-3 with a walk as the starting center fielder. In 15 games with the big league team, Verdugo slashed .174/.240/.304 with one home run.
He had an opportunity to make the postseason roster and even possibly win a starting spot, but he overslept one day and showed up late to the ballpark, which diminished his opportunities to close out the season and he wound up being left off the National League Division Series roster.
2017 Highlight:
The 2017 season was a special one for Verdugo, as he got to represent his country twice in both the WBC and the Futures Game. He also made his MLB debut after having an All-Star caliber season at Triple-A.
No one ever forgets their first Major League hit and home run though, so his biggest highlights came on Sept. 2 against Padres starter Clayton Richard, when he recorded his first hit: a single to left field. Then on Sept. 10 he took Colorado Rockies reliever Adam Ottavino deep for his first career home run.
2018 Outlook:
Verdugo is still considered one of the top prospects in the Dodgers organization, and while a lot could change throughout the course of the offseason, Verdugo will head into Spring Training with an opportunity to win a starting outfield spot.
Even if he starts the season in Triple-A again, Verdugo should figure into the Dodgers plans moving forward and will make an impact at the big league level in 2018.
