Over recent seasons the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system has been headlined by the triumvirate of Joc Pederson, Corey Seager and Julio Urias. Pederson and Seager have full-time roles with the Major League club, and Urias is on the verge of cementing his spot in the starting rotation.
Behind the highly-touted trio are several prospects who have played a role in restoring the Dodgers’ once-proud crop of Minor League talent. Los Angeles boasts several young pitchers who rate well, but also have position players carving out a name for themselves.
One being outfielder Alex Verdugo, who spent the entire season with Double-A Tulsa after a strong showing in Low-A Great Lakes and High-A Rancho Cucamonga in 2015.
The Dodgers selected Verdugo in the second round of the 2014 Draft out of Sahuaro High School in Tucson, Ariz.
Verdugo has played 243 of 285 professional games in center field but said he’s just as comfortable in right field, per William Boor of MLB.com:
“I feel great either way,” Verdugo said. “I feel great in center or in right. I think I could play both at the Major League level, it’s just whatever the organization needs.”
Considering Pederson’s status as the Dodgers’ starting center fielder, the easier path for Verdugo to join the club appears to be via right field. However, that just as easily hinges on Yasiel Puig’s future and the Dodgers’ plans this winter or next.
The 20-year-old Verdugo owns a .972 fielding percentage in center field and .949 in right. He logged 30 clean innings in left field over four games for Rookie-level Arizona League Dodgers in 2014.
Verdugo is one of several Dodgers prospects on the Glendale Desert Dogs roster for Arizona Fall League play. He’s hit .128/.209/.231 with two doubles, one triple and one RBI through 11 games thus far.
Verdugo batted .273/.336/.407 with 13 home runs and 63 RBI with the Drillers in a career-high 126 games. He admitted to suffering from some fatigue during the AFL.
