Los Angeles Dodgers prospects Chris Anderson, Joe Broussard, Ralston Cash, Corey Copping and Tim Locastro were added to the Glendale Desert Dogs roster. In total, the Dodgers are sending eight Minor Leaguers, with Cody Bellinger, Willie Calhoun and Alex Verdugo previously named as participants for the AFL.
Anderson began the season with Double-A Tulsa but struggled to the tune of a 5.79 ERA with 20 walks and 27 strikeouts in six starts, which led to a demotion to High-A Rancho Cucamonga. That also coincided with Anderson, the Dodgers’ first-round pick in the 2013 Draft, switching to reliever.
He sported a 1.64 ERA with 11 strikeouts to two walks over 11 appearances with the Quakes. That earned Anderson a return to Tulsa, though he again struggled and closed out the season with Rancho Cucamonga.
Anderson went 3-6 with a 6.81 ERA in 18 games (six starts) for the Drillers, and 1-2 with a 3.25 ERA over 18 games (two starts) with the Quakes. The right-hander was a combined 4-8 with a 4.81 ERA, 46 walks and 51 strikeouts in 67.1 innings pitched.
Broussard also pitched for the Quakes and Drillers this season, and joined Triple-A Oklahoma City in September. He went 1-0 with one save and a 1.38 ERA in 15 games with the Quakes.
Broussard then converted seven saves, had a 1.93 ERA, and 51 strikeouts to 12 walks over 42 innings pitched (33 games) for Tulsa. Four of five appearances during the playoffs with Oklahoma City were scoreless outings.
Cash was another who began the year with one affiliate and earned a promotion. He went 5-3 with a 3.00 ERA over 29 games with the Drillers, and 4-0 with a 2.62 ERA in 17 games with Oklahoma City.
Cash owned a combined 2.87 ERA with two saves, 84 strikeouts and 33 walks over 69 innings pitched. He appeared as a reliever in eight AFL games last season.
Copping improved after joining the Quakes from Rookie-level Ogden in July. He went a combined 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA, 35 strikeouts and 13 walks in 22 games (28 innings) this season.
Locastro hit .289/.347/.413 with 17 doubles, five triples, five home runs and 39 RBI in 86 games with the Quakes. He also added 15 stolen bases in 19 attempts. Locastro primarily played second base for the Quakes (59 games), though also logged time at first base, shortstop, left field and center field.
Over 45 games with the Drillers, Locastro batted .277/.330/.346 with eight doubles and 13 RBI. He was successful on nine of 11 stolen base attempts. The 24-year-old played shortstop (40 games) and center field (two games) with the Drillers.
The Desert Dogs roster is comprised of prospects from the Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals. The Arizona Fall League features six clubs.
AFL play begins Oct. 11 and concludes with a championship game on Nov. 19. Sandwiched between the two dates is the Fall Stars Game, which will be played Nov. 5 at Surprise Stadium.
