The Los Angeles Dodgers placed three prospects on the preliminary Glendale Desert Dogs roster for the 2016 Arizona Fall League. The trio, Cody Bellinger, Willie Calhoun and Alex Verdugo, hails from Double-A Tulsa, and are rated among the organization’s top hitters.
The Dodgers are expected to send four pitchers to the Arizona Fall League, with the identities expected to be revealed in the near future. The Desert Dogs roster is comprised of prospects from the Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals.
Glendale’s home games will be played at Camelback Ranch. They will be managed by Aaron Rowand, who is a Minor League instructor for the White Sox.
Rookie-level Arizona League Dodgers pitching coach Greg Sabat and assistant Minor League medical coordinator Kevin Orloski will serve on the Desert Dogs coaching staff.
The fall league is comprised of 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.
Bellinger missed three weeks in April due to a strained hip. He’s made up for lost time this season, batting .263/.362/.481 with 17 doubles and 22 home runs over 112 games in his first experience in the Texas League.
Bellinger’s highlights include hitting a home run out of ONEOK Field, and going 4-for-4 with two home runs and a career-high six RBI.
The 21-year-old has logged time for the Drillers at firs base and all three outfield positions. Calhoun, also playing in the Texas League for the first time, is hitting .261/.325/.484 with 25 doubles and 27 home runs in 127 games.
Calhoun, a 21-year-old second baseman, leads the Texas League with 88 RBI. He represented the Drillers in the 2016 Futures Game at Petco Park in San Diego.
Verdugo, at 20 years old the youngest of the trio, is hitting .276/.338/.409 with 23 doubles, 12 home runs and 61 RBI in 121 games. He’s Tulsa’s primary center fielder but has also seen some action in right field.
Calhoun and Verdugo were named end of year Texas League All-Stars for the 2016 season.
