With Corey Seager now a regular in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup, Baseball America updated its list of the 10 prospects in the team’s farm system, with Cody Bellinger replacing Seager as the Dodgers’ top prospect.
Like Seager, young left-hander Julio Urias is not on the list due to the service time in the Majors he’s accumulated this season. Prior to the 2016 season beginning, Seager and Urias were ranked first and second in the Dodgers’ farm system, respectively, by Baseball America.
Bellinger, who was ranked the team’s fifth best prospect before the season started, is currently stationed at Double-A Tulsa where he is hitting .264/.358/.455 with 11 doubles, 11 home runs, 33 RBIs and 69 games.
Coming in at second on the midseason update is right-hander Jose De Leon, who dealt with nagging injuries through the early going of the season. De Leon has otherwise put together a strong campaign with Triple-A Oklahoma City, going 2-0 with a 3.06 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 54 strikeouts over eight starts (35.1 innings pitched).
The Dodgers’ top 10 list is rounded out by: Grant Holmes (third), Alex Verdugo (fourth), Frankie Montas (fifth), Willie Calhoun (sixth), Austin Barnes (seventh), Jharel Cotton (eighth), Yusniel Diaz (ninth) and Yadier Alvarez (10th).
No longer on the list is infielder Jose Peraza who was packaged to the Cincinnati Reds in the three-team deal that brought Trayce Thompson, Micah Johnson, and Montas to Los Angeles. Holmes moved up three spots from his previous ranking.
He’s compiled a 7-3 record with a 3.39 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP with 89 strikeouts in 17 games (15 starts) for High-A Rancho Cucamonga. Verdugo also moved up the list, rising three spots from the 2016 preseason ranking.
He’s batting .299/.361/.464 with 16 doubles, 11 home runs and 50 RBIs over 82 games with the Drillers. Verdugo’s play earned him a spot in the Texas League All-Star Game where he went 3-for-5 with a double.
Before suffering another rib injury, Montas was an option to help the Dodgers offset the multitude of injuries in their rotation. Calhoun, joined Verdugo at the Texas League All-Star Game after putting together a strong first half for the Drillers.
Calhoun is hitting .257/.321/.468 with 17 home runs and 58 RBIs, and also represented the Dodgers at the 2016 Future’s Game.
While Barnes briefly joined the Dodgers this season, he’s spent the majority of his time with Oklahoma City. Playing multiple positions, Barnes has hit .300/.386/.435 with 15 doubles and 28 RBIs.
Diaz overcame a slow start with the Quakes but began to slump and has since joined the Arizona League Dodgers after suffering an injury. Alvarez is also with the AZL club and owns a 1.80 ERA in five starts.
