Matt Kemp suffered a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury. The extent of the setback and how long it will keep Kemp out is not yet known.

Sunday is not good day for hamstrings at Dodger Stadium. Matt Kemp, in his first day back in Los Angeles after rehabbing for a week at Camelback Ranch in Arizona, suffered a setback while running and will not be ready to be activated from the disabled list on Friday, as originally planned.

“We’ve hit a little bit of a snag because he felt just a little something today still. We haven’t quite made a decision on where he’s going next. The running today was to see where he’s at,” manager Don Mattingly said on Sunday. “That tells us today he’s not quite there. Does that mean two days, three days, seven days? I don’t know that answer, but I do know he’s not 100%. Until we get that, then we’ll start thinking about him going out and playing.”

Yet more bad luck in what has been a lost season thus far for The Bison.

Kemp ran and was doing stretching drills with strength and conditioning coach Brandon McDaniel before Sunday’s game with the Braves, all with trainer Sue Falsone, director of medical services Stan Conte, and team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache. Kemp did work in the outfield and on the bases, and appeared to be in a good mood in the clubhouse, hugging teammates upon his return.

“It’s always good to have Matt around. It would be really nice if he’s out in the field. It’s good to see him back,” Mattingly said. “He looks good, he’s running pretty good. He’s not quite there yet, talking to medical. We’re still not where we need to be.”

Kemp could have potentially returned this Friday from his 15-day DL stint, but they’re now saying he’s looking at a timetable of next week, but that’s contingent on him passing similar tests and going on a rehab assignment.

—–

Carl Crawford had an MRI on his hamstring injury, and swelling was discovered. He’ll miss more than the minimum on his disabled list stay.

As for Crawford, the Dodgers expect him to miss more than the minimum 15 days on the disabled list after an MRI exam on his strained left hamstring revealed swelling.

“That tells us it was fairly significant,” Mattingly said. “It doesn’t sound like two weeks.”

Crawford was placed on the disabled list on Monday, retroactive to June 2. But the Dodgers aren’t sure he will be back this month.

So yeah, that roster crunch everybody is worried about probably isn’t coming soon.

—–

Hanley Ramirez re-injured his hamstring injury late last week and has been out of the lineup since, though he has been pinch-hitting the last handful of games.

The Dodgers are without Hanley Ramirez for a second straight game against the Braves at Dodger Stadium, only Friday night isn’t a scheduled day of rest. Ramirez has tightness in his left hamstring, the same one that landed him on the disabled list for a month with a strain, per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.

Ken Gurnick reports HanRam also felt stiffness behind his knee, and Don Mattingly fears a DL stint could be necessary, though trainers disagree.

Hanley underwent an MRI Sunday, and the results were probably about as good as can be expected.

“He’s having continued problems enough that they want to get another look at this thing,” said manager Don Mattingly. “We’ll find out if it’s going to be more serious than we’ve been talking about.”

His current status, well before the MRI results are known, is that he hit but can’t run. Mattingly used pitcher Clayton Kershaw to pinch run for Ramirez after he singled in the eighth inning Saturday.

“Guys want to play, but when they can’t run it’s hard to play,” Mattingly said. “Especially with playing short.”

Dodgers will go a man short for the next week, then he’ll aggravate it somehow after pinch hitting and he’ll be put on the DL. Probably.

—–

Josh Beckett has been shut down for four weeks as he attempts to return from nerve irritation and numbness in his right hand and arm.

Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett will be shut down from throwing for four weeks because of nerve irritation in his right arm and hand, the team announced on Tuesday. Beckett, who saw a nerve specialist in Dallas who confirmed the initial diagnosis, is expected to return to the team on Tuesday.

Manager Don Mattingly said earlier Tuesday that Beckett’s condition wouldn’t require surgery, that rehab would be the route taken by the right-hander. Beckett will continue that rehab on Tuesday.

But with four weeks without throwing, it could be at least two months before he could realistically return to actually pitch for the Dodgers.

The Dodgers and Beckett have chosen rehab over surgery.

—–

Scott Elbert will undergo Tommy John surgery and is done for this year and much of next.

Dodgers relief pitcher Scott Elbert’s 2013 season is over before it ever began. The left-hander needs Tommy John surgery and is out for the season, and with an expected recovery of 12-16 months his 2014 campaign is in question as well.

Elbert was diagnosed with a complete tear of his ulnar collateral ligament after meeting with Dr. Neal ElAttrache and having an MRI exam on Tuesday.

Unfortunately, he just couldn’t stay healthy. Strong non-tender candidate after the season.

—–

Ted Lilly was scratched from his last start due to a “chronic neck disc issue” and hit the DL Sunday.

Dodgers left-hander Ted Lilly will be scratched from Sunday’s start against the Braves because of a chronic neck disc issue. He most likely will be replaced by Triple-A Albuquerque’s Matt Magill, although the club has not made any announcement.

Chronic and neck are never two words you want to hear in tandem.

—–

Scott Van Slyke has been playing with neck and shoulder discomfort … because of course.

Van Slyke has been playing through worsening discomfort that originated from an attempted diving catch of Yadier Molina’s double on May 25. At the time, Van Slyke described the injury as similar to whiplash.

He pinch-ran yesterday, though.

—–

A number of minor-leaguers were placed on and activated from the 7-day DL, with the most notable name being top prospect Corey Seager.

Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Angel Castro, RHP Luis Vasquez, 1B Paul Hoenecke, OF Ryan Mount
Reinstated from DL: RHP Kyle Cofield, RHP Matt Shelton, RHP Sean White, LHP Onelki Garcia, 2B Pedro Guerrero, SS Corey Seager, OF Joey Winker

Seager came back and hit a homer, so everything seems good on that front. The injury won’t be a concern to his long-term prospects.

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Greg Zakwin is the founder of the site Plaschke Thy Sweater Is Argyle. Follow him on Twitter @ArgyledPlaschke and find him contributing at Yahoo! Sports.

Hanley Ramirez‘s rehab is going well, but the team isn’t keen on rushing him, so he’s still two weeks away.

Hanley Ramirez tested his hamstring running in the outfield, and Mattingly said the shortstop continues to make progress, although he is still probably two weeks away from playing.

As was the case the first time he came back from injury, given what the Dodgers have been running out on the left side of the infield, his return could have the biggest impact on the team to date.

—–

Scott Elbert continued his rehab assignment at High-A Rancho Cucamonga…

Dodgers reliever Scott Elbert pitched a scoreless sixth inning with the Quakes, allowing one hit and walking one. The left-hander has tossed three scoreless innings since beginning his rehab assignment on Friday. He’s working his way back from a pair of elbow operations during the winter.

…then made an appearance at Double-A Chattanooga on Saturday.

Elbert started and threw 13 pitches after already making three relief appearances with Class A Rancho Cucamonga. He allowed a single and RBI double to the first two batters he faced, then retired the next three hitters.

Elbert could be back to help the bullpen later this week, as his velocity his risen in recent appearances.

At the start of the season, he seemed like a luxury due to J.P. Howell and Paco Rodriguez, but now the bullpen could desperately use another quality arm.

—–

Zack Greinke was activated from the DL ahead of schedule and made a very good return to action.

In a corresponding move, Josh Beckett hit the 15-day DL following speculation that he was hurt and would need time to heal.

The Los Angeles Dodgers seemed to have a hard time getting the story straight after Monday’s 6-2 loss to the Washington Nationals. Josh Beckett, who is 0-5 with a 5.19 ERA, left the game after just three innings in part, manager Don Mattingly said, because he slightly strained a groin muscle covering first base on an Adam LaRoche groundout.

Beckett is also battling an assortment of minor injuries, Mattingly said. But what?

“He’s had some little stuff going on in different areas, and I think it was bothering him tonight,” Mattingly said.

Little stuff, such as?

“We had known some little stuff was going on,” Mattingly said.

I don’t know how they treat things here,” he [Beckett] said.

He also said, “I’m healthy enough to pitch,” which might be a regrettable phrase if the Dodgers, indeed, put Beckett on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday. The timing would be opportune as it appears Zack Greinke will come off the DL to pitch against Washington Wednesday night. Mattingly wouldn’t confirm that Greinke will pitch Wednesday, but said they’ve settled on a starter.

Either that’s a phantom DL or there’s a scary disconnect between the player and the training staff here.

—–

Ted Lilly claims he’s healthy and ready to get back to major-league action.

Dodgers left-hander Ted Lilly declared himself healthy after going five innings during a Minor League rehab start with Class A Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday night.

Lilly allowed four runs on five hits, striking out three against three walks as the Quakes lost to the San Jose Giants, 4-3.

The veteran said he felt no discomfort from a strained right rib cage that forced him to the disabled list May 3. He was in the Dodgers’ clubhouse after their 3-1 win over the Nationals and will travel with the club to Atlanta for a three-game series that begins Friday.

Lilly said he does not expect to make another start in the Minors, though he said he hasn’t spoken to management about the next step in his rehab.

Just because he might be healthy doesn’t mean he’ll be productive, but he was activated from the DL on Monday anyway, and he will start for the team on Saturday.

—–

Scott Van Slyke had x-rays on his left leg after fouling back-to-back pitches off said leg.

X-rays were negative on the lower left leg of Dodgers outfielder Scott Van Slyke, who exited Sunday’s 5-2 loss against the Braves after he fouled consecutive pitches off his leg in a seventh-inning at-bat.

Van Slyke said there was no fracture, although it was “pretty sore” having fouled the pitches “an inch apart on the same ligament.”

He said he’ll be able to return to action immediately, as long as he can tolerate the discomfort.

“I should be good,” he said.

Last thing the team needed was the only bench bat with pop going down.

—–

Luis Cruz is apparently dealing with bone spurs in his throwing elbow now, which Chad brought up as potentially foreshadowing a phantom DL case.

—–

Mark Ellis was activated from the DL, saying his rehab was over and he’s ready to go.

—–

Corey Seager has been placed on the minor-league 7-day DL with a hamstring injury.

The 18th pick in last year’s draft, Corey Seager will take a break from his full-season debut as he rehabs a hamstring injury. He hit .267/.333/.410 with three homers in 29 games for low Class A Great Lakes, giving him a .743 OPS that is comfortably above the Midwest League average.

While Seager hasn’t been tearing it up like he did last year, he’s been better than league average and is still extremely young for pro ball.

—–

Minor-league injury news includes one important return.

Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Jonathan Martinez, RHP Sean White, LHP Jake Hermsen, C John Cannon, 1B Paul Hoenecke
Reinstated from DL: RHP Jon Michael Redding, C Webster Rivas, 2B Elevys Gonzalez, OF Alex Castellanos, OF Jeremy Moore, OF Devin Shines

Alex Castellanos is now back in the mix.

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Greg Zakwin is the founder of the site Plaschke Thy Sweater Is Argyle. Follow him on Twitter @ArgyledPlaschke and find him contributing at Yahoo! Sports.

There were some eye-popping performances in the Dodgers minor-league system the last couple weeks, and I got to see three of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes games in person, which was awesome.

There are some guys below folks should keep eyes on this season, as they could establish themselves as legitimate prospects with solid performances in 2013.

—–

Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes (4-2 & 5-2)

Player Of The Week – 4/22

Scott Van Slyke – 1B

.480/.536/.800/1.336, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 2B, 7 R, 1 SB, 3 BB, 4 K

Van Slyke is absolutely mashing the ball right now. Maybe he has a chip on his shoulder from being designated for assignment in the winter, maybe it’s his improved physique. Whatever it is, he’s doing everything right so far in Triple-A.

Player Of The Week – 4/29

Tim Federowicz – C

.571/.583/1.238/1.821, 3 HR, 3 2B, 1 3B, 8 RBI, 6 R, 2 BB, 4 K

Federowicz was the Pacific Coast League Player Of The Week and posted some ridiculous numbers. Those numbers, coupled with Ramon Hernandez’s struggles, helped Federowicz get recalled to the Dodgers on May 8.

Pitcher Of The Week – 4/22

Chris Withrow – RHP

2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 2 SV

Withrow, a failed starter, is having some success with the Isotopes. While he’s still walking too many hitters (6.4 BB/9), he’s getting strikeouts (12.1 K/9). He’s on the 40-man roster and could get the call if the Dodger bullpen continues to falter.

Pitcher Of The Week – 4/29

Steven Ames – RHP

4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SV

Ames has been decent but unspectacular this season. His strikeout rate is way down (10.2 last season, 5.2 this season) and he’s giving up a lot of hits (15 in 12 innings), but he did spend some time on the disabled list. He’s also on the 40-man roster, so a call-up could be in his future.

—–

Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts (2-3 & 1-5)

Player Of The Week – 4/22

Blake Smith – OF

.300/.364/.450/.814, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 6 K

Smith has struggled a bit this season in his second go-round in the Southern League. He’s played a lot of left field because of Yasiel Puig‘s presence and prototypical right-field profile.

Player Of The Week – 4/29

Joc Pederson – OF

.300/.323/.533/.856, 2 HR, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 7 K

Pederson is enjoying a fantastic start to his 2013 in the Southern League. There’s some chatter he could be the outfielder the Dodgers recall ahead of Puig, should the situation present itself. I wouldn’t be opposed to that.

Pitcher Of The Week – 4/22

Rob Rasmussen – LHP

5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K

Rasmussen was acquired for John Ely this winter and has done a nice job at the back of the Lookouts’ rotation. He’s not going to overpower hitters, but he’ll get his fair share of outs.

Pitcher Of The Week – 4/29

Rob Rasmussen – LHP

12 1/3 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 10 K

Rasmussen was the pitching star for the Lookouts. He’s small in stature, but he’s off to a great start in the Southern League so far. He’s a player to keep an eye on going forward, especially with Chris Reed and Andres Santiago struggling a little.

—–

High-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (3-3 & 4-2)

Player Of The Week – 4/22

Jonathan Garcia – RF

.400/.429/.700/1.129, 1 HR, 3 2B, 2 RBI, 4 R, 1 SB, 0 BB, 4 K

Garcia is repeating the California League after a dreadful 2012. So far, he’s handling the league pretty well. He’s spent a lot of time as the team’s No. 3 hitter, but he was recently moved out of that spot. He has some decent raw power, but he swings and misses too much and he’ll need to improve that this season.

Player Of The Week – 4/29

Darnell Sweeney – SS

.333/.379/.556/.935, 2 2B, 2 3B, 2 RBI, 4 R, 3 SB, 2 BB, 7 K

Sweeney has been a nice surprise since being drafted in the 13th round last year. He’s now hitting third in the Quakes’ lineup after hitting leadoff most of the season. His fielding leaves a lot to be desired, though.

Pitcher Of The Week – 4/22

Duke Von Schamann – RHP

7 2/3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

The 2012 15th-rounder is throwing well so far this season. He’s an inning-eating starter a Class-A team desperately needs. And with Ross Stripling being promoted, Von Schamann is the ace of the staff.

Pitcher Of The Week – 4/29

Garrett Gould – RHP

6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K

Gould was named California League Player Of The Week, although this honor could have gone to Jarret Martin (6 IP, 0 ER, 8 K). I actually saw Martin’s start in person, but it’s hard to argue against Gould’s performance.

—–

Low-A Great Lakes Loons (3-4 & 1-6)

Player Of The Week – 4/22

Corey Seager – SS

.350/.350/.550/.900, 2 3B, 1 RBI, 3 R, 0 BB, 5 K

Seager did most of his damage in a Loons’ doubleheader sweep on April 21, but he did collect seven hits this week. He’s off to a slow start (.236/.323/.364/.687), but he’s a few days shy of his 19th birthday. This is a tough, aggressive assignment for a teenager, and he’ll be just fine going forward.

Player Of The Week – 4/29

Tyler Ogle – C/DH

.269/.345/.423/.768, 1 HR, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K

There wasn’t much offense in Great Lakes, but Ogle one of the most veteran hitters the Loons have, and he had a decent week. He’s been splitting time with Eric Smith at catcher and DH.

Pitcher Of The Week – 4/22

Lindsey Caughel – RHP

6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K

Caughel has been the most consistent Loons’ pitcher this season. He was recently promoted to Rancho Cucamonga, and it’d be a surprise if he were to pitch in Midland again this season.

Pitcher Of The Week – 4/29

Carlos Frias – RHP

6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K

Frias led the Loons pitching staff and is making his first appearance with Great Lakes in his career. He’s pitched at Ogden and, surprisingly, Rancho Cucamonga. So far, he’s having success in the Midwest League.

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Dustin Nosler is the founder of the site Feelin’ Kinda Blue. He also co-hosts the weekly podcast Dugout Blues. Follow him on Twitter @FeelinKindaBlue or like his site on Facebook.

Pitching was the story for the Dodgers farm system this week, but one positional prospect stood out and was recognized for his great offensive performance.

It’s nice to see youngsters take advantage of their given opportunities.

—–

Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes (2-4)

Player Of The Week

Alex Castellanos – OF

.417/.417/.667/1.084, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R, 2 SB, 0 BB, 4 K

Castellanos and Scott Van Slyke have quite the nice 3-4 combination going in Albuquerque. The outfielder, who should be a part-time player in Los Angeles, is hitting well again in Triple-A. He’s been great down there since being acquired by the Dodgers.

Pitcher Of The Week

Matt Magill – RHP

6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K

Magill made the best start of his young Triple-A career by allowing just six baserunners in as many innings. He has the ability to succeed in the rarefied air, but does he have the ability to survive in LA? His most recent start (April 22) was limited because the Dodgers wanted to keep the option of recalling him after Chad Billingsley‘s season ended on April 23.

—–

Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts (4-3)

Player Of The Week

Joc Pederson – OF

.387/.457/.774/1.231, 2 HR, 2 2B, 2 3B, 4 RBI, 5 SB, 4 BB, 5 K

Also the Southern League Player Of The Week, Pederson is off to a great start in AA. He’s atop or near the top of a lot of offensive categories in the league, and he’s doing it as the third-youngest player. Impressive, to say the least.

Pitcher Of The Week

Zach Lee – RHP

12 IP, 11 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 9 K

This makes me extremely happy. Lee is still my No. 1 prospect, and he’s making me look good so far (and that’s a hard thing to do). He has a sparkling 1.17 ERA and a 2.85 FIP, so it’s not like he’s getting particularly lucky.

—–

High-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (3-4)

Player Of The Week

Scott Schebler – OF

.462/.500/.885/1.385, 1 HR, 2 2B, 3 3B, 8 RBI, 3 R, 1 SB, 2 BB, 7 K

The Quakes have some interesting, if unspectacular, offensive prospects, including Schebler. He’s definitely holding his own in left field so far and should probably move up in the lineup before too long. I’d still like to see him walk some more, though.

Pitcher Of The Week

Michael Thomas – LHP

4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 2 SV

The Quakes’ closer is having a pretty good season so far, even if he is a bit old for the California League. If he were a couple years younger, he’d be a legitimate prospect. At this point, he could make some noise by pitching well, and, since he’s left-handed, could have some sort of future in the majors.

—–

Low-A Great Lakes Loons (3-3)

Player Of The Week

Corey Seager – SS

.350/.350/.550/.900, 2 3B, 1 RBI, 3 R, 0 BB, 5 K

Seager did most of his damage in a Loons doubleheader sweep on April 21, but he did collect seven hits this week. He’s off to a slow start (.236/.323/.364/.697), but he’s a few days shy of his 19th birthday. This is a tough, aggressive assignment for a teenager, and he’ll be just fine going forward.

Pitcher Of The Week

Jharel Cotton – RHP

7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

There were three candidates this week, including Ralston Cash and Lindsey Caughel. However, Cotton was the best of the trio. Cotton threw a seven-inning shutout in one of the Loons doubleheader games this week, and he rebounded well after a poor first start (with a relief appearance mixed in).

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Dustin Nosler is the founder of the site Feelin’ Kinda Blue. He also co-hosts the weekly podcast Dugout Blues. Follow him on Twitter @FeelinKindaBlue or like his site on Facebook.

Kind of a quiet week on the farm for the Dodgers affiliates. The Loons went 4-1, but the other three affiliates didn’t play .500 ball.

The pitching seemed to lack this week more than the offense, but there have been some impressive early-season performances thus far.

—–

Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes (2-5)

Player Of The Week

Scott Van Slyke – 1B

.435/.517/.957/1.474, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 3 2B, 7 R, 5 BB, 4 K

Van Slyke is on fire to start the season. Not only is he hitting the cover off the ball, he’s walking, too. He’s slimmed down and it appears to be helping him. He’s a late-bloomer for sure, but this is ridiculous — in a good way.

Pitcher Of The Week

Matt Magill – RHP

5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K

Magill’s first start wasn’t great, but his second start was much better. He has the skill set to pitch in the Pacific Coast League, especially with his ability to get the strikeout. It’ll be interesting to see how Magill fares in the extreme hitter’s league this season.

—–

Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts (2-4)

Player Of The Week

Yasiel Puig – OF

.304/.333/.609/.942, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 BB, 5 K

Puig wasn’t as good as last week, but he still was able to smack four extra-base hits while trying to help the mediocre-thus-far Lookouts’ offense. Joc Pederson was a close second.

Pitcher Of The Week

Zach Lee – RHP

7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 1 BB (Intentional), 7 K

Lee pitched like the Dodgers’ best pitching prospect this week, as he spun a gem against the Tennessee Smokies. He’s off to a fast start this season, and could re-establish his prospect status (even though he didn’t do a whole lot to hurt it in 2012) with a strong performance in Double-A.

—–

High-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (3-4)

Player Of The Week

Scott Wingo – 2B

.400/.571/.467/1.038, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 5 R, 4 BB, 3 K, 2 HBP

Wingo is an on-base machine, or at least he was this week. He gets pushed to the bottom of the lineup thanks to Darnell Sweeney and Noel Cuevas, but it’s nice to have that on-base ability to turn the lineup over.

Pitcher Of The Week

Pedro Baez – RHP

2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

Kind of a rough week for Quakes’ pitching. Ross Stripling pitched relatively well, but still gave up three runs in five innings. Baez is not the Quakes’ closer right now, but he could be by mid-season, due to either promotions or performance.

—–

Low-A Great Lakes Loons (4-1)

Player Of The Week

Paul Hoenecke – 3B

.476/.500/1.262/1.762, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 2B, 7 R, 1 BB, 3 K

Hoenecke has been the Loons’ best hitter by far. He’s providing the middle-of-the-order presence Great Lakes’ terrible offense needs. Corey Seager has struggled (statistically), and the team isn’t getting much offense from anyone else.

Pitcher Of The Week

Ralston Cash – RHP

6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K

Despite giving up six runs in his first start, none of them were earned. That explains the 0.93 ERA and 4.09 FIP this season, but still, he’s striking batters out (15 in 9 2/3 innings). This is a big year for the former second-rounder.

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Dustin Nosler is the founder of the site Feelin’ Kinda Blue. He also co-hosts the weekly podcast Dugout Blues. Follow him on Twitter @FeelinKindaBlue or like his site on Facebook.

The Dodgers made an offer to Hyun Jin Ryu, but it was rejected by Scott Boras, according to Ned Colletti.

The Dodgers made a long-term offer to Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin on Tuesday, but it was rejected by agent Scott Boras.

“Predictably, it fell a tad short,” said general manager Ned Colletti.

The Dodgers have until Sunday to sign Ryu or they lose exclusive negotiating rights and their $25.7 million posting fee is refunded.

“We’re debating our next step,” said Colletti. “I don’t believe we’re close right now.”

As I said yesterday, I still think this is all posturing by both sides to get the best deal possible.

For his part, Boras later clarified the situation to Dylan Hernandez.

[Updated at 5:35 p.m.: Ryu's agent, Scott Boras, said he presented the Dodgers with a counteroffer. "We exchanged offers, and negotiations continue," Boras said.]

Boras, said his client should be compensated like a major league No. 3 starter. So, presumably, he’s looking for something in the $50-million range. [Updated at 9:45 p.m.: This estimate was high, according to a person familiar with the discussions.]

The reasons for the Dodgers wanting to wait should be obvious, because if they sign Zack Greinke and trade for James Shields or something of the sort, then their leverage in negotiations with Ryu becomes extremely one-sided.

For now? Just have to wait it out.

—–

Speaking of Greinke, the Dodgers and Rangers are apparently in a bidding war of sorts, according to Jon Heyman.

The Dodgers have been viewed as a fairly clear favorite for Greinke, but Texas is showing signs of determination, according to major-league sources.

The Dodgers are seen as having an almost unlimited payroll, but people familiar with the happenings now suggest the derby could go either way. Not many teams could hope to go dollar-for-dollar against the Dodgers, but the Rangers are trying to do just that.

The bidding is said by major-league officials to be “quite high” now, with two people pegging the dollar amount at about $160 million. And that’s with the deal not done yet. There seems an extreme likelhood now that Greinke will not only set a record for righthanded pitcher but for any pitcher, which is currently held by CC Sabathia, who signed for $161 million and seven years with the Yankees.

Some have suggested they could even see the Greinke deal reaching toward the $175-million mark.

This situation, however, could be severely impacted by the Rangers negotiations with Josh Hamilton, according to Danny Knobler, as they probably won’t sign both.

But one scenario they don’t see happening, according to sources, is a double free-agent signing of both Greinke and Hamilton.

And they certainly seem on pace to sign one or the other, according to Ken Rosenthal.

For his part, Jon Paul Morosi is of the belief that the Dodgers are the clear favorite, while Bill Shaikin adds that this drama may not be over by the time the Winter Meetings conclude.

—–

Connected to Greinke in a way, the Dodgers are apparently shopping Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang to whoever.

One exec says “Dodgers shopping Capuano and Harang around lobby. Greinke and Rhu, or Greinke and Sanchez or Dempster?”

#Dodgers becoming aggressive in shopping Harang and Capuano, source says. Could be a sign of confidence in landing Zack Greinke. @MLBONFOX

I doubt either of them would be hard to deal at any point in the off-season. Both are on short-term deals, the Dodgers could eat money if necessary, and the return demands probably won’t be significant.

—–

COMEDY BREAK

The Dodgers are running around shopping Juan Uribe!

One of the agendas the Dodgers are pushing aggressively in the lobby is to find a trade partner to take utility infielder Juan Uribe. Needless to say, the Dodgers are garnering little interest unless they’re willing to pay his entire contract. Uribe, who has batted .199 the past two seasons combined, is entering the final year of a three-year, $21 million contract.

What a disaster.

Asked an MLB official if #Dodgers might be able to interest #Yankees in Juan Uribe with A-Rod injured. The guy chuckled.

— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) December 4, 2012

It’s become a punchline, as it should, really.

—–

Dee Gordon appears to be a popular target for teams, including the Mariners.

The Dodgers are fielding tons of inquiries on shortstop Dee Gordon, tweets Scott Miller of CBS Sports, though they’re not looking to deal him. The Mariners are among the teams hitting the Dodgers hard on Gordon, tweets Miller.

I’ve given my thoughts on Dee previously, though I’m not sure what the Mariners have that the Dodgers want.

No, it’s not Felix Hernandez. Stop.

I’m thinking more along the lines of Kyle Seager, Corey Seager‘s older brother. The Mariners have Alex Liddi and Vinnie Catricala.

—–

Perhaps the R.A. Dickey rumors have some legs after all?

Hearing Dodgers thinking big, have strong interest in Dickey even if they sign Grienke. But they don’t have good young OF to trade.

— John Harper (@NYDNHarper) December 4, 2012

Source says Mets could get speedy SS Dee Gordon and top pitching prospect Zach Lee from Dodgers for Dickey. But that doesn’t help OF.

— John Harper (@NYDNHarper) December 4, 2012

That would be … a lot for a rental.

Still not sure I buy the interest as legit either. Not yet, at least.

—–

In interest of filling out their bench, the Dodgers are apparently interested in trading for Skip Schumaker, according to Danny Knobler.

He plays second, left field, center field, and right field, so there’s versatility there, but he’s a terrible defender at second, a bad one in center, and just solid-average in the corners. Over the last three seasons, since he turned 30, he’s had an OPS+ of 88.

Not so thrilled, really.

—–

Oh, and Colletti shot down those rumors from yesterday about them seeking starters at SS/3B. But there’s no reason to think he’s being truthful either.

The Chattanooga Lookouts are in contention for a playoff berth and helped their cause with a 5-1 week. They did it on the strength of their pitching, allowing just 19 runs in six games. The Dodgers minor league system had two players earn Player Of The Week honors in Luis Nunez and Joc Pederson.

The Arizona League Dodgers scored the most runs this week at 50, while the Dominican Summer League Dodgers allowed 40 runs this week.

—–

Albuquerque Isotopes (4-3)

Runs Scored: 39
Runs Allowed: 38

Player Of The Week

Scott Van Slyke – OF/1B

Van Slyke earned his third award of the season by going 9-for-25 (.360) with two home runs, two doubles, seven RBI, nine runs scored, and six walks. He obviously has no difficulty with Triple-A pitching so it’s too bad he didn’t seize his chance in the majors. He’ll be up in September.

Pitcher Of The Week

John Ely – RHP

You’re shocked, I know: 14 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 13 K; ninth honor this season. Ho hum.

—–

Chattanooga Lookouts (5-1)

Runs Scored: 33
Runs Allowed: 19

Player Of The Week

Luis Nunez – 1B

This is Nunez’s third award this season and he earned it by going 10-for-20 (.500) with two home runs, three doubles, five RBI, and five runs scored. He also was named the Southern League Player Of The Week. The 25-year-old is having a decidedly mediocre season for the Lookouts.

Pitcher Of The Week

Matt Magill – RHP

Magill continues his solid season by taking home his fifth award this season (the first in which he didn’t win the league Player Of The Week honor) by pitching well for Chattanooga: 12 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 18 K. His 154 strikeouts and 10.5 K/9 lead the Southern League.

—–

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (4-2)

Runs Scored: 35
Runs Allowed: 26

Player Of The Week

Joc Pederson – OF

Pederson, who was named the California League Player Of The Week, continued his torrid August by going 11-for-25 (.440) with four home runs, four doubles, 10 RBI, and six runs scored. For the month, he’s hitting .397/.494/.863 with 19 extra base hits (11 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR).

Pitcher Of The Week

Ryan Acosta – RHP

Acosta takes home his first honor by having a nice start for the Quakes: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K. The 23-year-old is in his second stint with the Quakes. He’s faring much better this season than last (10.66 ERA vs. 3.15 ERA).

—–

Great Lakes Loons (4-3)

Runs Scored: 23
Runs Allowed: 24

Player Of The Week

O’Koyea Dickson – 1B

Dickson seems to be snapping out of his second-half slump. He earns his third honor in the last five weeks by going 9-for-19 (.474) with a home run, a double, two RBI, four runs scored, and, surprisingly, three stolen bases. He’s back up to .269/.370/.460 with 14 home runs on the season.

Pitcher Of The Week

Greg Wilborn – LHP

Wilborn earns his second award in three weeks by throwing a good game this past week: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K. The 25-year-old isn’t a prospect at this point.

—–

Ogden Raptors (4-3)

Runs Scored: 36
Runs Allowed: 23

Player Of The Week

Corey Seager – SS

Seager winning this week’s award was almost by default (his third in a row). Despite scoring 36 runs in seven games, there wasn’t really an offensive standout for the Raptors this week. Seager went 6-for-20 (.300) with a home run, double, triple, six RBI, and five runs scored. Seager owns an .856 OPS in the Pioneer League as an 18-year-old. That’s pretty good for a debut season.

Pitcher Of The Week

Lindsey Caughel – RHP

The Dodgers 23rd-round pick in 2012 had himself a week: 13 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 10 K. The 22-year-old has some work to do before getting noticed on the prospect map.

—–

Arizona League Dodgers (5-2)

Runs Scored: 50
Runs Allowed: 35

Player Of The Week

John Sgromolo – 1B

Sgromolo helped to lead the AZL Dodgers to a solid 5-2 week by going 6-for-16 (.375) with three doubles, a triple, seven RBI, and six runs scored. The 2012 37th-rounder has a .305/.383/.427 line in 22 games this season.

Pitcher Of The Week

Miguel Sulbaran – LHP

Sulbaran had a decent week on the hill for the AZL Dodgers: 12 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 15 K. Sulbaran has good strikeout numbers in the AZL (54 in 52 2/3 IP) and is someone to keep an eye on going forward.

—–

Dominican Summer League Dodgers (4-3)

Runs Scored: 39
Runs Allowed: 40

Player Of The Week

Josmar Cordero – C/1B

Cordero missed some time earlier this season, but he was back this week: 9-for-26 (.346) with two home runs, three doubles, seven RBI, and eight runs scored. Cordero has a nice triple slash (.367/.422/.540), but he needs to be promoted to see if he can put up decent numbers against advanced pitching.

Pitcher Of The Week

Luis De Paula – LHP

De Paula, a 20-year-old lefty, had a nice performance this week: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. He’s started half the games he’s pitched in this season and it looks like he’ll remain in the rotation.

The Arizona League Dodgers were the big winners this week by going 6-1. They also scored the most runs this week at 50. The Lookouts continued to struggle offensively. Their pitching has been good (24 runs allowed in seven games), but the hitting has nearly disappeared. The Dominican Summer League Dodgers actually allowed the fewest runs at 23.

Joc Pederson and Yasiel Puig continue to impress, as does John Ely. Zach Lee might be coming into his own in Double-A as well.

—–

Albuquerque Isotopes (4-2)

Runs Scored: 44
Runs Allowed: 48

Player Of The Week

Tim Federowicz – C

Federowicz’s hot week was just enough to unseat Jerry Sands and to take his third honor of the season. He went 8-for-18 (.444) with a home run, three doubles, seven RBI, five runs scored, and five walks. He’s quietly posting a .297/.369/.482 line, but it is Albuquerque, so it must be taken with a grain of salt.

Pitcher Of The Week

John Ely – RHP

Ho hum: 7 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K. It’s his eighth honor of the season.

—–

Chattanooga Lookouts (3-4)

Runs Scored: 19
Runs Allowed: 24

Player Of The Week

Brahiam Maldonado – OF

Maldonado earns his second award of the season by going 10-for-20 (.500) with two home runs, two doubles, three RBI, and four runs scored. The Lookouts didn’t hit well this week (scoring just 19 runs), so it’s a little surprising to see a guy hit .500 for the week.

Pitcher Of The Week

Zach Lee – RHP

Lee might finally be getting comfortable in the Southern League after a few up-and-down outings. He was pretty solid this week: 12 IP, 12 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 1 BB, 6 K. His K/9 is down from his California League performance, but it’s all about him making quality pitches against advanced competition right now.

—–

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (3-3)

Runs Scored: 34
Runs Allowed: 37

Player Of The Week

Joc Pederson – OF

Pederson is having a great second half and a fantastic July and August. This week was no exception: 10-for-23 (.435) with two home runs, four doubles, six RBI, eight runs scored, and five walks. Pederson is hitting .333/.500/.744 in August with eight of his 13 hits going for extra bases. His on-base percentage on the season is flirting with .400 (.393). He’s a flat-out stud.

Pitcher Of The Week

Yimi Garcia – RHP

This was a tough one. Sanchez had one of his best starts in awhile (6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K), but I went with Garcia here. Why? Well, his first week in the Cal League was pretty awesome: 3 2/3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. Eight of the 11 outs he recorded were via the strikeout. That’s not a bad debut for a 21-year-old (soon-to-be 22).

—–

Great Lakes Loons (4-3)

Runs Scored: 32
Runs Allowed: 32

Player Of The Week

Nick Akins – OF

Akins hasn’t made much noise this season (not surprising because he’s not a prospect at this point in his career), but he had a solid week for the Loons: 7-for-22 (.318) with two home runs, two doubles, three RBI, six runs scored, and eight walks.

Pitcher Of The Week

Juan Rodriguez – RHP

Rodriguez, who was suspended for more than a month by the Quakes earlier this season before being demoted, amazingly got into four games for the Loons this week: 6 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K. The 23-year-old has an undeniably electric fastball, but his off-speed offerings aren’t great, just like his control. He had potential heading into the season, but his suspension and demotion raised some eyebrows.

—–

Ogden Raptors (2-4)

Runs Scored: 34
Runs Allowed: 46

Player Of The Week

Corey Seager – SS

Seager earns his second honor of the season by going 10-for-25 (.400) with a home run, a double, a triple, five RBI, seven runs scored, and two stolen bases. Seager isn’t fairing well defensively (15 errors in 30 games), but he’s definitely coming into his own with the bat. It’d be nice to see him begin next season at Low-A, but the Dodgers don’t have a reason to rush him.

Pitcher Of The Week

Jharel Cotton – RHP

Cotton, the Dodgers 20th-round draft pick out of East Carolina, had a really nice outing this week in relief: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K. He’s off to a nice start in his first 10 professional innings (1.80 ERA, 1.00 FIP, 12.6 K/9).

—–

Arizona League Dodgers (6-1)

Runs Scored: 50
Runs Allowed: 29

Player Of The Week

Yasiel Puig – OF

Puig had another impressive week in the Arizona League: 7-for-14 (.500) with two home runs, a triple, six RBI, six runs scored, and six walks. His performance was good enough to earn him a promotion to Rancho Cucamonga. It’ll be nice to see him play against more advanced competition.

Pitcher Of The Week

Jhouse Bermudez – LHP

Bermudez made the jump from the Dominican Summer League to the Arizona League and fared quite well: 5 2/3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K. The 19-year-old lefty has a little potential.

—–

Dominican Summer League Dodgers (4-2)

Runs Scored: 24
Runs Allowed: 23

Player Of The Week

Melvin Santana – 2B

It’s basically Santana vs. Josmar Cordero for this award. Santana had the better week of the two: 6-for-15 (.400) with a double, four runs scored, three walks, and two stolen bases. Santana boasts a nice .396 on-base percentage in the DSL.

Pitcher Of The Week

Jose Agusto Diaz – RHP

Diaz earns his second award of the season by throwing the ball well on August 9: 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K. The 21-year-old is a sleeper in the organization.

Man, I’m never going two weeks between these posts again. Anyway, most of the Dodger minor-league affiliates were mediocre the last two weeks. The Ogden Raptors scored the most runs this week with 83, thanks to Jeremy Rathjen, Corey Seager and Eric Smith. They also gave up the most runs this week at 94.

—–

Albuquerque Isotopes (7-8)

Runs Scored: 81
Runs Allowed: 69

Players Of The Week

July 23: Jerry Sands – OF/1B
July 30: Jerry Sands – OF/1B

Sands has been one of the hottest hitters in the minor leagues for the past couple weeks. For the week of July 23, he went 12-for-34 (.353) with three home runs, 11 RBI, a double, and five runs scored. He earned the Pacific Coast League Player Of The Week, as Sands hit two grand slams in the second game of the July 29 doubleheader. For the week of July 30, he went 11-for-25 (.440) with three home runs, 10 RBI, and three runs scored. His hot hitting earned him a call-up to Los Angeles.

Pitchers Of The Week

July 23: John Ely – RHP
July 30:  Josh Wall – RHP

Ely had a couple solid outings for the Isotopes: 13 1/3 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 11 K. He has a 3.42 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and a 9.2 K/9 on the season. Wall made three appearances last week and saved two games for the Isotopes: 2 2/3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.

—–

Chattanooga Lookouts (7-6)

Runs Scored: 65
Runs Allowed: 54

Players Of The Week

July 23: Rafael Ynoa – 2B
July 30: J.T. Wise – 1B

Ynoa won his fourth award of the season, but his numbers were less than impressive: 5-for-20 (.250) with two doubles, two RBI, and seven walks. The Lookouts were one-hit twice and no-hit once in the week of July 23, so that accounts for the poor offensive week. Wise had a much better week: 10-for-23 (.435) with a home run, 10 RBI, three doubles, six runs scored, and seven walks.

Pitchers Of The Week

July 23: Zach Lee – RHP
July 30: Matt Magill – RHP

Lee had a nice outing on July 27 to earn just his second award of the season: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K. He hasn’t fared well in Double-A thus far, but he is just 20 years old. Next season will be the true test of his prospect status. Magill had one of his best outings of the season despite giving up three runs: 7 1/3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 12 K. This is Magill’s fourth honor of the year.

—–

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (6-6)

Runs Scored: 81
Runs Allowed: 75

Players Of The Week

July 23: Leon Landry – OF
July 30: Bobby Coyle – OF & Joc Pederson – OF

Landry had a fantastic week before being traded to Seattle with Logan Bawcom for Brandon League: 14-for-30 (.467) with two home runs, five (!) triples, a double, six RBI, and nine runs scored. That performance earned him California League Player Of The Week honors. He finishes his Quake career with a .328/.358/.559 triple slash with eight home runs, 51 RBI, 26 doubles, 15 triples, 63 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases. The next week, Coyle and Pederson carried the Quakes offense. Coyle went 10-for-25 (.400), with a home run, double, triple, and four RBI. Pederson didn’t get many hits, but he walked a bunch: 5-for-20 (.250) with a home run, double, triple, five RBI, eight runs scored, nine walks, and three stolen bases.

Pitchers Of The Week

July 23: Rubby De La Rosa – RHP
July 30: Andres Santiago – RHP

Well, well, well, Mr. De La Rosa, so nice to see you. De La Rosa made his season debut with the Quakes and showed no ill effects from his Tommy John surgery: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K. He also had a fine performance in his second appearance, but it was cut short because of discomfort in his groin (thankfully it wasn’t his elbow). Santiago had a great outing for the Quakes — and it’d be his last at the level because he was promoted to Double-A Chattanooga: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 10 K. Santiago has taken the award four of the last five weeks and has won it five times overall this season.

—–

Great Lakes Loons (3-10)

Runs Scored: 58
Runs Allowed: 78

Players Of The Week

July 23: Pratt Maynard – C
July 30: O’Koyea Dickson – 1B/DH

Maynard, who started the season in a terrible slump, has picked it up of late. For the week of July 23, he went 6-for-20 (.300) with three doubles, two RBI, and three walks. Dickson has been mired in a slump for most of the second half, but he had a nice week: 8-for-26 (.308) with three home runs, five RBI, and three runs scored.

Pitchers Of The Week

July 23: Duke Von Schamann – RHP
July 30: Greg Wilborn – LHP

The Dodgers might have found themselves a gem in Von Schamann, who earns his third award of the season — all since being promoted to Great Lakes. He had his best outing of the season so far during the week of July 23: 8 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. He doesn’t strike guys out, but he gets them out. He’ll have to miss more bats as he moves up the ladder, but it’s hard to argue with what he’s doing at the moment. Wilborn had a nice week for the Loons in the following period: 11 2/3 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 12 K. Wilborn has been all around the minors this season, and he’s not a prospect at this point.

—–

Ogden Raptors (7-6)

Runs Scored: 83
Runs Allowed: 94

Players Of The Week

July 23: Jeremy Rathjen – OF
July 30: Corey Seager – SS

Rathjen, who fell in the draft because of injury concerns, continues to mash for the Raptors. For the week of July 23, he went 10-for-21 (.476) with three RBI, seven runs scored, and eight walks. Seager hit his first professional home runs last week, as he went 8-for-24 (.333) with three home runs, nine RBI, five runs scored, and seven walks. Jesus Valdez (.346, four home runs) and Eric Smith (.455, 10 walks) were the runners-up.

Pitchers Of The Week

July 23: Ross Stripling – RHP
July 30: Owen Jones – RHP

Stripling is having no problems with the Pioneer League, but the Dodgers are limiting his innings. He had a short but effective outing: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K. Jones, the Dodgers 19th-round draft pick in 2012, had a solid week coming out of the bullpen for the Raptors: 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K.

—–

Arizona League Dodgers (3-6)

Runs Scored: 47
Runs Allowed: 54

Players Of The Week

July 23: Cory Embree – OF
July 30: Yasiel Puig – OF

Embree had a modest week for the AZL Dodgers: 5-for-12 (.417) with a double, four RBI, and three walks. Puig, making his professional debut, went 5-for-16 (.313) with two home runs, five RBI, two triples, and four runs scored.

Pitchers Of The Week

July 23: Jonathan Martinez – RHP
July 30: Zachary Bird – RHP

Martinez had a fantastic outing on July 24: 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K. The 18-year-old is having a lot of success in the Arizona League and is someone to keep an eye on going forward. Bird, the Dodgers ninth-round pick this year, had the best outing of his young career: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K.

—–

Dominican Summer League Dodgers (3-7)

Runs Scored: 48
Runs Allowed: 61

Players Of The Week

July 23: Jeffry Rojas – SS
July 30: Melvin Santana – 2B

Rojas only played three games, but he made them count by going 6-for-10 (.600) with a double and an RBI. Santana, making his fourth appearance on this list, went 6-for-17 (.353) with a home run, a double, four RBI, three runs scored, and two stolen bases.

Pitchers Of The Week

July 23: Jose Agusto Diaz – RHP
July 30: Wascar Teodo – RHP

Diaz, 21, earned his first award of the season by throwing six quality innings on July 27: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K. Teodo did just a little better than Diaz this past week: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K. The 18-year-old is throwing well for the DSL Dodgers.

The Chattanooga Lookouts were the system’s best team this week, going a perfect 7-0 by allowing just nine runs — the entire week. That’s by far the fewest number of runs allowed by a Dodger minor league team this season, and part of the reason for their success were the reinforcements from Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in the form of Chris Reed and Zach Lee (who had a great Double-A debut).

The Quakes scored the most runs this week at 50, including 17 on Sunday night.

—–

Notes: Corey Seager signed his contract with the Dodgers and will report to the Ogden Raptors this week. Yasiel Puig also signed and will get acclimated to professional ball in Arizona to start.

—–

Albuquerque Isotopes (3-4)

Runs Scored: 42
Runs Allowed: 46

Player Of The Week

Josh Fields – 3B

Fields takes home his second award of the season by going 8-for-27 (.296) with a home run, four RBI, two doubles, and four runs scored. Fields has been hitting the ball well, as he posted a 1.010 OPS in June. On the season, he has a .329/.397/.503 line with eight home runs, 38 RBI, and 56 runs scored.

Pitcher Of The Week

John Ely – RHP

I’m really thinking about renaming this the “John Ely Award” because he seemingly wins it every week. This is the fifth time he’s won it (most by any Dodgers minor leaguer), and he did it by posting the following line: 7 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 9 K. Not his best work, but still good enough. An interesting note: all three runs he gave up were via solo home run.

—–

Chattanooga Lookouts (7-0)

Runs Scored: 24
Runs Allowed: 9

Player Of The Week

Blake Smith – OF

Smith takes home his fourth award of the season by going 8-for-27 (.296) with one home run, four RBI one double, one triple, and four walks. There wasn’t much going on offensively in Chattanooga this week. Rafael Ynoa went 10-for-28, but all 10 hits were singles. Smith is up to .294/.386/.498 on the season and is establishing himself as one of the Dodgers best positional prospects.

Pitcher Of The Week

Ethan Martin – RHP

Martin had a fantastic outing this week for the Lookouts to earn his third POTW award of the season. He’s been the most consistently good pitcher for the Lookouts this season and I’m more than happy to say I was wrong about him. There is still plenty of hope for the power right-hander.

—–

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (3-4)

Runs Scored: 50
Runs Allowed: 45

Player Of The Week

C.J. Retherford – 3B

I’m tired of giving this award to a 26-year-old in High-A, but he’s absolutely mashing, and this week was no exception: 17-for-29 (.586) with two home runs, four doubles, two triples, and 10 RBI. He’s at .368/.425/.676 with 18 home runs on the season.

Honorable mentions go to Joc Pederson and Bobby Coyle. Pederson had one of the best games of any Dodgers minor leaguer this season, going 3-for-6 with three home runs, four RBI, and four runs scored on Sunday. Coyle, on the strength of a 5-for-5 game, also Sunday, received consideration this week.

Pitcher Of The Week

Jon Michael Redding – RHP

Redding had another solid week for the suddenly pitching-thin Quakes: 12 IP, 12 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 7 BB, 9 K. Redding had a better season with Rancho last season and was demoted from Chattanooga earlier in the year. He isn’t much of a prospect these days, but he’s a decent pitcher for a team looking to make a playoff push in the second half.

—–

Great Lakes Loons (3-4)

Runs Scored: 31
Runs Allowed: 35

Player Of The Week

Pratt Maynard – C

Maynard has been disappointing this season, but the man with the 80 name had a solid week, including some surprising speed: 5-for-13 with a home run, three walks, four runs scored, and three stolen bases. I’m not sure where the speed burst came from, but I wouldn’t expect it to last.

Pitcher Of The Week

Duke Von Schamann – RHP

Schamann, the Dodgers 15th-round pick out of Texas Tech, made his debut with the Loons this week: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K. Not bad for a guy who was a college student a month ago.

—–

Ogden Raptors (4-3)

Runs Scored: 42
Runs Allowed: 39

Player Of The Week

Alex Santana – 3B

The Dodgers 2011 second-round pick makes his first appearance of this season after going 10-for-20 (.500) with one home run, one double, seven RBI, and two runs scored. Santana has gotten off to a good start in the Pioneer League at .370/.354/.565. You’ll notice his on-base percentage is lower than his batting average — well, that’s because he’s yet to draw a walk this season. Now, he’s just 18 years old, but it’d be nice to see him show a little patience at the plate. He has 13 strikeouts to accompany those zero walks.

Pitcher Of The Week

Jake Hermsen – LHP

Hermsen, the Dodgers 28th-round pick this year, had a good outing to earn this week’s award: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K. He’s thrown a solid 12 innings for Ogden so far, posting a 2.25 ERA and allowing just one walk.

—–

Arizona League Dodgers (4-1)

Runs Scored: 40
Runs Allowed: 34

Player Of The Week

Tyler Ogle – C

Ogle, the Dodgers ninth-round pick in 2011, went 10-for-18 (.556) this week with four doubles, four RBI, and, you guessed it, four walks. He played just six games for the AZL Dodgers last year and is up to nine so far this season. He’s listed as a catcher, but he’s caught just two games this season.

Pitcher Of The Week

Miguel Sulbaran – LHP

Sulbaran had a great week as an 18-year-old in the Arizona League: 11 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 12 K. He’s one of the better pitchers there and pitched with the DSL Dodgers last year (6-1, 2.81 ERA, .179 BAA).

—–

Dominican Summer League Dodgers (5-1)

Runs Scored: 39
Runs Allowed: 23

Player Of The Week

Josmar Cordero – 1B/C

Again, Gerson Nunez fell short this week (8-for-12). If he had more at-bats, I probably would have gone with him. Instead, Cordero wins his third consecutive award by going 10-for-25 (.400) with two doubles, a triple, five RBI, two walks (against zero strikeouts), and seven runs scored. He really can’t do much more in this league (.453/.491/.679) and should be promoted.

Pitcher Of The Week

Jose Agusto Diaz – RHP

Diaz made one relief appearance and one start this week: 7 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K. The 21-year-old is in his second stint with the DSL Dodgers. Last season, he had a 0.67 ERA in 27 innings.

The Dodgers 2012 first rounder, Corey Seager, has signed with the Dodgers for a bonus of $2.35 million. He was recently reported to be in Los Angeles to take a physical.

The Dodgers have finalized an agreement with their first-round draft pick, infielder Corey Seager of Northwest Cabarrus High in Concord, N.C.

Seager will receive a bonus of $2.35 million, according to people familiar with the deal who spoke under the condition of anonymity because it isn’t expected to be announced until Saturday. Seager was selected with the 18th overall pick, which was designated a slot value of $1.95 million by the commissioner’s office.

The Dodgers could have gone up to $2,506,437 on Seager without losing a draft pick, so they went well over slot to sign him, and cut it a bit close.

For second rounder Paco Rodriguez, this basically means that he has to sign for slot or close to it.

David Shaw of the Salisbury Post (hat tip: Craig Minami at True Blue LA) reports that 2012 first rounder Corey Seager is in Los Angeles to take his physical and presumably sign with the Dodgers.

And on Thursday, he was not in the lineup for Kannapolis against Mocksville. He was flying to the west coast.

“We knew negotiations had really stepped up between Jeff (Corey’s father) and the Dodgers and we sort of knew the Mooresville game Wednesday night would be Corey’s last one,” Kannapolis coach Joe Hubbard said. “He still helped us win one last game, and now we just wish him the best. All summer, it’s been kind of day to day, not knowing when we might lose him, and now we know. He flew out to L.A. early this morning to take his physicals. Maybe he hasn’t officially signed yet, but you know now that it’s going to get done.

And thus likely ends the story of the biggest concern of the draft class.

Now there is only one player left unsigned in the bonus pool, Paco Rodriguez.

For those counting, that’s two picks in the bonus pool who are unsigned, first rounder Corey Seager and second rounder Paco Rodriguez. Due to four players signing below slot and only one player signing above (rest signed for slot), the Dodgers have a surplus of $301,500 in bonus pool money right now. That allows them to go $2,251,500 on Seager ($1,950,000 slot) or $912,300 on Rodriguez ($610,000 slot) and still stay within the bonus pool restrictions. Additionally, they can go over the bonus pool limits and tack on an additional $254,937 total on those guys and not lose a draft pick.

The Dodgers can go up to $2,506,437 on Seager without losing a draft pick.

The Dodgers have now signed 26 of the 41 players they selected in the 2012 MLB Draft. In addition to their names, information on the amount it took to sign them has been released as well.

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Details On The Previous 18 Signed Draft Picks Here
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Third rounder Onelkis Garcia, who demanded seven million dollars at one point, settled for below slot money at $382,200 ($420,300), which is a shocker to me. Fourth rounder Justin Chigbogu signed for slightly below slot as well at $250,000 ($305,700). Eighth rounder Scott Griggs settled for slot money at $135,100. Last time around, we didn’t know what seventh rounder Theo Alexander signed for, but now we know he took slot money at $144,600.

For those counting, that’s two picks in the bonus pool who are unsigned, first rounder Corey Seager and second rounder Paco Rodriguez. Due to four players signing below slot and only one player signing above (rest signed for slot), the Dodgers have a surplus of $301,500 in bonus pool money right now. That allows them to go $2,251,500 on Seager ($1,950,000 slot) or $912,300 on Rodriguez ($610,000 slot) and still stay within the bonus pool restrictions. Additionally, they can go over the bonus pool limits and tack on an additional $254,937 total on those guys and not lose a draft pick.

Others who signed include 15th rounder Dalton Von Schamann, 18th rounder Eric Smith, 21st rounder Jacob Scavuzzo, 25th rounder Daniel Coulombe, and 40th rounder Patrick Stover.

The Dodgers agreed to terms with 11 of their selections from the 2012 MLB Draft.

The Dodgers announced the signings of 11 recent draftees, including supplemental pick shortstop Jesmuel Valentin, the 51st overall selection and the son of former Dodger Jose Valentin.

The recommended slot bonus for the 51st pick was $984,700. Valentin, from the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School, was committed to Louisiana State if he hadn’t signed.

Also signed and headed to Arizona for mini-camp: pitcher Thomas Stripling (fifth round); outfielder Theo Alexander (seventh round), who took batting practice with the big league club in Seattle on Saturday; outfielder Jeremy Rathjen (11th); shortstop Darnell Sweeney (13th); pitcher Matthew Reckling (14th); pitcher Jacob Hermsen (28th); catcher John Cannon (29th); pitcher Jordan Hershiser (34th); catcher Austin Cowen (35th); and outfielder Corey Embree (38th).

Nothing surprising there.

Should be interesting to see how much Corey Seager and Onelkis Garcia want and how long they’ll hold out for.

2012 MLB Draft: Los Angeles Dodgers Preview
2012 MLB Draft: Los Angeles Dodgers – Day 1 – The 18th Overall Pick Is Corey Seager
2012 MLB Draft: Los Angeles Dodgers – Day 1 – The 51st Overall Pick Is Jesmuel Valentin
2012 MLB Draft: Los Angeles Dodgers – Day 2 – Rounds 2 Through 5
2012 MLB Draft: Los Angeles Dodgers – Day 2 – Rounds 6 Through 10
2012 MLB Draft: Los Angeles Dodgers – Day 2 – Rounds 11 Through 15
2012 MLB Draft: Los Angeles Dodgers – Day 3 – Rounds 16 Through 25
2012 MLB Draft: Los Angeles Dodgers – Day 3 – Rounds 26 Through 40

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Corey Seager is one of the prospects I wanted the Dodgers to draft, so needless to say, I was pleased when they did just that. He could end up as the top prospect in the system with his combination of developing power, one of the best swings in the pool, and defense that could be plus at third base. Signability is a minor concern, as he’s said to be asking for money over slot, but he seems excited about starting his professional career.

Jesmuel Valentin pairs athleticism, bloodlines, and versatility. A switch-hitter, he’s much better from the left than the right, but he’s only been at it for a year and it takes time to get the skill down. He should get a chance to stick at short, which would make sense given his draft position. I’m not as enthusiastic about him as Logan White seems to be though, because he sort of reminds me of Preston Mattingly in the sense that he’s an athlete but the eventual bat ceiling and defensive position are up in the air. He should sign, as both him and his dad sound ready for him to play professional baseball tomorrow.

Steven Rodriguez was an interesting pick in the second round as a reliever because I don’t think he was the best player available. However, he should sign, and that’s important given the Dodgers other picks and the modified draft rules. A player that should move fast, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him next year.

Onelkis Garcia‘s demand for seven million dollars is just amusing, but he’ll require over slot money to sign nevertheless. The upside is there as a starter, but he hasn’t been seen in a game for a while now. Just based on potential alone, I like this choice if he agrees to terms.

Justin Chigbogu was an interesting choice in the fourth round. Since he was taken so high, he should sign and be giving up football. If he can shed pounds and gain athleticism, which is realistic since he would no longer have to carry the bulk necessary to play defensive line, his entire profile as a prospect could change.

Ross Stripling is a senior in college, so I think this was about signability as much as talent. He appears to be a middling starter with average velocity, but a potential bullpen move could help his profile. Josh Lindblom-esque?

Joey Curletta is an upside bat with massive power. He’s likely limited to first base, but wow, the power is impressive. He’ll need to alter his swing a bit to make contact consistently, much less hit for average, but the potential is there.

Theo Alexander sounds like Joc Pederson but with bat questions, which makes me wonder about his professional prospects. The Dodgers obviously believe he will hit given his draft position, and that’s a good thing since his upside appears to be limited elsewhere.

Scott Griggs is another college reliever and he should move fast. I assume he signs since I can’t imagine his stock having helium even if he returns to college.

Zachary Bird is an athletic, right-handed, lanky high school pitcher with velocity upside if he fills out, all of which makes him a standard Dodgers choice. This hasn’t proven to be a bad thing over the years and I hope to monitor his development.

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The first ten selections that the Dodgers made in the 2012 MLB Draft shows a solid sample of the changes to the team’s draft approach this year. The Dodgers seemed to stray from their usual staple of hard throwing high school arms and instead focused on power bats with monster upside and college pitchers.

I didn’t like that they seemed to completely get away from taking prep pitchers with upside, instead seemingly opting for lower ceiling, lower floor collegiate arms, but I loved the emphasis on revitalizing the system’s position player drought. Whether they were targeted specifically or because they were the best players available, the picks did end up filling system needs that had been neglected for years.

Going forward, I hope they don’t completely go away from high school pitchers in future drafts, but on the strength of just this one class, I found a lot more to like than dislike.

ESPN‘s Kiley McDaniel says Dodgers first rounder Corey Seager has All-Star upside.

McDaniel: The Dodgers pop Corey Seager here, the brother of Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager, but Corey is bigger and more physical than his brother. Corey could be a tough sign here with a strong commitment to South Carolina, but you have to think the Dodgers are confident they can get him signed. Seager is a very projectable athlete that plays shortstop now but projects to move to third base, where his above-average hands, smooth feet and plus arm will make him an above-average defender. He shows an advanced feel for hitting with a sweet swing from the left side and average present raw power that could be plus as he fills out his broad shoulders, giving him All-Star upside if he develops as scouts project.

ESPN‘s Scouts Inc. agrees.

Seager has All-Star upside as a power-hitting third baseman who should offer plus defense at the position once he moves off shortstop.

The younger brother of current Seattle Mariners infielder Kyle Seager, Corey is bigger at 18 than Kyle is today, so he’s likely to outgrow short as he fills out. He’s athletic and has great hands and an above-average arm, so he has a very good chance to end up offering plus defense overall. He’s an above-average runner who might drop to average when his body matures, but should retain that athleticism.

Seager’s swing has great hip rotation and he can drive the ball to the opposite field. He loads with his hands a little deep, not quite a full bar but enough to create some length to the ball, and keeps his weight back well, which allows him drive the ball the other way. If Seager will sign — he has a strong commitment to South Carolina — he should go in the last half of the first round, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him go before pick 20. In the event that he doesn’t sign, he’s got a good chance to become a top-five pick in 2015.

As far as him signing goes, Baseball Prospectus‘ Kevin Goldstein thinks he’ll require more than the allotted $1.95 million.

The Dodgers seemed to be focused on high school arms, but made a statement with Seager, who has a rumored price tag well over the slot of $1.95 million here. This is the first good sign for Dodgers fans about how things will work under new ownership.

As far as speculation that he will be a third baseman as a professional, Logan White doesn’t see what the rush is to move him off the position.

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Second round pick Steven Rodriguez could move quickly.

“I never try to put too much of a timeline on them, because a lot of times when guys make it to the Major Leagues, it’s based on club need and where ballclubs are at,” White said. “But I can certainly see him battling for a job here toward the end of the next year or the following year, because he’s that polished and he has that good of stuff.”

Rodriguez is considered by MLB.com Draft expert Jonathan Mayo as the prospect most likely to first arrive in the big leagues after Blue Jays first-round selection Marcus Stroman.

Rodriguez is the sort of polished veteran college pitcher that can jump into professional baseball and move up the ranks faster than most, White said.

Honestly, I don’t get what the rush is to get a contributing arm in the bullpen. It’s the one area I’m fairly confident that the Dodgers are deep at.

Perhaps they’ve completely lost confidence in Scott Elbert or something? Because this seemed like a pick for need more than best player available, despite what he says.

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Third round pick Onelkis Garcia is said to want seven million dollars to sign, but Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus doesn’t see him getting it.

The Dodgers take Onelki Garcia, last year’s weird Cuba story. He said he wants $7 million, he’s not going to get $7 million.

— Kevin Goldstein (@Kevin_Goldstein) June 5, 2012

Seems unfair that he’s stuck in the draft, but as long as he is, there’s no way he’s getting that type of money. That’s a first pick overall slot.

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Baseball Prospect Report has a profile on 8th round pick Scott Griggs.

When you spend two years behind Cole and Bauer, you pray for those Sundays. His media guide bio will do all the basic work for you. He finally got to me on a recent Saturday. What you have here is a good right-handed arm coming high 3/4 with a fastball 92-94, 95 on the faster hair dryers that scouts who want their names on guys prefer, and a solid average breaking ball at 80-82, good rotation and movement, bite. Thank you very much, a college pitcher with a second pitch I trusted, even though it was in a short look. Griggs isn’t terribly pretty the way he lands and perhaps on the pro side his delivery can be slowed down just a tad to get a little bit better control and consistency going. But he’s got the stuff and he’s got the downhill, which you gotta have coming out of college if you’re going to survive.

The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Corey Seager with the 18th overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. I mentioned him as a player I liked in the preview I posted earlier today, and the Dodgers made the SS (future 3B) out of Northwest Cabarrus High School in North Carolina their top man. His brother, Kyle Seager, is the current starting third baseman for the Seattle Mariners.

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Baseball America ranked him as the #19 prospect in the draft and had this to say about him:

The younger brother of Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager, Corey has been on scouts’ radar for a couple of years, but he started moving up draft boards this spring. He has a big, physical frame at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds with plenty of strength. He plays shortstop now and is a good defender, but scouts see him shifting to third base as a pro, where he could provide above-average defense. A lefthanded hitter, he has a simple swing and can go the other way with power. The game comes easy to him and scouts find it easy to see his upside, considering his brother was a third-round pick out of North Carolina and made the big leagues after just 279 minor league at-bats. The younger Seager has a strong commitment to South Carolina, but is likely to be picked in the first round.

Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus had him ranked at #23.

Who he is: A bigger and more powerful version of his brother Kyle, who’s an infielder with the Mariners. Corey projects as a third baseman as a pro, but has good athleticism for his size to go with soft hands and a good arm. Like Kyle, he’s a plus hitter with a knack for contact, but his size gives him considerably more power potential.

Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com had him at #22.

His brother, Kyle, reached the Major Leagues in Seattle in 2011. This Seager has the chance to be just as good, if not better.

Corey Seager has some serious bat speed and shows the ability to make consistent hard contact. He’ll often use more of a two-strike approach, which minimizes strikeouts, but he did start showing the ability to drive the ball more over the course of the summer. He’s not a runner and the lack of speed may necessitate a move to third at the next level. He does have excellent instincts defensively, with plenty of arm for whatever infield position he ends up at.

With plus instincts and excellent pure hitting skills, not to mention those bloodlines, Seager will be followed closely this spring. He could move up charts if he continues to show the ability to be more aggressive and drive the ball more consistently.

Keith Law of ESPN gave this scouting report back on April 27th.

Shortstop Corey Seager, of Northwest Cabarrus High School in Concord, N.C., has seen his stock rise during the past few weeks to the point where he’s seen as a likely first-rounder, a future plus third baseman who should hit and grow into power.

Seager, younger brother of current Seattle Mariners infielder Kyle Seager, is bigger at 18 (6-foot3, 200 pounds) than Kyle is today, and while he’s playing short now, he’s very likely to outgrow it as he fills out. He’s athletic and has great hands and at least a 6 arm, so he could be plus at third base in time. He’s an above-average runner who might drop to average when his body matures, but he should retain that athleticism.

Seager’s swing has great hip rotation, and he can drive the ball to the opposite field. He loads with his hands a little deep, not quite a full bar but enough to create some length to the ball, and keeps his weight back well, which allows him drive the ball the other way.

Personally, I like the pick because he’s an upside bat that just happens to fill a gaping hole in the Dodgers system.

Well, this got here in a hurry, huh?

All of a sudden, the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft is upon us. The Los Angeles Dodgers have $5,202,800 to spend on their 11 total picks, and the team has two picks today: 18th overall and 51st overall.

Mock drafts have been done all over the place, so I thought it would be worthwhile to take a look at the team’s potential draft picks.

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#18 Overall

Ty Hensley – RHP – Santa Fe High School – Oklahoma

Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com has the Dodgers taking Hensley.

18. Los Angeles Dodgers: Ty Hensley, Santa Fe HS (Okla.)

A number of high school pitchers could come into play here, with Hensley being the one most often mentioned with the Dodgers. This could also be a landing spot for Cecchini should the Mets not take him.

So does Keith Law of ESPN.

Ty Hensley, RHP, Edmond (Okla.) Santa Fe H.S.

I’m suddenly not hearing much else here. Hensley has size, arm strength and projection, but his command is below that of the other top prep arms.

As does Jim Callis of Baseball America.

18. DODGERS. After using its last nine top draft choices on a pitcher, Los Angeles appears headed down that route again. It’s difficult to project picks this deep in the first round with much certainty, but a lot of industry insiders are convinced the Dodgers will take Hensley.

Projected Pick: TY HENSLEY.

Baseball America has him ranked as the #23 prospect in the draft.

The Cardinals made Mike Hensley the 53rd overall selection in the 1988 draft, and his son Ty will beat him by about 30 picks this June. While several of this draft crop’s high school righthanders have been injured or regressed this spring, Hensley has done nothing but help his cause. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder has sat at 92-95 mph and touched 96-97 with his fastball all season–and it’s not even his best pitch. That would be a 12-to-6 curveball that he spins in the upper 70s. Hensley’s command isn’t as impressive as his pure stuff, and he still needs to add some life and work down in the zone more often with his fastball. Before his velocity spiked, he showed a promising changeup as a sophomore, but he hasn’t needed it this spring. A quality athlete, Hensley played quarterback at Santa Fe High before giving up football before his senior year. He’s also a power-hitting switch-hitter who could get the opportunity to play both way in the unlikely event that he follows through on his commitment to the University of Mississippi.

A high school right-handed pitcher with bloodlines, power stuff, and command questions?

Yeah, he’s tailor-made for Logan White‘s tastes.

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Gavin Cecchini – SS – Barbe High School – Louisiana

John Sickels of Minor League Ball has the Dodgers going with a position player here.

Cecchini is one of the best high school fielders and should hit enough to be a very good pick for the Dodgers.

Baseball America has him ranked as the #16 prospect in the draft.

Cecchini’s family occupies a unique place in Louisiana baseball, as his father and mother both coached him and his older brother Garin at Barbe High. Garin signed with the Red Sox for a $1.31 million bonus as a fourth-round pick in 2010. Gavin is likely to be drafted higher, in the first round, even though he’s not as physical and his bat is much more in question. Wiry at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Cecchini’s best attributes are his steadiness and defensive skills at shortstop. He has good hands and feet as well as the infield actions to stay at short, and excels at cutoff throws and being in the right spot defensively. His arm strength is a tick above-average and unfailingly accurate. His speed is about the same and plays up like his arm–he’s a skilled baserunner who takes extra bases and steals bases intelligently. Cecchini’s bat involves some projection, though. Some scouts believe he will be a bottom-of-the-order hitter despite his polished approach because of a lack of strength and impact bat speed. Cecchini is one of the safer bets in the high school class due to his polish, but scouts are mixed on his true upside.

While a position player would be a nice change of pace, it would be great if they could take a thumper just once, instead of having to rely on a defender to evolve as a hitter.

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Michael Wacha – RHP – Texas A&M University

Marc Hulet of FanGraphs has the Dodgers going with a college arm.

18. Los Angeles Dodgers: Michael Wacha, RHP, Texas A&M – Wacha’s arm is not as dynamic as the college arms at the top of this list but he knows how to pitch and flashes two very good pitches in a low-90s moving fastball and plus changeup. He has both a slider and a curveball but both are inconsistent. He has a big, strong pitcher’s frame.

Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus has him going to the Dodgers as well.

18. Los Angeles Dodgers ($1.95M): Michael Wacha, RHP, Texas A&M

I just have to get Wacha off the board here, as he’s expected by many to go in the early teens. The Dodgers have been primarily attached to high school arms like Ty Hensley and Lucas Sims, but a quick return might appeal to new ownership looking to make a mark.

Baseball America ranks him as the eighth best prospect in the draft.

After the consensus top three college pitchers (Stanford’s Mark Appel, Louisiana State’s Kevin Gausman, San Francisco’s Kyle Zimmer) go off the board, Wacha could be the next one selected. He owns the best changeup in the draft, a pitch that can be devastating when he sets it up with a 90-93 mph fastball that peaks at 96. His command also is as good as any pitcher in this crop, as is his competitiveness. He also has an athletic 6-foot-6, 200-pound frame and delivers his pitches on a tough angle to the plate. The only thing keeping him from being considered on the top tier of college arms is the lack of a plus breaking ball. Wacha made progress with a slider last summer under the tutelage of Team USA pitching coach Rob Walton, and he also throws a curveball. Wacha generally sticks with whichever breaking pitch is working best on a given day. Both pitches can get loose at times and project as no better than average at the big league level. Despite that one shortcoming, he still could find his way into the first 10 picks. He may not have the ceiling of Appel, Gausman or Zimmer, but Wacha has a higher floor.

Would be an odd pick to me, since the Dodgers have nothing but arms, and he seems like a #3 or a #4 in the majors if things pan out.

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Courtney Hawkins – OF – Carroll High School – Texas

Baseball America has him ranked as the 15th best prospect in the draft.

Scouts have coveted Hawkins since his performance as a sophomore in the 2010 Texas 5-A state playoffs. He bombed a ball into the upper-deck home run porch at Round Rock’s Dell Diamond, then earned MVP honors in the clincher as a starting pitcher. Though he can run his fastball into the low 90s, he definitely will make his living in the batter’s box. Hawkins is loaded with bat speed and uses his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame to generate exceptional leverage from the right side of the plate. He’ll need to tame his maximum-effort swing, stop sitting on fastballs and improve his pitch recognition. He’ll rack up some strikeouts, though they’ll be a worthwhile tradeoff for his home runs. More physical than most high school players, Hawkins also brings a plus arm and solid speed to the table. A center fielder in high school, he’ll likely wind up in right field as a pro. Scouts praise his instincts and makeup as well as his tools. He’s the most talented member of a University of Texas recruiting class that features the five best high school prospects in the state, and a lock to sign as a mid-first-round pick.

Just a personal preference, as I would like to see the team take a shot on a thumper for once, as the system is almost completely devoid of upside bats.

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Corey Seager – 3B – Cabarrus High School – North Carolina

Baseball America has him ranked #19 in the draft.

The younger brother of Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager, Corey has been on scouts’ radar for a couple of years, but he started moving up draft boards this spring. He has a big, physical frame at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds with plenty of strength. He plays shortstop now and is a good defender, but scouts see him shifting to third base as a pro, where he could provide above-average defense. A lefthanded hitter, he has a simple swing and can go the other way with power. The game comes easy to him and scouts find it easy to see his upside, considering his brother was a third-round pick out of North Carolina and made the big leagues after just 279 minor league at-bats. The younger Seager has a strong commitment to South Carolina, but is likely to be picked in the first round.

Same theory. An upside bat who projects to the corners, but this one has the defense to stay at a valuable position.

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#51 Overall

Carson Kelly – 3B – Westview High School – Oregon

Baseball America has him ranked #43 for the draft.

Oregon hasn’t produced a high school player in the first three rounds since 1998 when righthander Steve Bechler went to the Orioles, but Kelly has the talent to end that streak. He is a two-way player, but more scouts prefer him as a position player. He’s a below-average runner, but his other tools are solid. Kelly has a strong build and is already pretty well filled out. He has a nice line-drive stroke with good loft and power potential. He’s not flashy, but he’s a steady defender at third base and has a strong arm. Some teams would like to try Kelly behind the plate. On the mound, he sits in the 90-92 mph range and throws a curveball and changeup. The Oregon recruit is young for the class and won’t turn 18 until mid-July but shows excellent maturity and leadership.

Love the fact that he’s a young, athletic player with bat upside. I think age coming out of high school is one of the most overlooked aspects of high school players. A true 19-year-old is very different from a true 17-year-old.

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Wyatt Mathisen – C – Calallen High School – Texas

Baseball America has him ranked #47 for the draft.

Mathisen is the best high school catching prospect in the draft, though he hasn’t seen much time behind the plate for Calallen High, which has deemed him more valuable as a shortstop and pitcher. There’s no question his pro future is as a backstop, and he has the tools and desire to make it there. He has plus arm strength and the athleticism to become a good receiver, though his inexperience shows as he flinches at times when catching the ball. His makeup is off the charts, as he has the leadership ability to run a pitching staff and the work ethic to succeed. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Mathisen has the swing and strength to hit for average and power from the right side of the plate. He’s a good runner for a catcher, grading as close to average, though he’ll probably lose a step once he starts catching every day. Like crosstown Corpus Christi rival Courtney Hawkins, he’s a Texas recruit.

People say the Dodgers system has a lot of catching prospects, and while that’s true, not many of them project as regulars. Wyatt Mathisen would.

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J.O. Berrios – RHP – Papa Juan XXIII High School – Puerto Rico

Baseball America has him ranked #49 for the draft.

In the history of the draft, only two pitchers from Puerto Rico have been drafted in the top two rounds–Jorge Lopez, who went in the second round to the Brewers last year and Luis Atilano, a Braves supplemental first-round pick from 2003. This year, there may be two more on that list and Berrios will likely be the first off the board. Berrios worked with a conditioning coach this fall and spring and added 20-25 pounds to his frame since the summer and now has a muscular, athletic 6-foot-1, 180-pound physique. The added muscle has allowed him to smooth things out and has boosted his fastball velocity. His fastball now sits in the 93-95 mph range and some scouts have seen him touch 98. He throws his fastball down in the zone, mixes in a sharp, 80-81 mph slider and shows the makings of a solid changeup with fading action. Berrios is getting buzz as high as the back of the first round, and it’s unlikely he’ll wind up honoring his commitment to Miami Dade JC.

The Dodgers actually seem to scout Puerto Rico actively, even under Frank McCourt, so this isn’t that farfetched to me.

Raw, upside velocity with a potential plus breaking ball would seem to be something Logan White might pursue.