Garrett Gould throws during the June 5th game against the Stockton Ports. Photo by Dustin Nosler.

Baseball America has released their Best Tools rankings for 2012 and it includes four Dodgers prospects and one Dodgers manager.

Tim Federowicz of the Albuquerque Isotopes was named Best Defensive Catcher in the Pacific Coast League. His manager, Lorenzo Bundy, was voted as the Best Managerial Prospect in the league. Garrett Gould of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes was voted as having the Best Breaking Pitch in the California League. His teammate, C.J. Retherford, was named as the Best Defensive 3B in the league. James Baldwin of the Great Lakes Loons was voted as the Best Baserunner in the Midwest League.

I’m quite certain that Federowicz could do a better job than Matt Treanor right now, but one gets the feeling that the team believes he can be a starter down the road, so they want him getting regular playing time. Gould is a prospect that both Dustin Nosler and I like, and his recognition is well deserved. Retherford is not a prospect at this point in his career and Baldwin might be a great baserunner, but he’s not a great hitter. As for Bundy, if he wants to manage in the MLB someday, he’ll probably have to take a job outside the organization, as I don’t think Don Mattingly is going anywhere for a while (nor should he).

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The Dodgers recently released the rest of the names of their international signing class of 2012. It had previously been revealed that the team had inked Cristian Gomez out of the Dominican Republic, William Soto out of Venezuela, and Lenix Osuna, Victor Gonzalez, and Julian Leon out of Mexico. The rest of the names, though, had not been revealed until now.

They are Martin Rosario out of Puerto Rico, Luis Subero and Angel Pena out of Venezuela, and Rafael Gomez King, Omarlin Franco, Luis Alcantara, Luis Jimenez, Ezequiel Guzman, Albert Romano, and Jorlin Javier Chales out of the Dominican Republic.

It was a down week for some of the Dodgers minor league affiliates. The Chattanooga Lookouts and Rancho Cucamonga Quakes both had 2-4 weeks. The Great Lakes Loons checked in with the best record at 5-1. The Albuquerque Isotopes had an abbreviated week due to the Pacific Coast League All-Star Game.

The Loons and Ogden Raptors scored the most runs this week at 41. The ‘Topes allowed just seven, but did so in just three games.

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Albuquerque Isotopes (2-1)

Runs Scored: 16
Runs Allowed: 7

Player Of The Week

Alex Castellanos – 2B & Brian Cavazos-Galvez – OF

It was a short week for the Isotopes, hence the split award. Castellanos went 4-for-9 (.444) with four walks and two runs scored. Cavazos-Galvez went 6-for-9 (.667) with a home run, double, four RBI, and two runs scored. They’re the two most consistent hitters for the ‘Topes right now.

Pitcher Of The Week

Fernando Nieve – RHP

I don’t like giving this to a 30-year-old in Triple-A, but it was a short week. Nieve did have a solid outing: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K. He hasn’t fared well on the season, though: 6.08 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, and a ridiculous 105 hits allowed in 74 innings.

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Chattanooga Lookouts (2-4)

Runs Scored: 18
Runs Allowed: 25

Player Of The Week

Gorman Erickson – C

After the season Erickson’s had, I doubted he’d ever make this list. But it was a slow week in Chattanooga and his performance takes the cake: 6-for-13 (.462) with three doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored. With the “big” week, he’s posting just a .232/.335/.316 triple slash on the season.

Pitcher Of The Week

Matt Magill – RHP

This is Magill’s third honor and also his third time being named Southern League Pitcher Of The Week. He had a great outing on Wednesday: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K. After a horrid June, it’s nice to see him getting back on track.

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Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (2-4)

Runs Scored: 24
Runs Allowed: 31

Player Of The Week

Joc Pederson – OF

Pederson finally makes his first appearance on the list, taking home this week’s award. He went 6-for-21 (.286) with a home run, a double, three RBI, four walks, and three stolen bases. It wasn’t the best week he’s had, but it was good enough this week for Rancho. His .815 OPS is impressive for a 20-year-old in A-ball, even if it’s in the California League.

Pitcher Of The Week

Andres Santiago – RHP

I wonder if it’s about time we start talking about Santiago as a legitimate prospect? Yes, he is repeating the league, but despite his unpolished ERA, he’s pitching better this time around than last. He had a good game on Saturday: 6 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K. On the season, he has a 10.3 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 (down from 3.5 last season), and a 3.23 FIP. This was his third award of the season.

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Great Lakes Loons (5-1)

Runs Scored: 41
Runs Allowed: 30

Player Of The Week

Darnell Sweeney – SS

Sweeney gets the nod instead of James Baldwin because he’s putting up fantastic numbers as a 2012 draftee (a college draftee, but still). The 13th-round pick went 9-for-22 (.409) with a double, triple, three RBI, six runs scored, six walks, and three stolen bases. He’s stepped right in to be the Loons’ leadoff man and sparkplug at the top of the lineup.

Pitcher Of The Week

Duke Von Schamann – RHP

Another 2012 draftee, Von Schamann made two starts this week and was effective in both: 11 2/3 IP, 12 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K. He’s obviously not a big strikeout pitcher (11 in 24 1/3 minor league innings), but he knows how to get outs, and his 1.82 GO/AO rate is impressive. This is his second honor of the season.

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Ogden Raptors (3-3)

Runs Scored: 41
Runs Allowed: 38

Player Of The Week

Jeremy Rathjen – OF

The 2012 11th-round pick had himself quite a week and seems to be settling in nicely with the Raptors: 13-for-27 (.481) with two home runs, three doubles, eight RBI, 10 runs scored, and three stolen bases. The lanky outfielder has drawn comparisons to Corey Hart, and if he keeps hitting like this, he should see Great Lakes before the season is out.

Pitcher Of The Week

Carlos Frias – RHP

Frias, who’s a bit old for the league at 22, had the best week of any Raptors pitcher: 6 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K. On the season, Frias owns a 4.38 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 9.1 K/9, and a 2.67 FIP. Nice numbers, but not great for a guy repeating the level.

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Arizona League Dodgers (2-2)

Runs Scored: 21
Runs Allowed: 12

Player Of The Week

Bladimir Franco – 3B

Franco, a 21-year-old third baseman, led the charge in an abbreviated week for the AZL Dodgers by going 7-for-18 (.389) with two home runs, two doubles, four RBI, and three runs scored. This is his third stint in the AZL, and he’s struggled in his other two seasons. His six home runs lead the team and is one better than his home run total from the last two seasons … combined.

Pitcher Of The Week

Jonathan Martinez – RHP

Martinez claims his third award of the young AZL season by beating out Victor Araujo. Martinez had a nice outing on Friday: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K. The young righty has a 1.90 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, a .250 BAA, and is striking out nearly a batter per inning. He, along with Miguel Sulbaran, are quite the 1-2 punch in Arizona.

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Dominican Summer League Dodgers (4-1)

Runs Scored: 21
Runs Allowed: 14

Player Of The Week

Melvin Santana – 2B

Santana is taking after Josmar Cordero, as he won his second consecutive POTW award by edging out Geison Nunez. He went 8-for-17 (.471) with a home runs, a double, two triples, five RBI, six runs scored, and two stolen bases. The small second baseman is at .306/.386/.521 on the season.

Pitcher Of The Week

Wander Beras – LHP

I really wanted to give this to Jose Agusto Diaz (6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K), but it was hard to overlook Beras’ performance: 6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 10 K. He’s thrown well in the Dominican Summer League, but he is 23 and isn’t really a prospect to get excited about.

As I get ready to publish my midseason Dodgers prospect rankings on my blog, I’ve noticed Scott Schebler has been playing a lot better for the Great Lakes Loons than he was to begin the season.

The toolsy outfielder, coming off a decent showing with the Ogden Raptors in 2011, started 2012 off on shaky ground: .221/.250/.400. He was better in May — .277/.325/.438 — but got a lot better in June, hitting .330/.370/.489 for the month.

He has the ability to play center field, but with James Baldwin occupying that spot, he hasn’t played there at all this season — or last season when the two shared the Ogden outfield with Joc Pederson. He’ll likely end up in a corner.

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Schebler, 21, has good size (6’1″, 208 pounds) and good tools, but there is one thing holding him back from jumping to the next tier of Dodger prospects — his walk rate.

Last season, he walked 13 times. No, not 13 percent of the time; 13 times in 315 plate appearances (4.1 percent). This season, that number is down to 3.6 percent, which obviously is a red flag. Unless he hits .350 all the time, he’s not going to fare well against more advanced pitching (even, say, California League pitching). To make that jump from fringe prospect to potential fourth outfielder to potential every day player, he needs to learn some plate discipline.

Schebler’s definitely not an empty singles hitter, as his isolated power was .244 last year in the Pioneer League (whose wasn’t, really?) and is at .159 this year in the Midwest League. If Schebler can learn to take a walk, he could be a surprise position prospect coming up through a Dodgers system currently devoid of them.

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It’s possible that’s just not the kind of hitter Schebler is, though. This article from Hugh Berneuter of MLive.com has a lot of interesting insight into Schebler’s hitting routine.

“Mentally, I was not ready,” Schebler said. “This was my first season on a full-season team. I wasn’t ready to start that early, to go through the everyday grind. I thought I was ready, but I wasn’t. I’ve learned.”

Schebler’s miserable April was his first experience with extended failure. He did not handle it well.

“I was trying everything,” Schebler said. “I never had the same routine two days in a row.”

Finally, Schebler and Great Lakes Loons hitting coach Razor Shines worked out a daily routine that became, well, routine.

“I do a lot more pregame work now, doing the same things every day with a routine that Razor put together for me,” Schebler said. “A big thing is maintaining a good swing plane.

“Nobody is going to do well trying to hit homers in this league. Our goal is to hit everything hard for 100 feet. If the ball goes out … great. But you can’t try to do it. I’m more of a gap-to-gap hitter, always looking for extra-base hits.”

It hasn’t been all bad, though. Schebler has dramatically and encouragingly decreased his strikeout rate — from 30.8 percent in Ogden last season to 17.5 percent in Midland this season. That, coupled with his propensity for extra base hits (34 this season), is reason to be hopeful.

First thing’s first though, I suppose. The next step in Schebler’s development — for himself and for the organization — would be to focus on improving his plate discipline. It’s not something that can be completely taught, but any effort could potentially help him both now and later.

I could see Schebler getting a late-season call-up to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, but if he doesn’t, he’ll definitely begin next season there as a 22-year-old.

This was an interesting week in the minors. The Isotopes actually looked like they were playing in the Pacific Coast League, scoring 45 runs in seven games (6.4 runs per game) while giving up 57 runs (8.1). Despite that, they were still be better than .500 this week. Of course, they got a little help from Matt Kemp and Juan Rivera in Sunday’s game.

The Quakes only scored 16 runs on the week, and that’s not a typo. The Lookouts gave up the fewest runs with 27. That pitching staff, despite the promotions, is really stepping up.

The Loons should get a boost this week from new additions Angelo Songco and Ralston Cash, both of whom made their season debuts Monday.

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Albuquerque Isotopes (4-3)

Runs Scored: 45
Runs Allowed: 57

Player Of The Week

Brian Cavazos-Galvez – OF

Despite struggling mightily in Double-A, Cavazos-Galvez, local to New Mexico, is flourishing with the Isotopes. He went 11-for-24 (.458) with a home run, seven RBI, three doubles, a triple, and six runs scored. I wouldn’t get too terribly excited; Cavazos-Galvez has done well in the hitter’s league and has struggled in the pitcher’s league this season.

Pitcher Of The Week

John Ely – RHP

Can there really be a Pitcher Of The Week when the staff allowed 57 runs in seven games? Sure. This week, it’s Ely. Elymania posted a great line this week: 14 IP, 11 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 13 K. This is his second POTW honor, and it’s really surprising to see such a good performance from him in a week the team allowed so many runs. In fact, if you take away Ely’s three runs allowed, the rest of the Isotopes staff allowed 54 runs. That’s … ugly.

After a rough start to the season, Ely has put up some great numbers in an extreme hitter’s league: 3.58 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 0.7 HR/9, 2.2 BB/9, 9.7 K/9, 4.33 BB/K and a 1.85 groundout to flyout rate. He wouldn’t be nearly this good in the majors, but it’s nice to see him pitching well in case the Dodgers need an emergency starter later this season.

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Chattanooga Lookouts (4-2)

Runs Scored: 31
Runs Allowed: 27

Player Of The Week

Pedro Baez – 3B

Nick Buss pushed hard for this award, but Baez gets the nod this week. He went 8-for-20 (.400) with two home runs, six RBI, a double, and, most encouraging, five walks (against three strikeouts). I have long since given up on Baez being any kind of contributor for the Dodgers, but the talent is there, as his defensive ability at third base has never been questioned. His bat, however, hasn’t lived up to the potential. While he’s hitting just .259, he does have a .360 on-base percentage and is improving his pop a little bit.

Pitcher Of The Week

Ethan Martin – RHP

Martin’s resurgence continues, as he had a good start and a mediocre start this week: 11 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 6 BB, 12 K. The walk total was a bit high this week, but it’s still pretty good by Martin’s standards. He’s holding opposing hitters to a .190 batting average and has given up just three home runs this season.

With Nate Eovaldi‘s promotion to Los Angeles (for now), Martin is vying with Matt Magill for the role of Chattanooga‘s ace — something I bet no one was expecting coming into the season (on both accounts).

The Southern League, however, doesn’t agree with my pick as Magill was named league’s Pitcher of the Week (for the second time this season) on Tuesday. He had a fantastic outing on Thursday: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K.  Seems I should have gone with him instead of Martin, but I’m standing by my choice.

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Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (2-4)

Runs Scored: 16
Runs Allowed: 31

Player Of The Week

Austin Gallagher – 1B/DH

This was slim pickins, as the Quakes scored an unimpressive 16 runs in six games this week. Gallagher was the best of the bunch, going 7-for-22 (.318) with two doubles, two RBI, three walks, and a run scored. Like I said, slim. Gallagher, who earns his second POTW award, is still hitting with some pop, posting a .483 slugging percentage on the season. However, I’d like to see his .264 average come up substantially.

Pitcher Of The Week

Angel Sanchez – RHP

Wasn’t much to get excited about this week on the hill for the Quakes. Chris Reed made his return and Scott McGough was solid out of the bullpen, but Angel Sanchez had one of his best starts of the season, earning him this week’s honor: 6 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K. Sanchez has been a bit up and down this season, but hopefully this outing gets him going. He’s issued just two walks in his last 27 2/3 innings. Like Gallagher, this is Sanchez’s second POTW award.

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Great Lakes Loons (3-3)

Runs Scored: 33
Runs Allowed: 39

Player Of The Week

James Baldwin – CF

Baldwin just edges out O’Koyea Dickson for the honor this week. It would have been Dickson’s third consecutive award, but instead, this is Baldwin’s second award this season. He went 9-for-24 (.375) with two doubles, two RBI, two walks, and seven stolen bases. Baldwin did most of his damage on May 21st, going 5-for-5 on the day.

Despite the solid week, he’s struggled mightily this season. His power has completely disappeared (six doubles, no triples or home runs) and he’s still striking out far too much (35.2 percent). His potential and talent is unquestioned; the ability to harness said potential is what’s in question.

Pitcher Of The Week

Yimi Garcia – RHP

As you can probably tell from the 39 runs allowed in six games, it wasn’t a great week on the hill for the Loons. So, this award is going to the Loons’ closer this week. Garcia was decent but not great this week: 3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 2 saves. Garcia is more than holding his own as a 21-year-old in Low-A (1.93 ERA, 12.5 K/9) and should get the call to Rancho Cucamonga soon.

Scott Wingo bats against the Visalia Rawhide on April 20th at the Epicenter in Rancho Cucamonga.

Overall, it was a decent week for the minor league affiliates of the Dodgers.

The AAA Isotopes checked in the best record and the best offensive performer, but the A+ Quakes had the best pitcher, just edging out the AA Lookouts.

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Albuquerque Isotopes (6-1)

Runs Scored: 55
Runs Allowed: 40

Player Of The Week

Alex Castellanos – 2B/OF

Castellanos continued his torrid start, going 11-for-25 (.440) with four home runs, eight RBI, nine runs scored, a double, two triples, four walks, and three stolen bases. If he keeps this up, he’s going to force the Dodgers to give him a shot in the majors. His line through 17 games is as follows: .371/.483/.757, four home runs, seven doubles, four triples, seven stolen bases, 18 runs scored, and 12 walks.

Pitcher Of The Week

Cole St. Clair – LHP

St. Clair threw five innings of scoreless relief for the ‘Topes this week. He struck out four, walked three, gave up two hits, and, most importantly, zero runs. With the Dodgers lefty-deficient in the majors, St. Clair could get a look sooner rather than later.

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Chattanooga Lookouts (3-4)

Runs Scored: 35
Runs Allowed: 31

Player Of The Week

Blake Smith – OF

Smith got off to an absolutely miserable start (3-for-27), but he finished this week 9-for-23 (.391) with a home run, a double, four RBI, eight runs scored, and three walks. He seems to be finally hitting his stride and still profiles as one of the best Dodger power prospects in the minors.

Pitcher Of The Week

Shawn Tolleson – RHP

Tolleson threw just 3 2/3 innings this week, but he struck out seven batters while allowing three hits. The performance dropped his career ERA to 0.95 in 106 1/3 innings.

With a low-90s fastball, wipeout cutter, and solid slider, Tolleson isn’t long for the Lookouts and should be among the first relievers called to Los Angeles when the team needs a bullpen arm.

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Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (3-4)

Runs Scored: 31
Runs Allowed: 30

Player Of The Week

Scott Wingo – 2B

Wingo only played in four games this week, but he played well. He went 5-for-13 (.385) with two triples, three runs scored, four walks, zero strikeouts, and three stolen bases.

The 2011 11th-round pick started off his season with a bang, and I was in person on Friday night to see his two triples, which were legit. As Jared Massey of LA Dugout described, he has long strides for being a shorter player (5’11″). Also, he made a nice pivot at second base.

Pitcher Of The Week

Chris Reed – LHP

Reed threw 13 innings in the week, seven of which he did Sunday in his best outing as a professional. He allowed four hits, zero runs, zero walks, and struck out eight. It was a masterful performance by the big lefty and it could be something for him to build on. He had a case of the walks on April 16th against San Jose (five), but still managed to throw six innings of three-run ball.

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Great Lakes Loons (4-3)

Runs Scored: 26
Runs Allowed: 24

Player Of The Week

James Baldwin – OF

Baldwin, who started the season 1-for-30, caught fire a bit this week, going 6-for-22 (.273) with four runs scored and four stolen bases. He’s still striking out too much (35.2 percent), but he’s showing just a little improvement at the plate.

Pitcher Of The Week

Jarret Martin – LHP

Martin was downright masterful at times for the Loons. One of the guys acquired in the Dana Eveland deal, Martin struck out 17 batters in 12 1/3 innings this week, posting a 0.73 ERA while allowing just four walks. Command is Martin’s biggest bugaboo, but it looks like he’s destined for a promotion before too long.

Prospect Rankings Thoughts

Zach Lee has the projection to eventually be a #1/#2, but his stuff right now definitely resembles more of a #2/#3. Hence his production in low-A.

I liked both Webster and Eovaldi as sleepers a while ago, but I gave the edge to Allen Webster over Nate Eovaldi because although there’s more risk to Webster, I think there’s more upside as well. Eovaldi can improve his breaking pitches, but not enough to be more than a #3 starter, and I think ending up as a reliever is a definite possibility.

I have Joc Pederson higher than most, and I acknowledge the risk, but I liked his swing, his plate discipline, and he’s probably going to be good defensively. If the power projection comes through, he’ll end up as a solid regular.

Angel Sanchez is currently what everybody assumes Chris Reed will be. Both can pitch in the mid-90s, have good secondary pitches, and possess a solid tertiary offering. They are basically the same to me, but Sanchez actually accomplished something as a professional, so he gets the edge. It’s odd that people bag on Sanchez because he might be a reliever down the road but don’t pay any attention to the fact that while Reed has the pitches, he hasn’t even made the transition from reliever to starter yet.

Garrett Gould is a solid prospect that does everything well but has concerns about how his stuff will play against advanced bats.

Even though he’s a reliever, Josh Lindblom clocks in so high because it’s rare to have a guy on a prospect list that has posted a 2.73 ERA and 2.35 FIP in 29.2 innings over 27 appearances at the MLB level.

Chris Withrow has a ton of potential, but he’s going to be 23 and I have a hard time believing his control with improve drastically. However, it just needs to get a bit better for him to be MLB useful.

Gorman Erickson might be a surprise this high, but there’s a lot to like from big switch hitting catchers with pop, plate discipline, consistent contact, and decent defensive skills. A worry of mine is that the Dodgers don’t seem to like him, as they favor defensive catchers who can’t hit, but hopefully he hits enough in 2012 to change their minds.

Alfredo Silverio and Alex Castellanos both have the tools to succeed, but you’ll have to excuse me for not being excited about their plate discipline, and the strikeout rate of Castellanos is scary. Silverio has made me believe he can be a major leaguer, but I don’t know if he’ll ever be regular. Similarly, I think Castellanos’ bat only plays at second, so it’s important to me that he can stay at the position.

Shawn Tolleson could be better than Lindblom, but there are more question marks there with him, including experience and his almost dangerous throwing motion.

James Baldwin and Scott Barlow are the upside guys. Both could be out of the top 25 by November or be in the top 10, depending on how their 2012 goes. Following them are Tim Federowicz and Steven Ames, both of whom aren’t impact players but look to be a solid bet to be contributors.

Blake Smith and Angelo Songco are one to two years behind where most regulars are at this stage in their careers (well Songco isn’t that bad, but he lacks the raw tools), so they will always have questions about competition level until they hit at the MLB level. Speaking of that, it’ll be interesting to see if Scott Van Slyke ever gets a chance. I think he can hit, but he’s gonna have to hit a ton to be relevant.

Aaron Miller and Ethan Martin both need breakout 2012 seasons in a bad way. Miller simply needs to regain his old stuff and stay healthy. Martin needs to find his mechanics and the strike zone. Upside will only take them so far as they age.

Jonathan Garcia has always been an underdog favorite of mine. He wrecked the Midwest League early on but got exposed later by breaking balls. Realistically, he’ll have to hit a lot because he has little else of value, but he has surprising pop and a solid swing. O’Koyea Dickson is another prospect that will have to be rushed because of his age, but if he hits like he’s capable, he could reach high-A in 2012. I really like his swing and I think he has good pop, but he’s not tall and is stuck at first base, so there’s a ton of pressure on his bat.

Much like Webster and Eovaldi, Matt Magill was a favorite of mine from before, but unlike them, his stuff hasn’t exploded quite the same. Still, he has above average velocity and can miss bats with his off-speed stuff, but he’ll have to perform at AA to gain any respect. I’m interested to see if he progresses at that stage or becomes Tim Sexton.

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Honestly, I thought it would be a lot worse than this. Fortunately though, the Dodgers have a ton of potential contributors, even if most of them are clocking in on the pitching side of the ledger.

The top 10 is quite solid from my view, even if it does lack huge upside. However, after that the Dodgers are stuck with a bunch of guys who are more likely to end up as part-timers or utility players than regulars. My hope is that one out of the seven or eight bats that are too old for their level but still produce in the minor leagues eventually becomes a regular.

No, there’s not a ton of star potential, but given the budget restraints, the complete lack of care in the international market, and the mass graduation of talent in 2011, it could have been a ton worse.

Dominican Summer League Dodgers: Pitchers
Dominican Summer League Dodgers: Hitters
Arizona League Dodgers: Pitchers
Arizona League Dodgers: Hitters
Ogden Raptors: Pitchers

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Continuing my off-season recap of the Los Angeles Dodgers minor league affiliates, I will be moving on to the hitters of the Ogden Raptors.

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I’ll be picking the prospects for the 2012 Prospective Prospect Profiles list from these reviews, so it might be worth reading. Or not.

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Joc Pederson – OF – 19

Joc Pederson Statistics

2010 11th round draft pick Joc Pederson destroyed the Pioneer League in 2011, it’s as simple as that. He put up a .353/.429/.568/.997 line (.792 OPS=Average) in 310 plate appearances, striking out 17.4% of the time, while walking at a 11.6% clip, both clearly better than the league average.

He has solid plate discipline, makes consistent content, and should be able to play good defense in the corners. Perhaps most impressive is his flash of immediate power out of high school, even if it was the Pioneer League.

He struggled a bit in A-ball to take some shine off his 2011, but he was one of the youngest players in that league, so giving him a pass for now isn’t hard. He’ll end up in A-ball again to begin 2012 and I’m excited to see how he fares.

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James Baldwin – OF – 19

James Baldwin Statistics

A fourth round draft pick in 2010 and son of a former MLB pitcher, James Baldwin flashes tools but still lacks refinement.

His .250/.348/.480/.828 line is solid, especially for a raw player, but striking out 32.6% of the time is just unacceptable. He doesn’t walk a lot to compensate for it either (7.8%), so it’s obvious that plate discipline and consistent contact will be his main issues going forward.

Baldwin’s athleticism, speed, and arm are generally unquestionable. Furthermore, he has power projection, which stacks even more potential onto a player who projects in center field. With that said, it’s hard to get around that strikeout rate, especially in Rookie-ball. My main concerns are that I don’t think he has particularly quick hands and his swing is lengthy enough where it’s not in the hitting zone for long. He has closed his stance off a bit since high school in an effort to shorten his stroke, and I think it has helped simplify his timing, but the swing itself still has the same path to it.

Given the Dodgers history with pushing raw players (Dee Gordon), I expect Baldwin to be in A-ball in 2012.

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O’Koyea Dickson – 1B – 21

O’Koyea Dickson Statistics

Taken in the 12th round of the 2011 draft, O’Koyea Dickson set the Pioneer League on fire in his professional debut. He put up a .333/.402/.603/1.005 line, which is impressive regardless of where it was done.

He hit at home (.979), on the road (1.044), against lefties (.999), and righties (1.007). Perhaps most noteworthy is that his strikeout rate was above average (20.5%) despite his power stroke. Dickson’s walk rate could use work though (8.8%), as it’s solid, but it’ll need to inflate as he moves levels.

Dickson has a quiet approach at the plate without much movement or complexities, and his swing is generally short and efficient. When he gets the ball in his zone, he squares up well, but can elongate his swing against tough pitches at the edges of the strike zone. I really like his hands and I think there’s a chance that he could develop into a good prospect. I would be remissed if I didn’t mention his short stature for the position though, which could ultimately handcuff him.

I’d like to see how he performs in A-ball before getting too excited, as he’s limited to first base defensively, and the offensive bar for that position is quite high. Still, you couldn’t ask him to do much more at the level he was put at.

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Scott Schebler – OF – 20

Scott Schebler Statistics

A 26th round pick in 2010, Scott Schebler was supposed to be able to hit, and that he did in his first extended season as a professional.

Schebler hit 13 homers en route to putting up a .285/.324/.529/.853 line for 2011. Of course, the problem is obvious, as he walked 4.1% of the time (13) but struck out in a frightening 30.8% of plate appearances (97).

I’m not all that optimistic going forward, mainly because he’ll need to do a ton better than that to play a corner.

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Noel Cuevas – OF – 19

Noel Cuevas Statistics

Sent to the California League to begin 2011, the 2010 21st round draft pick struggled immensely before being sent down to the Pioneer League.

Noel Cuevas played much better after the demotion, posting a .285/.326/.488/.814 line, both demonstrating that he can hit and why he struggled against better competition. The 20.2 K% is solid, but the 5.2 BB% is the problem area.

He’s not a refined product, so I’m unsure why they pushed him so quickly, as he’s one of the many that needs extra time to develop.

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Scott Wingo – 2B – 22

Scott Wingo Statistics

The 11th round 2011 draft pick out of South Carolina had an impressive professional debut that begs the question of where he’ll end up in 2012.

His line of .275/.464/.459/.922 showed the extent to which he overmatched Pioneer League pitchers, carrying a 19.9 K% and a 18.5 BB%.

For the coming year, whether he starts in the Midwest League or California League should tell us what the Dodgers think of his tools.

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Pratt Maynard – C – 21

Pratt Maynard Statistics

Drafted in the third round of the 2011 draft because he could hit, Pratt Maynard did none of that in 2011. He put up a line of .239/.346/.341/.687 in 104 plate appearances and never looked comfortable.

It wasn’t bad luck either, as his BABIP wasn’t so far removed from the league average that it could explain away his issues, at least not so much as his 67.7% ground ball rate would. On the positive side, he controlled the plate reasonably well, posting a 23.1 K% and a 12.5 BB%, but as far as actually hitting the ball, he didn’t do it.

It’s certainly not enough to condemn him, but it’s not the start you want in a hitter friendly league from your third round, bat first college catcher. As a mediocre defensive receiver, he’ll need to improve in both aspects at this point.

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Justin Boudreaux – SS – 21

Justin Boudreaux Statistics

Posting a .265/.400/.442/.842 line, Justin Boudreaux flashed plate discipline and pop, but didn’t make a significant impression considering he was a three year starter in college (Southeastern Louisiana).

He controls the strike zone well and makes consistent enough contact, but it’s his speed that has allowed him to excel thus far, stealing 16 bases without being caught. Defensively, he’s a tad error prone, but that can be cleaned up with time and he has the tools to stick at shortstop.

Boudreaux will have to be pushed to A-ball in 2012 if he’s going to be a relevant prospect.

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Jan Vazquez – C – 20

Jan Vazquez Statistics

To be totally honest, it’s starting to look like Jan Vazquez is becoming yet another example of why you don’t draft catch-and-throw backstops who have to be taught how to hit.

A sixth round selection in 2009, Vazquez is still in Rookie-ball sharing time with other catchers after three years as a professional. On the positive side, he’s getting better (OPS=.558/.648/.674 CS%=22/23/32). On the negative side, those still aren’t even average numbers and the scouting reports aren’t exactly glowing.

He might struggle to become even organizational depth if he doesn’t take a step forward in 2012.

What’s the best thing to come out of the upcoming “Moneyball” film release and the subsequent torrent of articles on it? Makes it easy to identify writers who are just lazy.

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Baseball America: Joc Pederson and James Baldwin have landed on the list of the top 20 prospects in the Pioneer League, clocking in at 3 and 11, respectively.

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Dodger Thoughts: Jon Weisman doesn’t want to see Kenley Jansen become the closer? Why? He’s too good.

True Blue LA: Matt Kemp’s bid for the triple crown is closer than you think.

Los Angeles Times: Dodgers can still sign big name players for 2012? I’ll believe it when I see it.

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Baseball Nation: Grant Brisbee with a hilarious depiction of MLB Gameday if it accurately reflected the feelings of fans.