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.

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Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes (1-6)

Player Of The Week

Matt Angle – OF

.333/.448/.583/1.031, 1 HR, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 5 R, 2 SB, 4 BB, 9 K

Angle, who somehow remained on the 40-man roster for the entire 2012 season, is having a decent 2013 so far. He’s getting consistent playing time with the injury to Alex Castellanos. He, along with others, are going to have to pickup the slack with Tim Federowicz and Scott Van Slyke playing in LA these days.

Pitcher Of The Week

Kelvin De La Cruz – LHP

4 1/3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K

De La Cruz was an under-the-radar minor-league signing this winter, and so far, he’s pitching well. He’s getting a lot of strikeouts (13.1 K/9) and proving to be a valuable reliever out of the Isotopes’ bullpen.

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Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts (4-2)

Player Of The Week

Joc Pederson – OF

.619/.692/.810/1.502, 1 HR, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 3 SB, 5 BB, 2 K

Pederson was somehow not named Southern League Player Of The Week, but he continues to do nothing but hit for Chattanooga. He’s making all kinds of noise and is quickly becoming a more realistic option to be recalled than Yasiel Puig.

Pitcher Of The Week

Ross Stripling – RHP

6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K

Not bad for a Double-A debut. The 23-year-old was promoted to Chattanooga and was thoroughly impressive. Stripling is proving to be a fast mover and could be some time in LA next year.

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High-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (3-4)

Player Of The Week

Ryan Mount – 3B

.556/.571/1.074/1.645, 3 HR, 3 2B, 1 3B, 12 RBI, 6 R, 1 BB, 3 K

Mount was named the California League Player Of The Week with an outstanding performance that included a 5-for-5 game. The nearly 27-year-old is this year’s version of C.J. Retherford. Honorable mention goes to Darnell Sweeney, who hit for the cycle in a game this week.

Pitcher Of The Week

Duke Von Schamann – RHP

6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

The Quakes’ starter had another good week and is adjusting to the Cal League rather nicely. With Stripling having been promoted to Double-A, Von Schamann is the most consistent starting pitcher the Quakes have remaining.

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Low-A Great Lakes Loons (1-5)

Player Of The Week

Kevin Taylor – 2B

.348/.423/.391/.814, 1 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB, 3 K

Taylor got his first action of the season this week and performed well. Too bad he’s about the only Loon who hit even remotely well. Corey Seager is on the disabled list and the “veteran” hitters aren’t hitting right now.

Pitcher Of The Week

Angel Sanchez – RHP

13 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 16 K

It’s disappointing to see Sanchez repeating Low-A, especially at the age of 23, but it’s nice to see he’s pitching well thus far. It’ll be interesting to see if he can continue it, get a call-up to High-A, and try to do better this time around.

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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.

Mark Ellis finally hit the 15-day DL, being placed on it Monday retroactive to April 27. The Dodgers activated Chris Capuano from the 15-day DL in a corresponding move.

It took the Dodgers about a week longer than it should have, but as expected Mark Ellis was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Monday with a strained right quad. The move clears a spot for Chris Capuano to be activated from the DL to start the series opener Monday night against the Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.

Capuano returns from a strained left calf that sidelined him for 20 days. He made one rehab start, last Wednesday against Memphis with Triple-A Albuquerque, and allowed two runs in 5⅓ innings.

What a season. Also, why would you wait so long, Don and Ned? Does playing a position player short for an entire week with a team already lacking in offensive talent on the bench really sound like a good idea?

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Jerry Hairston Jr. also joined the injury club, as he was placed on the disabled list due to a strained groin. Elian Herrera was recalled from AAA.

The Dodgers made it official on Tuesday, placing Jerry Hairston on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left groin. Elian Herrera was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque before the second game of a three-game series against the Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.

I would call the Herrera promotion a surprise, as he is the weakest hitter of the four options from Triple-A Albuquerque, but he is also the only one of the four both healthy and on the 40-man roster.

“He’s and outfielder, pretty much. We feel like those are his best positions, the corners,” manager Don Mattingly said of Herrera. “He’s played the corners. He’s a right-handed bat.”

Herrera was the choice because he was on the 40-man and others weren’t, which led to the following move.

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Herrera was soon thereafter sent back to AAA, as Scott Van Slyke was recalled after being added to the 40-man roster.

Van Slyke, who was designated for assignment in December and outrighted off the 40-man roster, came into camp with something to prove this season, and showed it during the season’s first month. He hit .397/.503/.733 with nine home runs, 10 doubles, 32 runs scored, and 30 RBI in 34 games for Albuquerque.

Insurance with A-Gon battling his neck injury. It only makes sense, which begs the question of why they waited so long and had to deal with Juan Uribe and friends at first for multiple games.

—–

To allow SVS’s addition to the 40-man, Chad Billingsley was transferred from the 15-day DL to the 60-day disabled list.

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Tim Federowicz was recalled from Albuquerque, as Justin Sellers was sent down.

The Dodgers on Wednesday bolstered their bench by recalling red-hot catcher Tim Federowicz from Triple-A Albuquerque, and optioned infielder Justin Sellers to Triple-A before their series finale against the Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.

“We had plenty of infielders,” said manager Don Mattingly. “We look at it from the standpoint of having a better hitting bench.”

Hey look, three catchers again. Ramon Hernandez‘s days could very well be numbered.

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Our own Dustin Nosler brings us the news that righty Ross Stripling was promoted from High-A to Double-A.

The Dodgers on Tuesday promoted right-handed pitcher Ross Stripling to Double-A Chattanooga from High-A Rancho Cucamonga. The 2012 fifth-round draft pick has been on a nearly meteoric rise since the Dodgers popped him last season.

Stripling, 23, posted some impressive numbers in the California League early this season. He struck out 34 batters in 33 2/3 innings, walked 11 batters and allowed just one home run. Those are numbers for anyone to hang his hat on, let alone a guy in his first full season in a hitter’s haven.

Due to his age and performance, he’s understandably being fast-tracked. If he performs at AA, and with the way injuries are going, who knows where he ends up in September.

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Greg Zakwin is the founder of the site Plaschke Thy Sweater Is Argyle. Follow him on Twitter @ArgyledPlaschke.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 had a bunch of intriguing minor-leaguers posting solid numbers in the season’s first week.

Note: Since the minor-league season started on Thursday, the numbers you see here — especially for the hitters — will not be the norm all year long.

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Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes (4-0)

Player Of The Week

Scott Van Slyke – 1B

4 G, .600/.667/.933/1.600, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 2 2B, 4 R, 3 BB, 4 K

Van Slyke, on the strength of a 4-for-5, five RBI game, had the best week of any Dodger minor-leaguer. Primarily a first baseman now, the slimmed-down Van Slyke could still have a career in the big leagues, especially if he’s improved upon his slider bat-speed.

Pitcher Of The Week

Shawn Tolleson – RHP

2 G, 4.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K

With starting pitchers on pitch limits and the Isotopes not having a lot of talent in the rotation, it’s possible for relief pitchers to make this list more often than not. Tolleson, who lost out on a bullpen spot in the majors because of options, is back to Albuquerque for a second stint. Hopefully he doesn’t stay there for too long, because there really isn’t much more he can do in the minors.

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Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts (1-3)

Player Of The Week

Yasiel Puig – OF

3 G, .500/.583/.800/1.383, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K

The Spring Training sensation had a solid first week in the Southern League. He hit a home run and drew a couple walks, which is something he didn’t do in March. It appears he’s set to take the league by storm.

Pitcher Of The Week

Onelki Garcia – LHP

1 G, 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 BB, 4 K

There’s a decidedly Cuban feel to the Lookouts with Garcia making his “official” Double-A debut. It wasn’t as good as his appearance in the playoffs last year, but it’s definitely encouraging.

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High-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (3-1)

Player Of The Week

Noel Cuevas – OF

4 G, .333/.412/.400/.812, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R, 2 SB, 2 BB, 3 K

Cuevas ended up with a game-winning hit one night and, aside from the guys who played just one or two games, had the best week overall. He should be a mainstay in the Quakes’ lineup this season.

Pitcher Of The Week

Ross Stripling – RHP

1 G, 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K

Stripling had a nice High-A debut that included four no-hit innings. The second-year pitcher out of Texas A&M could move quickly if he handles the California League well.

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Low-A Great Lakes Loons (1-3)

Player Of The Week

Paul Hoenecke – 3B

4 G, .438/.438/.813/1.251, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 2B, 3 R, 4 K

One of the more “veteran” hitters on the team, Hoenecke held it down for the Loons this week. Four of his seven hits went for extra bases and he’s filling a big need for the team at third base.

Pitcher Of The Week

Lindsey Caughel – RHP

1 G, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 6 K

Caughel, like Hoenecke for the offense, is a veteran pitcher on the staff, meaning he’s a bit old for the league. But his debut was clearly the best of any Loons’ pitcher. He pitched reasonably well last year in Rookie-ball, so it’ll be interesting to see if he can carry it over to full-season ball.

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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.

It was a decidedly mediocre week for the Dodgers minor-league system with some standout performances. The Isotopes, Lookouts, and Arizona League Dodgers are on the verge of making the playoffs, while the Quakes are trying to nail down the wild card spot in the California League.

The Raptors scored the most runs this week with 69, and the Lookouts pitching, despite losing many arms via trades by the big club, allowed just 24 runs this week.

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Albuquerque Isotopes (3-4)

Runs Scored: 36
Runs Allowed: 47

Player Of The Week

Scott Van Slyke – OF/1B

Van Slyke earned his second consecutive award (fourth overall) by going 8-for-21 (.381) with a home run, four doubles, three RBI, three runs scored, and six walks. He’s hitting .325/.408/.575 in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

Pitcher Of The Week

Will Savage – RHP

Savage, who was once 6-0 on the season, had a really good outing this past week: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. He’s not faring well in the league on the season, but he throws an occasional good game.

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Chattanooga Lookouts (3-4)

Runs Scored: 32
Runs Allowed: 24

Player Of The Week

Jake Lemmerman – SS

This one was close between Lemmerman and Bobby Coyle, but I gave the nod to Late Night. He went 10-for-22 (.456) with a home run, three doubles, a triple, seven RBI and three runs scored. It’s just his second honor of the season. His 2012 has been rather disappointing, especially since I was higher on him than a prospect than most.

Pitcher Of The Week

Zach Lee – RHP

Lee is definitely getting the hang of the Southern League now. He had a fantastic outing this past week: 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. His overall ERA is lower now than it was when he was promoted from Rancho Cucamonga, as he has a 4.18 ERA with the Lookouts. This is his fourth honor of the season (third since being promoted) for the Dodgers best prospect.

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Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (3-4)

Runs Scored: 50
Runs Allowed: 68

Player Of The Week

Austin Gallagher – LF

Gallagher, who started this season as a first baseman, has been playing a lot of left field and he had his best week of the season to date: 13-for-26 (.500) with two home runs, three doubles, 11 RBI, nine runs scored, and six walks. Gallagher missed some time with an injury this season but still owns a career-high slugging percentage (.474). It’d be more impressive if he wasn’t repeating the level.

Pitcher Of The Week

Jordan Roberts – LHP

It’s hard to find a good pitcher when a team gives up 68 runs in seven games, but Roberts did admirable work out of the Quakes bullpen this week: 10 2/3 IP, 13 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 8 K. Roberts is, somehow, 8-0 on the season with a 3.57 ERA. His peripherals, however, aren’t as nice as his undefeated record (for whatever that’s worth) and his decent ERA.

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Great Lakes Loons (4-3)

Runs Scored: 32
Runs Allowed: 31

Player Of The Week

Tyler Ogle – C

After destroying the Arizona League, Ogle was promoted to Great Lakes and then demoted to Ogden before being repromoted to Great Lakes. This week, he went 7-for-15 (.467) with two home runs, three RBI, and four runs scored.

Pitcher Of The Week

James Campbell – RHP

Campbell, the Dodgers 12th-round pick this year, made three appearances this week, including his first start: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K. Those were his totals from the week, not his start, unfortunately. Still, Campbell does have some ability and, like many relievers, should move rather quickly through the system.

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Ogden Raptors (6-1)

Runs Scored: 69
Runs Allowed: 47

Player Of The Week

Jesus Valdez – 1B/RF

This one could have gone to Corey Seager, Malcolm Holland, or Bladimir Franco, but Valdez’s performance was the best. He went 13-for-31 (.419) with two home runs, five doubles, 14 RBI, and nine runs scored. Valdez is enjoying lots of success with Ogden, posting a .325/.399/.516 triple slash with nine home runs and 16 doubles.

Pitcher Of The Week

Ross Stripling – RHP

Stripling, the Dodgers fifth-round pick, profiles as a starting pitcher, but he hasn’t thrown many innings per start because the club wants to limit his innings. But he threw well this week: 6 IP, 5 H, 1R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K. He owns a 0.85 ERA and a 35:4 K:BB ratio.

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Arizona League Dodgers (3-2)

Runs Scored: 27
Runs Allowed: 23

Player Of The Week

Cory Embree – OF

Embree, the Dodgers 38th-round pick, has hit well for the Arizona League Dodgers this season as a 20-year-old. In limited action this week, he was the team’s best: 6-for-11 (.545) with a double, two triples, six RBI, and two runs scored. He’s hitting .320/.409/.493 on the season.

Pitcher Of The Week

Zachary Bird – RHP

Bird, widely considered a sleeper from the Dodgers 2012 draft class, had a nice outing this week: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. He averages more than a strikeout per inning and is someone to keep tabs on going forward.

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Dominican Summer League Dodgers (1-4)

Runs Scored: 13
Runs Allowed: 25

Player Of The Week

Josmar Cordero – C/1B

The team only played five games and scored 13 runs this week, so this award had to go to someone. Cordero was the best of the bunch: he went 5-for-13 (.385) with two doubles and two RBI. He finished his third stint in the league with six home runs, 19 doubles, 47 RBI, and 50 runs scored.

This shouldn’t come as any surprise to followers of the Dominican Summer League Dodgers or readers of this feature. On the year, Cordero’s line is a scintillating .362/.419/.533/.952, easily making him the best hitter on the squad. Therefore, if one were into sports betting, then Cordero has been the one to wager on in 2012 when it comes to Player Of The Week nods due to his consistent production week-to-week and the lack of other relevant bats on the team.

Pitcher Of The Week

Luis Silverio – LHP

Silverio had the best outing of any DSL Dodger this week, as the team ended its season: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 K. He had a nice showing in the league. I wanted to give this to Bryan Munoz (the 16-year-old the Dodgers signed), but he only threw one inning this week.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 Dodgers have now signed 18 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 come out.

Supplemental first rounder Jesmuel Valentin signed for slot at $984,700, while fifth rounder Ross Stripling was inked for well below slot ($228,900) at $130,000. Sixth rounder Joey Curletta settled for slot money at $171,600, but ninth rounder Zachary Bird got slightly more than slot ($126,100) at $140,000. Tenth rounder Zach Babitt saved the team a ton of money by signing for $2,500 (assuming that wasn’t a typo) because his slot number was $125,000.

Seventh round selection Theo Alexander signed as well, but details on the amount haven’t been released yet. If he signed for his slot number of $144,600, the Dodgers are $207,500 in the black as far as their bonus pool is concerned, which should allow them to put money towards going over slot on Corey Seager or (especially) Onelkis Garcia.

Others who signed include 11th rounder Jeremy Rathjen, 13th rounder Darnell Sweeney, 14th rounder Matt Reckling, 19th rounder Owen Jones, 23rd rounder Lindsey Caughel, 24th rounder Paul Hoenecke, 28th rounder Jake Hermsen, 29th rounder John Cannon, 34th rounder Jordan Hershiser, 35th rounder Austin Cowen, 37th rounder John Sgromolo, and 38th rounder Corey Embree.

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.

The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Steven Rodriguez with the 82nd overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. A Junior left-handed relief pitcher out of Florida University.

MLB.com had this to say about him:

With an unorthodox delivery and plenty of deception, Rodriguez at the very least has a future as a lefty specialist at the next level. But the way he’s pitched for one of the best college teams in the nation in 2012 has some teams thinking he might be able to handle a more expansive bullpen role. He was tough to hit, all around, with a batting average against under .200 and a K/9 ratio over 12 as the Gators entered NCAA regional play. Rodriguez uses a fastball, slider and cutter combination efficiently to get hitters out. He’s not a closer, but he could be a lefty setup man who won’t take very long to help out a big league bullpen.

Baseball America ranked him as the #114 prospect:

Frequently referred to by his nickname Paco, Rodriguez has evolved from a left-on-left specialist as a freshman for the Gators into a flexible weapon out of the team’s bullpen. He has a funky delivery, most notable when he comes set in the stretch: He nearly stops once, then comes set a second times. Scouts who block out the calls of “Balk!” from opposing fans see Rodriguez execute his pitches well, starting with a hard, upper-80s cut fastball that gets in on righthanded hitters. He has enough fastball to keep hitters honest, throwing 91-92 mph and pounding the strike zone. He adds a sweepy but effective slider that at times has depth. Always efficient, Rodriguez has been much better in 2012, putting hitters away more consistently. His 12.23 strikeouts per nine innings ranked fourth in the nation, and he had a 6-1 K-BB ratio in a career-high 53 innings. Deception is built in to Rodriguez’s approach, with an arm action that helps him hide the ball in the back before it comes out of a three-quarters slot. He’s a safe pick who at least should be a lefty specialist but has shown the durability and dominance to be more than that.

Interesting to take a reliever in round two. Maybe the Dodgers see a starter? Otherwise, a bit of a low ceiling type of pick so early on.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Onelkis Garcia with the 113th overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. He’s a 22-year-old left-handed starter who is actually a Cuban defector.

MLB.com gave this background on him:

The Cuban defector thought he’d be a free agent upon coming to the United States, but instead he was declared eligible for the 2011 Draft. That was reversed just prior to the Draft’s start, but Garcia was officially made eligible again in this year’s class. The big, strong left-hander pitched well in Puerto Rico over the winter and has been working out in Los Angeles to prepare for the Draft. He has the chance to have a very good power combination in his fastball and hard curve. Many see him as a reliever because of a lack of a real changeup and some command issues. His pure stuff could get him drafted fairly early, though there was some talk about signability as the Draft approached.

Baseball America ranked him #83:

Garcia left Cuba in January 2011 and expected to be declared a free agent like most other defectors. Instead, Major League Baseball put him into last year’s draft, then withdrew him two days later and reviewed his case. In January 2012, Garcia once again was declared draft-eligible. In the meantime, he tried to stay in shape, often working out at Pierce JC in Los Angeles, near where Gus Dominguez, the former agent who represents him, lives. Garcia pitched in the Puerto Rican League last winter as well with some success, and in Puerto Rico and in the spring adult league he plays in, he has shown two plus pitches. Garcia’s fastball sits at 90-93 mph, and his curveball, while somewhat inconsistent, is a true power pitch at its best. Garcia hasn’t shown much of a changeup. Garcia has a physical 6-foot-2, 220-pound frame that needs no projection. At 22, he could move through a minor league system quickly as long as he comes out of the gate throwing strikes.

Sounds like a bit of a wild card, but a polished pitcher in the mode of a college selection.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Justin Chigbogu with the 146th overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. He’s a 17-year-old first baseman out of Raytown South High School in Missouri.

Baseball America had him ranked #423 in the draft:

Before this spring, Chigbogu was known mostly as an all-state defensive end. But scouts who went to see Raytown South outfielder Bralin Jackson came away marveling about Chigbogu’s massive power potential. He probably would need two years in Rookie ball at this point, but he’s a 6-foot-2, 230-pound athlete who crushes balls from the left side of the plate. While he’s raw, he doesn’t strike out excessively. He runs well for his size and perhaps could play left field, though he has a below-average arm. A Heartland (Ill.) CC recruit, he could be signable after the 10th round.

A reach? Probably, but the talent seems to be there. While the Dodgers love their bloodlines, multi-sport athletes are also a frequent target.

To me, the real question is whether he has signability concerns or not due to football and how that affects the budget.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Ross Stripling with the 176th overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. He’s a right-handed starter out of Texas A&M University.

MLB.com has this report on him:

In 2011, Stripling led college baseball with 14 wins, and he has been even better this year. He’s struck out almost a batter an inning and threw a no-hitter in early May. Relatively new to pitching, he has a good fastball and curveball, but his changeup needs work. He has good command and rarely walks batters and could move through the Minors quickly as a reliever.

Baseball America ranked him #167 in the draft:

Stripling was mostly a football and basketball player in high school in Texas before breaking his left leg as a senior. Bored during his rehab, he began fooling around on the mound with a cast on his leg, then went 14-0 in his first season as a pitcher, earning an academic scholarship and walking on at Texas A&M. He tied for the NCAA Division I lead with 14 wins and helped the Aggies reach the College World Series in 2011, then returned for his senior season after failing to sign with the Rockies as a ninth-rounder. On the day (May 12) he was scheduled to graduate with a degree in finance, he threw a no-hitter against San Diego State. The scouting report remains the same on Stripling. He’s an athletic 6-foot-3, 190-pounder who works at 88-91 mph with his fastball and gets outs with his 12-to-6 curveball. He uses an over-the-top delivery, which he repeats well, and has a decent changeup. He has the stuff and command to make it as a starter, and he’s intriguing as a reliever because he hit 94 mph and featured a sharper curve when he came out of the bullpen in past seasons.

Dodgers are completely throwing their own trend of high school pitchers out of the window it seems, as they have done nothing but target upside bats and college arms.

Hopefully he doesn’t end up as another reliever taken by the team within the first five rounds.