Los Angeles Dodgers: Draft Review

General Manager: Ned Colletti
Farm Director: De Jon Watson
Scouting Director: Logan White

2006-2009 Draft Results:
First three rounds included
x- over-slot signees ($200,000 or more)

2009 1st round: Aaron Miller, LHP, Baylor
2. Blake Smith, OF, California
2. Garrett Gould, RHP, Kansas HS
3. Brett Wallach, RHP, California CC

A two-way player in college, Miller had little trouble adjusting to full-time pitching in his pro debut. The lefty posted a 3.17 FIP in seven low-A starts while tossing up a strikeout rate of 11.27 K/9. His walk rate was respectable at 2.97 BB/9 and he allowed just 22 hits in 30.1 innings of work. Smith, 22, had a poor start in rookie ball by hitting under .220 with little power or speed. He also struck out almost 40% of the time.

Gould pitched just 2.2 innings after signing and should return to rookie ball in ’10. Wallach made 12 starts and posted a 4.17 FIP while allowing 34 hits in 31.0 innings of work. He did a nice job striking out batters (11.03 K/9) but he struggled with his control (4.35 BB/9).

2008 1st round: Ethan Martin, RHP, Georgia HS
2. Josh Lindblom, RHP, Purdue
3. Kyle Russell, OF, Texas
9. Steve Caseres, 1B, James Madison
11. Nate Eovaldi, RHP, Texas HS

Both Martin and Lindblom appear on the club’s Top 10 list. Russell showed some good power in ’09 but but he doesn’t project to hit for a high average in the upper levels of the minors (He hit .272 in ’09 but had a .382 BABIP). He also struck out a whopping 37.4% of the time. On the plus side, he showed the ability to be a 20-20 player and he walked 12.8% of the time. He’ll be 24 years old part way through 2010 and has yet to play above low-A.

Caseres, soon to be 23, had a modest season by hitting .260/.360/.468 in 393 high-A at-bats. He also struck out at a rate of 29.5% of the time. Eovaldi received some consideration for the Top 10 list but he was hurt by a low strikeout rate of 6.63 K/9 in low-A ball. His walk rate was also creeping up into dangerous territory at 3.83 BB/9. Eovaldi did a nice job of keeping the ball in the park with just two homers allowed in 96.1 innings. The club scored with Devaris Gordon (4th round) and Carl (Allen) Webster (18th), both of whom appear in the Top 10.

2007 1st round: Chris Withrow, RHP, Texas HS
1S. James Adkins, LHP, Tennessee
2. Michael Watt, LHP, California HS
3. Austin Gallagher, 3B, Pennsylvania HS

Withrow is amongst the Dodgers’ 10 best prospects. Adkins has struggled since turning pro and he posted a 4.58 FIP in 27 double-A games in ’09. His walk rate was 4.67 BB/9 while his strikeout rate was just 5.26 K/9. Watt was traded to the San Diego Padres, while Gallagher missed most of ’09 with an injury and hit just .257/.319/.345 in 226 at-bats. Andrew Lambo (4th round) made the Top 10 list.

2006 1st round: Clayton Kershaw, LHP, Texas HS
1. Bryan Morris, RHP, Tennessee CC
1S. Preston Mattingly, SS, Indiana HS
2. None
3. None

The club scored with Kershaw, who is currently in the big league rotation, but that’s about it with this draft. Morris was inconsistent, and hurt… and was later traded on to Pittsburgh. Mattingly has failed to hit. This past season he batted just .238/.296/.350 in 454 high-A at-bats, while also striking out at a rate of 33.0%. Kyle Orr (4th round) is a player to keep an eye on.

Up Next: The Los Angeles Dodgers Top 10 Prospects





Marc Hulet has been writing at FanGraphs since 2008. His work focuses on prospects and fantasy. Follow him on Twitter @marchulet.

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Ivdown
14 years ago

The first round pick has been excellent for the Dodgers either in the majors or the minors ever since 2003, possibly 2002. Here’s hoping Miller can continue that trend for more than 7 starts, lol.