ATLANTA, GA OCTOBER 08: Dodgers relief pitcher Caleb Ferguson (64) throws a pitch to the plate during the Major League baseball NLDS game between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers on October 8th, 2018 at SunTrust Park in Atlanta, GA. The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 6 - 2 to win the NLDS series. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 22: Dennnis Santana #77 of the Los Angeles Dodgers poses during MLB Photo Day at Camelback Ranch- Glendale on February 22, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images) /
The Los Angeles Dodgers made their second consecutive World Series in 2018. Will their minor league system help them return for a third straight in 2019?
As part of our continuing coverage at Call to the Pen of the minor leagues, we will be covering each organization’s top players for 2018. The coverage will go in reverse order of record. Today, we will look at the Los Angeles Dodgers.
We are going to review the system’s leaders for each organization statistically, then choose one hitter and one pitcher to honor for every team. This will be primarily based on statistical performance, though some “age relative to level” could come into play, so a very impressive season from a 28-year-old in AA will rank below a nearly as impressive season from a 20-year-old at the same level.
After we review each organization’s hitter and pitcher of the year, we will close out October with Call To The Pen’s Minor League team of the year. That will lead into November starting our team top 10 prospect lists. In other words, there will be plenty of minor league content on the way at CTTP, so keep coming back for more each day this offseason!!
Los Angeles Dodgers minor leagues
The Los Angeles Dodgers enjoyed a second consecutive trip to the World Series in 2018. The yearly strength of the Dodgers farm system has allowed them to continually compete and keep their payroll under the luxury tax, even while pursuing some of the biggest names in the game in free agency each offseason.
Before we offer up awards on the season, let’s take a look at the system’s statistical leaders:
A late-riser in the 2016 draft, many were still surprised when the Los Angeles Dodgers selected Gavin Lux 20th overall out of high school in Wisconsin. Lux struggled early at the plate in his first full season in 2017, but he finished strong, leading into a solid 2018.
Lux opened 2018 in high-A and finished with AA Tulsa, hitting the same .324 at both locations. He was able to flash a quality glove at shortstop while also showing off above-average power and speed. He will likely return to Tulsa to open 2019, but at just 21 to open 2019, he could find his way to the big league club by the end of the season.
Runners-up
Acquired from the Braves just months after they’d acquired him as well, Connor Joe proved to be quite the find for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018. He split his season nearly even between AA and AAA, hitting .299/.408/.527 with 26 doubles and 17 home runs.
The Los Angeles Dodgers drafted Jared Walker out of high school in Georgia in 2014 in the 5th round. After struggling in A-ball in 2017, he got another shot in 2018, playing across both A-ball levels, hitting .255/.365/.545 with 26 doubles, 8 triples, and 25 home runs.
Los Angeles Dodgers Minor League Pitcher of the Year: Tony Gonsolin
Drafted out of St. Mary’s in the 9th round in 2016, Tony Gonsolin pitched his first two seasons in relief in the Dodgers system before moving to the rotation in 2018. Gonsolin was dominant in the new role, to say the least.
Gonsolin handled the hitter-friendly Cal League well, keeping his walk rate and hit rate nearly the same in his promotion to AA Tulsa for his final 9 starts. He will likely open in AA in 2019, but with his impressive pitching in 2018, he could have a chance to challenge for some big league time in 2019.
Dustin May began getting a lot of notice in the offseason after a dominant year with Great Lakes in 2017. His season split between high-A and AA was just as good or better in 2018. He tossed 132 2/3 innings, with a 3.39 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and a 29/122 BB/K ratio.
A late signee out of the Dominican Republic, Gerardo Carillo had a solid season in the Dominican Summer League in 2017. In 2018, he opened in the Arizona Rookie League and was impressive enough to jump straight to low-A with Great Leakes. Overall, he tossed 60 innings, allowing a 1.50 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and a 17/50 BB/K ratio.
Coming out of Gonzaga, the Los Angeles Dodgers selected Andrew Sopko in the 7th round in 2016. Sopko split his 2018 season between high-A and AA almost evenly, tossing 117 2/3 innings with a 3.52 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and a 27/121 BB/K ratio.
dark. Next. Rockies minor league awards
The Los Angeles Dodgers made a return trip to the World Series in 2018 at the major league level, and their tremendous depth in the minor league system will allow them to be competitive for another Fall Classic trip in 2019.
