Trevor Bettencourt is a Right Handed pitcher in the Dodgers organization that has seen just about everything the game of baseball has to offer. He’s been in the biggest of moments and loves to have the ball when it matters the most.
He’s very good, extremely tough, remarkably reliable, and he’s still chasing his dream, one that is just around the corner.
Saint Francis
Bettencourt grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and had a standout Prep career at Saint Francis High School as a Lancer. He lost just 2 games in his entire career as a pitcher on the diamond, and had 86 Ks in just 60 innings pitched his Senior year, and also played the infield and was very good at that too.
His great efforts earned him several different honors including being designated as a High Follow in the Perfect Game rankings, and highlighted by becoming the 2012 WCAL Pitcher of the Year.
But that’s all the stuff you’d expect from a professional pitcher that has made it as high as AAA with two different organizations. What you might not expect, however, was that he also played water polo, a sport that was very challenging and kept him in top top shape
The young Bay native definitely stayed busy and became a very well rounded athlete as a Lancer, and one that was very accomplished both on the diamond and in the pool.
He has very fond memories of that time in his life and especially appreciates the impact that Mike Oakland, his Head baseball coach, had on him.
Oakland is a very successful Head Coach that has won multiple Titles in multiple sports and is known for running very efficient programs.
Playing for Oakland was awesome. He came from Santa Clara and so our practices were like college practices the way they were written out and played out. So, it was awesome and I learned a lot from him as far as baseball IQ.
With a typical Trevor Bettencourt grin, he went on to talk about his Water Polo career.
I’ve always said that if football was a hard sport, it would be called Water Polo, and I will stick by that. I took my Junior year off and I missed it because it got me in such good shape. I had fun and made a lot of good friends and I miss it sometimes.
College Grind
Bettencourt was a well sought after recruit and ended up at Tennessee where he spent his first two years. After a good Sophomore campaign as s Volunteer where he posted an ERA of just 2.93 in 20 appearances, he was forced to undergo what would be the first of two Tommy John surgeries he has had to overcome in his career.
That’s when he decided to move back closer to home and transfer to UCSB, a decision that couldn’t have been more perfect.
Andrew Checketts, the Head Baseball Coach at Santa Barbara, took Bettencourt in and gave him opportunity, mentorship and an overall experience that Bettencourt couldn’t be more grateful for.
I was transferring schools after having Tommy John and still recovering, and he gave me another shot. It’s not like I was the easiest to deal with you know, but he gave me every shot in the world and he pushed me, so without Coach Checketts I wouldn’t be playing right now.
So whether I’m playing well or not, he’s taught me a lot of baseball and he helped me out a ton, so it’s awesome.
Bettencourt made the most of those opportunities, and in 2016 he helped his team reach the College World Series. That was after winning the Vanderbilt regional, then the Louisville Super Regional, so, as he said, those Gauchos were confident and they were tough, and they were on a mission.
Bettencourt recorded some of the most crucial outs in both the Regional Tournament and the Super Regional and remembers the mayhem that took place when his teammate, Sam Cohen, hit a dramatic walkoff homerun in the bottom of the ninth of the Supers in Louisville to turn a deficit into a ticket to Omaha.
Our team was so confident. We didn’t have a ton of prospects, but we all had each others backs. I was the same guy then as I am now in the sense that I came in and threw some curveballs.
I got out of the 8th and they pulled me to save me for the next day, and I remember saying, we’re not gonna need it.
We ended up stringing some hits together and Burdi was out there, who was an animal. Sam Cohen came up and after he got a bunch of fastballs, he finally got a changeup in and off the bat he hit a walkoff homerun.
When he hit it, and we knew we had won, we just took off.
Drafted
After a very good career at UCSB, Bettencourt was drafted in the 25th Round in 2016 by the Phillies, where he would spend his entire professional career up until this past off season.
He got off to a very good start in 2016 is his 2 outings in his short season, and entered 2017, his first full year of pro ball, ready to go.
Between 2017 and 2018 he climbed as high as AA, and was pitching as well as he could and looked to be on a crash course with the MLB in no time at all.
But, that’s when things slowed down, and eventually came to basically a complete stop.
In 2019 he had to undergo his 2nd Tommy John surgery, then Covid canceled the 2020 Minor League season, then he missed all of 2021 due to yet another surgery. When it was all said and done, he threw just 2.2 innings in a 3 year span and was left wondering if it was time to hang ’em up for good.
But, that burning desire of wanting to know just how good he can get kept his fire full of flames, and he decided to just keep going.
Bettencourt came back and pitched in 2022 for basically the first time in 3 years, and jumped 4 levels, eventually landing as high as AAA with the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.
Having been in Professional baseball for 7 years at that point, he was eligible to become a Free Agent, and upon entering into Free Agency chose the Dodgers this Winter of 2023.
Bettencourt loved his time with the Phillies, learned a lot and made life long friends.
I was lucky enough to get drafted in the first place, and went there in 2016 and only threw a couple of innings. Then 2017 rolled around and I had a good year and they helped me out with some tweaks here and there.
The following year was when I started getting hurt.
I was out like 2 months in 2018, then in 2019 I had Tommy John Surgery, then 2020 got canceled, and in 2021 I ended up having to get another surgery.
I finally got to play in 2022.
Bettencourt continued about his time with the Phillies.
I appreciate those people a lot. I’m sure a lot of organizations would have let me go, but they stuck with me and let me see if it was possible. I met a lot of lifetime friends and I even consider a lot of the staff there to be good friends.
Bettencourt also explained why he chose to become a Dodger.
As Free Agency goes sometimes you only have so many options and thankfully the Dodgers were an option for me. I’ve already learned so much. I’m 29, and at this point I’m just trying to see how good I can get before the window closes and I think this is the exact place I need to be.
Prospect Feature
Bettencourt features a good fastball that has natural “cut” to it, but, make no mistake, his strength is in shaping his off speed pitches. He has a tremendous curveball that “falls off the table”, but that’s just the beginning of his skill in terms of how he uses his breaking balls.
Click to watch Bettencourt throw his “smaller” slider for a strike.
Bettencourt can shape his breaking balls in many different ways. He has the big breaking ball, and he also has a big slider that has great depth. But, he can also make his slider a little smaller to use as a higher efficiency strike pitch that he can throw to keep hitters off of his fastball. You can see this “smaller” slider in action by clicking this link or the picture on the left.
Click to watch Bettencourt throw his cutter
Bettencourt also has a cutter that he likes to throw to lefties to get underneath and inside of their swings. The cutter has similar action to the slider in the sense that is has a smaller shape, but it has less depth. Check it out by clicking here or on the picture on the right.
Click to Watch Bettencourt throw his “swing and miss” slider
When Bettencourt is looking for swing and miss, he can add a whole ton of depth to his slider. His “swing and miss” slider is similar to curveball, but has a little less depth and a little more of a left turn. Check it out by clicking here or on the picture on the left.
Click to watch Bettencourt throw his 4 Seam fastball
Bettencourt has a good 4 Seam that can top in the mid 90’s and it has natural cut. And, after he’s thrown a barrage of different shaped breaking balls, it looks a lot faster to a hitter. You can check out his 4 seam by clicking here or by clicking on the picture on the right.
Click to watch Bettencourt throw his big curveball
Let’s be clear, while Bettencourt has a great arsenal of different shapes and speeds, his curveball is his bread and butter. It got him drafted, it’s kept him in the game, and, if he makes the Major Leagues, it will be the main reason why. His curveball has a life of its own with the amount of depth and tumble it has. It “falls off the table” and does so with late break making it very difficult for the hitter to identify. It’s simply a great pitch! Check it out by clicking here or on the picture on the left.
Bettencourt has natural “cut” to almost everything he throws, so making the ball turn left is something he is and always has been good at. He is also very competitive and loves the big moments and winning.
I’m good at making the ball go left, and I like to think that I just go right at guys are my best features. That, and just being present and enjoying the big moments. I just want the team to win. The more wins you get the more fun you have, and I just wanna have some fun.
Baseball is the ultimate challenge and can’t be mastered, which is a large part of how addicting, if not maddening, it can be. So, all players, at every level, are always working on something to improve upon. For Bettencourt, when asked what that one thing would be he said it was his sinker to give him a different shape.
I probably need to work on my sinker the most, because it’s my pitch that can turn right. Pretty much that, and making sure that I’m throwing enough strikes are 2 things I can always be working on.
What’s Next
Bettencourt has been in Professional baseball since 2016 and has experienced everything from great success, to the surgery table, to Covid canceling an entire season to becoming a Free Agent. So, it’s safe to say, not much could phase him at this point in his career, and, even more so, not anything can get in his way of continuing to chase his dream.
He has very good stuff and is humble but very confident, so it didn’t take him long to fit right in to the Dodgers culture. He is one of the most well liked and respected players, both by his coaches and his peers, of anyone in the organization because of how hard he works and just overall how good of a dude he is.
Making the Major Leagues brings odds that are so incredible that if you actually sit down and think about them, it might make you think twice. So, to make it, you have to do what Bettencourt has done, and that is, just keep grinding, keep believing, keep working and keep bettering yourself everyday you have the great opportunity to be a part of a professional organization.
Trevor is close, he’s worked hard, and the road has been long, so you can only imagine how hard everyone who knows him, whether casual or close, is rooting for him. He will keep working, he’ll keep doing things right and he’ll keep waiting for his chance to one day put on a Major League Uniform.
In closing I would like to thank Trevor for joining Dodgers Daily. He has such a great story of talent, perseverance and hard work that I was super excited to do this interview and feature and get to meet him and tell at least a part of his story.
On the day we did the interview it was 105 degrees, and these guys are super busy and this was not a short interview, so, I would like to thank Trevor very much for his kindness in giving his time and wish him the best of luck.
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The goal of any prospect is to become a Major Leaguer, and, as each player sets out to reach that goal they face tremendous odds.
Prospects have to be talented, tough, resilient, super confident, and possess the ability to adjust, many times, in a moments notice.
Nick Frasso, a flame throwing right handed pitcher in the Dodgers organization, is all of the above, and so much more.
Diehard Dodger
Photo by Tim Campbell/MiLB
Frasso became a Dodger last August, of 2022, in a trade with Moises Brito, that sent Mitch White and Alex DeJesus to the Bluejays. Mitch White has MLB service time, so to trade him for two guys that don’t, just shows how highly the Dodgers value the young Frasso who was the headliner of the trade.
So let’s start there, with Frasso’s incredible upside, and let’s wind our way backwards through what is going to be at least part of his journey.
Frasso grew up in Rancho Palos Verdes California, where as a kid, he could do a little of everything. His family is full of high level athletes and understood the value of finding your own joy in competition and being allowed to pave your own path.
Frasso was given freedom to explore multiple sports and amongst the many things that a typical SoCal boy might find to do, he found basketball and baseball as two things that he was very good at and that he enjoyed. On the hardwood he was known for his shooting prowess, his 6’5 length and his athletic ability that was put on display every time he would dunk.
Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/SCNG
Baseball was something he was obviously very good at as well, and it’s something that he decided to dedicate himself to after some great instruction and direction from his High School Coach, Brian Bowles.
Bowles was drafted by the Toronto Bluejays in 1994, so he knows what a potential professional looks like, and he also understands professional training. Having seen Frasso’s potential, he made it clear to Frasso that he had the chance to have a huge future in the game of baseball, at the MLB level, and, wow, was he right!
LMU Lion
Photo courtesy of lmuthisweek.lmu.edu
Frasso took his coaches advice and decided to further his career at the Collegiate level, and, after touring the Campus of Loyola Marymount, and going to one of their camps, decided to become a Lion.
To this point in his career he had been a multi-sport athlete, so College was going to be the first time he was going to get to dedicate himself full time to baseball. With a 6’5 frame, athletic ability enough to dunk and a thunderous right arm, the sky was the limit.
As a senior in High School I went and toured their (Loyola Marymount’s) campus and loved it. It was right next to the beach, and I went to a camp there and they offered and I committed.
On his experience as a Lion
I really enjoyed my time there. It’s a great school, great campus and I really enjoyed playing baseball there as well, and it was an awesome experience overall.
Frasso pitching for the Team USA Collegiate team
Frasso spent 3 great years as a Lion, pitched in some huge games and posted an ERA of just 2.80 in his 3 year career. He also had 158 strikeouts in 125.1 innings, pitched in the Cape Cod League and threw 4 shutout innings against Cuba for the Team USA collegiate team.
Frasso was gaining high level experience, showing that he could compete with the elite, and was on a track that was full steam ahead.
That is, until it wasn’t!
In 2020, his last year in College, Frasso experienced elbow pain that, not knowing at the time, would end his college career. He was set to come back and start pitching again for the Lions, but Covid canceled the season, then he got drafted later that Summer, and that was that.
Bluejays
Photo Courtesy of John D. Shaffer
Frasso loved his time at LMU, but every young players dream is to get drafted, and when it’s in the 4th Round, that’s too good of an offer to turn down. Getting drafted and starting a professional career is one of the most exciting periods in any players career, but it was a period of excitement in Frasso’s career that was cut short due to injury.
Frasso’s elbow problems flared up again which led to UCL repair surgery, a setback that put a delay on the beginning of his pro career.
I mean, yeah, it’s tough, and it’s not exactly how you want to start your professional career in the training room for your first year doing rehab, because it’s a grind, and you want to be out there on the field with your friends.
Although the UCL surgery was a setback, it was also temporary, however, so the young and motivated Palos Verdes native got to work on the road to recovery.
Frasso put in long hours in the training room and a grueling amount of work during his rehab, and it payed off. He came back stronger than ever, and, in fact, in his first outing back, hit 100 miles per hour multiple times.
Undoubtedly, his return was exciting and gave him a shot of adrenaline that he used to throw flames to home plate.
It was super cool! That day back was special for me in general because it had been so long with Covid, then the year after Covid I was in rehab pretty much the whole year. So it had been almost 2 years away from baseball, so that first game back I had so much adrenaline and so much excitement to be back on the field, it really got me amped up, and I was able to hit 100 a few times.
Frasso was back, better than ever, and was ready to settle into some normalcy and routine. But, just as things were settling down, they got crazy again when he was traded with Moises Brito for Mitch White and Alex DeJesus in August of 2022. Here’s what he had to say about that process.
It’s always kind of weird getting traded, because you’re with one org., and you have your team, but then you get called into the office and told you’ve been traded, and that’s how quick it happens.
Frasso continued to talk about the process of being traded.
You just have to pack up your stuff and hop on a flight, so it’s a crazy experience overall. Obviously, growing up in the L.A. area and being traded to the Dodgers was pretty sweet, and my family is stoked. I grew up a Dodgers fan, so it was awesome for me, but at the same time, I made a lot of friends with the Bluejays, so it was a little sad leaving those guys. But I’m definitely happy where I’m at.
Prospect Feature
Frasso finished last year in Tulsa, then started this year in AA as well, and has been a big part of what was, to start the year, the best pitching staff in the Minor leagues. He is in the line of the flame throwing power arms that the Dodgers love having reached 100 miles per hour multiple times.
He pairs his big 4 Seam fastball with a left turning slider and a tumbling changeup. He averages 12 Ks per 9 innings, and less than a 1/2 a homerun per 9, so he’s able to use the top of the zone without getting hurt at an excess.
4 Seam Fastball
Click to watch Frasso ride his 4 Seam at the top of the zone
As with all of the Dodgers power pitchers, Frasso builds his arsenal around his fastball, and specifically the way he is able to ride the top of the zone with it to get a lot of swing and miss. He also gets great extension, so, while he has reached 100 mph on more than one occasion, his fastball looks even faster than that to a hitter because he is so close to home plate when he delivers the ball. To see how his 4 seam fastball plays at the top of the zone, click here or on the picture to the left.
Click to watch Frasso carry the bottom of the zone with his fastball
Frasso is 6’5, and gets down the mound quite a bit in his stride, so when he throws low, the pitch has a long ways to go from his hand all the way down to the bottom of the zone. So, he gets a lot of vertical drop, which makes it very difficult to hit.
Click to watch how Frasso’s changeup plays at the bottom of the zone
Frasso’s changeup is a very good pitch for several reasons, the main being how hard he throws. Because he throws so hard, hitters have to load up early, and, then, when he throws a changeup, it’s very difficult to stay back because it looks just like his fastball until it starts tumbling. By that time, it’s too late to do damage to the pitch. To watch how his changeup plays, click here or on the picture to the right.
Slider
Click to watch how Frasso uses his slider
Frasso has a very late breaking, tight, what you might describe as a “nasty” slider. He can tunnel it off of his 4 slot fastball, or he can start it off the plate arm side, then let it break back over the plate for a strike.
Frasso had the elbow injury to start his career, and has fought some shoulder issues this year, and that’s likely why he is still in AA, because his stuff is already MLB ready. His fastball is explosive, his slider is good, and his changeup is very deceptive.
There is a reason he is such a highly rated prospect, and, also a reason why you would have to look long and hard to find someone who doesn’t think he is going to have a long and successful MLB career, injury not withstanding, knock on wood.
He has a loose, happy go lucky aura to him, but then, at the same time, an extremely high energy competitive spirit to match, which makes for a great mentality in big moments. His future is big and the MLB part of it is close.
In closing, I would like to thank Nick for joining Dodgers Daily. These guys are pulled in a million different directions, so I am always so very appreciative when they choose to spend some of their time for an interview. Nick has a huge future ahead and one that Dodgers Daily will be rooting for all along the way.
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The game of baseball is a journey that has lots of twists and turns and knowing which way to go isn’t always an easy decision. Having a village of people that can help navigate each turn is very helpful, and for River Ryan, a talented and top pitching prospect in the Dodgers organization, it’s helped lead him towards a destination he’s soon to reach, destination L.A.
Great Baseball Family
River Ryan pitching at North Meck
Ryan is a top rated pitching prospect because he is super talented, let’s make no mistake about that, but he is so much more than that. He’s grounded, very respectful of the challenges this game presents, and he knows that ups and downs are just a part of the process. He learned it all honestly through personal experience and in a family full of baseball success that reaches as far as the eye can see.
He played for his dad and with his brother in High School, both of whom played professional baseball, and he also has an uncle and great uncle that played professionally as well.
Photo by Lianna Holub/MiLB
His brother Ryder is still in AAA with Tacoma, so he has every resource he could need, and he uses them, and is very thankful to have them.
His family is his rock and he is not shy to give them, all of them, tremendous credit for his success.
Having a lot of professional baseball players in the house gets competitive at times, but it’s a lot of fun talking baseball with your father whose played, especially on the hitting side when I was with the Padres.
Ryan went on to add
I talk to my uncle quite a bit, but it’s mainly my brother. If you had a support system like I had growing up, pretty much anything is possible.
When asked to talk about his brother, this is what Ryan had to say
Oh man, I’ve looked up to my brother my whole life man. He’s been playing pro ball for a while now and he signed with the Mariners and he’s doing well.
UNC Pembroke
Photo by Mitchell Loll
Ryan was a great player at North Mecklenburg High, where, again, he got to play for his dad, and with his brother. His brother Ryder went to powerhouse UNC, and he was on a similar path until he suffered a pretty scary setback, a fractured spine, which kept him out for an entire year.
For many a fractured spine might be the end of a playing career, and rightfully so, but for Ryan, it was just a detour.
The time off due to his fractured spine left him with offers from just a couple of schools and UNC Pembroke, a nearby DII school, luckily, was one of them. Ryan snatched up the opportunity to be a Brave and set afoot to blaze a trail as one of the best 2-way players in College baseball.
And, that’s exactly what he did, and it didn’t take him long to do it.
As a Freshman he started in 36 games and was one of the best young two way players in the country. He eventually went on to spend 4 years as a Brave posting a career .349 batting average, a slugging percentage of .509 and an on base percentage of .417. On the mound he posted a career ERA of 2.32 and had 114 strikeouts in 93 innings, so he finished his college career as it started, as one of the best two way players in the country.
On to Pro Ball
Ryan was drafted in the 11th round of the 2021 draft by the Padres and spent his short season playing rookie ball in the ACL where he didn’t pitch at all, but did log 39 at bats and hit .308. He had shown that he could hit at the professional level and was quickly becoming a hot prospect.
But, that’s when the business world of baseball stepped in and changed his course.
Over the off-season he was traded to the Dodgers for Matt Beaty, and transitioned to a pitcher only. Ryan misses hitting and playing a position, but he has quickly risen in the ranks of pitching prospects and is on pace to be in the MLB sooner rather than later.
The Padres wanted me on both sides, and that was fun, but when I got traded to the Dodgers they told me that I would just be pitching and not hit anymore. So that’s what I’ve been doing, and I am super focused on trying to make it to the the Major Leagues.
On To The Dodgers
Photo by Tim Campbell/MiLB
Ryan spent 2022 split between Rancho and Great Lakes and posted an ERA of just 1.93 with the Loons, an average against of just .176 and had 70 Ks in 47.2 innings in total for the year. He was then promoted to AA Tulsa at the beginning of this year, 2023, where he has posted an ERA of 2.85, an average against of .186, with 63 Ks in 60 innings.
Feature Cut
Ryan has a 4 pitch mix featuring a 4 Seam fastball, a circle change, a slider and a curveball. The prospect feature below takes you through all of his pitches, how he uses them and breaks down his entire arsenal. To check that out, click here or click on the picture below.
4 Seam Fastball
Click to watch Ryan ride his fastball at the top of the zone
Click to watch Ryan’s 4 Seam carry the bottom of the zone
Statcast data is kept at the AA level, but is not made available to the public, so the best way to identify how much spin a pitcher is getting on their 4 seam is to see how that pitch carries at the bottom of the zone. Ryan’s 4 Seam plays very well low in the zone, which suggests that the spin rate on his 4 seam is very good. Click here or on the picture to the right to watch him carry the bottom of the zone with his 4 Seam.
Click to watch Ryan locate his 4 Seam to the 4 slot
Ryan is also very good at locating his 4 seam to what the Dodgers call the 4 slot, which is the arm side corner and preferably low. This pitch rides in underneath the swing of lefties and is low and away to righties, so it is a very important part of a successful fastball sequence. To watch Ryan locate his 4 Seam to the 4 slot click here or on the picture to the left.
Slider
Click to watch Ryan throw his “get me over” slider
The Dodgers love to have their pitchers throw a slider for a multitude of reasons. For one, it tunnels very well off of the fastball and it also can take different shapes based on the count, the batter and the situation. When Ryan needs to throw the pitch for a strike he can make it smaller and more “cutterish” to get tighter spin, but less movement, which allows him to control the pitch with less likelihood of it getting ambushed. Click to watch what I call his “get me over” slider, which is smaller, and meant to be a high strike efficiency pitch.
Click to watch Ryans bigger “swing and miss” slider
Click here to watch how Ryan’s slider plays to lefties
Ryan is also very good at throwing his slider to lefties as well and getting underneath their swings. When he throws this pitch you’ll see a lot of left handed hitters foul it off their foot, or just simply have very uncomfortable swings due to the tight spin, late break and the depth of the pitch that is buzzing in on their hands. To see how Ryan uses his slider to lefties click here or on the picture to the right.
Changeup
Click to watch Ryan’s changeup tumble
The Dodgers also love for their pitchers to throw a changeup because it looks so much like the fastball out of the hand, it’s hard for the hitter to identify. In fact, when trying to find changeups on Ryan’s videos, without a radar gun, it was virtually impossible to detect until the pitch started tumbling, which, by that time, is too late for a hitter to make an adjustment. The 4 seam rides and gives a rising effect, and the changeup drops and gives the tumbling effect, all with the same arm speed & motion of the fastball. To see Ryan’s changeup click here or on the picture to the left.
Curveball
Click to watch how Ryan uses his curveball to land strikes
Not every power pitcher, like Ryan, in the system has a curveball, mainly because they can just add depth to their slider to get a similar effect. But, Ryan likes to flip a curveball every now and then as another secondary pitch to give the hitter something else to look at. It also makes his sequences harder for the hitter to sit on certain pitches and ambush them, because he doesn’t always have to throw his fastball when he needs a strike. He can also make the pitch look like a strike, but then tumble it into the dirt for swing and miss. To see how he uses his curveball to land strikes, click here or on the picture on the right.
Destination L.A.
Ryan thinks like a big leaguer, he acts like a big leaguer, he pitches like a big leaguer and, sooner rather than later, he is going to be a big leaguer. He has great stuff, athletic ability of a middle infielder, and an overall skill set that is going to play, and very well, at the MLB level.
He is a typical Dodger in the sense that he has big talent, supreme confidence, but yet is super humble and gracious to all those around him. And, he also has an elite work process that goes into his preparation and all of his off the field activities.
I want to give a big thanks to River for spending time on Dodgers Daily and letting us get to know him a little better. It was a pleasure getting to speak with him and Dodgers Daily will be rooting for him all along the way, all the way to L.A.
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Confidence, swagger, and the ability to believe in yourself are traits that can’t be bought with money, they can’t be faked by words, and they don’t come easy. They have to be earned, day after day, through hard work and life’s experiences and especially through its adversities. Payton Martin is an 18-year-old, who has these traits in spades, so, although he might just be getting started with the Dodgers, he has poise and perspective well beyond his years.
His potential is big, his process is elite, and his future is headed for a Hollywood ending.
Wise Beyond His Years
Photo Courtesy of the Clemmons Courier
Martin was drafted in the 17th Round of the 2022 Draft out of West Forsythe High School in Clemmons North Carolina and is well-known as an extremely hard worker, a great person, and a supremely talented baseball player. He transferred to West Forsyth as a Sophomore and became a 2-way star playing both shortstop and pitching and made great memories as a Titan.
I transferred to West my Sophomore year, which was the Covid year, and my coach was Brad Bullard who is an amazing guy and an amazing coach. He knew the game very well. Coach Willard was hilarious too so going to West was an easy choice. I would say it was definitely a fit for me because it felt like family
Martin also left those that were a part of his High School career with the belief that he has all the “its” needed to make it.
Here’s what his Head Coach in High School, Brad Bullard, had to say about the young fireballer.
The kid is special! Not many kids have the work ethic and mental/physical traits that he does. It’s going to be fun to watch his future unfold!
Coach Bullard went on to add
Payton is one of the most mature players I have ever had the opportunity to coach. His dedication and sacrifice to his game are top-notch.
ECU
Photo Courtesy of ecupirates.com
Martin had plenty of options after High School, but the one place that felt the most like home was in Greenville, NC, the home of the East Carolina University Pirates. Coach Godwin has built a Purple Pirate powerhouse, and everyone on campus took the time to make sure Martin knew he was more than welcome on campus.
But, although playing for a program that is currently ranked #12 in the Country, and for a Campus full of what Martin calls “good people”, was certainly a big draw, it ultimately wasn’t his end goal in the game of baseball. So, when the Dodgers drafted him in the 17th Round, they provided him the opportunity to fulfill what has always been his dream, and that was to be a professional baseball player.
Martin packed up his stuff and headed West for the first time in his life and made his dream a reality when he flew to L.A. and signed his contract with the Dodgers.
Dodgers
His mother, who Martin credits for almost all of his success, got to go with him as well, so the experience was a surreal event, one that couldn’t have gone much better, and also one he will never forget. Becoming a professional baseball player was always the goal, and with one fell swoop of a pen, that goal was reached. Martin had officially become a Dodger, which, by happy circumstance, is also his mom’s favorite team, so everything fell into its proper place.
Here’s what Martin had to say about that experience.
I had never been West and I actually brought my mom with me so that was awesome. I grew up my whole life watching people sign contracts, and I was like, dang, must be nice.
With a big Payton Martin grin, he added
I’m pretty sure my hand wouldn’t even stay on the paper because I was shakin’ because it was a big moment, certainly one of the top moments in my life.
Feature Cut
Click to Watch Martin in Action
Martin came to the Dodgers as a high-level 2-way player as both a shortstop and a pitcher. The Dodgers, however, recognized his arm talent and the way he carries himself with confidence and transitioned him to a full-time pitcher.
When you’re used to hitting 4-hole and playing shortstop every day, getting transitioned to a role that only puts you on the field every 5 days can be tough. But, it’s one that Martin has not only embraced but he’s also flourished in and learned to enjoy. He topped 94 in High School, but, just a few months later, is sitting 94-97 with the Quakes.
Here’s what he had to say about the transition to becoming a pitcher only, what baseball players call POs.
It’s a lot easier on the arm. The Dodgers taught me what to do in terms of being a PO because we throw every day. In High School, we threw every day, but it was more like I would pitch one day, then play shortstop the next. So that was like every day with no break, and that actually prepared me for what I have going on here. So, the transition hasn’t been too hard, and it’s been really fun.
In High School, Martin had just 2 pitches. His fastball topped at 94, and he had a slurve, that, once he got to the Dodgers, got separated into both a slider and curveball. He has also added a changeup to his mix to be a 4-pitch pitcher.
As a credit to Coach Bullard, Coach Willard, and the entire coaching staff at West, the Dodgers haven’t changed any of his mechanics, because they didn’t have to. His delivery is smooth, his breaking stuff is tight, and his athletic ability is very noticeable. Check it out for yourself, and just as a note, this is not a highlight reel. To give the viewer a realistic perspective of Martin’s stuff, I have included every pitch of a full inning in this video.
Finishing Up
Martin is still filling out his body, so the 94-97 will keep growing. He could very well, and easily be a guy that sits upper 90s and top 100 as he continues to grow, gain weight, and get stronger. When you combine that with 3 other pitches that are very good, his incredible work ethic, his “Dawg” mentality, and his overall presence of confidence, it’s easy to get excited about his future.
Another aspect of Martin’s development with the Dodgers is the Scout that noticed him and got him signed, Jonah Rosenthal. Jonah, if you remember, is the Scout that also noticed Jake Pilarski, and got him signed out of Indy ball, so this guy really knows how to identify talent.
Beyond that, he also knows how to culture relationships as every player I have talked to has raved about how Jonah gets to know them as a person and shows great care and concern from that perspective.
Professional baseball players, like Martin, make such a hard game look so easy, and, as fans, sometimes we forget they are humans just like you and I. So, to have a Scout, inside of an organization that focuses on those aspects of young guys’ lives, and careers, is impactful beyond any words I can type. So, for that, congrats to both the Dodgers and Jonah for taking a young man from Clemmons North Carolina, who had never been West, and making him feel right at home smack dab in the Middle of California, clear on the other side of the country.
In closing, I would like to thank Payton for joining for an interview and allowing me to tell at least a small part of his story. Since I reached out he has been nothing but gracious, and for that, I am very thankful. I am super pumped to watch this young man rise through the organization and Dodgers Daily will be rooting for him all along the way.
Baseball is one of the most humbling sports ever invented. Just about the time you think you have everything figured out, you get hit with the realization that you don’t, and made to realize that there are thousands of, great, not-good, baseball players at every level. The competition just to make it to a D1 level is insanely competitive, nonetheless professional baseball with an affiliate.
For one Dodger that was recently signed, Jake Pilarski, those statements aren’t cliche, they aren’t coach speak, they are real life. They represent the journey he has traveled in this game, and, through it all, he’s continued to bet on himself, he’s kept working and, it’s finally landed him a spot in one of the most iconic organizations of any sport, the Dodgers.
How He Got Here
Pilarski grew up in Pittsburgh, Pa., and became a direct representative of the type of people that come out of that area of the world. People in Pittsburgh tend to be tough, blue collar, and very hard working, all traits that Pilarski has in spades and surely learned growing up where he did.
Pilarski went to Fox Chapel and got to play alongside Patrick Monteverde who is currently in the Marlins organization.
His High School teams led by Michael Frank were good, and he was very good as evidenced by the fact that he garnered all-conference recognition three years in a row. Pilarski received that recognition as a 2-way player and wanted to have the option to be both a position player and pitcher in College, and the one school that caught his eye the most while he was touring Colleges was Virginia Wesleyan.
Virginia Wesleyan is right on the beach and is located in one of the prettiest spots in the United States, the weather is good, and Chris Francis, the head Coach for the Marlins, really impressed him while he was there.
Out of High School, I was throwing kind of hard, but nothing over the top. I had offers from several schools and I went on a recruiting trip to the Virginia Beach area to check out a couple of schools, and Wesleyan was on that list. I kinda fell in love with the place. You know, it was right on the beach, the weather was great, and being a Pittsburgh kid it’s hard to turn down nice weather.
Pilarski continued
I really liked Coach Francis and we got along great, and they were one of the only schools that would let me try and be a 2-way player. Fortunately, I got to do that in College for a few years before I became strictly a pitcher. I knew I would get a great education, so it just seemed like the place to go.
Virginia Wesleyan
While at Virginia Wesleyan, the hard-throwing Pittsburgh native became a 3rd Team All-American, a First Team All-Region, and All-State. He also was awarded as the Pitcher of the Week on multiple occasions and was also on the All-Academic team.
While there are many great players at the D3 level, by the time his 5th year rolled around, he had done just about everything he could at that level. College players were granted an extra year of eligibility after the 2020 season got canceled, so with an extra year left he decided he needed a new challenge.
Pilarski entered the Transfer Portal after the 2020 Season, and, after a flurry of phone calls over a 48-hour period, he landed at The Citadel, a D1 College in Charleston, South Carolina.
He was trading one beach town for another and was going from one great baseball school to the next.
One of the best things about that experience is that, when I went in to tell my Coaches that Wesleyan wasn’t in my future for my last year, I was having a hard time telling them. Before I could get the words out of my mouth, Coach Francis said, Dude, you’ve done everything you can do here, and you’re gonna go do great things, you’ve put your time in here, we’re always going to love you, but, you deserve to go somewhere else and perform at a different level.
Pilarski did just that when he transferred to The Citadel and became their Friday Night Starter.
The Citadel
Becoming a Friday Night Starter at the D1 Level with the type of velocity and off-speed stuff that Pilarski had developed made it a fairly easy assumption that the Draft was in his future.
But, it wasn’t, and neither was an undrafted Free Agent offer.
Coming off of the 5 Round 2020 Draft, teams were very tight with their money that year and jobs were hard to be found. Many, many affiliate-caliber players were advised to play Indy ball and use that as a springboard to an affiliate when more jobs became available.
So, that’s the route that Pilarski took.
As a matter of fact, he signed with Lake Erie before the 2021 Draft with stipulations in his contract that he could still be drafted, although he wasn’t.
Pilarski played with Lake Erie, then was traded to Washington before the offer he’d been seeking finally came.
A buddy that he had played with back at Lake Erie suggested that he start going to a workout facility and organization named Tread Athletics. Tread Athletics has connections all over affiliated baseball and they are very well known for their work in training professionals.
Click to Watch Pilarski Throwing a Pen at Tread Athletics
Pilarski was put on a workout and throwing routine at Tread, and, before too long, he was hitting triple digits with his fastball. That’s when a scout that Pilarski had known since his days in College, Jonah Rosenthal, decided to endorse and push for the Dodgers to sign the traveled young flame thrower, and they did, and that leads us into this past off-season where he took the game of baseball and Dodgers fans by storm.
Here’s what he had to say about that whole process
I’m not going to lie, not getting drafted sucked. I had talked to several scouts and there was all this high hope for me, and then the Draft came and went and my name wasn’t called. But, at the end of the day, I think the route that I did take is going to make me better off anyways.
Pilarski continued on and talked about how he ended up with the Dodgers.
This was the year after Covid, so money was tight for Free Agent signings, and everyone told me to go to Indy ball, and pitch well, then I could get out of there when jobs came open. I had talked to a handful of scouts before I talked to Jonah and they were 30 minute phone calls where they wanted to know you’re routine, pitch grips and what made me think I could play in their organization.
Pilarski continued and talked about Rosenthal
I was on the phone with Jonah for probably 3 hours and he hit all those things, but we also talked about Pittsburgh and where I was from for probably 2 1/2 hours. It was nice to talk to someone who knew where I was from and had a lot of history with Pittsburgh at a time that I was stressed out and trying to make a good impression. He just stayed on me through not getting drafted, and the next thing you know I’m throwing 100 at Tread, and he was like, we have to pull the trigger. Thankfully his bosses agreed with him and he was able to make me a Dodger.
Prospect Feature
Pilarski throws 100+, and, as you’ll see in the video below, he has a slider as well that has a lot of depth and hard break. He also sprinkles in a changeup to keep hitters honest as well.
Check out the velo & the depth on the cutter from Jake Pilarski. If you haven't ever heard of him, join the club, he's been in Indy ball for the last couple of years. @JacobPilarski struck out the side and his last of the inning was 101 MPH. Wow! Can't wait to see more! #dodgerspic.twitter.com/sntSvsZWJZ
Minor League Baseball is a game of odds that can be overwhelming at times if you get lost in thinking about the long road to the Major Leagues. Guys that continue climbing, and eventually make it, have an impeccable off-the-field process. supreme confidence while on it, extraordinary talent, and the ability to take their journey 1 mile at at time.
Pilarski checks every box!
He knows how to keep working in the face of odds that aren’t in his favor because he’s had to do it before, and, despite that, he’s continued to bet on himself because he knows he has the ability to be a Major League pitcher.
He has impeccable character, a 100+ fastball, and, as you can tell in the interview above, he’s a very grounded and humble person, despite the supreme amount of confidence he has in himself.
Pilarski has, no doubt, taken baseball by storm, except for those that have always been around him, like his college coaches, Jonah Rosenthal, and others in the same boat. To them, this was destined to happen, and, well, it’s happening.
In closing, I would like to thank Jake for joining Dodgers Daily for an interview. He was in his hotel waiting for his bus to take him to the Freeway Series when we did the interview, so he is super busy, and Dodgers Daily is super appreciative of his time.
Jake is an awesome young man to get to speak with, he’s super talented and Dodgers Daily will be rooting for him all along the way.
Chris Campos is a Right Handed pitcher in the Dodgers organization that grew up in the LA Area and has been a diehard Dodgers fan for as long as he can remember. His childhood was filled with trips to Dodgers Stadium and memories of Dodger greats, and now he has been given the chance to become one of his own.
How He Got Here
Campos grew up in the LA area, and eventually became a 2-way star in High School, but it’s not quite as direct as it may seem. He started at Mater Dei High School, and was there for his Freshman and Sophomore years, but eventually transferred to Damien for his Junior and Senior years.
He loved his experiences at both places and has carried lasting relationships with him from that time in his life.
You know, Mater Dei has top-notch facilities, and it’s everything you’ve probably ever heard of it because they have everything you could ever need there. Their facilities were like playing at a Big League stadium.
Campos went on to talk about his experience further
My experience at Mater Dei was really good I was on the Freshman team my Freshman year, and then on the JV team as a Sophomore. I had great coaches that taught me a lot, and Josh Lee was my JV coach, and we still talk to this day.
Campos then explained why he transferred to Damien
Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNGI was going into my Junior year and I was planning on coming back to Mater Dei and I was hoping to be on the Varsity team and fight for a starting spot. But, when I went into the Summer meetings I was talking to the Head Coach and he was giving me a rundown of what he thought of my abilities and he was telling me that D1 colleges wouldn’t be looking for players like me because I was too small and wasn’t going to be in the starting lineup for Varsity. That Hurt, so while I wanted to stay with my good friends, for me and my baseball career I made the decision to go to Damien where I went to play for Andy Nieto, who is a great baseball coach. He didn’t promise me anything other than an opportunity and that was all I needed.
Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG
Campos hit .347 for his prep career, and on the mound, he recorded a 0.25 ERA and helped his Damien Spartans win the Baseline League Championship. He was first team MVP, and was named to the First Team All Baseline League, was an SGV All-Star Selection, and then SGV All-Star MVP. He was also named to the SUN/Bulletin-All Area Team and San Gabriel Valley All-Area Team.
After High School, Campos wanted to find a place where he could both play the field and pitch, at least some, and a place where he would feel wanted.
Saint Mary’s became that place as they offered everything he was looking for.
Campos was impressed with the great program that Coach Greg Moore had built at Saint Mary’s but the selling point was how wanted the coaches made him feel.
Jordon Toowig was the guy that was really heavy on recruiting me there, and he’s really good at what he does. He really feels like family. I really felt wanted which was a big reason why I ended up there. During the recruiting process, Coach Moore told Coach Toowig that he wanted our family because they had both got to know my parents and some of the stuff we had been through, so that’s why I chose to be a Gael.
Photo courtesy of smcgaels.com
Campos spent 3 years at Saint Mary’s and got to play with current Dodger, RHP Michael Hobbs while he was there, and thinks of Hobbs as sort of an older brother. Hobbs is the all-time saves leader at Saint Mary’s so those 2 won a lot of games during their time there and are very happy about their choice to be a Gael.
Campos was a 2-way player and was the starting shortstop, then pitched some while he was in College. He hit .347 for his career and had an OPS of almost .800 so his offensive tool is very good. But, after the 2022 season, he got drafted in the 7th Round by the Dodgers, and, although he still takes some ground balls and B.P., he was a pitcher in the organization during his short season.
Becoming a Dodger
Becoming a Dodger was a great experience because he grew up loving the Dodgers, and he actually played at Quakes Stadium while he was in High School at Damien.
So, when he got called up to Rancho, it was exciting on a bunch of different levels.
I got to play at Quakes Stadium when I was in High School, so when I got the call to pack up my stuff and head to Rancho I called my family and let them know, then they let all my Aunts and cousins and everyone else know. So I had a really good crowd when I pitched there because it’s only like a 40-minute drive from where I grew up.
Campos went on to talk about what draft day was like for him.
Draft day was amazing, and I had just flown in from where I was playing Summer Ball, so I was at home for the draft and I had all my family with me. Around the 5th and 6th Rounds, I started getting a bunch of calls so I figured I’d be going soon. My agent called and told me the Dodgers wanted me and had offered. I had actually said no to the first 2 offers and he said that the Dodgers were going to take me anyways. so they ended up taking me and we all started cheering. We were all super happy and it was a great experience and a memory I will never forget.
Arsenal
Campos has just started pitching full-time but is very advanced for that type of experience. He features a fastball, changeup, curveball, and slider and sits 94 mph, and can hit as high as 97. He has a live arm and he and Jared Karros worked really hard together in the off-season to develop their secondary pitches.
Finishing Up
Campos is just 22 years old and is just getting started as a pitcher on a full-time basis, so I really expect him to make leaps and bounds in the next couple of years. He finished his short season in Rancho hitting 97 on the gun at the top end.
Having been a High-Level D1 shortstop, he is very athletic and very competitive, and, having been a part of the offensive side of the game, he knows the grind and how to handle it.
One of his goals is to get his body in shape to play an entire professional season which is grueling and a chore in and of itself, but one he’s excited to take on.
In closing, I would like to thank Chris for joining Dodgers Daily. I got to see him play while he was at Saint Mary’s so I was very excited when he became a Dodger and even more excited for the chance to talk with him. He is an awesome young man and it was a privilege to get to speak with him and tell at least a small part of his story.
Dodgers Daily is very thankful for this opportunity and will be rooting for Chris all along his journey.
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Watch the Presentation of the Dodgers Daily All Grit Team
One of the biggest compliments a baseball player can get is when someone calls them “gritty”. The term “grit” can be defined in several different ways, but here’s how I define the term.
G-Guts:A player can’t be afraid of the moment, especially the big ones.
R-Resilience: Baseball is a game of failure. It’s not a matter of “if” you are going to fail, it’s a matter of “when”. Successful baseball players continue to pick themselves up when they get knocked down and keep trying until they reach their goals.
I- Intelligence: One of the biggest parts of being “gritty” is giving yourself every advantage possible. “Gritty” players don’t like losing, so they spend countless hours trying to figure out the best way to win. Learning the game, the opponent, and coming to understand what it is that you do best, then putting a plan together based on that gives “gritty” players a leg up on their competition.
T-Tenacity: In the moment of competition, in baseball, it’s just you and the other guy for the whole world to see. “Gritty” players are tenacious in the way they compete and losing for these types of people is simply not an option. Gritty players find a way, “ANY” way, to beat the person that is in front of them.
So, who are the players in the Dodgers Minor League system that show the most amount of “grit”?
The following results come straight from the players in the system. I asked every player I have had communications with to list who they think is the “grittiest” player, and, after adding up the votes, here are the results.
#15 Diego Cartaya
Photo by MLB.com
Cartaya is a 21-year-old catcher that finished 2022 at High A Great Lakes. He is known as the Dodger’s #1 overall prospect in the organization, but, what you might not know is that he is also widely considered one of the best teammates of any player in the organization.
Cartaya has shown impeccable work ethic and, although he is getting a lot of attention, he does his best not to bring it to himself. He truly is the total package and here are some comments players made about him.
Diego has a quiet toughness! He doesn’t take his at bats onto the field, and as such a young catcher it’s truly impressive. He compartmentalizes well and that’s a huge flag of toughness for me
#14 Jorbit Vivas
Vivas is a 21 year old infielder who was put on the 40-man roster in front of last season, which goes to show how high the organization is on his talent. Now, his teammates have spoken in terms of his intangible qualities and the type of teammate he is.
His talent combined with his off the field excellence makes him a very exciting prospect.
Jorbit is a fox hole guy, anytime anywhere anyone. Loves the challenge. Wants the challenge
More Comments:
Jorbit is always working, always sore and always playing through it. Really tough kid!
#13 Justin Hagenman
Photo by OKC Dodgers
Hagenman is a 26-year-old out of Penn State that got moved up to AAA OKC early in the season last year and spent the remainder of his season there. Hagenman is a guy that has always been willing to just do what the team needs him to do and his teammates have taken notice.
Hagenman quietly had a very good season last year and is easily one of the most underrated relievers in the game.
Here’s what his teammates had to say about the former Nittany Lion.
Whatever role the team needs him to fill, he’s always ready to do his job. He’s a competitor the entire time he’s on the bump.
More Comments:
He has been through a lot of different things in his career and he just keeps going and does his job.
#12 Yeiner Fernandez
Photo by Joey Perez
Fernandez is a 20 year old catcher out of Venezuela who really made a splash this year in Rancho. He is just 5’9 170, but what he may lack in size, he makes up for with toughness and grit.
He is one of the best athletes in the system and has been compared by some to Austin Barnes because of his versatility and size.
Fernandez played 2nd base as well as catcher and we know how much the Dodgers love versatility in all of their players. He really turned heads in 2022 and has become one of the top overall prospects in the organization, and certainly one of the top catchers. Here are the comments on him from his teammates.
Yeiner Fernandez is one of the toughest guys we have in the org. Last year he got smoked many times with a back swing and foul balls and he never wanted to come out the game. There was one situation where he got hit in his left hand with a back swing and even after the trainer did an evaluation and told him that he can’t continue playing, he didn’t want to leave the game. There are others names, but for me Fernández is my guy for this list.
More Comments:
Always plays 100%. I’ve seen him get absolutely beat up behind the plate and he never will complain or talk about it. One of the grittiest/toughest guys I’ve met.
#11 Austin Gauthier
Gauthier signed as an undrafted Free Agent in 2021 and made it as high as Great Lakes this season. He is known to have one of the highest baseball IQ’s in the game and just does what he can to help win.
He has one goal as a Dodger and that is to help win another ring for the organization. He has been a winner everywhere he has been and that’s not a coincidence because he does all the little things every team needs to win games. He is a lot of fun to watch.
Here were the comments made on him.
Kid was playing every single day this year and was grinding it out even when he was struggling. Even if he had a tough streak kid was still showing up each day and doing everything he knew he needed to do without hesitation. But he played a lot of games this year especially with little to no off day and just kept going.
More Comments:
Dirtbag in the most endearing baseball sense of the term. He does the things that don’t go into stat sheets and you’ll ironically, or not, see him on a lot of winning teams
#10 Hunter Feduccia
Photo by Tim Campbell/MiLB
“Feddy” as he is known by his teammates, is one of the most durable catchers in the game, and is also very good. He ended 2022 with AAA OKC, and, instead of wearing down like catchers are supposed to do, every year he actually gets stronger. He works great with every type of pitcher and has total respect from his teammates. He is easily one of the most respected players in the organization..
Read for yourself!
Dude gets beat up back there every night and never complains. I have seen him take some off of places you never want to lol and get right back up into the game. Grinds before, during and after the game for us pitchers and never complains. A true grinder!
#9 Ismael Alcantara
Alcantara is 24 year old out of the DR that finished 2022 with AA Tulsa. Any time I’ve asked a question about him to someone in the organization, the most common response is that he is “the real deal.” While his talent is plenty, his toughness and grit is it’s equal. Don’t believe me, believe the guys that go to battle with him every day.
Dude plays the game with so much passion and heart. A father of a young boy, you can tell he puts it all on the line for him and the rest of his family. Great guy who gets after it every day.
More Comments:
Goes to work everyday and doesn’t complain
#8 Taylor Young
Young is a 2022 Draft pick that came to the Dodgers as the All-Time hits leader in the history of Louisiana Tech. At 5’9 Young is not a player that tailors his game around 500-foot bombs, but that doesn’t mean he won’t catch your attention.
What will catch your attention is the way he plays. He is one of the grittiest, toughest, and smartest players in the game, period, at any level, and his “grit” factor is off the charts. As a matter of fact, his coaches for as long as he can remember have all called him a “dirtbag”, meaning, he’s willing to do what it takes to win. It didn’t take his teammates in the Dodgers organization long to catch on.
He’s a really scrappy player who always seems to find hits and be in the right spot at all times. Never gives at bats away and is fearless out on the field.
More Comments:
Oh for sure I’ll definitely nominate Taylor Young. I can’t think of something specific but when you watch him play the game you can just see his toughness with everything he does.
#7 Michael Busch
Photo by Tim Campbell/MiLB
Busch is one of the top prospects in the Dodgers organization and is primed to make his MLB debut in 2023, so he is very talented. But, he’s also always been known as a “tough guy”.
He grew up in Minnesota and played hockey in High School, and was his teams quarterbacks, so toughness has been a requirement in his background, not an option. He is widely considered to be one of the best teammates in the system and, although somewhat quietly, has great leadership skills.
Classic hockey player mentality. You can trust that if he can play he wants to be in the line up, and he’s going to be there in the moment.
More Comments:
Great guy, great teammate that just grinds no matter the circumstances
#6 Justin Yurchak
Photo by Tim Campbell/MiLB
Yurchak is one of the best hitters in all of Minor League baseball, but just never seems to get the credit he deserves. He hit .365 across 2 levels in 2021, then hit .282 this past season with AA Tulsa.
While he may not get the credit he deserves in the Media ranks, his teammates have spoken and are giving him the credit he deserves by awarding him to the “All Grit Team”.
Well done Justin!
Absolute grinder and is always doing the right thing and playing through anything!
More Comments:
Goes to work everyday and doesn’t complain
More Comments
Without going into confidential detail, Justin would die on the field before coming out
#5 Ryan January
Photo by Tim Campbell/MiLB
January is a 25 year old catcher out of Swampscott, Massachusetts and is a guy that does whatever is asked of him. “Jan” as he is known, doesn’t need publicity, he doesn’t need to be in the spotlight, he just wants to have the chance to show up to the yard every day because he just simply loves baseball.
The January Journey continues, and this time it’s taking a stop on the All-Grit team, a recognition that has been earned several times over.
With the caliber of catchers we have in this org it doesn’t stop this dude from working his ass off behind the plate. He’s got the true grit type of personality.
More Comments:
Easy answer! Ryan January! Jan is always at the field working on some aspect of his game. Whether it’s him getting in cage work, catching drill, and game planning. He is always working and talking with pitchers day in and day out during early work and so on. He would be working with the younger catchers or newcomers behind the plate just to teach them about how to pitch call and sequence for pitchers on the staff. Also, Jan is one of the guys you will never hear or see complain about having to catch during early work. He may give you a hard time but never comes from a place of bad intentions. Also, he could wear foul tips all game long but you’d never hear him complain about it. The trainer would have to force him to come out of the game before he would take himself out. All in all, Jan represents everything you think of when it comes to an everyday catcher! Love that guy behind the plate.
#4 Max Hewitt
I’m not gonna sugarcoat this one, I’m pretty fired up about Max being voted on to this list. I had the pleasure of watching his entire College career at Oklahoma State, and I have more respect for him than any other player I’ve ever seen come through that program.
Max is a 25-year-old utility player that was drafted as a catcher and finished 2022 in Great Lakes. His teammates came to find what I did while he was at OSU, and that is that this guy is special. He’s full of grit, he’s a great teammate and he’s one you want in your foxhole when the rubber meets the road.
Grinder type player from Canada. Definition of grit!.
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I told myself I had to think but right after I said that I was like heck no I don’t it’s Max 100%
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It’s Hewitt! Ask anyone on our Loons team and they will say the same thing
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He went through the most last year in terms of being inactive/active and taking care of the pitchers. Every time he got activated and played he was contributing which was very impressive
#3 Ryan Ward
Sit down, get comfortable, get some popcorn and settle in, because I could spend all day talking about this young prospect. Wardo, as he is known, is simply one of the toughest, hard nosed players in the game of baseball, and he is very talented too.
He graduated with less than 100 kids in his graduating class and learned small town values at an early age. Hard work and discipline is something that flows in abundance with Ryan. In fact, this off season, he wakes up at 4:00 in the morning to get his lifting workout in, then works an 8 hour day at his job, then, when he gets off work, he does his baseball work.
He is truly a throw back, and, while his play on the field speaks for itself, his process off of it has left everyone he has come in contact with totally impressed.
Here are the comments his teammates and those around him every day had for him.
Playing with him this year i realized how tough he was. Whether it was playing through injury or just having no regard of what’s in his way of getting a fly ball lol.
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There’s a bunch of reasons why I chose Wardo, dude plays hard!
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Wardo is one of the toughest and grittiest players I have ever played with. He puts the work in everyday, doesn’t complain and does his job. Plus some.
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Wardo is a guy I wouldn’t hesitate getting in a foxhole with. You can count on him to do his part every single time.
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I love playing with Ryan. The dude is a great player and you couldn’t pry him out of the lineup with a crowbar.
#2 James Outman
Photo by Tim Campbell/MiLB
If you have frequented any of the Dodgers Daily Social Media platforms, you know how high I have been on the game of James Outman for a long while now. Everyone in professional baseball is insanely talented, so talent isn’t always the first thing that sticks out in a Minor League setting. Outman is supremely talented, in fact, he might be the best athlete in the system, and just about every skill of his is in the plus category. But, as a former middle linebacker, his aggressiveness and total lack of fear in any setting sticks out, even amongst the worlds greatest players.
If Outman isn’t a very good Major League baseball player for a very long time, there are no “baseball gods”. Don’t believe me though, believe those that would know best, his teammates and others in the organization that work beside him every day.
There’s not a day that goes by in season or off-season where I don’t think he got a little better. He doesn’t talk about it either he just puts in the work.
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Being a former football player you can just tell he has a different mentality then most guys when it comes to competing and being gritty.
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Always getting his work in and is a gym rat.
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Great guy, great teammate that just grinds no matter the circumstances.
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James has no fear around the wall and is willing to give up his body to get an out.
#1 Drew Avans
Photo by Tim Campbell/MiLB
I’ve been screaming from the mountain tops for anyone who is willing to listen for quite a while now that this guy is simply “One Helluva Player’.
He has the most complete game of anyone I’ve seen in a long time and he is the toughest and grittiest player in the organization as awarded by his teammates, which is the highest possible honor a player can get.
Last year he had the longest on-base streak in the last 3 years in the PCL at 53, and on back-to-back nights he extended it with bunt-base hits. He also stole 40 bases and played a great Center Field.
Avans not only needs to be on an MLB 40-man roster, but he also needs to be on a 26-man roster and he needs to be playing every day at the MLB level.
He is that good!
If an MLB club were to put him in Center, then batted him at a “table setter” position, then told him to be in the top 10 in on-base percentage and runs scored, he would do it, I’m convinced of that.
Avans learned his “blue collar” roots back home in Alabaster, Alabama, then at Southeastern Louisiana in college. He’s not the biggest guy on the field, and, probably not the most talented, but, no one will ever be able to convince me that he’s not the “best” baseball player on the field in the purest form of what a baseball player should be.
I’m not surprised in any way that his teammates overwhelmingly chose him as the “grittiest” player in the organization and I’m super excited that he was given this recognition.
He shows up every day with the same mentality. Every pitch, every at bat, gets the same attention and focus. He doesn’t care how the job gets done, he’s just willing to get it done.
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Drew Avans is my choice. He is a grinder no doubt.
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I don’t know him all that well but did okay with him my second year in Arizona. Drafted in the mid 30’s but is just one step away from the bigs. Won’t get out worked and is just an all round gamer. Doesn’t have any overwhelming attributes besides his speed but will play hard every single day. Definitely a guy you want to play with.
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I would say Avans is probably on the top of my list. I noticed his grit/toughness when I played against him in college and playing with him this year I could see the love he has for the game and how he just never takes a pitch off and he’s just a great guy to have on your team.
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Drew plays hard and the right way every single night.
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It’s Avans, for sure
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Avans no doubt. Dude just shows up every day and grinds. Doesn’t complain and you can always count on Drew.
Honorable Mention
Others that received votes and comments as well from their teammates.
Lael Lockhart Jr.
Gritty gritty dude. His outings are often described as exactly that. Gritty pitches in big spots. Doesn’t shy away.
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Lael is one of the most competitive dudes I’ve ever played with. When he pitches, everyone goes “all in” to give him our best performance behind him.
Braydon Fisher
Braydon has had a lot of stops and starts and has just kept working through it all. He deserves success because he never complains, he just deals with everything as it comes and does his work.
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Braydon does his best work when it matters the most, so that goes to show how competitive he is. We just know we’re going to win when he pitches, so that makes you want to play a little harder when he’s out there.
Alec Gamboa
Alec is probably the toughest dude I know. He hasn’t had it easy and he’s just kept fighting to get where he’s at. He has the ultimate amount of respect from his teammates, that’s for sure.
Nick Robertson
Nick is a big ole’ dude that knows how to grind. He comes right at hitters and we always feel great when he gets put in.
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Nick has been put in just about every role there is and he accepts everything and does his job to his best. He’s a true grinder!
Mark Washington
Wash is a guy that I have a tremendous amount of respect for. He is so confident and works very very hard and is a great teammate. We love it when he gets brought it, because we know good things are going to happen.
Ryan Pepiot
Talk about a guy that loves the big moment. We all know his talent, but when it matters the most, he is at his best. Very talented, and even more gritty.
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Pep has nasty stuff, and is one of the most competitive dudes I’ve ever played with. He’s going to be very good for a very long time.
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I think he got all of his vacation paid for this off-season with his frequent flyer miles this past season. He never knew where he was going to be every day, but just put his best foot forward every time he pitched, wherever his feet might have been that night.
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One of the things that stood out to me about Pep was that he never took nights off. Coming off of your MLB debut, it would be easy to not carry as much energy into a AAA start your next time out with 3000 people in the stands. But, he took those games as seriously as his MLB starts and that was impressive.
Michael Grove
Talk about a guy that never gets the credit he deserves, but just goes out and does his job every day.
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Michael is probably the most underrated pitcher in baseball and is still getting better. All he knows is to just show up and work every day and it is paying off for him.
Bobby Miller
Everyone knows he’s a stud, but his love for the game of baseball and getting better is next level. I got to train a little bit back home with him last off-season and lived with him in Tulsa. The dude is tough as nails and wouldn’t hesitate to have your back.
Gavin Stone
Gavin is a guy that never seems to get bothered by much, but is ultra-competitive and never gives in. He is very gritty.
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Gavin is a guy you want on your team. He believes in teamwork and, when he pitches, we definitely all have each other backs.
Nick Nastrini
He just always puts in work and then some!
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Nick just has that Riverside grit. The dude just knows how to compete and you can trust him in every situation.
Aaron Ochsenbein
This guy is an absolute grinder and plays through pain. If you want to know what “grit” looks like, just watch him pitch.
Carson Taylor
Carson got beat up pretty good last year. Every pitcher we had threw very hard, so catching with Tulsa was not an easy job, but he grinded through it very well.
Jonny DeLuca
Jonny isn’t flashy in the way he acts, but his game is so good that it definitely has flash to it. He has so much talent but is so humble and he doesn’t take his talent for granted. He works every day to get better and is very competitive.
Kyle Hurt
Kyle is a guy that is one of the most talented pitchers in the game, but he’s also one of the most accepting for whatever role the team needs from him each day.
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Kyle was born to be tough and gritty. His dad played College football in the SEC and his grandpa played in the NFL, so I can’t imagine he had much of a choice other than to be gritty and tough, and reliable.
John Rooney
Roons is so competitive. He gets in his routine and then he goes out every time he pitches and battles his ass off.
Jake Cantleberry
Jake has always played against the best competition and he’s never been the biggest guy, so he had to learn how to compete really early. Dude battles like crazy when he ptiches.
Landon Knack
Landon has dealt with injuries and just keeps grinding every day. I think he’s gonna put it all together this year.
Devin Mann
Devin is one of the best dudes and teammates I have every played with. He not the “in your face” type of competitor, but his daily grind and the way he prepares is awesome.
Robbie Peto
I’ve been playing with him since I was 16, he’s a dawg. No matter the circumstances he’s gonna go out to the mound and compete his ass off. Whether he has his best stuff that day or not.
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Robbie was asked to pitch in just about every role last year and embraced all of them. He gives his team everything he’s got every time he takes the bump.
Brandon Lewis
Without going into confidential detail, Brandon would die on the field before coming out.
Jordan Leasure
Quietly confident. Nothing seems to ever bother “Leas” and he stays so consistent with both his play and his mentality. He comes right at hitters and has no fear.
Dalton Rushing
We only had him for a little bit because he just got drafted, but, man is that dude tough. He would’ve been able to fit in playing in the “good old days”
Cole Percival
Without going into confidential detail, Cole would die on the field before coming out
Michael Hobbs
Michael has had to fight through injury and just keeps grinding. He loves the big moments too and is very competitive. I love playing behind him.
Ben Casparius
Ben has nasty stuff, and you know you can rely on him in the biggest moments. He is going to be good for a long time.
Cole Duensing
If you know anything about how Cole has gotten to where he is at, you know just how gritty he is. He’s had an pretty crazy journey and he keeps fighting for his dream.
Emmet Sheehan
Emmet definitely pitches with a chip on his shoulder and with something to prove. The dude just comes right at guys with ridiculous stuff. I’m glad I don’t have to face him.
Antonio Knowles
Great dude, great teammate. I love being his teammate because he has your back at all times.
Julian Smith
Julian always has a smile on his face and accepts whatever role he is given and gives his all every time he gets a chance.
Damon Keith
Awesome dude, super talented and plays to win.
Madison Jeffrey
Madison is maybe the most confident pitcher I’ve ever played with. I’m glad I don’t have to face him because his stuff is dirty and he comes at hitters with a “Dawg” mentality.
Kyle Froemke
Kyle has had a crazy path to get to where he’s at, so he doesn’t take anything for granted, that’s for sure. He’s one of, if not the best teammate I have ever played with.
Zach McKinstry (Not with the club anymore, but received votes)
The dude is a competitor, shows up to the field every day ready to get after it, and on top of that he is the best teammate I’ve ever run on and off the field. But an absolute grinder! The Cubs are lucky to have him. He is a teammate that will always push you to be your best.
Bubba Alleyne
Talk about a guy that plays hard and plays every day with great energy.
Jimmy Lewis
Jimmy Lewis is a guy that has some grit. He 100% has not had it easy. But he continues to work his ass off in pursuit of his dream. All with a smile on his face. Jimmy could be having the worst outing of his life or the best outing of his life but you better believe he’s competing his ass every pitch of every at bat in every game. Nothing but respect for Jimmy. The guy is by far the hardest worker in my eyes!
Adolfo Ramirez
No fear, done it at dang near every level. Just give me the ball and let’s go type of guy.
Ryan Sublette
Different type of toughness. Not the chest-out intimidation guy, but he’s so confident in who he is that he doesn’t have to show that. He doesn’t let failures carry over!
Alex Freeland
Played through multiple injuries his whole career and was also born with an abnormal left foot. Plays the game hard and is a grinder!
Jose Martinez
He’s my brother since 2018. He has a really strong mind and he is my choice among many players. He has my respect the same way I respect Bobby Miller.
Other Receiving Votes:
Gus Varland, Miguel Vargas, Jose Ramos, Tony Wolters, Andy Burns, Donovan Casey, Franklin De La Paz.
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If you’ve ever seen Madison Jeffrey pitch, at any time, at any level, or for any amount of time, you know one thing about him, and that is that he is one competitive dude. He knows just one mode, the “Go” Mode, and in the sports world, he is known as as a “Dawg”, which is the ultimate show of respect towards one’s competitive nature.
Jeffrey grew up with Blue Collar roots in Barboursville West Virginia just 12 miles from the campus of Marshall University and in a houseful of competition. His two brothers, Adam and Zach, both played collegiately, one in baseball, the other in basketball, the 2 sports Jeffrey starred in at Cabell Midland High. So, needless to say, Jeffrey’s competitive nature came naturally, because, in a household full of 3 eventual college athletes, everything is a competition.
His High School coaches, Tracy and George Brumfield are father and son and have won c lose to 1000 games as Head coaches. When coaches reach these kinds of heights, it’s a result of teaching more than just the Xs and Os of their sport, they teach life lessons. One of those life lessons that Jeffrey learned as a Scarlet Knight was how to compete, but then also knowing when to be laid back.
One thing I took away from both of them was to know when to be laid back and relaxed, but then know when to kind of “flip the switch” and go into game mode. So, I took a lot away from those guys and I’m really happy I got top play for both of them.
Tough Decision
Having grown up so close to the Marshall University campus, Jeffrey has always been a Thundering Herd fan at heart so when he chose West Virginia as his college destination it was not an easy choice. He had just completed a remarkable Senior campaign where he earned West Virginia player of the year honors, First Team All-State, and had become a Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American.
He was also a 2-sport star at Cabell Midland and coaches and scouts love that type of athletic background, so, he had plenty of options. But when he toured West Virginia, he was really swept off of his feet, and for good reason.
The Mountaineers revitalized its baseball program when it built Monongalia County Ballpark in 2015. Since then they have continued to make improvements to the facility and they were landing one of the best recruiting classes in the nation when Jeffrey was being recruited. Randy Mazey, their head coach, has built a top-notch program on blue-collar values, hard work, and toughness, so when Jeffrey took his trip to Morgantown, it didn’t take him long to decide to make it home.
Yeah, I mean, when it came down to Marshall and West Virginia that was probably the toughest decision I had to make. Growing up I was a Marshall fan and where I lived was 10 minutes off of their campus so I always grew up loving Marshall and loving the Green.
Jeffrey continued about his decision to go to West Virginia
As soon as West Virginia reached out it was quick. I saw West Virginia’s facilities and I talked to Coach Mazey, Coach Sabins, and the pitching coach at the time Dave Serrano, and once I saw the facilities it happened in like two weeks. The crazy thing is that West Virginia had seen me on twitter, then Coach Sabins reached out.
With a Madison Jeffrey light-hearted smile, he finished his thoughts on his decision to go to West Virginia
It’s funny too, in my exit meeting with Coach Mazey after my Freshman year he asked me if I was still a Marshall fan and I was like Coach Mazey, I’m still a Marshall fan at heart. I’m just blessed that I had those schools looking at me, but it was the right choice to go to West Virginia and going through that program.
West Virginia To the Dodgers
Jeffrey got playing time right away as a Mountaineer and started his College career by not allowing a run in his first 7 outings and posting a batting average against of just .107 in 2019. He followed that up in 2020 by posting a 1.42 ERA in his Sophomore campaign while allowing hitters to hit just .108 off of him in his 2nd year on Campus. In 2021 he recorded 28 strikeouts in just 20 innings of relief work, so his stuff proved to be very explosive to match his intensely competitive nature.
After the 2021 season, his third year at WVU, the Dodgers selected him in the 15th Round. Jeffrey had to wait until the 3rd day to hear his name called, so, although he had a ballpark idea as to what was going to happen in the draft, it was still very nerve-racking.
I kind of knew that I wasn’t going to go the first day, but I kind of fed into the norm of looking at the Mock drafts and they had me anywhere from the 3rd round to the 8th round. So, once that 2nd day rolled around I started getting a little nervous once we passed about the 5th round. But, then I started getting calls from my agent and from some other teams and Jon Adkins with the Dodgers called and said that they wanted me and wanted to take me. He said he didn’t know when it was going to be but to stay on my toes.
Jeffrey continued about Draft Day
The third day rolled around and that’s when the nerves were rolling because, coming from a small town in Barboursville, West Virginia, you don’t think that anyone is going to make it out. So, I kind of fell into that trap too thinking that it might not happen. Then I was sitting there and we were watching the TV when Round 15 rolled around, the Dodgers pick came up and the next thing you know they said my name and it was like the weight of the world was off of my shoulders. Once everything settled down, I was just ready to go to work.
Feature Cut
Jeffrey features a 4 seam fastball that reached 100 MPH early last season and a cutter that hit as high as 92, so his stuff is very explosive. He also features a very sharp and late-breaking slider, so, when his stuff is in the zone, he is very hard to hit. In fact, his average against last year was just .193, and remember it was under .200 in his first two years at West Virginia as well.
Madison Jeffrey hit 98 last night & had the slider/cutter combo to mix to record his 3rd save of the year. I've seen @mjeffrey33 quite a bit going back to his days at WVU & he comes at you with knees and elbows, big stuff, & an attitude! I love watching him pitch! #dodgerspic.twitter.com/7N847aGzBF
One of the first things that is easily noticeable when Jeffrey pitches is his confidence and competitive nature. He is a Bulldog on the mound and loves to compete. His fiercely competitive nature is perfect for the late-inning, high-leverage relief role. Beyond the wicked stuff in the next video, just watch how much confidence he carries himself with.
Madison Jeffrey is a relief pitcher out of W. Virginia that WILL pitch in the MLB, as long as he stays healthy. I've seen @mjeffrey33 twice when he was at W. Virginia and the life on his fastball and his curveball are awesome. Take a look for yourself! #dodgerspic.twitter.com/x2FXtLqodP
The one thing that he has worked really hard on this off-season is his command, and he is using this off-season to concentrate on bringing his walk rate down. It’s not a matter of “if”, but a matter of “when” that happens, and, when it does, he is going to be a top-notch late-inning high leverage reliever for a long time.
Here’s what he had to say about his goals for this off-season.
The goal for this off-season was to find command on my fastball. I know my stuff is there, and that it can play, but finding that command and taking that walk rate down a good bit is going to be huge for me. So, going into this Spring Training I’m just going to trust myself and trust that I’ve worked my tail off this off-season with the command and the weight room and everything.
Huge Future
Jeffrey is a 22-year-old prospect that has a big future. His stuff is wicked and he has all of the personality traits to dominate the big moments. When, not if, he gets command of the fastball, he’s going to ascend very fast, because, as his batting average against statistics shows, his stuff is very hard to hit. He has the chance to be a 3-pitch pitcher with his fastball touching triple digits and his cutter hitting 90+. His slider also has plus movement and was a great strike pitch for him last year, so, not only does it move a lot, it’s also in the zone a lot as well.
The first time I saw him was at the Bricktown ballpark when Jeffrey was a true freshman and shoved against my OSU Cowboys. He threw 5 outs, and his stuff popped, and I remember thinking, “man, this kid is just a freshman, wow”. So when I found out that the Dodgers drafted him I was super pumped because I’ve seen with my own eyes how explosive his stuff is.
In closing, I would like to thank Madison for joining Dodgers Daily. His “blue-collar” approach to the game fits my eye and is one of the reasons that I don’t miss a chance to watch him pitch. It was a pleasure getting to speak with this young man and Dodgers Daily will be rooting for him all along his journey.
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Leaving the field while being given a standing ovation as a result of an event full of great competition is an experience that players never forget. A standing ovation is the ultimate symbol of approval, it’s a show of total respect, and it always signals achievement and success, no matter what the scoreboard might say.
Getting a standing ovation from your home crowd and your own fans is one thing, but Rancho Pitching Coach, Durin O’ Linger, got one from the Texas A&M fans as he walked off the field for the final time as a Collegiate. It’s a rare moment in sports when the other team’s crowd acknowledges an opposing team’s player like that, so you can bet it was earned, largely through a heaping full of guts, during a month that had equal amounts of glory.
O’Linger had spent the last several weekends of his Senior year helping his underdog Wildcats win the A10 Tournament, a Regional at Chapel Hill against powerhouse North Carolina, and came just inches away from leading them to Omaha, an achievement that would have been nothing short of miraculous.
Photo courtesy of davidsonwildcats.com
He beat the Tar Heels by pitching 6 innings in the first game, then just 48 hours later came in to get the save to clinch the Regional and help his Wildcat team advance to the next weekend’s Super Regionals at Texas A&M.
That’s where he got his standing ovation.
It was in response to a final month of the 2017 season where he threw somewhere around 500 pitches, threw in 5 of 11 of Davidson’s games, 30 Innings in total, and recorded 3 wins and a save during that period.
Photo courtesy of davidsonwildcats.com
His efforts got him noticed by Gus Quattlebaum who was part of 4 different scouting departments within the Boston Red Sox system for over a decade, and, coincidentally, had also played at Davidson and for the same coach that O’Linger did. Quattlebaum reached out to the Tampa native, and, after a great phone conversation, presented him with an offer that changed the path in life O’Linger had set out.
O’Linger was set on going to pharmacy school at the University of Florida, but chose, instead, to pursue his career with the Red Sox.
The change in course was an appropriate ending to a period in his life that seems more like a blur than it does reality.
You know, the stars kind of aligned. I wasn’t really a draft prospect but I got hot at the right time and so did the team, so getting drafted was kind of a byproduct of the run we made in the Regionals and Super Regionals.
O’Linger went on to explain how he ended up with the Red Sox.
I actually got a call when they signed me from Gus Quattlebaum who is pretty high up in the Red Sox scouting system, and he was a Davidson alum and played for the same coach at Davidson that I did. So, it was a pretty cool phone call to get, and it was one of those things that was surreal. I was ready to go to Pharmacy school at the University of Florida and ended up turning that down and basically packed up and I was in Lowell, Massachusetts the next day.
After a career that reached as high as AA, O’Linger eventually stopped playing in 2019 and moved back home to Tampa where he worked at an Independent baseball facility run by Mark Newman. Newman had been the executive V.P. for baseball operations in the Yankees organization for over 25 years and was mentoring O’Linger toward a coaching career in the professional ranks.
While working with Newman at his facility, O’Linger got a message on Linkedin from Tyler Duncan who is part of the Dodgers performance Science team. That message led to phone interviews, and when O’Linger attended the Winter meetings in San Diego he got to meet several of the Dodgers personnel and realized the Dodgers organization was where he wanted to be. Here’s what he had to say about becoming a Dodger.
It was really cool to get to meet the entire team and I felt instantly connected, and the rest is history. I went in and started on the Covid year and I wasn’t in Arizona very long before everything got shut down, but I was very fortunate to have that experience and then transition into this pitching coach role.
Rancho Manager, Jon Shoemaker, courtesy of Dodgers 2080
O’Linger is the pitching coach at Rancho, which is the A Ball affiliate of the Dodgers. The Manager of the Quakes is John Shoemaker who has been with the organization since 1981 and is a legend within the organization. Shoemaker has over 1600 wins during his managerial tenure within the Dodgers system and O’Linger feels as if he is lucky to have such a great mentor like him to work under at Rancho.
I can’t say enough things about John Shoemaker. With the way that he conducts himself, and the way he prepares himself every day, there’s not a better mentor to be around. I know he made me better every single day and the rest of the staff as well, and, on top of that, he inspired and touched every single player that was there.
I have talked to several players in the system about playing for Shoe, and I can tell you, the words O’Linger spoke are not lip service, they are real.
Here are some more thoughts O’Linger gave on Shoe.
I will say this, Shoemaker instilled in every guy what it means to show up every day ready to play. The Culture that he created every day led to guys getting after their early work, and their bullpens and in the practice setting we tried to push the guys as hard as we could. When nighttime came around, the goal was to make the guys feel like they were always prepared for whatever they were going to see. Whether what they were going to see is good or bad, there are always going to be ups and downs, but the one thing that will stick with me is how hard every guy worked every day. I know it’s really cool for the fans to come in and see the games, but what no one sees or appreciates from the outside is how hard these guys work.
Rancho saw over 40 players come and go last Summer, so it would have been impossible for O’Linger to talk about every prospect he got to work with, but, I did ask him to specifically talk about two rising stars at the catcher position Diego Cartaya and Dalton Rushing. As the pitching coach, O’Linger got to work with those 2 quite a bit on the game-planning side, and here’s what he had to say about them.
Those 2 are special talents, I think that’s probably the best way to put it. But, not only that, they are also great dudes both on and off the field. They both push themselves on the game-planning side, and with both of them being catchers, I got to work with them quite a bit. We really pushed the game-planning side with both of them, and they both had different perspectives with very different backgrounds, but they both came prepared for the other team’s lineup. They knew all of our pitchers, they wanted to catch all the bullpens so they could make sure they knew the arsenal of each pitcher. They would rank each pitcher’s arsenal and knew how it would play based on the count and they came to know the other team’s lineups better than I think those guys knew themselves.
The catcher is the only player on the field that has every position in front of them and works with both the pitchers and the position players, so they have to know about all aspects of the team. They also call the game and are widely known as the Field General, so having leadership skills is a must for that position. Here’s what O’Linger had to say about Cartaya and Rushing’s leadership skills.
Both of them are obviously very talented and have the potential to play this game for a long time at a very high level, which is exciting for Dodgers fans. But, their leadership skills are really what separates them. They were able to get both the positional side and pitching side behind them, so it’s a pretty cool spot for them to be in because the catching side is the only position that mingles with both. So, they have to do their position player work, then they also have to do all of the game-planning with the pitchers, and the way they handled that and how they balanced themselves speaks volumes as to who they are as a person and as a player.
Photo Courtesy of Dodgers 2080
One of the most exciting periods of last Summer, in the entire system, was watching the 2022 Draft Class infuse with the Quakes roster after the Draft. They brought a ton of energy, a bunch of talent and electricity that was fun to watch. O’Linger was very impressed with that group and enjoyed the fact that they basically had a whole new team after they arrived.
Losing the short-season affiliate was tough on everyone because that was usually where guys straight out of college got their feet wet. But, now, with them showing up to a full-season affiliate where pretty much 100 games have already been played, that energy is special. It’s hard to recreate when you’ve had guys there for 100 games already, so it was definitely something that was needed.
O’Linger went on to talk about how most of the 2022 Draft class that came to Rancho were position players.
It was cool for me because most of the 2022 Draft class that showed up for us was on the position side. So I got to really sit back and watch them take BP and have them ask questions.
Final Thoughts
Photo courtesy of Dodgers 2080
Durin is going to be a great coach for as long as he wants to stay in the game and here are several reasons why.
Every player is trying to make the Major Leagues and, in many ways, is competing against their teammates who are people that have become like brothers to them. So, it can be a tricky situation sometimes and one that requires leadership that communicates very well and can make each player understand their situation.
It takes great care towards relationships to make a player feel fully valued when they are not the ones being promoted.
This is an area of the game that is kind of like hitting in the sense that it’s a virtually impossible task, but, the way O’Linger cares for his players and is able to communicate will give him a leg up in these types of situations.
He is the type that will always see value in players well beyond their physical talents and that goes a long way in the Dodgers system and with the players themselves.
Also, one of the biggest responsibilities that Minor League coaches have, especially at the A-ball level, is to teach the culture. The Quakes coaching staff is tasked with teaching all of the young and new guys how to be a Dodger, both on and off the field. This is another area of the game that O’Linger will continue to shine.
Photo courtesy of Dodgers 2080
Another major responsibilty of Minor League coaches is to communicate and coordinate between levels. To do so you have to be a team player, an aspect that comes naturally to O’Linger. Minor League coaches can’t have egos and want a player’s success to be because of them. Instead, they always have to put the players first and put their egos to the side to make the transition from one level to the next seamless. This part of the Dodgers process is spotless, and O’Linger, on the pitching side, is a big part of it.
In closing, I would like to thank Durin for joining Dodgers Daily for an interview. When I started my research I actually didn’t realize he was the pitcher at Davidson that made the last out in 2017 at UNC, so I was excited to find out he was the guy I was getting ready to talk to. He is very impressive and Dodgers Daily will continue to be very excited to watch his ascent through the coaching ranks.
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Emmet Sheehan is a Right Handed pitcher in the Dodgers organization that is turning heads as he ascends through the system. He’s big, he’s talented and he has a lightning bolt for a right arm and one that has those in the system super excited about his future.
Salisbury
Sheehan was a 2 sport star at Salisbury in Connecticut as a Prep and was widely known as one of the best prospects in the Northeast. He was big, had big stuff, and had a changeup and curveball that wiped High School hitters out. And, of course, a big fastball as well.
Needless to say, he had plenty of options after his prep career but eventually chose Boston College as his Collegiate destination because it felt like a perfect fit, something which proved to be the case several times over. He was looking for a school that could offer the perfect combination of great academics and also great baseball, and BC checked every box.
B.C. was a perfect fit. My mom was adamant about going to a good school, and I wanted to go to a really good baseball school, and they were my first offer at the time, so it was kind of a no-brainer. I took their offer right away and I’m very happy that I did because it was awesome and I love Boston College.
At BC he got immediate playing time as a True Freshman in 2019 but really made his mark in 2021 which was, not coincidentally, the season after Covid canceled his College baseball season after just 15 games in 2020.
The Covid shutdown was tough, but it also opened the door to a great opportunity for Sheehan that catapulted his career. When the Cape Cod league got canceled, many of the players that were supposed to play in that league that Summer instead moved over to the Futures League that Sheehan was playing in. That gave him the opportunity to pitch against the best Collegiate talent in the Country and gave him a springboard headed into his third year at B.C in 2021.
The Summer Leagues were great. I played in the Futures League before my Freshman year, then the NECBL the next year, then back to the Futures League again. It was great because we had players from all over the country coming up to play in those Leagues and it was right in our backyard, so it was great.
During his third year as an Eagle, Sheehan recorded 106 strikeouts in just 76.2 innings and flashed big enough stuff to get drafted in the 6th Round of the 2021 Draft by the Dodgers. With 2 years of eligibility left, the decision wasn’t super easy, but when the Dodgers are the team that drafts you, it eliminates a lot of the indecision. Sheehan knew the Dodgers could offer him the best instruction in the world, so, while he enjoyed his time at B.C., it didn’t take him long to decide to become a pro.
Here’s what he had to say about the decision to turn pro.
It was a little bit of a tough decision. I entered the draft kind of expecting to leave school, and it wasn’t too much on my mind to go back. I was expecting to go a little higher in the draft, but then when the 6th Round came, I had heard a ton about the Dodger’s developmental system and how great they are at developing pitchers, so that sealed the deal for me and I definitely wanted to become a Dodger, for sure.
Dodgers
Photo by Tim Campbell MiLB
After getting drafted in 2021, Sheehan threw 1 time at the Complex in the ACL before being moved to Rancho where he made 5 starts. He got moved to Great Lakes for his last start of that season, then spent through August of this past season in 2022 with the Loons before being moved to Tulsa for his last 2 appearances in September.
Sheehan mentioned, in his earlier quote, how excited he was to sign with the Dodgers because of their first-class developmental system, and he hasn’t been disappointed.
The Dodgers have helped me more than I can say. It’s really crazy how good they are at finding what someone is good at and letting them do their thing, but also giving them things to get better at, but not overcrowding them with too much information. Being with the Dodgers has been everything I could have hoped for.
Feature Cut
After some early shoulder issues, none that were/are serious, Sheehan really turned a corner this past season. Starting with his 2nd start in June, he didn’t allow a run in 6 starts in a row and struck out 40 hitters in 22.2 innings while walking just 6 during that stretch.
He followed that up by posting an ERA of just 1.31 in July, 2.83 in August, and finished his season by pitching very well in the Arizona Fall League. In fact, in one of his appearances in the AFL, he struck out 8 hitters in a row, largely due to his big fastball that features a bunch of Velo combined with “ride” at the top of the zone, run to the arm side, and all from a 3/4 slot that makes his delivery uncomfortable for hitters.
His Fastball reached as high as 99 this past season, and he’s almost certain to reach triple digits with it next year. When combined with the extension he gets by being 6’5, and the fact that it’s delivered from a 3/4 slot, it gives his fastball the potential to be elite on every level.
The following video shows his fastball in action, and notice how it rides in on the right-handed hitters.
Changeup
Sheehan’s changeup has always been his best secondary pitch. He was a changeup/curveball guy in College, so he’s always been comfortable throwing those 2 pitches. He still considers those 2 pitches to be his most comfortable secondaries in terms of being able to land them for strikes. Another advantage of the 3/4 delivery of Sheehan is that it allows him to get on top of his changeup and get good fading action to that pitch.
Slider
Sheehan’s slider came a long way in 2022. He changed his grip on the pitch and as the year went on he was able to add velo and more “bite” to the pitch. The slider is the best pitch to play off of the fastball because it’s the easiest to tunnel, something of which Sheehan takes advantage of.
Curveball
Sheehan’s curveball is a strike pitch for him. He has always felt comfortable throwing it and feels very confident in being able to land it in the zone for a “get me over” strike 1 pitch, or in a 3-2 count, or any situation where a hitter is sitting fastball.
Massive Potential
Sheehan has always had big talent, and as good as he has always been it feels like he really took the next step this past year. He had large stretches of total dominance including during the “hitter-friendly” Arizona Fall League when he struck out 8 hitters in a row.
His fastball is one of the best in the game, at any level, and his ability to drop in changeups and an occasional curveball combined with the improvement in his slider makes his potential exciting.
Sheehan is much more than just stuff though. When he takes the mound, he does so with purpose and the intensity he pitches with is noticeable and contagious. He backs down to no one and no one thing, and his confidence combined with his physical stature and big stuff can be intimidating. His future is big!
In closing, I would like to thank Emmet for joining Dodgers Daily. Getting to watch his progression through last year was super fun, and it was a great pleasure getting the chance to speak with him. His future is extremely bright, and Dodgers Daily can’t wait to watch Dodgers fans turn their heads the closer he gets to the MLB.
Bettencourt grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and had a standout Prep career at Saint Francis High School as a Lancer. He lost just 2 games in his entire career as a pitcher on the diamond, and had 86 Ks in just 60 innings pitched his Senior year, and also played the infield and was very good at that too. 
After Frasso separates, and when he is in full extension, as in the picture on the right, his body is actually pointed to the 3rd base side and behind a right handed hitter. So, when he throws the ball to the 4 slot, which is the glove-side corner, it really comes across to hitters as a crossfire and is very uncomfortable. Click here or on the picture on the right to watch how uncomfortable it would be to hit his 4 slot fastball. 
As a Freshman he started in 36 games and was one of the best young two way players in the country. He eventually went on to spend 4 years as a Brave posting a career .349 batting average, a slugging percentage of .509 and an on base percentage of .417. On the mound he posted a career ERA of 2.32 and had 114 strikeouts in 93 innings, so he finished his college career as it started, as one of the best two way players in the country. 
Ryan was drafted in the 11th round of the 2021 draft by the Padres and spent his short season playing rookie ball in the ACL where he didn’t pitch at all, but did log 39 at bats and hit .308. He had shown that he could hit at the professional level and was quickly becoming a hot prospect. 
Martin also left those that were a part of his High School career with the belief that he has all the “its” needed to make it.
But, although playing for a program that is currently ranked #12 in the Country, and for a Campus full of what Martin calls “good people”, was certainly a big draw, it ultimately wasn’t his end goal in the game of baseball. So, when the Dodgers drafted him in the 17th Round, they provided him the opportunity to fulfill what has always been his dream, and that was to be a professional baseball player.
His mother, who Martin credits for almost all of his success, got to go with him as well, so the experience was a surreal event, one that couldn’t have gone much better, and also one he will never forget. Becoming a professional baseball player was always the goal, and with one fell swoop of a pen, that goal was reached. Martin had officially become a Dodger, which, by happy circumstance, is also his mom’s favorite team, so everything fell into its proper place.
Pilarski grew up in Pittsburgh, Pa., and became a direct representative of the type of people that come out of that area of the world. People in Pittsburgh tend to be tough, blue collar, and very hard working, all traits that Pilarski has in spades and surely learned growing up where he did.
His High School teams led by Michael Frank were good, and he was very good as evidenced by the fact that he garnered all-conference recognition three years in a row. Pilarski received that recognition as a 2-way player and wanted to have the option to be both a position player and pitcher in College, and the one school that caught his eye the most while he was touring Colleges was Virginia Wesleyan.
While at Virginia Wesleyan, the hard-throwing Pittsburgh native became a 3rd Team All-American, a First Team All-Region, and All-State. He also was awarded as the Pitcher of the Week on multiple occasions and was also on the All-Academic team.
Becoming a Friday Night Starter at the D1 Level with the type of velocity and off-speed stuff that Pilarski had developed made it a fairly easy assumption that the Draft was in his future. 
As a matter of fact, he signed with Lake Erie before the 2021 Draft with stipulations in his contract that he could still be drafted, although he wasn’t. 
Becoming a Dodger was a great experience because he grew up loving the Dodgers, and he actually played at Quakes Stadium while he was in High School at Damien.
Vivas is a 21 year old infielder who was put on the 40-man roster in front of last season, which goes to show how high the organization is on his talent. Now, his teammates have spoken in terms of his intangible qualities and the type of teammate he is.
Gauthier signed as an undrafted Free Agent in 2021 and made it as high as Great Lakes this season. He is known to have one of the highest baseball IQ’s in the game and just does what he can to help win.
Alcantara is 24 year old out of the DR that finished 2022 with AA Tulsa. Any time I’ve asked a question about him to someone in the organization, the most common response is that he is “the real deal.” While his talent is plenty, his toughness and grit is it’s equal. Don’t believe me, believe the guys that go to battle with him every day.
Young is a 2022 Draft pick that came to the Dodgers as the All-Time hits leader in the history of Louisiana Tech. At 5’9 Young is not a player that tailors his game around 500-foot bombs, but that doesn’t mean he won’t catch your attention.
I’m not gonna sugarcoat this one, I’m pretty fired up about Max being voted on to this list. I had the pleasure of watching his entire College career at Oklahoma State, and I have more respect for him than any other player I’ve ever seen come through that program.
Sit down, get comfortable, get some popcorn and settle in, because I could spend all day talking about this young prospect. Wardo, as he is known, is simply one of the toughest, hard nosed players in the game of baseball, and he is very talented too.
Jeffrey grew up with Blue Collar roots in Barboursville West Virginia just 12 miles from the campus of Marshall University and in a houseful of competition. His two brothers, Adam and Zach, both played collegiately, one in baseball, the other in basketball, the 2 sports Jeffrey starred in at Cabell Midland High. So, needless to say, Jeffrey’s competitive nature came naturally, because, in a household full of 3 eventual college athletes, everything is a competition. 
Having grown up so close to the Marshall University campus, Jeffrey has always been a Thundering Herd fan at heart so when he chose West Virginia as his college destination it was not an easy choice. He had just completed a remarkable Senior campaign where he earned West Virginia player of the year honors, First Team All-State, and had become a Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American.
The Mountaineers revitalized its baseball program when it built Monongalia County Ballpark in 2015. Since then they have continued to make improvements to the facility and they were landing one of the best recruiting classes in the nation when Jeffrey was being recruited. Randy Mazey, their head coach, has built a top-notch program on blue-collar values, hard work, and toughness, so when Jeffrey took his trip to Morgantown, it didn’t take him long to decide to make it home. 
Jeffrey got playing time right away as a Mountaineer and started his College career by not allowing a run in his first 7 outings and posting a batting average against of just .107 in 2019. He followed that up in 2020 by posting a 1.42 ERA in his Sophomore campaign while allowing hitters to hit just .108 off of him in his 2nd year on Campus. In 2021 he recorded 28 strikeouts in just 20 innings of relief work, so his stuff proved to be very explosive to match his intensely competitive nature. 
After a career that reached as high as AA, O’Linger eventually stopped playing in 2019 and moved back home to Tampa where he worked at an Independent baseball facility run by Mark Newman. Newman had been the executive V.P. for baseball operations in the Yankees organization for over 25 years and was mentoring O’Linger toward a coaching career in the professional ranks. 
Sheehan was a 2 sport star at Salisbury in Connecticut as a Prep and was widely known as one of the best prospects in the Northeast. He was big, had big stuff, and had a changeup and curveball that wiped High School hitters out. And, of course, a big fastball as well.
The Covid shutdown was tough, but it also opened the door to a great opportunity for Sheehan that catapulted his career. When the Cape Cod league got canceled, many of the players that were supposed to play in that league that Summer instead moved over to the Futures League that Sheehan was playing in. That gave him the opportunity to pitch against the best Collegiate talent in the Country and gave him a springboard headed into his third year at B.C in 2021. 
