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Bubba Alleyne: Commitment and Excellence
Throughout a 6 month professional baseball season, players, managers, and trainers spend more time with their team, many times than they do with their families. In many ways, teammates become brothers and their team becomes family.
Some call it their 2nd family.
Chris Alleyne, better known as Bubba, is a switch-hitting outfielder that has always enjoyed a tight-knit, family feel of a club, and he’s in the right spot, the Dodgers organization. The Dodgers are an organization that has created the best culture in baseball, and it’s made Alleyne feel right at home.
Chestnut Hill
Alleyne grew up in Philadelphia and was an integral part of building a great program at Chestnut Hill. His coach, Joe Ishikawa, is a prominent figure in the Philadelphia baseball scene and still has hitting facilities that Alleyne uses in the off-season. Ishikawa has built the program at Chestnut Hill on many of the same principles as the Dodgers, hard work and relationships. Players, like Alleyne, that play in his program, feel as if they are part of a family, and they go to battle for each other accordingly.
Alleyne really enjoyed this type of atmosphere and, as you would expect, had a great Prep career. During his career at Chestnut Hill, he was All-League on 3 different occasions, was the MVP of his baseball team, and was named the defensive player of the year. He has great memories of that time in his life.
It really started with my brother before me when I was a Freshman and he was a Senior.
That was Coach Ish’s first year in the program and I learned how he wanted the program to go, and it was nice because it was really just built around family and playing for each other.
I saw that as a Freshman and just tried to continue it with my teammates and leave that same kind of legacy behind. That was something that was special and is an aspect that is still very prominent in that program today, and that’s why I think it will be successful for a very long time.
Maryland
As Alleyne was looking for the next step in his career, one sentiment began to take the forefront and that is commitment. He wanted a College that would make a commitment to him and would allow him to grow. Maryland was that place.
They opened their doors to the young Philadelphia native, and he gave back a commitment to 5 years of excellence.
Although he did get some early playing time, things didn’t exactly come easy right off the bat when he hit just .080 in his first season on Campus in 25 at-bats. But, remember, when Alleyne makes a commitment, he sticks to it, and he dug in and kept getting better each year.
As a Sophomore, he hit .223 and by the time he was a Junior, he led the team in runs scored, and stolen bases, and ranked 2nd in hits, doubles, and stolen bases. Then, as a final payoff to the commitment both he showed Maryland and they showed him, he became an All-American.
As a matter of fact, he was also the Big Ten Player of the Year, a Golden Spikes Semifinalist, first-team All-Big Ten, and made the All-Regional team.
His story is one that flies in the face of this day and age of the Transfer Portal and NIL deals because his goal wasn’t self-promotion, it was improvement done the right way through commitment and hard work.
It’s truly a story that needs to be told and one that must be used as an example for all young athletes who erroneously assume that the grass is automatically greener on the other side of the fence.
Commitment is something I really value. Especially now with the Transfer Portal and NIL stuff where people are bouncing all over the place.
Something that was important to me was when I committed to Maryland, I wanted to earn my spot there and leave a legacy. And I really didn’t believe in transferring myself, because I was like, I committed to going here and I’m gonna earn my opportunities, and fortunately, I was able to do that within the five years I was there, so Maryland is a really special place for me.
Alleyne certainly did leave a legacy at Maryland, but in more ways than just his All-American play of the field. He left a legacy of what can happen when you earn everything you get.
Dodgers
Alleyne was drafted by the Dodgers last Summer in the 19th Round and joined a Rancho team that was, quite possibly, the most entertaining team in baseball once his draft class arrived. He was hoping to get drafted by the Dodgers and knew it was a possibility but was still full of nerves on draft day waiting for his name to be called. After Day 2 was over we were talking and the Dodgers told me we could make a deal for the next day and to not get anxious and to be patient. Then Day 3 came and I was nervous when I wasn’t getting any calls, then I finally got a call after the 17th Round telling me they were going to draft me in the 19th.
So, that was a relief knowing I was going to get picked, and especially by the Dodgers because that’s what we were looking for.
Feature Cut
Alleyne joined Rancho on August 1st and it didn’t take him long to make an impact. In his first 5 games, he went 7 for 19 and provided a spark and an element of energy that fit right into the excitement the entire 2022 Draft class provided for the Quakes.
He is a switch-hitting outfielder who has a very compact and quick swing and a lot of power. As an example, he hit.331 his Senior year at Maryland, but, then, also hit 24 home runs in 263 at-bats as well.
His home run rate per at bat in his Senior year at Maryland would have led the Dodgers organization, and his .331 average would have led the all of the Dodgers Minor Leagues, and would have been behind only Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman in the entire organization.
OPPO With Power
Another aspect of Alleyne’s offensive game is how well he can hit the ball the other way. Because his swing is so short and quick Alleyne is able to let the ball get deep, which gives him the ability to hit the ball where its pitched. Not only can he hit the ball where it’s pitched, but he can also do so with power, as you’ll see in the next video.
Right Handed Swing
Alleyne is a switch hitter and here is a look at his right-handed swing. Notice that it is almost identical to his left-handed swing in the sense of how short, compact and quick it is.
Defense
Alleyne played center field at Maryland, and while he played some center in Rancho, he played left field the most once he entered the organization. The Dodgers love to create versatility in its players, and with the combination of speed and power that Alleyne has, he could play in any of the 3 outfield positions. Here’s a small sample of his defense.
Finishing Up
Alleyne is a young man that plays with a lot of energy and understands commitment. Those qualities will suit him very well in professional baseball because it will continue to provide him with the perspective of what the daily grind is all about which is something that breaks a lot of young prospects.
Not every step of his baseball career has always been an instant success, so he has shown that he knows how to put his nose to the grindstone and improve through work, day after day.
Every professional baseball player has elite talent, so, most times, the difference between advancing and being out of the game comes down to a player’s ability to approach each day’s workload with the same amount of energy and their ability to handle failure. Many prospects, especially those that don’t go to College, have never failed at the game, at least not to a lasting extent. So, when that happens to them for the first time as a professional, how they handle that situation can make or break them.
College baseball, especially at the level Alleyne played at Maryland, is a great level of baseball. Players that play at that level go through those processes as an amateur and, are, many times, more equipped to handle the daily grinds both mentally and physically.
Alleyne squarely falls into this category.
His career at Maryland is more than enough to show how great his process is, and, the fact that he became an All-American and that he was the Big 10 Player of the Year speaks to his talent.
In closing, I would like to thank Bubba for joining Dodgers Daily. Watching the Quakes after the 2022 Draft class showed up was a ton of fun, so getting to talk to one of the guys who made that happen was a great pleasure. Bubba is a ton of fun to watch and Dodgers Daily can’t wait to keep watching him in 2023 and beyond as he works towards his dream of being a Major Leaguer.
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Justin Wrobleski: An Underdog You Need To Know
Justin Wrobleski is a left-handed pitcher in the Dodgers organization that is flying a touch under the radar, and that’s just the way he likes it. Wrobo, as he is better known, has a big fastball, exceptionally good secondary pitches, and a mentality that was made to come right at hitters.
He’s very good and is just getting started, so stay tuned, because he’s an Underdog You Need to Know.
Small Town, Big Talent
Photo Courtesy of The Clemson Insider Wrobleski grew up in a smaller area of the world about an hour North of Atlanta in a place called Canton, Georgia. His High School, Sequoyah, and the area around it is growing, but has a smaller feel to it, and hasn’t always been a perennial power.
The first chapter of his underdog story began when he helped his Alma Mater reach the State Playoffs during his Senior year, a year that Wrobo draws a lot of pride from. While many draft picks as talented as Wrobo can boast of being products of powerhouse programs that hand-pick their players and, in essence, assemble all-star teams, Sequoyah was homegrown, and original, and that just makes it mean more.
I think going to Sequoyah was a really good thing for me because it wasn’t a traditional powerhouse. Where I live is getting bigger, but when I was there it was a little bit smaller. I wouldn’t say it’s super small and we made the state playoffs one year while I was there and that made it that much sweeter when we made it my Senior year.
Wrobleski’s Senior year at Sequoyah was special in more ways than just one though, because, while his team was very good, individually his accomplishments stood out. He was Honorable Mention All-State, First Team All-County, and a First Team All-Region Team MVP. As a result, he was drafted in the 36th Round coming out of High School, an offer he turned down, however, to pursue a College career.
Wrobleski landed at Clemson and got mound time as a True Freshman, but eventually decided to transfer to State College of Florida in Bradenton for his Sophomore year and had a very good shortened 2020 season as a Manatee. 
After his year at SCF, Wrobleski transferred to Oklahoma State where he was immediately put in the weekend rotation in 2021, his third and final Collegiate season.He had some big outings at OSU, including performances against Vanderbilt, TCU, and Texas Tech, but suffered a season-ending elbow injury in mid-April that eventually turned into Tommy John Surgery.
Drafted
It speaks to the talent that Wrobleski has when considering that he was recovering from Tommy John surgery, had thrown just 53.2 Division I innings, and just 72.1 innings total in College when the Dodgers drafted him in the 11th Round of the 2021 Draft. His ERAs at Clemson and OSU didn’t jump off the page either, so the Dodgers had to do their homework to discover the abilities of this talented lefty, and invest in him as they have. The Dodgers are extremely good at identifying talent, and, aren’t afraid to pull the trigger on guys like Wrobo who are “under the radar” due to injury. Especially when that injury is “Tommy John” considering the considerable amount of pitchers in the organization who the Dodgers have helped overcome and make better on the other side.
As Wrobleski distances himself from his Tommy John Surgery and continues to build pitch count, he will start turning heads and will continue to use the “underdog” role as motivation.
I love it because I feel like I’ve been in that position for a long time because where I went to High School I was overlooked for all of the All-American stuff in High School and that fuels me. I like being the underdog and I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t because that’s just how it’s kind of always been for me because I’m not the big 6’5 or 6’6 guy that looks crazy. It’s something I think about when I’m working out and throwing my bullpens, and maybe I’m not always consciously thinking about it, but it definitely helps me get through hard times in the gym or when I don’t want to train and things like that.
Feature Cut
Wrobleski may not be 6’5 or 6’6 but he definitely packs a punch in his 6’1 frame. When healthy, his fastball can sit as high as 93-95, and, as he distances himself from his Tommy John Surgery, could project higher than that, in my opinion.
Keep in mind that he was hit by a car just before he went to Clemson, broke his jaw at SCF, then had to shut down his last year in College at OSU in April. So, he’s never been able to have an extended period of time to develop in one place, and has, instead, had to endure quite a few stops and starts, especially when you consider that the 2020 College season was shut down after just a few weeks into the season as well.
So, if you’re not totally familiar with his name, that is why, but, just know, his stuff is big and getting bigger by the day.
Here’s what he had to say about where his stuff is at right now.
I think my stuff is actually probably in the best place it’s been since surgery. The Curveball was my best pitch in College but, after surgery, finding the feel of that curveball was tough, and I actually didn’t get it back until instructs.
Wrobleski on his slider
I made some tweaks to my slider to make it a little bigger which I’m excited about. It’s not a pitch I throw a ton, but it’s a pitch I’ll use, especially to left-handers.
Wrobo went on to talk about his fastball
My fastball is probably a tick better right now. I’ve only thrown it in a couple of side sessions here in the off-season, but I think it’s trending in the right direction and I’m starting to spin it better and ride it at the top of the zone more. So, I’m really happy about that and I think it’s also due to some mechanical changes I made frontside wise.
On his cutter and changeup
The cutter is another one that I finally figured out at instructs and that makes sense because that was technically the 6th week of my season so that was good. The Changeup has always been kind of a staple for me but it’s something I can dump in the zone whenever I need to or something that I can get a strikeout to a right-hander that’s maybe a little out front.
On his overall arsenal
I’m really excited to recreate my overall arsenal because in High School I was a 2 seam guy throwing this weird slurve thing, so my stuff has come a long way and I’m super excited to see where it’s gonna go and where it’s gonna be. But, you never know until you show up to Spring Training and you throw your first game what your stuff is gonna be.
Conclusion
As mentioned earlier, Wrobleski has big stuff but has had a bunch of stops and starts, so he’s never been able to gain momentum. That is getting ready to change, however, as he continues to distance himself from his Tommy John surgery.
This next season will be used to build up his pitch count and get all the proper “feels” back in game-time situations, and as long as he can stay healthy, he is going to start turning heads with his “stuff”. He’s a guy that is going to come right at hitters, with good velo and with multiple pitches that he can land for strikes. And, he has always dominated lefties, so there is no reason to think that won’t continue.
In closing, I would like to thank Justin for joining Dodgers Daily and say that having seen him multiple times at OSU, I was very excited when the Dodgers picked him up. He has a very high ceiling and when matched with the instruction in this organization, his future is bright, and one that Dodgers Daily can’t wait to cover.
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Julian Smith: Electric Energy
If you’ve ever spent 6 months grinding out a baseball season you understand the value of having high energy and infectiously positive people around you. Baseball is largely a game of failure, and it’s grueling, so having positive energy every day you show up to the ballpark is not always easy.
That is unless your name is Julian Smith.
Smith is a left-handed relief pitcher in the Dodgers organization whose positive process and electric energy are contagious, and rubs off on those around him.
Cox Mill
Photo by Baseball America Smith grew up in North Carolina and was a 2-way standout at Cox Mill High School about 30 minutes North of Charlotte. As good as he was in High School though, he could be considered a late bloomer because he grew 3 inches during his 1st year of College and it wasn’t until very recently that he started to fill out his frame.
After High School, Smith had some Mid-Major DI attention but felt like JUCO baseball was the best place for him, and Catawba, a nearby Community College, became his destination.
Smith wanted to go somewhere that he was wanted, and that could maximize his potential and CVCC fit the bill. Here’s what Smith had to say about why he chose Catawba.
I just felt like Catawba was the best route for me. When I was a Senior in High School I was like a mid 80’s lefty, and I had some Mid-Major and DII interest, but I thought the idea of the 2-year college, with the chance of getting drafted after one was the better route for me.
Catawba
Photo courtesy of Hobbs Daily Report At Catawba, Smith experienced a little bit of everything. He became an All-American, which is great, but he also had to have Tommy John Surgery early into his career which halted a fairly large amount of momentum he had created.
But, that was temporary because he made it back in the typical 13-month period, and in time to dominate his final season in 2018 as a Red Hawk.
In the 2018 season, his 3rd season on Campus, the long-lanky left-hander posted a 2.51 ERA, a WHIP of just 1.05, and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of over 4 to 1.
He is very thankful for the opportunities that Catawba gave him and for the coaches that believed in him there.
I loved JUCO. It’s kind of a different brand of baseball and it’s gritty and I thought that suited me. Coach Rozzelle and Coach Harvey turned a 160-pound 18-year-old kid into a draft pick, so I don’t think I’d be where I’m at today without my time at CVCC.
Paul Rozzelle is the Head Coach Smith was referencing in his comment. In 2021 he became the school’s all-time winningest coach, so, no doubt, he was in good hands and appreciates the great work his coaches at Catawba did.
Photo Courtesy of Baseball America After a great 2018, Smith had the offer to further his Collegiate career at NC State but eventually chose to turn pro after being drafted by the Dodgers in the 15th Round. It was a tough decision, but making the Big Leagues has always been a dream of his, especially with an organization whose developmental system is as good as the Dodgers.
That was definitely a tough decision, but growing up, College was definitely part of the path. but it was never really the end goal. I’ve wanted to be in the Big Leagues since I was a kid so I wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to play professional baseball. I talked to my family and all the people closest to me, and that’s the decision we came up with. Hearing my name called was definitely a “Dream Come True”.
As excited as Smith was to get his professional career started, he had to wait a while. At least to pitch in games. Smith had shoulder fatigue that kept him out of his entire short season in 2018 and kept him from getting his career started until mid-June of the next season in 2019.
It was a period of time that was frustrating but also helped him see things through the big picture.
It was hard at first because I was excited about getting drafted and I wanted to put the jersey on and compete. But, being here and being with the guys got me thinking about the long-term goal because they expressed to me the importance of working on my body and getting stronger, and learning a better routine so that in the future I wouldn’t have to miss any more time. So, once I got my mind wrapped around the fact that it was more about the end goal and not right now it became easier to accept.
Smith eventually did get started in June of 2019 in the ACL at the complex and finished the rest of that season there. After Covid canceled 2020, he started 2021 in Rancho, then got moved to Great Lakes in mid-August where he spent all of last year.
Feature Cut
Smith was a starter in High School and College and was drafted to be a starter with the Dodgers, but has transitioned into the bullpen. He enjoys that role because he gets to pitch in the biggest moments of the game, and, as he puts it, you either get the job done and the team wins, or you don’t and the team loses. So, from that perspective, the feedback is very clear and works well with his competitive nature.
Smith is still growing his ceiling and putting everything together between his physical frame, his tools, and his pitch mix, so the next couple of years will be exciting to watch his development.
He features a fastball that is in the 90’s range, a slider at 86, and a cutter. He added the cutter this past season and feels like it was maybe his best pitch by the end of last year.
Finishing Up
When watching Smith pitch, one of the first things that is easily identifiable is his fun and competitive energy. He brings a certain amount of electricity to the mound with him that is infectious to those around him.
He spent the end of 2021 at Great Lakes and all of 2022 there as well, so it could be assumed that he will start this next season in AA Tulsa, or at least get moved there fairly quickly. He is inching his way closer and closer to his childhood dream which is to “one-day” pitch in the Major Leagues.
In closing, I would like to thank Julian for joining Dodgers Daily for an interview. After watching him develop in the system I was excited to finally get to talk to him and his positive and competitive energy really came through during the interview. Julian has a very bright future ahead of him and Dodgers Daily will be rooting for him all along the way.
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Jesse Guffey: Texas League Athletic Trainer of the Year
The excellence in the Dodgers organization goes well beyond what fans see on the field every night at 7:05. Behind the scenes there are hundreds of people that put each game together and make the Dodgers experience one of the best in the world.
One of those people is Jesse Guffey, the AA Tulsa Drillers Athletic Trainer.
Guffey just won the award for the Texas League Athletic Trainer of the year, and as exciting as being recognized by your peers is, it’s become equally as routine for Guffey.
This is the 4th time he has been recognized for excellence in the Athletic Training field, and when Henny, the AA Tulsa manager, told the club about the award, the response from the players was telling.
Yes, they were excited and yes they were happy for Jesse, but, their responses were telling of the respect they have for his work. None of them were surprised and the mood was one that made it clear they have come to expect this level of excellence from Guffey every year.
Background
Guffey has been a trainer with the University of Kentucky, is still with Great Britain baseball, and came to the Dodgers in 2018 from the Reds organization. Although his official title is Athletic Trainer, he does a little bit of everything for the club, one being translating for the Spanish-speaking players. Here’s what he had to say about the bond he creates with players who he helps on a daily basis. A lot of the guys I’ve gotten to move up with, and when you take the time to speak to them in their Native language it goes a long way in letting them know that you do care about them.
When asked what all goes into an award like Athletic Trainer of the year, this was his response.
There’s a lot of stuff you don’t learn in college. Whether you have to re-lace gloves, schedule hotels, talk to the bus company, translating, weather guy sometimes, so it can be wild.
Guffey continued on about his day-to-day routine.
On a regular basis, the guys come in early, and if you’re on the road it’s really early, and you go to the gym and everyone gets their workouts in, and I help out with that. Then you start getting guys ready for practice, and if guys are on the IL you get them their physical therapy and their rehab so they can do whatever activity the club has for them for that day.
Guffey went on to talk about how incredible the coaching staff is at Tulsa.
Having the incredible coaching staff with Henny, Brett Pill, Ryan Dennick and Chris Gutierrez makes it easier because they know exactly what each player’s mechanics should look like. Once the pitchers finish up outside they all come in and recover and we have a chart they fill out every day letting us know how they feel on a 1-10 scale. Then the hitters go out and take B.P. and do their defensive work, then about an hour before the game we shut the training room down and it’s just the starting pitcher and the catcher and we let them get what they need. The biggest thing for us is just getting our guys on a routine.
Great Britain Baseball
One of the really neat aspects of what Guffey gets to do is working with Great Britain baseball. The Great Britain baseball organization is made up of players that have all sorts of different ties back to Great Britain. He really enjoys that job and is looking forward to the World Baseball Classic where Great Britain will be facing Team USA.Here’s what he had to say about that experience
It’s a lot of guys whose parents were born in Great Britain, or they were born in the Virgin Islands or the Bahamas when they were territories of Great Britain. It’s definitely a lot different when you have a flag on your arm instead of a team logo, so it’s very exciting. I’m glad the Dodgers let me do it and we have a big task with Team USA on March 8th so I hope we get a win there.
The Dodgers Culture
Every time I get the opportunity to talk about the culture the Dodgers create, I take advantage of it. It is real, and it has a very large impact on the winning environment the organization creates. Guffey gets to see it every day in the dugout, and he says it’s incredible.When you’re on the outside looking in you’re like, okay, no way it’s actually like that. But we have the Jackie Robinson quote up everywhere and it’s 100% true it starts with Shoemaker who is the captain of player development and the coaches play it out every single day. Just the way our players interact with the bus drivers, and the hotel employees is amazing. I’ve never seen a negative interaction between anyone in our organization and the people we come in contact with on a daily basis.
Enjoying Every Day
One of the things that sticks out about the job Guffey does is that, if you come in contact with him, it is very obvious how much he enjoys what he is doing. He works very, very hard at what he does, and he gets right down in the trenches with the guys, but it doesn’t feel like work to him. In fact, he likes to joke with some of his friends from back in College about how they haven’t had to grow up and get a “real job” yet.
I tell my friends from College all the time that I never really have to grow up. You get to go to the locker room every single day, you get to go to a baseball game every day and you get to hang out with your friends. So, it’s like an imaginary world where you still get to live in College mode or High School mode because you get to go to the baseball park every day. There are some days when you’re at the hospital until 3:00 in the morning and that’s a job, but most of the time it doesn’t feel like it. I mean, if I wasn’t doing it, I’d probably be going to watch games anyway, but I get to get payed to do it.
Behind The Scenes
The Dodgers are one of the greatest organizations in any sport and in any profession in the world. To make things work as successfully and at as high of a level as the organization is used to functioning at, it takes hundreds, if not 1000’s of people to do their job every day that fans may not notice right away.
For those that reap the benefits of their work, it’s hard to describe how much it gets appreciated, so it’s very, very cool to have awards such as Texas League Athletic Trainer of the Year. It’s at least a little bit of well-due notice on a job very well done that needs recognition.
So, Congratulations Jesse, on winning The Texas League Athletic Trainer of the Year, it was a job well done and an award well deserved.
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Ben Casparius: Big Decisions Bigger Success
Learning how to handle the biggest moments of competition and wanting the ball or at-bat when it matters the most is a trait that separates the good from the great. The more success someone has, the bigger the decisions get, and making the right decisions becomes more important at every step.
It’s easier said, but to finish that quote, for Ben Casparius, it’s just something he’s always done.
And now the Right-Handed pitcher is doing it on the doorsteps of the Big Leagues.
Staples
Casparius had one of the best High School careers, honestly, that I’ve ever heard of. He led his Wreckers team at Staples High School to the State Championship game as a Sophomore, then finished the deal with a State Championship 2 years later as a Senior. He set a record in the State of Connecticut for hits, was the Connecticut Coaches Association Player of the Year in 2017, a Perfect Game All-American, USA Today Connecticut Player of the Year, and was an All-Academic All-Stater. He hit .490 as a Senior, 11 home runs, and had a 1.90 ERA on the mound with 85 strikeouts.
As I said, his career at Staples was unbelievable and left him with great memories.
I have nothing but love for Staples. It was a great 4 years. We went to the State Finals my Sophomore year and lost, then won it my Senior year so that was the icing on the cake of 4 pretty awesome years.
Casparius had plenty of options after High School and chose one of the best baseball programs in the Country in North Carolina. The Tar Heel baseball program, under the direction of Mike Fox, has made the College World Series 6 times since 2006 and has been in the National Championship game twice. Going to a school as competitive as UNC and expecting early playing time is the ultimate in “betting on yourself”. It takes a good deal of self-belief and confidence, both traits that Casparius has always had, and like he seemingly always does, he won that bet.
Tar Heels
Casparius entered North Carolina as one of the best 2-way freshmen in the Country and he didn’t disappoint. During his Freshman season, the Connecticut native hit .316, had an OPS of .813 at the plate, and also posted an ERA of just 1.69 on the mound. Not only was he good, but he also showed up big in the biggest moments.
Casparius got his first save and first win against arch-rival North Carolina State in the in-state heavyweight matchup featuring two top-ten teams. He also had a big RBI base hit in the series and cemented himself as one of the best young players in College baseball.
Here’s what he had to say about that big series.
That was the first time I had to throw back to back and back then I wasn’t pitching as much. I think I threw a total of 12 innings that year, so my arm definitely wasn’t ready for that, but I got the job done. I got a pop up to 2nd base to end that game so it was a pretty cool experience.
Casparius also added his thoughts on why he chose North Carolina.
North Carolina is a very prestigious school, so I wanted to go there ever since I was little. Selfishly I felt like I had enough talent to get out of the Northeast and get into some warmer weather and North Carolina is a great place to play baseball.
Although Casparius had shown to be both a great position player and pitcher and was at a great school some changes were just around the corner for the Connecticut native. After his Sophomore season, he decided to transfer back home to UCONN.
UCONN was coming off of a 2019 season in which they had a great team and came very close to the College World Series and they had a lot to offer.
Jim Penders and his coaching staff at UCONN have built a Husky baseball program on a foundation of being competitive. The Huskies are producing pros and winning games at a record clip.
Casparius took notice and couldn’t wait to return home to join the UConn program. He was so eager to get started, that he applied for a waiver that would have made him eligible immediately for the 2020 season. In a crazy case that’s a study of misfortune, good timing, or whichever side of the fence you’re on, the waiver got denied, but then the season got canceled just 13 games into that season.So, Casparius only missed out on 13 games but then got to play in one of the only Summer leagues that played over the next Summer. That time was difficult and crazy for just about everyone but a period Casparius feels was “make or break” for many.
Yeah, I tell people all the time, it’s an interesting case scenario where you are fortunate, because it gave me leverage. Getting the year back gave me the chance to be a Redshirt Junior instead of a Senior. Don’t get me wrong, it would have been great to go into the draft as a 21 year old with a full season under my belt, but it gave me 2 extra years of leverage as a 22 year old after having success which was huge.
Casparius went on to talk about how pivotal this part of his career was
I tell everybody this, but the most pivotal part of my career was the Covid shutdown. From March to July my only job was to take a couple of classes online and then go to the gym. That’s where I started tailoring my workouts toward being a pitcher and I had a lot of support through Zoom calls with my coaches and teammates. I think that’s a period where a lot of people either made themselves or broke themselves with the shutdown and the lack of resources.
After a shutdown period of several months, Casparius was fortunate enough to play over the Summer of 2020 for the New Britton Bees in one of the only leagues that played games. He made a couple of starts with them which gave him good momentum heading into his Redshirt Junior year at UCONN.He had created so much momentum that, although he had yet to be a full-time pitcher, he was offered an undrafted free-agent contract after the Summer of 2020. The draft was reduced to just 5 rounds that year, so many good players signed as undrafted free agents that would normally get drafted.
So, it was a very tough decision.
But, ultimately, regardless of future outcomes, Casparius wanted to play for Coach Penders and chose to be a part of the UCONN baseball program.
I was going back and forth for a couple of days with my family and my agent because it was one of those instances where I knew I was good enough to get to that point to play professional baseball and I knew my stuff was good enough and I was in a really good spot and I was healthy.
Casparius then went into the “Meat and Potatoes” why he chose to go back home and play for UCONN.
I just thought, you know, I came to this University to play, and I still had leverage with getting the year back with Covid, but the reason I didn’t sign was that I wanted to play for Coach Penders and his staff that badly. Even if I had a bad year and didn’t sign, I don’t think I would have ever regretted it at all.
Casparius then talked about what his time at UCONN was like
I was so focused on playing for UCONN and playing a full college season as a pitcher and obviously, it was a good bargain and a good decision to go back to school in terms of landing with the Dodgers and going in the 5th Round rather than being an undrafted Free Agent. But, that year was a magical, magical year with the UCONN baseball team. I have friends for life and I’m still very close with the coaches and it was a real family there and I had so much fun.
Casparius indeed did have a magical year at UCONN In 2021 where he led the team in starts (15), wins (8), and innings pitched (91) and was awarded ABCA First Team Northeast Region, 2nd Team All-Big East and was on the All-Big East Championship All-Tournament team. The best of all worlds came full circle for the Connecticut native as he got the College experience he wanted, then got drafted, by the Dodgers, and in the 5th Round. If you’ve paid attention you’ve probably noticed that Casparius has had a lot of decisions to make to this point, and quite frankly, fairly large ones for someone just 23. He had to choose between elite schools out of High School, and the decision to move back home and pitch full-time. He also had to the decision between that, or to sign as an undrafted Free Agent.
Those were all difficult decisions and had several pros and cons either way. But, when the Dodgers came calling in the 5th Round it was probably the easiest decision to that point.
Draft Day was surreal and I remember it like it was 5 hours ago. It was just me and my family and I knew I wasn’t going to go in the first round so I knew the first day was kind of out of the equation but it was fun to see guys I played with and against get drafted.
Casparius went on to talk about when he got drafted.
I had a pretty good idea that I was going on the 2nd day so those first two hours were something with the phone calls and everything. I was either hearing from my agent or a scout so it was a long couple of hours. But I got the call from my agent that the Dodgers wanted to take me at pick 162, he gave me the dollar amount and then asked me what I wanted to do. And I was like, absolutely and it happened, I think, in the next 30 seconds. So, it went from being pretty stressful to being like “Wow, this is pretty cool, I’m a professional baseball player”.
He was also excited about who he got drafted by
The Dodgers are the best organization in baseball so it was an awesome day. I got to share time with my friends and family and got to get some weight off of my back from the transfer to switching positions, it kind of just all came together, and I got to sit down and think, “Okay, you did it”, and we’re on to the next step. 5 days later I was in Glendale in Mini-camp, so it was a crazy month.
Casparius indeed had made it, he was a professional baseball player and he was joining one of the best organizations in baseball.
Dodger
Casparius spent a little over a week at the Complex after being drafted, then got shipped out to Rancho to end 2021 where he made 2 appearances and threw 3 innings. He had gotten things started and was looking forward to an off-season in which he had a lot of momentum. That momentum continued when he was invited to L.A. for a workout session with some of the best instructors in the organization. It was an exciting opportunity and one that Casparius was greatly looking forward to.
But, it never happened.
Upon getting to Dodgers Stadium, he tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to quarantine in a nearby hotel room for over a week. It was a frustrating situation, considering the opportunity that he missed, but one that he made the most of like he always does.
Here’s what he had to say about the range of emotions that situation created.
We got right to the Stadium and we walked into the player’s entrance down the Left-Field line. I walked down 1 hallway to a room, took my test, and 25 minutes later I was told that I tested positive. I was like, oh man, here we go, and it was that time of year when a lot of people started testing positive again. I ended up staying in the Hotel from the 5th to the 16th and I was working out in my hotel room. I remember doing plyo work and sending videos to a couple of coordinators, so I made do with it.
Casparius did as he always does, he made the best of the situation and got himself ready for a very good 2022, his first full year as a professional. He started in Rancho and loved his time there, but after posting an ERA of just 2.76 in May and an average against of just .146, he was promoted to Great Lakes where he finished the rest of 2022.
Casparius started 2023 at High A Great Lakes, then was moved to AA Tulsa after posting a 2.68 ERA in 37 innings for the Loons. He spent the remainder of 2023 with Tulsa, and that, in my opinion, is the period where he “turned the corner.”
Although the stats don’t show it, Casparius was throwing the ball better than he ever has to end 2023. Again, it’s about the process, and because of that, despite posting a 6.62 ERA at the AA level, he carried a lot of momentum into the off-season after the 2023 season.
He started 2024 in Tulsa, then was promoted to AAA OKC after 21.2 innings. He continued to pitch well, and likely would have made his debut sometime in June, but went down to injury for a fairly short stint.
Upon returning, he pitched well, posted a 3.36 ERA overall at the AAA level, then got the call. Casparius made this MLB debut on August 31, then posted a 1.42 ERA in 6.1 innings in the playoffs.
Feature Cut
Casparius is a 4-pitch, and in some ways, a 5-pitch pitcher. He features a 4-seam that sits 93-95, a change up at 81-85, a slider in the mid-80s, and 2 different types of cutters, one harder and one softer. He plans on using the cutter as another pitch in his toolbox to miss barrels, especially early in counts to “steal” strikes and get ahead in the count, especially against lefties.
In this video, you can see that in action.
Location Plus Mix
Here’s another video that shows how Casparius uses his fastball as the top of the zone, is able to locate it, and also mixes his pitches very well.
Finishing Up
Of the several aspects that make Casparius such a great prospect, most of them are pretty obvious. His stuff is big, his results in the game are very, very accomplished to this point in his career, and his competitive element is noticeable. But, one of the underlying factors that I have taken particular note of is that, as good as he has always been, he’s using his time in the Minor Leagues to grow.
So many players get so caught up in results that they hesitate to branch out and find their true ceiling for fear of failing. And rightfully so because Minor League baseball is one of the most competitive environments possible, and results do matter.
But, so does the big picture.
Trying to master a cutter or a new grip is what Minor League baseball is all about and Casparius is both confident and open-minded enough and trusts the Dodger’s instruction to continue to grow his ceiling.
So, as good as he’s always been, he’s only getting better and will only continue to do so as he gets further into his professional career.
In closing, I would like to thank Ben for spending time doing an interview for Dodgers Daily. He has such a great mix of being so humble, but yet so confident, so talking with him is just awesome. He also has such a great head on his shoulders and is able to see the big picture which is why he has always made the right decision among many very important decisions he has already had to make.
Thanks again to Ben and best of luck, Dodgers Daily will be rooting for him all along the way.
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Austin Gauthier: Disciplined, Tough, Talented
If you grew up in the ’70s and ’80s, chances are you fell in love with the finer details of baseball. Those were times when base hits were valued, hitting line drives was the goal of every at-bat, and putting the ball in play, in any way possible, was a premium.
A lot of those principles have been lost in the modern-day offensive game of baseball as the 3 true outcomes, a home run, a walk, or a strikeout, have taken their place.
But, not for all.
Austin Gauthier is an infield prospect in the Dodgers organization that, if you’re like me, you recognize right away. No, not Gauthier himself, but his game, and his style of play, because it takes you back to when the game was all about fundamentals.
Style of Play
Gauthier is a hard-nosed, tough, gritty player who understands the game’s complexities but keeps his offensive outcomes simple.Hit the ball hard, and get on base.
He certainly can hit home runs, as evidenced by his 2 walk-offs as a pro, but what he likes to do is just hit the ball hard, hit line drives, and figure out a way to touch first base.
And, he’s very good at it.
He hit .410 as a Senior in High School at South County and was a Virginia High School Coaches Association All-Star, and made the All-Conference team as both a Junior and a Senior. He cherishes his time at SoCo and thinks back to all of the great friends he got to play with.
It was a good time at South County. We won a lot of games and just having those core group of guys there was awesome. That’s where the foundation started and I started thinking that I might have a chance to play pro ball. Those core of guys will always be special in my heart.
Hofstra
Gauthier had several D1 offers and used the recruiting process to find the right fit. He was looking for top-notch academics, early playing time, and a coaching staff that could help him grow his game and reach his ultimate goal of playing professionallyAnd Hofstra checked every box.
The Pride baseball program is led by John Russo who has coached several players that have gone on to be drafted, one being the Dodger’s very own, John Rooney. So Gauthier knew he would get excellent instruction at Hofstra, and he also felt like he would have a chance to compete for playing time right away.
There was a pitcher named James Beasley that played in the same organization as I did and he was the first to go to Hofstra. I had some schools that were interested but none of them seemed like the right fit.
Gauthier continued and talked about how he ended up at Hofstra
There was a scout that came down from Hofstra and watched me play for a weekend and he offered me right on the spot on the Sunday after the tournament was over. I took some time, I looked at their roster and it was the right fit for me. I was fortunate enough to get playing time as a Freshman so it was a great experience.
Gauthier had a great 4-year career at Hofstra highlighted by a Covid shortened season in 2020 in which he hit over .400. Although that season came to an end abruptly, which was very disappointing for someone who likes to play baseball every day, he had a very cool experience waiting for him just around the corner.In the summer of 2020, after the College baseball season was canceled, Gauthier got to play in the NoVa league with his brother and for his dad, and got to win a Championship. He says that it was one of the coolest experiences he’s ever had in the game.
Honestly, there was not a better time for that to happen. Covid just slowed everything down, and my brother and I have always been go, go, go and traveling all over, so having that happen just down the street in the Virginia League was something special. I mean, it’s pretty cool when you have your little brother on your side and you’re playing for your dad and you win a championship.
After the summer in the NoVa league, Gauthier returned to Hofstra and finished his fantastic 4-year career with the Pride.Remember when he said one of the things he was looking for was playing time?
Well, he started 144 of the 145 games he played at Hofstra, and, when you combine that with the fact that he started 83 consecutive games in High School, it totals that Gauthier started 227 of the 228 games he played in his prep career.
Suffice it to say, toughness, grit, and being in the lineup every day are all qualities he has shown in spades.
Gauthier gives credit to all of the people around him for the traits he has developed.
I would have to say that it’s a reflection of the people that are close to me in my life. Growing up with Military parents you learn about work ethic and discipline and, really, who are you without those things?
Gauthier continued about what drives him to be so reliable.
There’s no other place I’d rather be than on the field all 9 innings the whole season as long as I’m healthy. I don’t want to have the feeling of having to watch from the dugout. I want to be out there trying to find ways to help the team win.
Onto the Pros
Despite having a great career at Hofstra where he was named to the ABCA/All-Northeast Region First team and made the all-Colonial team, he went undrafted, which, quite frankly, was a fairly large-sized gut punch to the Virginia native. That is, until he got a phone call from Will Rhymes asking if he would be interested in signing as a Free Agent.
Not only was his answer yes, but his response could also best be described as “where do I sign”? Gauthier looks back on that day as being a roller coaster of emotions.
That was a roller coaster of a day. Usually, you hear before the draft where you’re going, but, honestly, I had no idea how it all worked. I was in my basement watching the draft and it got to be the 18th, then the 19th, then when the 20th Round came around I didn’t hear my name called.
He goes on to describe how it felt to go undrafted
I think anyone in that situation would feel like they were given a gut punch because all you want is that one chance. But, then, 30 minutes to an hour later Will Rhymes called and asked me if I would be willing to sign a Free Agent contract. I was like, oh my goodness. I talked to my mom and dad real quick because I was signed up to go to Maryland for my 5th year, and then that night I called the Dodgers back and told them I would sign right away.
Coast to Coast
Gauthier was flown out to Rancho a week or so after signing his Free Agent deal in 2021 and got his pro career started. He played 30 games to end that season, then started 2022 again in Rancho before being promoted to Great Lakes at the beginning of August. Gauthier loved his time at Rancho and felt immediately connected when he got to Great Lakes because the hitting instructor for the Loons, Dylan Nasiatka, went to Hofstra as well. Nasiatka was very impressed with Gauthier in the two months he got to coach him and had great things to say about the type of player he is.
Austin is curious, focused, and a tireless worker. He does a great job of playing the game one pitch at a time and puts the effort into his preparation to execute when he has opportunities to impact the game.
Nasiatka continued
His teammates and coaches know they’ll always get his best effort. He continues to get better because he takes feedback from the game and applies it to his efforts in practice and because of his work habits and passion he’s an extremely easy player to root for.
Those are very telling words about the work ethic, discipline, and mental approach that Gauthier takes toward the game. He is very talented, else he wouldn’t be just a couple of steps from the Major Leagues. But, those quotes from Nasiatka really sum up the kind of player he is the best.
Feature Cut
Gauthier uses the big part of the field and hits to the opposite field as well as anyone in the game. As a matter of fact, his oppo % is higher than his pull % and his On-base percentage as a professional is .430.
Watch how he uses the biggest part of the field in this video and how easily he hits the ball the other way.
Power
Although his game isn’t built on power, he certainly can hit home runs. In fact, his first home run as a professional was a walk-off. The Walk-off in this video isn’t his first one, but it’s good enough to give you the idea of how he has the tendency to come up big with the game on the line.
Conclusion
Gauthier has an on-base percentage of .430 as a pro, and, although he doesn’t hit a ton of home runs, his lifetime OPS to this point is .819. When asked, he said he profiles as a 2nd baseman, which his offensive game is perfectly suited for.
If your 2nd baseman can hit for a high average, get on base at a .430 clip, hit a handful of impactful home runs, and have an OPS of .819, then that’s a very good offensive 2nd baseman. Add on top of that, he fielded at a .983 clip at Great Lakes and it paints a very good picture of a really good player that is being put in the lineup every day.
And, I mean every day.
Remember, going all the way back to High School, that’s all he’s done is play every day.
In conclusion, I would like to thank Austin for spending time on Dodgers Daily with an interview and giving me the chance to tell at least a part of his story. One of the first things I said to him when he came on was that his game was my kind of game. I love watching the way he plays.
Thanks again to Austin, Dodgers Daily will be rooting for him all along the way.
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Kyle Froemke: On a Mission
Setting goals is a fairly common practice that everyone has surely taken part in at some point or another in their lives. When people set goals they have every intention of reaching them but sometimes life just gets in the way.
That is unless you are Kyle Froemke.
Froemke has always loved baseball and, in the face of several challenges, has never wavered in his beliefs. He hasn’t always known how he would get there, he has just always known he would, and now he’s closer than ever.
Background
Froemke has a very unique story of perseverance and self-belief, and one that, at just 23, has given him a lifetime of experiences. He’s lived on 2 different continents and in 7 different states, and at such a young age, has been around the block several different times. He’s learned to welcome new challenges and has always believed in his dreams and has the confidence to bet on himself.
Froemke’s dad was in the Navy and was stationed in Japan which is where Kyle spent the first couple of years of his life.
He then moved from Japan to Washington to Rhode Island back to Japan, to Virginia Beach, then Hawaii, then Washington D.C., then all the way to Singapore, then to California, before moving to Round Rock, Texas for his Senior Year.
As I said, he’s been around the block a time or two and all the while has held steady with his dream of making it big in baseball.
Froemke says that he always welcomed the new challenges that moving to so many new places has given him.
I’m excited about wherever I go because it’s a new opportunity. There’s no doubt or fear of going to a new place, it’s just kind of normal to me so I think that’s helped me a lot so far.
Thousand Oaks and Round Rock
Froemke went to Thousand Oaks High School for his Sophomore and Junior years of High School and was recruited by George Horton who was the Head Coach at Oregon at the time. Horton is a big name in the Southern California baseball scene and, as Froemke put it, had SoCal on lock. Horton is a Southern California guy with his background at Cal State Fullerton and he had that area on lock, and I was one of those guys from Southern California that he recruited up to Oregon.
Froemke went on to talk about his decision to be a Duck out of High School
At the time Oregon seemed like a really cool place to go. I’m a huge football fan and loved Marcus Mariotta and taking a look at their campus it was awesome to see what they do for athletes, so in High School, I was pretty sold on Oregon, that’s for sure.
But, we need to rewind just a bit.
Froemke moved to Round Rock Texas for his Senior year where he had a great season as a 2-way player and earned 3rd team All-State honors, made All-District, and was the area Newcomer of the Year. He had looks from several colleges, and the College baseball in that area of Texas is some of the best, but he stuck with his commitment to be a Duck.
Round Rock Texas is 2060 miles away from Eugene, and while that may seem like a long way away to most folks, and it is, for Froemke, it was just the next challenge at a new place.
College Experience
Photo courtesy of Goducks.com Froemke spent his first year of College at Oregon, but when the coach that recruited him, George Horton, decided to retire, he decided to move on as well. He certainly wasn’t scared of moving again and wanted the comfort of playing for coaches that recruited him out of High School.
So, he bet on himself and decided to go the Juco route at Santa Barbara College, a school that had offered him while he was at Thousand Oaks in High School.
He was very comfortable being back in Southern California and his game grew to the point where he was offered by yet another Oregon school, but this time Oregon State. And, believe it or not, Froemke committed to Oregon State before the pandemic of 2020 hit and finished his career there.
So he ended up playing at both Oregon and Oregon State, and when asked who he roots for in the “Civil War” he made his allegiance very clear.
I’ve been a Duck and I’ve been a Beaver, and I choose Beaver every time. That’s nothing against the Ducks because they have a great school, a great town, and great programs and I enjoyed my time there, but I’m a Beaver through and through now.
Froemke had a very good season in 2021 at Oregon State hitting .310 and had 2 years of eligibility left, but chose to turn pro after his 1 season in Corvallis. He was 22 at the time and despite the fact that he didn’t get drafted, he felt like he needed to get his pro career started.The Dodgers offered him a contract as an unrestricted Free Agent, Froemke signed, and the rest is history.
Well, actually, not exactly.
Let’s back up again, again just a bit.
During the 2020 season when Covid canceled the College season, several professional clubs hosted Collegiate leagues. Froemke played on the local team in Round Rock and broke his finger during that summer while trying to bunt.
He shattered his finger and had to put 9 plates in his hand as a result.
So, he played the entire year he spent at Oregon State with those 9 plates in his hand which makes his .310 average even more impressive.
Photo by Jerry Espinoza Photography Froemke had the plates removed once he signed with the Dodgers, and that kept him out from the time he signed in July of 2021, all the way until June of this past season in 2022.
Understandably, after missing that much time and having that kind of procedure, it took him a minute to get back into the groove.
He actually started 0-12 with the Quakes before collecting his first 2 hits on July 2nd, a day of relief that he will probably never forget. But it wasn’t until August that he really settled in hitting .279, before hitting .259 in September with an OPS of .931.
Feature Cut
Froemke is an interesting prospect to project because he has a good frame, and is a good athlete, and can play every position in the infield. But, although he had 4 years of College, his time at that level is hard to judge. He was a true freshman at Oregon, and then was playing with 9 plates in his hand during his 1 year at Oregon State, so, although his power numbers don’t jump off the page, that’s easily explained.
So the question isn’t about the power he has shown to this point, it is the power that can be projected with full health in the same system for more than 1 year.
Especially when that system has the best instruction in the game.
Here is a video showing the offensive game of Froemke. The thing that sticks out is how deep he lets the ball get, how short and quick his swing is, and how well he uses the middle of the field.
Projecting
Froemke is already 23 and finished in Low A, so next year is a huge year for him. Hopefully, it’s a season that sees him jump 2 levels finishing at AA.
Also, it will, in many ways, be the first year that the organization can get a fair look at what his true upside is because, remember, at Oregon, he was a true Freshman, he only played 1 year of JUCO ball, then he was playing with 9 plates in his hand during his 1 year at Oregon State.
And, again, that kept him out until June of this past season before he got started with the Quakes.
So, when you combine that with the fact that he, as well as everyone else, didn’t get to play in 2o2o, he needed the end of last year just to get back into the groove, something which he did.
That brings us to this year.
Hopefully, he starts at High A Great Lakes and gets off to a good start, gets some momentum, then gets promoted to AA Tulsa somewhere in the back half of the season, if not sooner. I’m excited to see what this year brings for him because he is going all in with the off-season routine and has big expectations for himself for 2023.
In closing, I would like to say that, honestly, when we started our interview, I had no idea that he had moved around that much during his childhood, and I also had no clue that he played with 9 plates in his hand while at Oregon State, so I am very excited to see his progress moving forward.
Also, I would like to say that this young man is impressive, and, quite honestly, his dedication, determination, and confidence in himself are inspirational, and I enjoyed getting to talk to him very much.
Best of luck Kyle, Dodgers Daily will be rooting for you all along the way.
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Jacob Amaya: Ready for the Show
With Trea Turner becoming a Free Agent recently, one of the biggest question marks for the Dodgers is who will play shortstop next year and beyond. We have covered all the options in a past article, so today’s article is going to focus only on Jacob Amaya.
Amaya is a shortstop prospect that is thought of more for his defense and, having seen him play many, many times, I can say he is very good defensively. His lifetime fielding percentage of .964 is 2 points lower than Willy Adames, 4 points lower than Gavin Lux, and 14 points lower than Swanson.
Defensive Mechanics
In today’s day and age of infield play, many young infielders seem to prefer looking “pretty” when they field the ball over being fundamentally sound. Amaya does not fall into that category, however. Although the ease with which he fields the ball and the confidence he plays with does give him some “flash” his mechanics are impeccable.
He is proof that you can be fundamentally sound and “pretty” both at the same time and that is doesn’t have to be either/or.
He does a great job judging hops, he uses great glove angles to field the ball, his footwork is superior, he transitions from fielding to throwing seamlessly, and he has every different arm angle to throw from based on the position he is in when throwing the ball.
The following video shows him making a series of very routine plays that emphasize the mechanics he puts into even the most routine of plays and how he takes nothing for granted.
Moving To His Left
As mechanically sound as Amaya is making the routine plays, his mechanics really shine when he makes plays on the move. He is very good at moving to both his left and his right, but this video focuses on him working to his left.
Notice how he’s able to turn his shoulders to the target after fielding the ball without having to also flip his hips away from the throw. This allows him to get into throwing positions from every angle in a more natural way.
I have no inside information, but if I were to bet on it, I would have to guess that someone taught him this technique of how to make plays on the move.
The first play in this video shows him coming in and to his left. The impressive part of the first play in this video is how he got a great jump, attacked the ball very aggressively, but never slowed down through the fielding process and into the transition of the throw.
The skill level, flexibility, athletic ability, instincts, and IQ it takes to make a play like this look that easy is very high caliber.
The 2nd play shows Amaya going way to his left which shows his range and how he is able to throw on the run so effortlessly.
To His Right
Moving to the left is a more natural position for a shortstop because they are moving in a direction that is towards their target of first base. On the contrary, moving to the right moves a short stop away from their target and increases the difficulty level fairly substantially.
The play to the right of a shortstop separates the average defensive players from the elite. Amaya is very, very good going to his right which is one of the reasons why the case could be made that he is the best defensive infielder in the organization.
One thing to notice on these 2 plays is how well he circles the ball, then, within one shuffle, is able to redirect and get his momentum headed toward first base.
Again, his nearly flawless mechanics are on display.
Straight In
This next video is 2 plays that Amaya has to come straight in on. Because he is so aggressive in attacking the ball he cuts the throw down by quite a lot. Cutting the throw down gives him time to get his feet underneath him to increase the odds of making an accurate throw.
Under Duress
One thing is for sure about playing shortstop and that is those that play the position have to be able to perform under pressure. Shortstops have to want the ball in all situations, and they have to be able to react quickly in difficult situations.
This next video shows Jacob under duress as he knocks down a ball to his left, and has to hurry to pick the ball up to throw it to first base. Watch how he stays calm, trusts the process, and keeps everything under control.
His reactions after he doesn’t catch the ball cleanly indicate that he has the ability to stay calm and collected under duress.
Offense
Although Amaya is known for his defense, he puts things together on the offensive side of the ball in 2022. In 2022 he hit .261, hit 17 home runs, had an OPS of .795, and knocked in 71 runs. His strikeout rate was 23.6% which isn’t terrible, and it would place him in the top 100 best of all hitters in the MLB. But, for the type of gap-to-gap offensive player that he is, it would be great if he could get that number below 20% which would make him top 75%.
Gap to Gap
Although Amaya showed quite a bit of pop in 2022 hitting 17 home runs, the type of hitter he would like to be is a gap-to-gap hitter and one that hits the ball to all fields. His pull % and Oppo % were both exactly 36% this year in AAA, and he hit the ball up the middle 28% of the time, so he did a great job of going with the pitch.
The next video shows Amaya hitting the ball to all fields and with power.
Upside
Amaya has a very nice swing, typically has good timing, and has a lot of up-side offensively. His swing is of the same mold as Mookie Betts as you can see in this series of pictures.
Elbow Slot:
Contact
Projection
Amaya has the chance to be a top-shelf defensive player at the MLB level. His work process has put him in a position to be very fundamentally sound, and he doesn’t nonchalant. He respects every play, even the most routine, and doesn’t take anything for granted.
His range is good, his footwork is elite, his arm is strong and he has a confident swagger that can’t be taught.
His defense is MLB-ready, no question!
Offensively, he is capable of being a good player. But, for next year, if he could just hit around .250, keep his K% to around 20% or so, have an on-base % between .350 and .375, hit 7-10 home runs, and drive in 50-75 RBIs, he would be a huge asset to the Dodgers at the MLB level.
These are benchmarks that he either reached, surpassed, or came very close to in 2022, so there is no reason to believe he can’t hit those marks in 2023. And, looking further into the future, there’s no reason to believe that he can’t do better than those benchmarks the more experience he gains which would make him a really good MLB shortstop.
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Shelby Miller: What are the Dodgers Getting?
The Dodgers are well known for reclamation projects on both sides of the ball and now they have scouted and signed their latest project in Right-hander Shelby Miller. Miller is a 6’3 former first-round draft pick that has been in professional baseball since 2009 and has been with 9 other clubs before being picked up by the Dodgers.
So, the question Dodgers fans might have is, what are the Dodgers getting?
Today’s article is going to break down exactly the type of pitcher that Miller is and what he might bring to the Dodgers
Contract
It is important to note that the Dodgers signed Miller to a Major League deal so he has to be placed on the 40-man roster. When the Dodgers protected Johnny DeLuca, Michael Busch, Diego Cartaya, and Andy Pages, that filled 35 of the 40 spots, and Kershaw will take one of those spots, so that left 4 spots for trades or free-agent acquisitions.
Now we know where at least 1 of those spots is going and that is to the recently acquired Shelby Miller.
History
Miller was the Cardinal’s first-round draft pick in 2009 and has been with 9 teams, the Dodgers being his 10th. He was one of the highest-rated prospects in the game as he entered professional baseball and was the Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2010, was Baseball America’s number-one prospect from 2009 to 2011, and he also played in the All-Star Futures game in both 2010 and 2011.
He was also an MLB All-Star in 2015 when he was with the Braves.
The Cardinals traded Miller in the winter of 2014 alongside RHP Tyrell Jenkins for Jason Heyward and Jordan Walden. He was with the Braves for the 2015 season then was traded to the D-Backs the next winter, in 2015 in the deal that sent Dansby Swanson to the Braves. Miller was with the D-Backs for 3 years and posted ERAs of 6.15 in 2016, 4.09 in 2017, and 10.69 in 2018.
After the 2018 season, he became a Free Agent and signed with Texas but was released by the Rangers after posting an ERA of 8.59. He was then picked up by the Brewers and signed a Minor League Contract and didn’t resurface in the MLB until 2021.
In Spring Training of 2021, the Cubs signed Miller after his 2nd stint in Free Agency, but then released him in May after he posted a 31.50 ERA in just 2 innings pitched with Chicago.
The Pirates then signed him out of Free Agency to a Minor League contract and threw him 10.2 innings, a span in which Miller posted a 5.06 ERA.
Miller, once again, became a Free Agent, again, for the 4th time in his career.
The Yankees then picked him up in March of 2022, signed him to a Minor League contract, but then released him in May making Miller a Free Agent for the 5th time. He was then picked up by the Giants last year and posted a 6.43 ERA in 7 innings.
So, as you can tell, Miller started out very hot, then got bounced around quite a bit, and is looking to redefine his career with an organization, the Dodgers, that has become known as the organization that defines that process.
So, what do the Dodgers see in this 32-year-old?
That’s the question I’m going to attempt to answer in the next section.
Miller Time?
Miller is long and lanky and has featured as many as 6 pitches in his career, but was listed by Statcast data as having just thrown his slider and 4-seam last year. He had a 3 pitch mix in 2021 when he was still throwing his cutter, and he has also thrown a curveball, sinker, and changeup at some point in his career as well.
So the Dodgers have options with him in terms of his pitch mix, and if past history plays any role, it’s a good bet that the Dodgers will try and bring back either his changeup or sinker to give him a right turn to his mix.
At 6’3 225 Miller is big and has great reach and extension so his perceived velocity to the hitter is quite a bit faster than the mph registered on the radar. He also has the potential to shape a left turn with his slider, a right turn with his sinker or changeup, and can ride the top of the zone with his 4 seam, so he fits the Dodgers formula.
The same formula that transformed Yency Almonte and Evan Phillips, and now, hopefully, Shelby Miller.
Combinations
Miller likes to use different combinations to get hitters out. He is very good at nailing either his 4-seam or 2-seam to the glove-side low corner. Typically, the 4-seam to that low corner works better against righties, and the 2-seam works better against lefties because it gets arm-side run. That arm-side run moves away from lefties which means he can start that pitch off the plate, but then move it back over the plate and get hitters to watch the pitch go by for a strike.
Here’s the 2-Seam that works back over the corner low in the zone to both righties and lefties.
Tunneling the Slider
Now watch how he tunnels his slider off of his 2-seam to get swing and miss. The first 2 tunnel sequences are from back when he was with St. Louis and they appear to be 2-Seam sinkers, and the last sequence was from last year when he was with the Giants and was throwing his 4-Seam.
4-Seam
One of the first things that pitchers focus on when they become a Dodger is to throw in combinations that tunnel off of each other as you saw in the last video. Another main focus for newly acquired Dodgers pitchers is to throw the 4-seam. The reason is, the Dodgers have used modern machinery to determine that creating backspin on a pitch makes it appear as if it is rising to the hitter.
They call it the “riding” effect.
The more backspin that a pitcher creates, the more of a “rising” illusion they can give which works well at the top of the zone but also works to carry the bottom of the zone as well.
What likely caught the Dodger’s attention was that Miller was hitting 97 with it last year.
Another Secondary?
Miller has thrown a changeup and a curveball in his past but was charted by Statcast as throwing the slider as his only secondary pitch last year in 2022. His fastball gives him the “riding” effect the Dodgers like, the slider gives the “left-turn” and so it will be interesting to see if the club has him start throwing another one of his secondaries next year to give him a pitch with a “right-turn”.
If the Dodgers choose to go that direction, I think his sinker would probably be the best candidate to be that pitch because it has the highest spin rate of any of his secondaries and the most consistent in zone swing %. Those 2 pieces of data combined would indicate that if he can throw his sinker for strikes, he can get outs with that pitch.
But, here’s a video showing his changeup, curveball, and 2-Seam and I’ll let you be the judge.
Conclusion
The Dodgers are very good at helping veterans re-start their careers, and it’s not just random luck. They look for a certain formula of measurables and metrics and if a player fits the mold, they don’t hesitate.
In Miller’s case, he has the 97 mph 4-seam, then also a slider that he tunnels off of it, and that is one of the first things the organization looks for. That combo was a complete game-changer for both Yency Almonte and Evan Phillips, 2 of the most recent reclamation projects that were shut down bullpen arms last year.
That combination is enough for Miller to find success with the Dodgers, so it will be interesting to see if they stick with that mix or try to add one more pitch. If Miller adds one more “right-turn” pitch, he could quickly become a very good hand for the Dodgers, most likely out of the bullpen.
In conclusion, It would be hard to picture Miller being considered for a starting role considering that he left 2022 with just a 2-pitch mix.
He’s also not going to break the bank, so if it doesn’t work out it’s not going to cripple the organization in any way.
Of course, we need to wait and see if it brings results, but, either way, taking this chance with a guy that has the amount of upside of Miller makes total sense.
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Drew Avans: One Helluva Player
In today’s age of modern-day analytics, terms like “old-school” and “new-school” are commonly used to describe the changes that have overtaken the game. Bunting has largely become a thing of the past, stealing bases has been all but metrically eliminated and scoring runs has become about 3 outcomes, the homerun, the strikeout, and the base on balls.
But, even in the face of all the data-driven offense, there are still players that play the game in its purest form and know how to do what are called the “little” things.
Drew Avans, an outfield prospect in the Dodgers organization, defines that type of player with a game that might remind you of a time of yesteryear, a time when players beat a defense in every which way possible.
And when you watch him play you might think he’s a throwback, and you wouldn’t be wrong.
But, what he ultimately is, simply put, is One Helluva Player.
Alabaster
Photo by Starling Photography Avans didn’t grow up “old school” nor did he learn the “new school. Instead, he grew up learning from the “right school” in Alabaster, Alabama from Hall of Famer Pat Hamrick. Hamrick was recently placed into the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame after a career where he produced 90 College baseball players, and 6 professionals, won 533 games, and a State Title.
Avans grew up wanting to impress Coach Hamrick and still takes the lessons he learned from him everywhere he goes.
Coach Hamrick was not loud, but he was very stern in what he wanted to get done. As much as he was trying to help you get to the next level, he tried even harder to make you a better man, and he definitely succeeded.
Photo by Starling Photography Avans was the team captain of his High School teams at Thompson and All-Stated twice as well as earning All-County and All-Metro honors. He was also a member of the National Honors Society and was the model of what the term “student-athlete” actually means.
But, those are all accomplishments that you might expect from someone that has made it to AAA and has been as successful as Avans has been.
What you might not know is that he was equally as good on the mound, and was recruited as a 2-way player.
Southeastern Louisiana
Avans was recruited to both pitch and play a position a Southeastern Louisiana University, a school that made him feel right at home. As a Freshman, he posted a 3.46 ERA and walked just 3 batters while striking out 15. He followed that up as a Sophomore by posting a 2.00 ERA out of the bullpen for SLU, then pitched 17 innings as a Junior. That’s when he decided to become a full-time position player a decision that has overwhelmingly proved to have paid off.
Avans hit .330 as a Senior, had an on-base % of .462, hit 10 home runs, knocked in 44 RBIs, and scored 52 runs. He beat college defenses in every which way possible and played high-caliber defense from Centerfield.
Avans was a great player at Southeastern Louisiana University, and the humility and humble nature of which he looks back on his time there is very impressive.
“I want to say they were the first school to show interest and they were definitely the first ones to offer, and it didn’t take long to make my decision. I went on a visit, and within a week and a half I had committed.”
Avans Continued…
“It was a similar hometown feel in Hammond that I had in Alabaster so it was everything I could have wished for. It had a family feel to it and Coach Riser who was the interim coach at the time was very similar to Coach Hamrick in intensity so it didn’t take long to make that decision”
Intangibles
Avans was not only known for being very versatile, extremely talented, and hard-working he was also very clutch.Here’s what his coach at SLU had to say to the Crescent City Sports news organization about the type of player and person Avans was.
“He was always the guy who you wanted up in the big moment,” Southeastern head coach Matt Riser said. “If you’ve got a guy on third base when Drew’s up, you know he’s going to get the job done.”
Here’s what a fellow senior outfielder at SLU told the Crescent City Sports Publication.
Drew wants to win at everything he does,” said fellow senior outfielder Trenon Trosclair. “I’ve known him for two years, and I lived with him last year. He doesn’t want to lose an argument; he doesn’t want to lose at anything.
Just Needs a Chance
At 5’10 Avans knew his measurables probably weren’t going to get him drafted in the early rounds, but all he wanted was a chance, something he got when the Dodgers drafted him in the 33rd Round of the 2018 draft.Avans has always had a lot to prove and is very thankful for the opportunities the Dodgers have given him.
After my last season at SLU ended I wasn’t sure if I was going to get drafted or not, so when I did get drafted it was like a sigh of relief because I knew I was going to at least get an opportunity to do this for a living. I was told that I had to hit the ground running and that was my goal, so any hitting coach I could find I talked their ear off.
Avans is a player that you need to watch every day to truly appreciate what he brings to a team. Call him a throwback, “old school” or whatever you want to call him, what he is a just a Helluva player.
His game is not built of flash, but it’s one that every team needs. He is the master at getting on, getting over, and getting in. The way he sees it is that there are a bunch of different ways to touch home plate, so the more ways you know how, the better player you’ll be. Here’s how he said he approaches the game.
“There are so many different ways to score runs other than a home run. I mean, yeah, technically a home run is the most efficient way because 1 swing is 1 run. But a solo home run only wins the game in the bottom of the 9th inning and you have 9 innings to score as many runs as you can. And, the first way to score is to get on 1st base so that’s where I start.”
On how he gets on base here’s what Avans said.
” I look around at the defense and if the bunt is there then Thank You, I’ll take that. All through Spring Training, the first thing I do every day is go to the machine and bunt because bunting is something that is simple and should be simple if you work at it.”
Feature Cut
Avans had a 50-game on-base streak this past season with AAA OKC which is the longest on-base streak in the past 3 years in the PCL. He also hit .282, and was top 10 in the PCL in both On-base percentage at .379 and runs scored with 94. He also stole 40 bases which was the 4th most of any player in the PCL in 2022, so he knows how to produce runs in every which way possible.
He also began his year with a very special moment when he hit a grand slam in Spring Training, something of which acted as a precursor to the great year he ended up having.
Amazing moment for Drew Avans as he hit a Grand Slam on his first at-bat on the main field. There's a party going on in Hammond Louisiana tonight.... Go Lions! Congratulations @AvansDrew, and best of luck in 2022!@LionUpBaseball @LionUpAthletics pic.twitter.com/O6rNHBEBFQ
— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) March 30, 2022On Base Streak
As mentioned earlier, Avans had a 50-game on-base streak in 2022 which is the longest in the PCL in the last 3 years. That is a great stat in and of itself, but when you consider the different ways he continued the streak it becomes even more impressive. In Early August he extended the streak with bunt-base hits on consecutive nights. Check them both out in the video below and notice that one was a push bunt and the other was a drag bunt. This guy just knows how to play the game.
Short To It
Here is a clip that shows several other games and the hits that extended his streak. What you’ll notice is how deep he lets the ball get, how short his swing is to the ball and how well of a job he does going with the pitch.
Get On-Get Over-Get In
Avans is the classic “get-on, get-over, then get-in” type of player as evidenced by his on-base streak and the number of runs he scored. He stole 40 bases in 2022 and has also been known to have the ability to steal home.
🤯 DID YOU SEE THAT? 🤯#Dodgers prospect Drew Avans (@AvansDrew) pulls off a straight steal of home to put the @TulsaDrillers on the board.
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) July 1, 2019
🎞️: https://t.co/bfbIj1uRI7 pic.twitter.com/rcTnkcCZiRGrand Slam
Although the long ball certainly is not what defines his game, Avans has some pop and can hit some home runs. He hit 10 home runs his Senior year of College, then hit 10 in his first 2 years in the Dodgers organization. He also provided one of the coolest moments from last Spring Training when he hit a grand slam in one of his first few at-bats on the “big” field.
Amazing moment for Drew Avans as he hit a Grand Slam on his first at-bat on the main field. There's a party going on in Hammond Louisiana tonight.... Go Lions! Congratulations @AvansDrew, and best of luck in 2022!@LionUpBaseball @LionUpAthletics pic.twitter.com/O6rNHBEBFQ
— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) March 30, 2022Defense
It takes great instincts and physical speed to steal 40 bases at the AAA level and it takes excellent arm talent to pitch at the Division I level. It also takes a great baseball IQ to be the kind of complete player that Avans is, so when you combine that, it’s easy to understand why he is such a good defensive Center Fielder.
Bah gawd that's Drew Avans' music! https://t.co/aUXvs3QLx1
— Oklahoma City Dodgers (@okc_dodgers) September 26, 2022Conclusion
Avans was not placed on the Dodger’s 40-man roster and, thus, is eligible for next month’s Rule 5 Draft. I’m of the opinion that he will be taken and will become an everyday outfielder at the MLB level and will be very good. He has the potential to be a guy at the top of the lineup that can be top 20 in on-base % and runs scored and be very good in center field.
He plays with fire and has a lot of intensity and every club can use that type of player in their dugout on a nightly basis.
Although I cover the Dodgers, my main focus is on the prospects, and my main wish for each one of them is to make the Major Leagues as fast as they can, regardless of the club. From that perspective, I hope Avans gets picked up in the Rule 5 Draft, gets put on a 26-man roster, and gets to play Center Field every day next year in the Big Leagues.
Let me assure you, just like his entire career, all he needs is a chance, and he’ll do the rest.
If not, then he gets to come back to the organization that has given him the opportunity to chase his dreams, so he is in a win/win situation, whatever happens next month.
In closing, I would like to say that I have seen Avans play a bunch in the last 2 years, and there are few players that I have come to admire, appreciate and respect more than him. He is the example that every kid needs to model themselves after in terms of how the game is supposed to be played from the hustle aspects all the way through his play on the field.
So, it was a real pleasure to get to spend some time talking baseball with this young man and getting to know him a little better, and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for him.
