Thanks to the fact that Rod Barajas was a type B free agent and signed with the Pirates, the Dodgers got the 51st overall pick in the 2012 draft. With that selection, the Dodgers continued to go with offense and with bloodlines as they drafted Jesmuel Valentin, the son of former big leaguer Jose Valentin. The elder Valentine actually spent a forgettable season with the Dodgers in 2005, hitting just .170 in an injury plagued season.

Getting back to Jesmuel, I wrote earlier today that he has obviously grown up around the game has good baseball knowledge. He can play all over the diamond, and while he'll get a chance to play shortstop in the minors, he might just end up as a 2nd baseman. He's a line drive hitter who was ranked by Baseball America as the #71 overall best prospect in this draft. He has a similar build to his dad at 5'10" and 175 lbs, but scouts don't project that he'll have the same power as his father (249 career HR's). He's a natural right handed hitter, but he's been working as a switch hitter over the past year and a half.

Valentin has a college commitment to LSU, and while he might play hard ball in negotiations I'd be surprised if he didn't sign with the Dodgers.

Here is his scouting video from mlb.com