Baseball Prospectus Dodger Prospect Breakdown by Kevin Goldstein
Five Star:
Clayton Kershaw-The column is not free but it does at least give you the complete break down on Clayton. For the rest I'll add some snippets from the Good treatment for each player.
Andy LaRoche LaRoche is a gifted hitter who has the rare combination of plus power and a low strikeout rate. He makes consistent hard contact and should hit for a high batting average with 40+ doubles and 20-30 home runs annually.
Hu Chin-Lung Any discussion of Hu begins with his defense. He has true Gold Glove potential, with instincts that one scout called "bordering on psychic," incredibly quick hands and a strong, accurate arm. His swing is both quick and smooth, and while it's designed for contact, he shows gap power with it as well.
Four Star:
Scott Elbert In terms of size, stuff, and projectability, Elbert ranks just a tick below Kershaw across the board, and that's a strong compliment. His fastball sits in the low 90s and can touch 95 with late, explosive life, while his curveball is a spiraling plus-plus power breaker that is just as effective
Three Star
James McDonald McDonald has a highly-effective three-pitch mix. His average-velocity fastball is brought up a full grade due to his movement and command of the pitch, while his curveball is his best offering-–a slow, big-bending breaker that McDonald like to bend into the strike zone. He also has a deceptive changeup with plenty of depth, and an excellent pickoff move
Josh Bell Bell's bat has true impact potential, as he's a switch-hitter with plus-plus raw power from both sides to go with solid hitting ability. He shows good instincts at third base, and possesses one of the system's better arms.
Withrow Withrow's fastball has average velocity, but scouts believe there will be much more to come due to his fluid, easy mechanics, and highly-projectable frame. He throws a crisp power curveball that might turn into a slider as he matures. The Dodgers love his makeup, work ethic, and how well he takes to coaching.
Meloan Meloan gets outs by using his low-90s sinker early in the count to set up his plus-plus slider, which is a true wipeout offering that he's equally effective throwing for strikes or using as a chase pitch. He also occasionally mixes in a curveball to change hitters' eye level, and he brings a late-inning intensity to every outing.
Dejesus DeJesus has a unique sense of his strengths and weaknesses at the plate, and knows that his greatest value comes from working the count and using a contact-oriented swing to lash line drives to all fields. He's a very good defensive player with good range and smooth action, and as the son of 15-year big-league veteran Ivan DeJesus, it's no surprise that his makeup is strong.
DeWitt On looks alone, DeWitt has one of the prettiest swings in the minors, notable mostly for its speed and fluidity. He has excellent barrel control, no weakness by location, and at least average power. He's a decent third baseman who makes the plays he gets to.
Adkins Adkins' fastball doesn't have much in the way of velocity, sitting in the upper 80s, but it features hard and heavy sink, and his height and arm angle add additional downward plane to the pitch, leading to plenty of ground balls. He throws an average breaking ball and changeup, and has decent command and an excellent feel for the game.
Ramon Troncoso got thrown in as a sleeper. Just Missing: Baez and Watt
The Big Picture 25 and Under
- Billingsley
- Kershaw
- Kemp
- Loney
- LaRoche
- Broxton
- Hu
- Elbert
- McDonald
- Bell