Corey Seager among 6 Dodgers roster cuts

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Dodgers on Wednesday made six more roster cuts, optioning outfielder Scott Schebler and reassigning infielders Corey Seager and Buck Britton, catchers Shawn Zarraga and Chris O`Brien and infielder/outfielder Darnell Sweeney to minor league camp after their game against the Cubs.

With the moves, the Dodgers are down to 44 players in big league camp, including 18 position players, 26 pitchers, and nine non-roster invitees.

Seager, who turns 21 in April and is the consensus top Dodgers prospect, has impressed just about everybody in Dodgers camp. He was 4-for-12 (.333) with two doubles and a team-leading six walks in 12 Cactus League games, but also showed a strong work ethic and willingness to learn.

"The way Corey handles himself makes the other guys want to help him any way they can," manager Don Mattingly said on Tuesday. "If they're honest, pretty much everyone in there can see this kid is special, and he has a chance to be really good."

Schebler was hitting .400/.426/.900 with four doubles and two home runs in 13 games.

Sweeney was hitting .438/.474/.875 with two home runs and a double in 12 games, and played second base and center field.

Mattingly praised the play of his young players in camp last week.

"It's been interesting for us in this camp because we've got a lot of our own prospects that have been climbing the ladder that all of a sudden seem to be right here knocking on the door," Mattingly said. "We've also made some trades for some guys that have come from other organizations who have been fun to watch.

"Usually when you take the regulars out of the game you're not quite sure what you are looking at, but now it's almost like the second half of the game is just as interesting as the first half."

Britton, who turns 29 in May, has played all over the infield and outfield himself. He said one of the reasons he chose to sign a minor league deal with the Dodgers was because they pursued him beginning with the opening day of his free agency.

"The way they approached this offseason, the way they came after me," Britton said earlier in camp. "The people in this organization, this just felt like the right place to go."

The Dodgers already optioned catcher Austin Barnes on Monday, so with Zarraga and O'Brien now joining him in minor league camp the team is left with only Yasmani Grandal and A.J. Ellis as catchers in major league camp. In other words, expect there to be minor league catchers galore suiting up each day from the minor league side to back up both Grandal and Ellis.

Minor league games get underway on Friday.