Our next installment of the top Dodgers prospects heading into 2018 includes a pair of 2017 draft picks ranked from 20-24.

24. Devin Smeltzer, LHSP

As a polished left hander with three pitches, Smeltzer wasted little time in 2017 getting promoted to High-A and largely held his own in the California League. Whether his fringy velocity can allow him to continue starting in pro ball will be challenged by the more advanced hitters in Double-A, but passing that test could put him in line for a future bottom-rotation role in the majors.

An aggressive strike thrower, Smeltzer attacks hitters from a low three-quarters slot that gives his fastball sink and his changeup excellent fade. His changeup might be his best present pitch, as he locates it well in the zone but can also manipulate the fade to serve as a chase pitch.

Smeltzer’s fastball was typically in the high 80s to low 90s as a collegian (the last known velocity I have on him), but he works to keep hitters off the pitch with sink and varied locations. He still gets sufficient run on his fastball when he pitches up the zone, but the pitch is less a swing and miss pitch and is used more to generate contact away from the barrel. Good hitters were able to square him up in the California League.

Smeltzer’s curveball showed promising depth and shape as a prep, but from video it looks like he saves the pitch for left handed hitters. Like his other pitches, he commands the pitch well, but the the break could use more sharpening and he primarily defers to his other two pitches and hasn’t needed the third pitch for A-ball hitters as much. This could change if more right handers in the upper minors lay off the changeup.

Smeltzer’s ceiling is relatively low given his velocity and overall quality of stuff, but his peripherals have been strong and he produced dominant strikeout numbers in junior college. Smeltzer could have a Tommy Milone-type big league career as a lefty swing man, but any gains in velocity could make him a rotation regular for a big league club.

Smeltzer’s 2017 preseason rank: 34

23. James Marinan, RHSP

Marinan entered the Dodgers’ organization as an overslot fourth-rounder in the 2017 draft, with Los Angeles surely excited by the potential in his size and arm strength. An oversized teenager at 6’5 and 220 lbs., Marinan has an already impressive build and the arm speed that teases plus velocity. A brief cameo in the Arizona Rookie League, where he walked as many as he struck out, showed still how much work needs to be done before we can see Marinan’s real big league potential.

Marinan has a big jump on his peers in his arm strength, where he can run his fastball into the mid 90s, but the life on the pitch is inconsistent. He gets solid sink on the pitch in the lower half, but too often sees the pitch run out of the zone up and to his arm side.

Marinan is also more advanced than other prep draftees in his feel for spin, with the chance for a plus future breaking ball. When right, Marinan can snap off a tough 11-5 breaking ball that is noticeable for its depth and later break.

The problem presently for Marinan is a release point that is all over the place. Marinan’s delivery is slightly efforted and he throws with plenty of arm speed, but getting that arm consistently in the same slot is a noticeable issue, which can cause the fastball to drift arm side affecting his presently poor command.

The slot/release point issues are all correctable at this point, and given his advanced size, could be attributed to Marinan’s athleticism still catching up to his body. He shows the potential for two plus pitches, and the Dodgers have the time to bring him along slowly, with a stay in extended spring likely in offering in early 2018.

Marinan’s 2017 preseason rank: n/a

22. Josh Sborz, RHSP/RP

2017 was a slight step back for Sborz as a prospect, as he saw his stuff and peripherals dip despite a solid repeat performance in Double-A Tulsa. A former college closer, Sborz might need a return to relief pitching to potentially unlock a formerly plus slider and better velocity, but his competitiveness and makeup may still see him fight for an opportunity in a big league rotation.

Despite a rough first half in the Texas League, Sborz turned his fortunes around in the second half to become one of the club’s more reliable arms. Will that competitiveness is an attractive quality, Sborz didn’t quite show the quality of stuff to warrant a future shot at a rotation role with a club as talented as Los Angeles. Sborz’s fastball hovered in the low 90s for most of the season and wasn’t overly distinctive in terms of life.

Sborz’s operates with two variations of breaking ball, with a tighter slider and a more overhead curve, with the curve looking like the best bet for future strikeout potential. He saw his strikeout percentage dip almost 7% in 2017, and despite a better second half showing, the rate didn’t get demonstrably better.

Sborz has shown better command and stuff in the past, so his chances as a starter shouldn’t be written off. He does face a fairly crowded group of arms in the upper minors and major leagues and might find a better path to Los Angeles returning to the bullpen. At his best, his stuff wasn’t quite late relief material, but his college and professional production and makeup could allow him to eventually carve out a vital bullpen role.

Sborz’s 2017 preseason rank: 13

21. Connor Wong, C

A deep system of catchers did not stop the Dodgers from selecting Wong early in the 2017 draft. A prolific and versatile offensive force for the Houston Cougars as a junior, Wong brought much of that performance with him to Class-A Great Lakes, which should put him in an advanced placement to the California League in 2018.

Wong’s body type and athleticism fits the current trend of Dodger backstops seen in Austin Barnes and 2016 first rounder Will Smith. Small in stature but not lacking in athleticism, Wong was a threat on the basepaths in college and his agility and acumen should allow him to succeed as both a receive and potentially an infielder at times in pro ball.

Wong has a simple set up at the plate, with low hands and a toe tap for timing. Some upper body rigidity and swing length could lead to swing and miss issues down the road, but Wong could make up for it with power. His bat speed is above average for a catcher and he swings with enough uppercut to profile as a future flyball hitter at the big league level.

As mentioned, the Dodgers are deep in catchers and don’t face an immediate need for Wong’s services at the big league level. He could show more versatility in 2018 with occasional starts at second, but should be the primary catcher for Rancho Cucamonga. His present in-game power could see him have a big offensive season in the hitter-friendly California League.

Wong’s 2017 preseason rank: n/a

20. Caleb Ferguson, LHSP

It’s been a fast rise for Ferguson from unheralded 38th round draft pick to the organization’s top left handed pitching prospect. Ferguson dazzled the California League in posting a 2.87 ERA over 122⅓ innings and striking out batters at almost a 27% clip. Ferguson should be a fixture in the Tulsa rotation in 2018, with the big league club potentially calling some time in 2019.

Ferguson has one of the system’s best curveballs, a real big bender that he can vary the speed and break on. He will throw it to both left handers and right handers, and profiles as his best future strikeout pitch. His command of the pitch is also a plus considering the amount of break the pitch has.

His big curveball helps keep hitters off a fairly straight fastball, albeit one that he knows how to elevate above the barrel. His velocity is sufficient for the pitch to get some swings and misses, and his command up and down the zone is solid. Ferguson’s change-up is an average third offering, but he has enough command of his two above average to plus offerings to survive with a smaller repertoire if need be.

Ferguson is a sturdily built 6’3, 215-lb. lefty, and lacks future physical projection you might expect in a 21-year-old. He has the body type that will require consistent monitoring on his conditioning, but he has proven quite durable over the last year. Ferguson has simple and repeatable mechanics, with a slightly longish arm action that doesn’t hamper his command.

Though Ferguson’s breaking ball would make him an excellent lefty reliever, he has the stamina and repertoire to break into the bigs as a starter, with a future ceiling as a middle rotation arm with strikeout potential. Like Beaty and Locastro, Ferguson has some sleeper prospect qualities, and he may be a little underrated on this list as is.

Ferguson’s 2017 preseason rank: 25