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LOS ANGELES — Ten Dodgers draft picks from 2017 will open their 2018 season with Class-A Great Lakes in the Midwest League.
Riley Ottesen, Wills Montgomerie and Zach Pop are all part of the Loons’ pitching staff, and were drafted from the fifth through seventh round last June.
Also on the roster are young slugging outfielders Starling Heredia and Carlos Rincon. Heredia is just 19 but has a lot of pop in his bat, even though he struggled in his 26 games with Great Lakes last season, hitting just .212/.291/.323. Heredia was ranked as the Dodgers’ No. 14 prospect by our David Hood.
Rincon turned 20 in October. He hit .198/.270/.404 with 18 home runs in 87 games in his first taste of full season ball last season, but also won the Midwest League home run derby.
Last summer's MWL Home Run Derby star Carlos Rincon will start the 2018 season with the @greatlakesloons. Smashed 38 HR to win the title. #DiveIn pic.twitter.com/n3QjdT39dU
— Matt DeVries (@DeVries_Matt) April 2, 2018
Melvin Jimenez had 36 strikeouts and 12 walks in his 28 innings with the Loons last season, and doesn’t turn 19 until this July.
Great Lakes opens its schedule at home on Thursday against Lansing (Blue Jays).
Great Lakes preliminary roster
| Pos | Player | B/T | 2018 age* | How acquired | 2017 highest level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Player | B/T | 2018 age* | How acquired | 2017 highest level |
| RHP | James Carter | R/R | 24 | 2016 draft (21st) | Great Lakes |
| RHP | Max Gamboa | R/R | 23 | 2017 draft (18th) | AZL |
| LHP | Austin Hamilton | L/L | 24 | FA, 2017 | Ogden |
| LHP | Devin Hemmerich | R/L | 22 | 2017 draft (26th) | Ogden |
| RHP | Dan Jagiello | R/R | 23 | 2017 draft (34th) | Great Lakes |
| RHP | Melvin Jimenez | S/R | 18 | Int'l FA, 12/23/15 | Great Lakes |
| RHP | Marshall Kasowski | R/R | 23 | 2017 draft (13th) | Great Lakes |
| RHP | Wills Montgomerie | R/R | 23 | 2017 draft (6th) | Great Lakes |
| RHP | Riley Ottesen | R/R | 23 | 2017 draft (5th) | Great Lakes |
| RHP | Zach Pop | R/R | 21 | 2017 draft (7th) | AZL |
| RHP | Andre Scrubb | R/R | 23 | 2016 draft (8th) | Great Lakes |
| RHP | Edwin Uceta | R/R | 20 | Int'l FA, 7/2/16 | Ogden |
| RHP | Jesus Vargas | R/R | 19 | Int'l FA, 12/2/14 | Ogden |
| RHP | Aneurys Zabala | R/R | 21 | Trade (Sea), 3/1/17 | AZL |
| C | Garrett Hope | R/R | 24 | FA, 2015 | Tulsa |
| C | Gersel Pitre | R/R | 22 | Int'l FA, 12/12/13 | Great Lakes |
| C | Ramon Rodriguez | R/R | 19 | 2016 draft (30th) | Great Lakes |
| 2B/3B | Marcus Chiu | R/R | 21 | 2017 draft (15th) | AZL |
| 2B/3B | Zach McKinstry | L/R | 23 | 2016 draft (33rd) | Tulsa |
| 2B/3B | Brandon Montgomery | R/R | 22 | 2016 draft (26th) | Rancho Cucamonga |
| SS/2B/3B | Moises Perez | R/R | 20 | Int'l FA, 7/18/13 | Great Lakes |
| 3B/1B | Jared Walker | L/R | 22 | 2014 draft (5th) | Rancho Cucamonga |
| 1B | Nick Yarnall | L/L | 23 | 2016 draft (35th) | Great Lakes |
| OF | Romer Cuadrado | R/R | 20 | Int'l FA, 7/2/14 | Ogden |
| OF | Starling Heredia | R/R | 19 | Int'l FA, 7/2/15 | Great Lakes |
| OF | Brayan Morales | R/L | 22 | 2016 draft (15th) | Tulsa |
| OF | Zach Reks | L/R | 24 | 2017 draft (10th) | Rancho Cucamonga |
| OF | Carlos Rincon | R/R | 20 | Int'l FA, 7/2/15 | Great Lakes |