Dodgers’ Triple-A Affiliate Sweeps Pitcher and Player of the Week Awards
Jon Duplantier and Drew Avans aren’t blue-chip prospects.
Duplantier, 30, is in his second stint with the Dodgers organization and his third organization overall in the last two seasons. Avans, 28, was a 33rd-round draft pick in 2018 who just completed his fourth full season with the Dodgers’ top minor league affiliate without ever getting called up to the big leagues.
Yet both players are exemplary of an often-overlooked reason Oklahoma City hasn’t posted a losing record since 2019: The same player development machine that regularly keeps the Dodgers’ farm system ranked among the top 5 in MLB holds benefits for veteran minor leaguers as well.
Tuesday, Duplantier was named Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week, and Avans was named PCL Player of the Week, for the week ending Sunday.
Avans went 14 for 22 (.636) with four walks and seven RBIs in five games last week, all against the Salt Lake Bees.
Duplantier only took the mound once against the Bees but he made it count. The right-hander threw six perfect innings Wednesday and struck out a career-high 12 batters in an eventual 20-6 victory.
Oklahoma City’s season ended Sunday.
Avans slashed .272/.366/.396 (.762 OPS) in 133 games for Oklahoma City. He led the team with 35 stolen bases (in 41 attempts), 105 runs, 80 walks and eight triples. His 147 hits and 27 doubles both ranked second on the team.
In four seasons at Oklahoma City, Avans has slashed .270/.369/.404. Across six minor league seasons — all with the Dodgers — Avans has played 643 games, stealing 161 bases and seeing time at all three outfield positions.
Avans was a pitcher and hitter in college at Southeastern Louisiana but has focused exclusively on hitting and playing the outfield as a pro.
Duplantier has made 19 appearances in the majors, across the 2019 and 2021 seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but has followed a journeyman’s route over the last three seasons. He signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets in February but was released in June.
The right-hander signed up for his second stint with the Dodgers after a brief stint with the Lake Country DockHounds of the independent American Association. He finished the season 3-2 with a 3.56 ERA in six starts for Oklahoma City.
A Top-100 prospect in baseball prior to the 2018. and 2019 seasons, Duplantier is 1-4 with a 6.70 ERA in the majors and 30-13 with a 3.42 ERA in the minors in his career.
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