Dodgers 2014 Minor League Review: Great Lakes Loons
Hitters Overwhelmed
It looked like Joey Curletta was going to break out this year, with a .368 average in April, but his production began dropping in May and by the end of the year his average had fallen to .277.
The big right fielder showed off his arm strength by throwing out 13 baserunners in 2014. He flashes raw power but must learn to harness it.
Alex Santana moved from third base to left field to start the year and while he held his own in the field, his bat struggled. He ended the year with a .623 OPS in 111 games. Still just 20, there’s time for Santana to develop on offense and refine his defense in left field.
Jacob Scavuzzo made a name for himself in 2013 by hitting .307 with 14 home runs in Ogden. Unfortunately, the 20 year old struggled in moving to Low-A Great Lakes and ended the year with a .588 OPS. He eventually went back to Ogden where he fared better, but it was a tough season for the big outfielder.
Perhaps the most exciting prospect to grace the Loons with his presence this year was Justin Chigbogu, who could just as easily hit the ball 450 feet as he could flail wildly at three pitches.
In just 24 games, Chigbogu struck out 9 times but also clubbed three home runs. He, too, went back to Ogden and mashed a team record 20 home runs, but also continued striking out at an alarming rate. Another young guy with plenty of upside but plenty of work to do.
Promising Young Pitching
Even though two of the Loons’ best pitchers were traded this year, the club still had a trio of promising young arms that took some steps forward this year.
Chief among them, Zachary Bird, has had a tough go of it over his first few seasons as a pro. He began last year with the Loons but went back to Ogden before finishing the season back with the Loons.
This year, he spent the entirety of the season with the Loons and improved all around, increasing his strikeouts and lowering his walks. At just 20 years old, it’s nice to see this type of progress.
A sixth-rounder in 2011, Scott Barlow, pitched two games before undergoing surgery and missing the 2012 season. He pitched 15 games with Ogden last year and stayed with Great Lakes in 2014, where he was back to his old self and showed a good fastball and breaking ball.
Generally, you don’t expect much out of your 17th-rounder, but in 2013 the Dodgers got a good one in Greg Harris. The lanky righty doesn’t overpower hitters, but mixes a deep repertoire with command and a little funk in his delivery to get outs. He had excellent peripherals this season despite an inflated ERA.
