What To Expect: Alex Verdugo
The Dodgers are cruising into the playoffs with a win percentage just shy of .700 despite a current four-game losing streak. That hasn’t stopped them from tinkering with the roster.
They added righthander Yu Darvish from the Rangers at the trade deadline, picked up center fielder Curtis Granderson from the Mets earlier this month and on Thursday said they would call up No. 2 prospect Alex Verdugo from Triple-A Oklahoma City when rosters expand Friday.
Verdugo, who took part in the Futures Game in Miami in July, is hitting .314/.389/.436 as a 21-year-old in Triple-A, more than five years younger than the average player at that level.
A second-round pick out of high school in Arizona in 2014, Verdugo has moved quickly even in a system known for trusting young players.
SCOUTING REPORT
Verdugo shows an advanced feel to hit, although his line-drive stroke is not geared for power. He has the bulk and bat speed necessary to hit 15-20 homers, but his swing lacks the requisite leverage to consistently lift the ball out of the park. Scouts believe, however, with his raw power he should have at least average playable power in games eventually. His setup in the batter’s box is fairly quiet and he stays within the ball well, content to use an inside-out stroke to shoot the ball to left field when necessary.
Verdugo’s at-bats this season have consistently been good and he shows excellent strike-zone awareness, walking 52 times and striking out just 50 times. His defense is solid-average in center field with fringe-average speed, but his arm grades plus-plus, which could portend a move to right field if his power develops.
There has long been criticism about Verdugo’s inconsistent motor and maturity, but internal evaluators chalk that up to trade rumors that swirled around him as well as the trade of close friend Willie Calhoun.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Verdugo is not expected to be on the postseason roster, but the Dodgers are eager to see him against big league pitching in hopes of getting him acclimated to compete for a job in 2018. He might share time with Chris Taylor in center field or play in a rotation that involves Taylor and Granderson. But the Dodgers are not expecting him to contribute in a big role right away.
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