Eddys Leonard

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #29 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 40/Medium
  
  Track Record: A $200,000 signing in the Dodgers’ loaded 2017 international class, Leonard’s development was slowed by the pandemic. When he finally reached Low-A for good in 2021, he had a breakout season and earned a spot on the 40-man roster. That proved to be a drawback, as the offseason lockout kept him from working with Dodgers coaches. He was slow to get going in 2022, and the Dodgers decided to drop him from their 40-man roster in July 2023. The Tigers acquired him for cash considerations and kept him on their 40-man roster.
  
  Scouting Report: Leonard has always had bat speed, and he responded to the trade by having one of the best stretches of his young career after a post-trade promotion to Triple-A Toledo. Leonard makes too much weak contact, but when he squares a ball up he shows off his nearly plus-plus raw power. When it comes to where Leonard will play, it’s easier to list the positions where he won’t be an option. He doesn’t pitch or catch, and a team should always have a better first baseman. Everywhere else is in play. Leonard is below-average at second and shortstop, and fringy most everywhere else, although he should end up as an average defender in the outfield corners. He has an average arm and above-average speed, but he’s not a savvy basestealer.
  
  The Future: Leonard still has an option remaining, so he’ll get a chance to try to carry over his late-season success in a return to Toledo. He profiles as a versatile backup whose power makes him a useful role player.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Field: 55 | Arm: 50
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #14 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Leonard signed with the Dodgers for $200,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2017 and moved slowly through the complex leagues before delivering a breakout season at the Class A levels in 2021. The Dodgers added him to the 40-man roster after the season, but that became an issue when Leonard wasn't allowed to work with organization coaches or use team facilities in the offseason due to the lockout. He returned noticeably rusty to start the 2022 season and never found any consistency, alternating good months with bad months throughout the year at High-A Great Lakes.
  
  Scouting Report: Leonard is a compact righthanded hitter with electric hands and bat speed. He swings hard and is consistently on time to drill hard line drives from gap to gap. Leonard smokes fastballs and has improved against breaking balls, but he is an aggressive free swinger with below-average plate discipline. He chases pitches he can't drive and will have to tighten his pitch selection to be an average hitter. Leonard's pure bat speed gives him average power as he's learned to elevate balls to his pull-side, and he could grow into more with maturity. Leonard is a threat offensively, but he lacks a defensive home. Though he's a good athlete, he is an erratic middle infielder at both shortstop and second base and is still learning to play third base and center field. He's a fringy to below average defender at every position and will have to move around to avoid being overexposed. He is an average runner with average arm strength.
  
  The Future: Leonard projects to be an offensively-driven utilityman if he can refine his pitch selection. He'll open 2023 at Double-A Tulsa.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 40. Arm: 50
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #8 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: The Dodgers signed Leonard for $200,000 when he was 17, taking a shot on his raw athleticism and fast bat speed. Leonard moved slowly through the Rookie levels and missed the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, but he finally played his first full season in 2021 and had the biggest breakout of any player in the Dodgers system. He hit .296 with 22 home runs and 81 RBIs as he moved from Low-A to High-A and finished second in OPS (.929) among all prospects in the organization.
  
  Scouting Report: Few hitters in the Dodgers system can match Leonard’s bat speed. He has electric hands that get his barrel to the zone remarkably quickly, and the ball comes off fast and loud when he connects. Leonard has long crushed fastballs and began staying on righthanded sliders in 2021, which fueled his breakout. Leonard’s bat speed gives him above-average raw power, and he began elevating to his pull-side this year to access it in games. He stays balanced through his swing and has few pitch types or locations that cause him to struggle. Leonard is still searching for a home defensively. He’s an erratic infielder who is better at second base than shortstop and may have to move to center field. He’s a fringy to below-average defender at every spot with average speed and arm strength.
  
  The Future: Leonard’s bat gives him a chance to be a multi-positional, everyday player. He’ll see Double-A in 2022.
  

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Midwest League #9 prospect in 2021
  Leonard was a relative unknown entering 2021. That’s no longer the case. The 20-year-old impressed all season at both levels of Class A and now appears to be one of the latest additions to the Dodgers’ collection of high-upside prospects. Leonard blends athleticism and hard contact, which helped him hit .296/.390/.539 with 22 home runs, 29 doubles and 51 walks at a pair of Class A stops. His skills now are impressive enough, but what they could become once he’s done growing is tantalizing. “I really, really like this kid,” a scout said. “He’s raw, sure, but he gets it and you have to get it early to stick out. He’ll need an intentional eye kept on him, but that’s the type of profile you want to invest in.” Leonard has a blend of confidence and plate discipline. He’s also gained experience at a variety of defensive spots, having started multiple games for Great Lakes at third base (14), center field (11), second base (10) and shortstop (six). A multi-positional role is likely in his future.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Leonard signed with the Dodgers for $200,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2017 and moved slowly through the complex leagues before delivering a breakout season at the Class A levels in 2021. The Dodgers added him to the 40-man roster after the season, but that became an issue when Leonard wasn't allowed to work with organization coaches or use team facilities in the offseason due to the lockout. He returned noticeably rusty to start the 2022 season and never found any consistency, alternating good months with bad months throughout the year at High-A Great Lakes.
  
  Scouting Report: Leonard is a compact righthanded hitter with electric hands and bat speed. He swings hard and is consistently on time to drill hard line drives from gap to gap. Leonard smokes fastballs and has improved against breaking balls, but he is an aggressive free swinger with below-average plate discipline. He chases pitches he can't drive and will have to tighten his pitch selection to be an average hitter. Leonard's pure bat speed gives him average power as he's learned to elevate balls to his pull-side, and he could grow into more with maturity. Leonard is a threat offensively, but he lacks a defensive home. Though he's a good athlete, he is an erratic middle infielder at both shortstop and second base and is still learning to play third base and center field. He's a fringy to below average defender at every position and will have to move around to avoid being overexposed. He is an average runner with average arm strength.
  
  The Future: Leonard projects to be an offensively-driven utilityman if he can refine his pitch selection. He'll open 2023 at Double-A Tulsa.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 40. Arm: 50
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Leonard signed with the Dodgers for $200,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2017 and moved slowly through the complex leagues before delivering a breakout season at the Class A levels in 2021. The Dodgers added him to the 40-man roster after the season, but that became an issue when Leonard wasn't allowed to work with organization coaches or use team facilities in the offseason due to the lockout. He returned noticeably rusty to start the 2022 season and never found any consistency, alternating good months with bad months throughout the year at High-A Great Lakes.
  
  Scouting Report: Leonard is a compact righthanded hitter with electric hands and bat speed. He swings hard and is consistently on time to drill hard line drives from gap to gap. Leonard smokes fastballs and has improved against breaking balls, but he is an aggressive free swinger with below-average plate discipline. He chases pitches he can't drive and will have to tighten his pitch selection to be an average hitter. Leonard's pure bat speed gives him average power as he's learned to elevate balls to his pull-side, and he could grow into more with maturity. Leonard is a threat offensively, but he lacks a defensive home. Though he's a good athlete, he is an erratic middle infielder at both shortstop and second base and is still learning to play third base and center field. He's a fringy to below average defender at every position and will have to move around to avoid being overexposed. He is an average runner with average arm strength.
  
  The Future: Leonard projects to be an offensively-driven utilityman if he can refine his pitch selection. He'll open 2023 at Double-A Tulsa.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 40. Arm: 50
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  Track Record: The Dodgers signed Leonard for $200,000 when he was 17, taking a shot on his raw athleticism and fast bat speed. Leonard moved slowly through the Rookie levels and missed the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, but he finally played his first full season in 2021 and had the biggest breakout of any player in the Dodgers system. He hit .296 with 22 home runs and 81 RBIs as he moved from Low-A to High-A and finished second in OPS (.929) among all prospects in the organization.
  
  Scouting Report: Few hitters in the Dodgers system can match Leonard&#39s bat speed. He has electric hands that get his barrel to the zone remarkably quickly, and the ball comes off fast and loud when he connects. Leonard has long crushed fastballs and began staying on righthanded sliders in 2021, which fueled his breakout. Leonard&#39s bat speed gives him above-average raw power, and he began elevating to his pull-side this year to access it in games. He stays balanced through his swing and has few pitch types or locations that cause him to struggle. Leonard is still searching for a home defensively. He&#39s an erratic infielder who is better at second base than shortstop and may have to move to center field. He&#39s a fringy to below-average defender at every spot with average speed and arm strength.
  
  The Future: Leonard&#39s bat gives him a chance to be a multi-positional, everyday player. He&#39ll see Double-A in 2022.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 40. Arm: 50.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The Dodgers signed Leonard for $200,000 when he was 17, taking a shot on his raw athleticism and fast bat speed. Leonard moved slowly through the Rookie levels and missed the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, but he finally played his first full season in 2021 and had the biggest breakout of any player in the Dodgers system. He hit .296 with 22 home runs and 81 RBIs as he moved from Low-A to High-A and finished second in OPS (.929) among all prospects in the organization.
  
  Scouting Report: Few hitters in the Dodgers system can match Leonard’s bat speed. He has electric hands that get his barrel to the zone remarkably quickly, and the ball comes off fast and loud when he connects. Leonard has long crushed fastballs and began staying on righthanded sliders in 2021, which fueled his breakout. Leonard’s bat speed gives him above-average raw power, and he began elevating to his pull-side this year to access it in games. He stays balanced through his swing and has few pitch types or locations that cause him to struggle. Leonard is still searching for a home defensively. He’s an erratic infielder who is better at second base than shortstop and may have to move to center field. He’s a fringy to below-average defender at every spot with average speed and arm strength.
  
  The Future: Leonard’s bat gives him a chance to be a multi-positional, everyday player. He’ll see Double-A in 2022.
  
• October, 2021 Scouting Report
  Leonard was a relative unknown entering 2021. That’s no longer the case. The 20-year-old impressed all season at both levels of Class A and now appears to be one of the latest additions to the Dodgers’ collection of high-upside prospects. Leonard blends athleticism and hard contact, which helped him hit .296/.390/.539 with 22 home runs, 29 doubles and 51 walks at a pair of Class A stops. His skills now are impressive enough, but what they could become once he’s done growing is tantalizing. “I really, really like this kid,” a scout said. “He’s raw, sure, but he gets it and you have to get it early to stick out. He’ll need an intentional eye kept on him, but that’s the type of profile you want to invest in.” Leonard has a blend of confidence and plate discipline. He’s also gained experience at a variety of defensive spots, having started multiple games for Great Lakes at third base (14), center field (11), second base (10) and shortstop (six). A multi-positional role is likely in his future.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Leonard emerged as one of the Dodgers' better low-level prospects this year with a well-balanced offensive profile and the ability to play the middle infield. He has a chance to hit for average and power and remain in the middle of the diamond.