Dodgers' Alvarez Dazzles On Back Fields

GLENDALE, Ariz.—Two of the Dodgers’ most famous Cubans were on display on Saturday afternoon at Camelback Ranch. One drew a throng of well-wishers, autograph hounds and selfie-seekers. The other threw two innings in front of a handful of scouts, team executives and media members.

The first was Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles’ immensely gifted outfielder who has found himself on the wrong side of controversy more than his fair share during his brief career. He was part of a workout on a field adjacent to the big stadium—Justin Turner, Scott Kazmir and Zach Lee were there, too, but none drew more attention than Puig.

Security blocked off the path to the minor league fields to accommodate the sea of blue-clad humanity awaiting Puig once he had finished his work.

Once the barriers were removed and the trail cleared, most of the fans filed into Camelback Ranch for a Cactus League matchup of all-star hurlers Clayton Kershaw and Chris Sale.

A few, however, continued past the shimmering lake and veered right, toward the Dodgers’ minor league fields. There, Los Angeles’ lower-level farmhands were pitted against their counterparts from the Padres.

That’s where the Dodgers’ newest Cuban sensation—19-year-old righthander Yadier Alvarez—pitched his first two innings against an outside opponent since signing this past offseason for a $16 million bonus that cost the Dodgers an additional $16 million outlay as a 100-percent tax for exceeding their bonus pool.

And while two innings in any setting—especially a back field game in mid-March—won’t justify a contract, it was easy on Saturday to see what the Dodgers liked when they wrote such a hefty check.

Alvarez fanned two in his two innings and allowed just one ball out of the infield—a triple to right-center field from Kyle Overstreet—and was dominant from his first pitch through his last.

Alvarez used a loose, whippy arm to generate lively fastballs that started out in the low-90s and eventually built to the mid-90s before touching 99 mph near his outing’s end. He coupled the pitch with a low-80s slider that garnered swings and misses as well.

“I think his stuff is pretty good,” said Dodgers catcher Garrett Hope, who was surprised to find out Alvarez was throwing in the upper-90s. “Ninety-nine coming out of your mouth, that kind of blows my mind. I had no idea.”

Alvarez has a changeup as well, but didn’t show it in this outing. Dodgers pitching coordinator Rick Knapp watched his newest pupil and was pleased with the results.

“He looked pretty good. You could see that,” he said. “Fastball is live and his breaking ball’s got some nice spin, rotation, tilt, bite, whatever you want to use. His changeup isn’t really where it needs to be yet, but … there’s liveliness to his arm.”

Alvarez joins a large group of Cubans acquired by the Dodgers in recent years. A partial list:

OF Hector Olivera (since dealt to the Braves), $62.5 million over six years
OF Puig, $42 million over seven years
RHP Yaisel Sierra, $30 million over six years
2B Alex Guerrero, $28 million over four years
SS Erisbel Arruebarrena, $25 million over five years
RHP Alvarez, $16 million
OF Yusniel Diaz, $15.5 million
RHP Pablo Millan Fernandez, $8 million
2B Omar Estevez, $6 million

The Dodgers have tinkered with Alvarez a little bit since signing him, specifically they’ve shortened his arm action a little bit and have worked to keep him on line toward home plate, which will help toward ironing out the command issues that popped up in Cuba.

In the country’s 18U league in 2014, Alvarez walked 35 in 31 innings, didn’t make the cut for the junior national team and never pitched in Serie Nacional.

“He’s trying to sort out some delivery things. His delivery’s a lot cleaner than when we signed him,” he said. “We’re really pleased with where he’s at in the process.”

BACK FIELDS FILES

An intrasquad between the lower-level Diamondbacks teams pitted righthander Taylor Clarke (Arizona’s No. 14 prospect—before trades of No. 1 Dansby Swanson, No. 2 Aaron Blair and No. 9 Isan Diaz) against Brad Keller (No. 17 prospect).

Clarke, the former College of Charleston Friday ace and 2015 third-round pick, used a well-spotted 92-94 mph fastball to fan two in his first inning and sat between 89-90 mph in his opening frame.

On the other side of the Camelback Ranch complex, the White Sox’s and Brewers’ lower-level teams played a pair of games. On the low Class A field, new Milwaukee shortstop Isan Diaz (acquired from Arizona in the trade that sent righthander Tyler Wagner to the desert) showed off that power that helped him lead the Pioneer League in slugging.

He socked a double and a long home run, both pulled to the right side, during the middle portion of the game. He slotted in as Arizona’s No. 9 prospect before the trade, and would likely rank among Milwaukee’s Nos. 11-15 prospects.

With Milwaukee, he joins a pair of talented shortstop prospects in Orlando Arcia (No. 1 in the system and No. 8 in this year’s Top 100) and Gilbert Lara (No. 5 in the system). Yadiel Rivera (No. 21) is in the mix for a big league utility spot this year as well.

Milwaukee righthander Marcos Diplan (No. 18 in the system) also pitched in this game, and showed a fastball between 92-94 with excellent bore in on righthanded hitters, though his control was lacking.

Against Milwaukee starter Devin Williams, White Sox first base prospect Corey Zangari—the team’s No. 13 prospect and its sixth-round pick in last year’s draft—clubbed a long home run just left of center field.

Known for his power, Zangari swatted six home run in the Rookie-level Arizona League last summer, good for fourth-most on the circuit.