The Yasiel Puig Era Set to Begin for Los Angeles Dodgers

Mar 19, 2013; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Yasiel Puig (66) follows through on a two run home run during the first inning against the Oakland Athletics at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers have spent a ridiculous amount of money to acquire (or extend) impact big leaguers since the middle of last season. With their outfield in shambles, LA now looks to one of the first big signings they made in hopes of righting the ship.

Yasiel Puig, who will be recalled by the Dodgers on Monday, landed a seven-year, $42 million deal as an international free agent after defecting from Cuba. By the time Puig was signed last June, countryman Yoenis Cespedes was already making headlines in Oakland and the Cubs well-publicized pursuit of Jorge Soler was coming to an end as well. For whatever reason, Puig didn’t get the hype his fellow defectors got, but he could well wind up having the biggest impact.

Puig announced his presence during Spring Training when he was the talk of the Cactus League. Assigned to Double-A Chattanooga to begin the 2013 season, Puig produced dominant numbers, posting a .313/.383/.599 line across 167 plate appearances. Half of his 46 hits have gone for extra bases, leading to an impressive .286 ISO. He’s done this without an unsustainable batting average on balls in play and while keeping his strikeout rate in check at 17.4 percent and still taking a decent amount of walks.

In other words, approach is not an issue and that makes his minor league numbers far more likely to translate to the big leagues.

Standing at 6’3″ and 245 lbs, Puig is a beast, but one that has plenty of athleticism and good speed for his size. If he fully develops, he could easily be a 30+ home run guy who can also steal 15-20 bags in a season. He covers ground in the outfield and has an above average throwing arm. While he probably best fits in right field, Puig is athletic enough to play center as needed.

With Andre Ethier playing and pouting his way out of favor with the Dodgers and Matt Kemp a broken-down shell of his former self (and now on the disabled list), the door is wide open for Puig to not only get his shot with the Dodgers, but to establish his permanent place in the lineup.

Asking whether or not Puig can somehow save the Dodgers’ season is unfair for a 22-year-old hitter who has never seen at pitch above Double-A, so I won’t do that. There have been questions about his maturity and how he handles failure. That’s something he hasn’t had to deal with a lot in the minor leagues and it will be interesting to see how he adapts to a prolonged slump when every pitcher he faces is advanced. If he can handle the mental part of the game and keep his emotions in check, Puig has a good chance to stick in the majors right now and, if he does that, he’ll make a positive impact on the ball club.