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Dodgers, Royals, Padres spring training notes

By Brody Hilgenkamp

Mar 9, 2016; Tempe, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes (28) celebrates with third base coach Chris Woodward (45) after hitting a two run homerun against the Los Angeles Angels in the second inning during a spring training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2016; Tempe, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes (28) celebrates with third base coach Chris Woodward (45) after hitting a two run homerun against the Los Angeles Angels in the second inning during a spring training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Dodgers, Royals and Padres all have prospects who have taken advantage of lots of playing time this spring.

With spring training wrapping up this week, one final installment of spring training notes seems like an appropriate thing to do. This installment features prospects from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres who have received a lot of playing time this spring and taken advantage of it.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The fact that catcher Austin Barnes hasn’t received significant major league playing time yet is surprising considering he’s proven to be an adroit hitter throughout his minor league career: He’s a .300 AVG/.390 OBP/.439 SLG hitter in the minors, including a .315/.389/.479 line in Triple-A in 2015.

His defensive skills are big-league ready, but right now he’s blocked by Yasmani Grandal and A.J. Ellis. This spring, he’s hit just .224 but with a .356 OBP and .830 OPS. He’s also tied for the Dodgers’ lead this spring with four home runs and 10 walks.

Kansas City Royals

This winter, I wrote about how outfielder Reymond Fuentes lost a potential major league roster spot when the Royals re-signed Alex Gordon. That may not be the case anymore. Jarrod Dyson went down with an injury early in spring training, opening a hole for Fuentes to platoon with Paulo Orlando. Fuentes has taken advantage of the opportunity, hitting .412/.483/.686 with three home runs. Last night, he was 2-for-3, drove in two runs and scored another. He’s clearly playing for a major league spot.

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Raul Adalberto Mondesi is just 20 years old, so he probably won’t make the major league roster, but the Royals are giving him plenty of major league at bats this spring. He has 43 ABs, 11th on the team, and has hit .256/.273/.326. It appears as though the Royals are trying to accelerate his timeline.

San Diego Padres

If you’re looking for a minor leaguer who would advocate instituting the designated hitter in the National League, start with the Padres’ Jabari Blash. Blash is an outfielder, but the Padres already have three veteran (and expensive) outfielders slotted into starting roles. Blash is listed as the backup left fielder according to the team’s website, and for good reason: He’s essentially a poor man’s Joc Pederson in that he is second on the team in home runs (four), and leads in strikeouts (20) and walks (eight). His .213/.351/.489 slash line bears that out as well.

If the Padres had the luxury of using the DH all the time instead of only in American League ballparks, the Padres would have many more opportunities to platoon their outfield corps and exploit favorable matchups. For example, if the Padres decided they wanted to sacrifice some defense against a left-handed starter, Blash could start and Jon Jay could come in as a defensive replacement.

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Jay is an anemic hitter against lefties, and Blash tends to beat them senseless–he hit lefties for a .292/.394/.674 line in ’15 but was .265/.363/.549 against righties. Blash, who hit 32 home runs between two levels last season, should be a productive platoon bat, even if a lot of statistical comparisons aren’t favorable.

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