A pair of Dodgers prospects played in the Fall Stars Game in Mesa on Saturday night in the Arizona Fall League.
Dodgers minor leaguer Eriq Swan has impressed in the Arizona Fall League this year, and pitched two scoreless innings in the Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park in Mesa on Saturday night.
Swan, drafted by the Dodgers in the fourth round in 2023 with the pick that was compensation for Trea Turner signing with the Phillies, was limited by injuries to just 28⅓ innings during the regular season, between Low-A Rancho Cucamonga and the Arizona Complex League, in his professional debut.
The 6’6 right-hander went into detail about his vast pitch mix, and how he’s found comfort in pitching exclusively out of the stretch, with Sam Dykstra at MLB,com:
“I have to be around the zone as much as I can,” Swan said. “With every pitch, I’m trying to force a swing decision. … I don’t know if so much of it was overthrowing, but I think there were too many thoughts over the rubber instead of over the plate and trying to execute. A lot of the thought process was going into what I was trying to do. As the Fall League’s gone on, I’ve let go, trusted my body and let the rest take care of itself.”
During the Arizona Fall League with Glendale, Swan struck out 14 of his 33 batters faced with only one walk, with a 5.19 ERA that rates well below the league number (5.94).
Dodgers prospect Zyhir Hope started the Fall Stars Game in right field. He was 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts, but walked, stole second base, and scored in the sixth inning.
Hope also made this nice leaping catch at the wall in the fourth inning:
Links
- The Dodgers are Teoscar Hernández’s preferred choice in free agency, though four other teams are interested in the slugging outfielder, reported Fabian Ardaya and Will Sammon at The Athletic.
- Juan Toribio at MLB.com recapped last week’s general manager meetings in San Antonio, noting how the Dodgers starting pitching is expected to improve, and also that “the hope” is for Hernández and the Dodgers “to run it back, this time with a multiyear deal.”
- Also from Sammon at The Athletic, Roki Sasaki once posted to MLB “will likely prioritize stability, lifestyle, comfort and, according to league sources, a team’s track record with player development.”
- Mike Petriello at MLB.com ranked all 30 teams based on the rosters at the start of the offseason (before any moves), based on expected Wins Above Replacement in 2025. The Dodgers are ranked No. 1.
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