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Kim & Espinal changes paying off, as Dodger rotation candidates, OF prospect quartet, and a pair of relief dark horses impress in games

by sports••0
Kim & Espinal changes paying off, as Dodger rotation candidates, OF prospect quartet, and a pair of relief dark horses impress in games

It’s been over a week or so of Spring Training games so far, and we’re just before the World Baseball Classic throws a bit of a curve into things for a bunch of Dodgers players, so as good a time as any to check in on who’s been standing out so far.

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Let’s begin by highlighting some relevant Spring Training performances since games are actually being played now.

As has been previously documented, Roki Sasaki is working on developing a third pitch and fighting for a rotation spot, both of which are still very much a work in progress (1.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 3 K).

Hyeseong Kim is simultaneously battling for a starting spot and a roster spot, and he’s gotten off to a fast start (6-for-13, 0 BB/5 K, 1.154 OPS).

A lot of that seems to stem from getting comfortable with the swing changes the Dodgers tried to implement last year.

“He twisted (in his swing) before, where his body would almost get twisted behind his back,” Bates said this week. “Now, we’re basically trying to keep him more square, longer, with the way he loads and swings. Using the ground first and then going ground up.”

“I think he’s closed some of those holes (where pitchers used to exploit him),” Roberts said. “The hitting guys worked really hard on cleaning some things up for him mechanically.”

Seems to hint at the team having more confidence in him this year.

Santiago Espinal (6-for-11, 4 BB/2 K, 1.394 OPS), arguably Kim’s primary competition for starts at second, got even more direct praise.

“Things bode well for him,” manager Dave Roberts said Friday, offering a hint about Espinal’s chances of breaking camp with the club. “He’s really a helpful, winning player in my opinion, (who) raises the floor.”

Espinal and Dodgers hitting coaches have dug through film of his old swing, trying to shift his line-drive approach back to the big part of the field as it was early in his career (when he batted .280 and amassed 4.6 WAR between 2020 and his All-Star 2022 campaign). So far in Cactus League play, it has helped him start 4 for 9 at the plate, including a hard-hit RBI single in Friday’s game against the Giants.

Seems all but a lock for a roster spot at least.

Meanwhile, it was revealed Kyle Hurt got clarity on his role and is being slotted for a multi-inning relief role.

He has looked mostly dominant so far this Spring (3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 6 K).

Hurt was definitely worthy of at least a pen role when he went down with injury, and it shouldn’t surprise anybody if he ends up making this team.

There are also a bunch of other notable performances, some with roster competition implications.

  • Justin Wrobleski being the first rotation candidate to get stretched out bodes well for him, as does his sharpness so far (3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 HBP, 1 K).
  • Gavin Stone (1 IP, 0 R, 2 K) and River Ryan (1 IP, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K) are both returning from major injury, and both seem to be throwing well.
  • Alex Freeland (3-for-12, 5 BB/3 K, .861 OPS) and Nick Senzel (4-for-13, 3 BB/2 K, 1.136 OPS) are competing with the aforementioned Kim and Espinal, with both of them getting off to hot starts as well.
  • On the prospect front, Zyhir Hope (4-for-13, .900 OPS), Josue De Paula (7-for-16, 1.026 OPS), Zach Ehrhard (6-for-17, .979 OPS), and James Tibbs III (5-for-19, .859 OPS) aren’t going to make this roster, but they are putting in notable shifts as they look to make an impression. Hell, even Mike Sirota hit an (untelevised) homer in his only at-bat of big-league camp so far.
  • Dark horses to make the roster, relievers Paul Gervase (3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 5 K) and Antoine Kelly (3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K) have both been impressive.

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In terms of injuries, Blake Snell likely starting the year on the IL is no surprise, and the same goes for Brock Stewart. However, at least he’s making progress, which worryingly doesn’t seem to be the case for Brusdar Graterol.

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The Dodgers have also continued to add to their depth, signing reliever Keynan Middleton to a minor-league contract.

Sure? He seemed to be turning the corner a bit in 2023 before another major injury hit him, but no idea where his stuff is at now.

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Discuss.

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