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PrintBaseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel. All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible.
Scouting reports for the Top 10 Prospects
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| TOP TEN PROSPECTS |
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| BEST TOOLS |
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| PROJECTED 2016 LINEUP |
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| TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE |
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| TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE |
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| LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY |
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| DODGERS LINKS |
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What a difference a year makes. The Dodgers have gone from the thriftiness and legal battles of the Frank McCourt era to buying the biggest houses in Beverly Hills, with no signs of slowing down.
After two years of watching McCourt's ownership spiral downward, the Dodgers finally began turning the page when he agreed to sell the team via bankruptcy auction in November 2011. In late March 2012, Guggenheim Baseball Management won control of the team, beating out bids by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban among others.
GBM bid $2.15 billion for the Dodgers, obliterating the U.S. sports record of $1.1 billion the Miami Dolphins went for in 2009. The group, which is led by Mark Walter and also includes Los Angeles Lakers icon Magic Johnson and former Braves and Nationals president Stan Kasten, figures to make back its money with a proposed deal to start a new regional sports network that will be worth an estimated $6 billion.
Money has been flowing freely since the sale. No longer shackled by McCourt's financial limitations, the Dodgers most decidedly entered win-now mode.
General manager Ned Colletti went all-out to fortify the big league roster during the 2012 season, making a pair of blockbuster trades. He picked up Hanley Ramirez and the $36.5 million remaining on his contract from the Marlins in late July, then took on $261 million in salary commitments by acquiring Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez from the Red Sox in August.
The moves didn't pan out, at least not in 2012. Los Angeles held first place in the National League West as late as Aug. 19, but went 19-21 the rest of the way to finish with 86 wins, eight fewer than the Giants. Undaunted, the Dodgers kept spending.
In early December, Los Angeles signed Korean lefthander Hyun-Jin Ryu for six years and $36 million and also paid his former team a $25,737,737.33 posting fee. On the same weekend, the Dodgers made Zack Greinke the second highest-paid pitcher ever with a six-year, $147 million deal. The club is poised to open 2013 with a big league payroll north of $210 million.
With Los Angeles locked into veterans up and down the roster, opportunities for young players look limited in the immediate future. In all, the Dodgers sent 12 prospects or young big leaguers away in various trades in 2012, with James Loney the only true veteran shipped out. The list of the departed included talented righthanders Rubby de la Rosa, Nate Eovaldi, Ethan Martin and Allen Webster.
Still, the franchise's new wealth should trickle down to benefit player development. Though new rules prevented Los Angeles from spending freely in the draft, their $6.3 million in bonuses represented a sizeable increase over the $3.5 million McCourt authorized in 2011. The Dodgers made a much bigger splash internationally in June, landing Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig with a $42 million big league deal that shocked many clubs who were more skeptical of his ability.
Puig and 2012 first-round pick Corey Seager now rank as the best hitters in the system. Despite the departure of several valuable young arms via trades, the strength of system remains pitching, with seven hurlers ranked among the top 10 prospects. Ryu headlines an impressive crop of lefthanders that also features Chris Reed, Onelki Garcia and Paco Rodriguez, all premium picks from the last two drafts.
| Scouting reports for the Top 10 Prospects
(How to subscribe) |
| Pre-Order the 2013 Prospect Handbook 30 scouting reports on every team |
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