For Dodger fans who follow the minor league system, we tend to develop an affinity for certain players. That is, we develop favorites, just as we do at the major league level. Our favoritism may be because of skills a player possesses, success at a given level, the way he plays the game, or because of a particular event, such as hitting two triples in an inning. It may even be on a gut feeling, or how the player relates to the fans.

I tend to have a number of favorites, some of them recently traded, such as Allen Webster, Ethan Martin and Leon Landry. It can be noted that Leon Landry won the California League batting title playing his last twenty-four games with High Desert, a Seattle Mariner farm team. I still follow their progress with their new teams, but I know that interest will wane another year as a new crop of Dodger youngsters fill out rosters in the spring.

One of my favorites that did not get traded is Joc Pederson, a left-handed hitting outfielder, who played all but two of his games in 2012 with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. In my opinion, Joc is the number one offensive prospect in our farm system. Some may argue Yasiel Puig owns that title. He certainly has potential but very little service time to give us a clear picture of what he may achieve. Joc, on the other hand, recently completed the full season at High A ball as the third youngest player in the California League, and having the best season of any of the five twenty-year-old players in that League.

Joc Pederson scores on a close play at the plate. (Photo Credit – Garrett Nichols)

Joc has the bloodline for which the Dodgers so often look. His father is Stu Pederson who was drafted by the Dodgers in 1981. Stu did play eight games for the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 1985 season, his only major league service. Joc was an unlikely draftee for the Dodgers. Due to what was thought to be signability issues, the Dodgers were able to select him in the eleventh round of the 2010 draft. A center fielder from Palo Alto High School, Joc planned to play college baseball at USC. Why did the Dodgers take a chance even though it was felt Joc might not sign? They apparently liked his .515 batting average, 8 HR, 9 doubles and 6 triples in his final year. He helped the Vikings get to the CIF Championship and earned him co-MVP in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

Joc is considered to be a five tool player but not with the tools of a Matt Kemp. In 2011 he struggled for sixteen games with the Great Lakes Loons, was reassigned to the Pioneer League and caught fire, leading the League in RBI with 64, was tenth in home runs with 11, third in runs scored, second in stolen bases, and fourth in batting average, With the Raptors Joc demonstrated his five tools as a nineteen year old.

This is the assessment of Prospect Instinct last March.: “A pure hitter that has a smooth swing, Pederson can hit for average with some pop and speed. He had 12 outfield assists (most coming with Ogden), showing off a strong throwing arm.” Prospect Instinct felt Joc would spend the 2012 season with the Great Lake Loons. This is their eventual projection for him: “…the most likely comparison would be Matt Holliday, which by most standards is good, but not exceptional.” That would not be too shabby. However, I feel Joc has defensive athleticism that Matt Holliday does not have. That is, speed, range and a very strong arm.

Joc hit 18 home runs for the Quakes this season, including a franchise-tying 3 in one game on July 1.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Joc started the season with the Quakes, not the Loons as expected, played in 110 games, and finished the season with two games in Chattanooga. He had a strong year in 2012 and moved up in the top 20 Dodger prospect lists, now listed fourth behind Zach Lee, Yasiel Puig and Chris Reed. His stat line this year in 110 games: 96 runs,136 hits, 26 doubles, 4 triples,18 home runs, 70 RBI, 26 SB, 51 BB, 81K, .313 Ave,.396 OBP. Defensively Joc committed two errors in 231 chances, had nine assists and started three double plays. Joc can play all three outfield positions but projects as a corner outfielder. He had a particularly strong second half with his power statistics improving as he cleared and tattooed the walls at Rancho Cucamonga. His next step is to play in the Arizona Fall League.

Where does that leave Joc, backed up behind strong outfielders with the Dodgers? Is he merely a good blue chip trade prospect now or does one of our present outfielders get traded in 2014? The prospects of Joc ever playing for the Dodgers have greatly diminished even though I rank him as the number one overall prospect in our system.