DSL Dodgers – eliminated

The Dominican Summer League Dodgers are the only Dodger affiliate that has been eliminated from post season play. League play wrapped up on August 22nd with the Dodgers finishing a distant last in the Boca Chica South Division of the DSL.

AZL Dodgers – clinched 

The Dodgers have finished first in the second half of league play. They ended the season with a flurry winning six of their last eight games to finish 2.5 games ahead of the AZL Reds. The Dodgers now enter single elimination post season play along with the Cubs, Royals, Angels, White Sox and Mariners.

Their first playoff game is scheduled today with the White Sox. On the season the Dodgers and White Sox evenly split six games.

Offensively the Dodgers are led by left fielder Ariel Sandoval (.325) and first baseman Ibandel Isabel (295).

Right-handed pitchers Miguel Urena and Gregor Mora combined to pitch 101.1 innings for the Dodgers during the season while 2015 sixteenth round round selection Nolan Long finished the regular season with three consecutive five innings appearances, winning all three games while giving up only one earned run.

Nolan Long
(Photo credit – d1baseball.com)

Ogden Raptors – tied for first

The Dodgers rookie level affiliate in the Pioneer League are making a late season run at the second half championship. The Raptors are 18-4 since the all-star break and 9-1 in their last ten games. Two of those most recent wins came against the Idaho Falls Chukars who led the Ogden squad by one game in the Southern Division of the league going into Saturday’s games.

Ogden pulled even with the Chukars on Saturday taking a twelve inning 4-3 win against the Orem Owlz. Idaho Falls lost 7-6 to the last place Grand Junction Rockies.

They have 10 games left in their schedule including two with the Chukars in Idaho Falls.

The Raptors have had a strong second half offensively led by outfielders Gage Green and Matt Jones along with late season additions Jordan Paroubeck and Alex Santana. Although he has recently cooled off first baseman Scott De Jong remains an important cog in the Raptor’s offense.

Thirty-third round 2015 selection Adam Bray along with 9th round selection Kevin Brown and 19-year -old left-hander Jairo Pacheco lead the starting staff into the final stages of the season.

Scott De Jong
Photo credit: Dave Schofield

Great Lakes Loons – first half wild card spot

The Loons are struggling in the second half of the season having lost a number of their top guns to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League. They are presently dead last in the Eastern Division of the Midwest League.

However, they captured a wild card spot in the first half by winning 18 of their last 22 contests with a 10-game winning streak at one point in their playoff run.

The offense is presently led by second baseman Jimmy Allen, outfielder Brain Wolfe and third baseman Matt Beaty who had five hits in Saturday’s contest.

Right-hander Grant Holmes leads the starting staff that also had been decimated by promotions to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Right-handers Isaac Anderson, Michael Boyle and Tommy Bergjans – all drafted in 2015 and promoted from the Ogden Raptors – have pitched well for the Loons.

Grant Holmes
(Photo credit – MiLB.com)

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes – clinched first half spot

The High-A Quakes are presently six games behind the first place High Desert Mavericks having won only three of their last 10 games.

The Quakes, as with the Loons, captured a first half playoff spot by finishing four games ahead of those same Mavericks.

The Quake’s roster has been strengthened with a number of position players promoted from the Great Lakes Loons. Second baseman Willie Calhoun as well as outfielders Alex Verdugo and Kyle Garlick (7-day DL) have all been added to the roster in the past two weeks. Along with first baseman Cody Bellinger, catcher Tyler Ogle and outfielder Jacob Scavuzzo the newcomers provide the Quakes with a formidable offense. Calhoun had a 4-hit game on Saturday against the San Jose Giants.

Trades and promotions have almost completely changed the Quakes starting staff. The present starting corps includes Trevor Oaks, Chase De Jong, knuckleballer Matt Shelton, Brock Stewart and Pablo Fernandez who was placed on the 7-day DL on August 24th.

Willie Calhoun
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Tulsa Drillers – five games back

The Drillers have a mountain to climb standing five games behind the first place Arkansas Travelers having lost seven of their last ten games. Four of those losses have been by one run. Their loss yesterday to the Springfield Cardinals dropped them into third place one game behind the second place Cardinals.

The Drillers have nine games left in their schedule but none with the first place Travelers.

The offense has struggled with a .245 team batting average. Kyle Farmer has been the most consistent hitter with a .285 batting average while Erisbel Arruebarrena has hit .306 in his last ten games.

The starting pitching is definitely strong led by Julio Urias and Jose De Leon along with Ross Stripling, Deck McGuire and Jeremy Kehrt. De Leon threw 4.2 strong innings on Saturday while reliever Caleb Dirks made his 11th relief appearance without giving up an earned run with the Drillers.

Kyle Farmer
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Oklahoma City Dodgers – five game lead

With 10 games remaining in their regular season schedule the Dodgers have a five game lead over the second place Iowa Cubs in the American Northern Division of the AAA Pacific Coast League. The Dodgers have led the division for most of the year and presently have the best winning percentage in the league at .602.

Shortstop Corey Seager and catcher Austin Barnes lead the offense supported by O’Koyea Dickson and Scott Schebler.

The starting staff includes Zach Lee, Joe Weiland, Eric Stults, Mike Bolsinger and Eric Surkamp. Bolsinger threw seven shutout innings on Saturday while striking out 11 El Paso hitters.

Needless to say the OKC Dodgers roster will undergo some big changes as September call ups are made by the parent Dodgers.

Corey Seager
(Photo credit – MiLB.com)