April 23rd, 2016 at 6:00 am 
by Harold Uhlman On Wednesday evening I tuned in early to the Great Lakes Loons game so I could catch the pre-game interview with Loons play-by-play announcer Chris Vosters and his guest. I had no idea who his guest might be but was surprised and pleaded that it was Clayton McCullough who was signed as the Dodgers Minor League Field Coordinator in January of 2015.
McCullough had initially been selected in the 47th round of the 1998 First Year player draft by the Seattle Mariners out of Rose High School in Greenville, North Carolina. He chose not to sign and decided to attend East Carolina University, also in Greenville, and listed as the third largest university in the state.
McCullough was then selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 22nd round of the 2002 June Amateur Draft. He played for four years in the Indians minor league system reaching as high as the AAA Buffalo Bisons of the International League for one game in 2005.
The young catcher retired as an active player at the age of 25 following his brief stint with the Buffalo Bisons. His next venture was to return to East Carolina University to complete his degree in communications and to serve as a volunteer assistant coach with the baseball Pirates. He worked with the ECU catchers and coached first base.
McCullough, who turned 36 in December, was scooped up by the Toronto Blue Jays and spent the next seven years in the Blue Jays minor league system. Beginning as a hitting instructor with the rookie level Pulaski Blue Jays he proceeded to build a resume in managing positions with the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays, the Lansing Lugnuts in the Midwest League, the A+ Dunedin Blue Jays in the Florida State League and the Vancouver Canadians in the Northwest League. Along the way he was named Manager of the Year in 2011 with the FSL Blue Jays and led the Vancouver Canadians to two consecutive Northwest League Championships. In 2012 he gained his second straight Manager of the Year Award, this time with the Canadians.
Clayton McCullough
(Photo credit – Kyle Rosetta)
McCullough next served as the Blue Jays’ minor league Coordinator of Instruction working primarily with the youngest position prospects in the organization from the Dominican Summer League up to the Florida State League.
The Blue Jays were definitely disappointed to lose McCullough to the Dodgers. Charlie Wilson spoke of the Jays’ loss: “Clayton McCullough is a guy we’re really going to miss,” Blue Jays minor league director Charlie Wilson told Bluebird Banter at the Buffalo Bisons Hot Stove Luncheon, adding that “it’s really tough to lose a guy like Clayton.”
“The sky’s the limit for him. He’ll do very well in this game. Major league manager, farm director, general manager, who knows. He’s that good.”
Toronto’s Assistant General Manager Andrew Tinnish concurred.: “The Dodgers made a great hire. He’s a great guy, he’s a great worker, he’s got a lot of energy, he has a great eye for talent, and he does a nice job of developing players.”
On his visits to the Dodgers minor league teams McCullough attends practices and games wearing a full Dodger home uniform bearing number “6”.
In his interview on Wednesday evening with Chris Vosters McCullough confirmed what many Dodger fans suspected with the way minor league players are now moving throughout the minor league system.
McCullough is getting in a few trips in the first couple of the months and although chilled by the weather in Midland, his enthusiasm for the game and the young prospects has not been dampened. When asked about his thoughts on the Dodgers lower minor league system he responded; “We have a very deep system through the [short season] rookie level, Arizona League and Dominican Summer League. The team is committed to replenishing the system after the trades. I am excited about the quality of players from the A level down.”
In addition to his work with every level of the Dodgers minor league system, McCullough also assists with the big league club during spring training. (Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)
Chris Vosters asked McCullough what he thought about prospect ratings. Although he doesn’t see the prospect ratings as indicative of anything more than a rating he does value them. “We do look at them and the industry value is important and we want them [prospects] to be held in high esteem throughout baseball.”
McCullough was asked about the perceived plan by the Dodgers to fast track or push players through the system. He replied that players are not being pushed just to push them but starting last year players were assigned to a level it was thought they could handle and if they perform well then they are moved on.
McCullough continued; “We are not afraid to have Brandon Davis or Omar Estevez at A level. We want to see how they handle the mental ups and downs.” Estevez and Davis at age 18 are the two youngest players in the Midwest League. Further evidence of that approach would be the success of 19-year old Yusniel Diaz is having with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the A+ California league and 19-year old Alex Verdugo is having with the AA Tulsa Drillers of the Texas League.
McCullough also spoke to the unique experience the Midwest League provides for young players: “It is the first full season for a lot of guys, with long bus rides, new parks and the competitive level challenges with older college drafted players.”
Accompanying Clayton McCullough on his Midland trip and also in full Dodger garb was Dodgers Hitting Coordinator Damon Mashore. It most likely is rewarding for them to see both shortstop Omar Estevez and third baseman Brandon Davis drive balls to the opposite field.
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Another top-notch story; thanks. Dodgers not only building player depth but also managerial and coaching depth. I don’t think it will be too many years before we see Diaz, Verdugo, Scavuzzo, and/or Bellinger patrolling the OF for the Dodgers — Scavuzzo or Bellinger at first base.
Good write-up. As we all know, Friedman/Zaidi (FAZ) “cleaned house”, in the minors last fall. It is nice to read about some of the new guys they brought in.
I am a believer in what FAZ is trying to accomplish with the Dodgers. I believe the organization after a 28 year championship drought needed new blood. LOTS of new blood. FAZ has made a HUGE investment in prospects. They have accumulated lots of draft picks and have signed (more than anyone else) top young international talent, mostly Cubans. Makes total sense that they would remake the part of the organization, responsible for training and developing these players. Clayton McCullough sounds great, and I like his first name.
Another area I find interesting in the remake of the Dodgers, is the multiple former GM’s. I haven’t seen much written about this. One thought I have had, FAZ is pioneering a new baseball team management style. Most teams don’t have this kind of management depth, when their GM leaves (maybe for a better offer) all kinds of continuity is lost. Most teams pretty much start from scratch (with a new philosophy) when there is management turnover. I don’t think this will be the case for the Dodgers. I believe ownership, and ownership is in the money making business, has directed FAZ to operate similar to how an “investment bank” might operate. Investment banks don’t start from scratch whenever the top guy leaves, they generally promote from within to replace the guy leaving. They have an organizational philosophy that is adhered to by whoever is in the GM seat and they just keep building on what the last guy accomplished.
Any thoughts?
There is definitely a new plan in the development part of the game. Perhaps a new Dodger way. I have felt for the past few years that the development part of the Dodgers minor league system was not as successful as it might have been and did not keep pace with the drafting part. Not sure if it now starts with Gabe Kapler but there is definitely a similarity with minor league managers that were brought in this year besides their youth – Shaun Larkin (Ogden), Gil Velazquez (Great Lakes),Drew Saylor (RC), Ryan Garko (Tulsa). There seems to be an emphasis not only on baseball skills but on team building skills and personal development.That is, taking care of the player and the person.
FAZ have worked quickly to replenish the system especially at the lower levels. Besides the flurry of international signings they have also done a good job of locating non-drafted players following the 2015 draft. Moving the youngsters along has been one of the new emphases by McCullough and team.
I think you are right about the front office. The Dodgers have developed depth in all areas of the team including the front office. I think the set of GM’s have some similarities, youth being one, but also offer some diversity – analytics, connections to other teams, drafting success, etc. With the youth in the minor league management system and front office there are any number of good people who can move up to fill positions.
Solid post Bluenose Dodger, yes, “Perhaps a new Dodger way”. Hopefully, the new Dodger way will be an improved 21st century version of the “Old Dodger Way”. Lots of fundamentals with something extra.
There was a time when the Dodger organization was considered “cutting edge”. It started with Branch Rickey (why did the Cardinals let him get away?). He transformed baseball with the Dodgers after transforming baseball with the Cardinals. Unfortunately, seems like the Cardinals guarded and kept the “Cardinal Way” while the Dodgers lost their way at some point. Hopefully, FAZ can implement the “new” Dodger way in developing their young players. I like what I see so far.
I like it too and know it will take some time. I also think the team wants to get the payroll under control and have more bang for the buck. I think 2018 is financial emancipation year.
On today’s Loons broadcast Chris Vosters was talking about batting practice. Manager Gil Valazquez has been working hard to get the youngsters to go the opposite way. Every pitch in batting practice was thrown for the purpose of going the other way.
The Cardinals for a number of years have had that pipeline to MLB. If a player went down to injury, especially pitchers, they had another waiting to step in. They trade Pujols and keep on rolling. The Dodgers fell in love with free agency after the 1988 WS win and unfortunately drafted poorly for a number of years. They had that terrible run where first round pitchers all went down to injury.
The Dodgers made a huge mistake in firing GM Dan Evans. He quickly brought respectability to the farm system and front office – Logan White and Kim Ng.
I seriously think that major league players are known by the age of about 10 or 12! Every little league has a good players – but the future major league players are simply much better!!
I was in little league with one of them. After High School – he was the first player selected in the baseball annual draft! The record for 10 – 12 little league home runs was 15 in 18 games – he hit 44!!! (We did not have a “mercy” rule back in the day!!) He was also a catcher and if the pitcher did NOT hit the ground on his throw to second – the pitcher would leave with SPALDING tattooed on his left ear!!!!;-)
He skipped the 14 – 16 league and went to the under 18 league at the age of 13 and still hit more home runs than the next 2 players. Our high school baseball team was built around him – and nobody else. He and I were catchers and his father told our coach – if his sons butt ever hit the bench when he should be catching – he’d transfer him to another school. After being on 4 all star Little League star teams – and 2 years of high school baseball – and having never caught a single ball in either – I gave up baseball!!!!
So from about the age of 10 – EVERYBODY knew he was going to be a pro baseball player – and for a few years (he did play AAA baseball for about 3 months) he was very good – until an off season hunting accident basically ended his career – he could no longer throw with the zip that he once had. He also developed a very well known catchers mental problem – he could not throw the ball back to the pitcher!! But he still had his bat – which made him a good American League designated hitter for a few years. He retired after 12 years and probably makes more retirement money than any 3 people I know!!!!
Bummer about having never gotten to play, but, at least you can say you were beaten out by a major leaguer. Do you mind saying who he was?
I wouldn’t have liked playing with a mercy rule. Never liked the 10 run rule in softball. It’s baseball/softball and it’s always possible to come back until that final out.
I’m glad the Dodger’s played a full nine today, even though it didn’t look good after eight.