Play in the rookie level Arizona League began on Monday, June 20th. The fourteen team league plays its 56 game schedule in and around the Phoenix area at the spring training facilities of their parent major league clubs. The The AZL Dodgers play their home games at the Camelback Ranch complex shared by the parent Dodgers and Chicago White Sox.

The Dodgers played their first game of the season against those same AZL White Sox on Monday evening while they wrap up their season on Sunday, August 28th against the Giants at their home facility.

The three division winners are joined by a wild card team in the playoffs which begin in sudden death fashion on Tuesday, August 30th. The team with the best record meets the wild card team and the other two division winners meet in one-game playoffs. The two winners then meet in a championship game.

The Dodgers play in the Arizona League Central Division along with the Brewers, Indians, Reds and White Sox.

They are managed once again by the venerable John Shoemaker – the manager of all minor league managers. The ever popular “Shoe” is in his 23rd year as a minor league manager.

Manager Shoemaker is joined by pitching coach Greg Sabat now in his fourth year in the Dodgers organization. The coaching staff was rounded out by a pair of hitting coaches – or so we thought. Aaron Bates returns to the AZL Dodgers and is joined by Robert Fick who played 846 games at the MLB level. On Sunday Steve Andrade was added as a coach to complete the coaching staff roster. The right-handed pitcher had been drafted by the Dodgers in the 46th round of the 1998 June Draft but didn’t sign. He signed with the Angels in the 32nd round of the 2001 draft and made a brief appearance with the Kansas City Royals in 2006.

The Dodgers roster is filled out with players returning from the 2015 season along with those moving up from the Dominican Summer League Dodgers and those recently selected by the Dodgers in the 2016 First year Player Draft.

Eleven players are returning from last’s year squad including seven pitchers – Kam Uter, Sven Schuller, Hector Rodriguez, Osiris Ramirez, Lenix Osuna, Caleb Ferguson and Logan Crouse.

The 20-year old Schuller was signed by the Dodgers out of Wuppertal, Germany and is beginning his third year in the Arizona League. Right-hander Lenix Osuna is the son of former Dodger reliever Antonia Osuna.

Sven Schuller
(Photo courtesy of phrakephotography.com)

At some point in the season Walter Buehler, the Dodgers first overall selection in the 2015 First Year Player Draft, might make an appearance with the AZL Dodgers.

Catchers Daniel Canellas and Hendrik Clementina return for a second season with the Dodgers. Canellas spent all of last season on the 60-day DL. The 19-year old Clementina – who may be one to keep an eye on – hails from Willemstad, Curacao, the hometown of Dodger closer Kenley Jansen.

Outfielder Shakir Albert also returns to the Dodgers for a second season. He too is a native of Willemstad, Curacao.

Third baseman Jared Walker, the Dodgers fifth round selection in the 2014 June Draft, returns for a third year in the Arizona League.

Ten players have moved up from the 2015 Dominican Summer League Dodgers. The pitching contingent is led by left-hander Leonardo Crawford who is another youngster to keep an eye on. He is joined by fellow pitchers Melvyn Forbes, Gregorio Sequera, and Adalberto Pena.

Leonardo Crawford
(Photo courtesy of laprensa.com)

Also moving up from the Dominican Summer League Dodgers are shortstop Jefrey Souffront, catcher Keibert Ruiz, second baseman Carlos Aquino, shortstop Christian Santana along with outfielders Romer Cuadrado and Carlos Mosquera.

Several free agents also join the AZL Dodgers for the 2016 season including pitchers Oscar Arzaga and Saul Castellanos and outfielder Andres Ayon all signed out of Mexico. Left-hander Francis Cespedes was signed as a free agent on June 4th out of the Dominican Republic and second baseman Dylan Cook was signed as an undrafted free agent following the June Draft. Right-hander Cuban pitcher Yadier Alvarez may well receive the most attention of any of the AZL Dodgers this year with the front office looking for his rapid advancement. Right-handers Misja Harcksen from the Netherlands and Jose Santos return to the AZL Dodgers after brief stints with the Ogden Raptors in 2015.

Seven players from the 2016 First Year Player Draft have been assigned to the Dodgers: catchers Steve Berman and Ramon Rodriguez, shortstops Kevin Lachance and Gavin Lux, second baseman Brandon Montgomery, and outfielders Bryan Morales and Luke Raley.

Unfortunately for the Dodgers, along with Walker Buehler who is on the 60-day DL, they have four others on the same list: Daniel Canellas, Kevin Lachance, Lenix Osuna and Bryan Morales.

The Dodgers won their first game of the season on Monday with an 8-7 win over the White Sox scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning following a single by catcher Keibert Ruiz who had three runs batted in during the game. Outfielder Luke Raley had three hits for the Dodgers. Shortstop Gavin Lux went hitless but did score two runs.

On the mound Yadier Alvarez pitcher 3.2 innings giving up only one hit while striking out seven.