During the past week, the Dodgers have added depth to three of their minor league affiliates. In the recent past, such additions have most often been pitchers, but in this case two of the new signees are outfielders, with the third being a pitcher. Victor Roache is one of those reinforcements recently pressed into service.

Outfielder Roache was actually acquired by the Dodgers on May 4 in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers for cash or a player to be named later.

The native of Ypsilanti, Michigan had been selected by the Brewers in the first round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of Georgia Southern University. As a sophomore for the Eagles, Roache belted 30 home runs in 281 plate appearances to lead the nation. He was the 28th player selected in that draft. He had initially been drafted in the 25th round of the 2009 draft by the Detroit Tigers, but instead opted to attend Georgia Southern University.

Since making his Quakes debut on June 1, Roache already has two home runs, a double and six RBIs. He adds a powerful bat to an already powerful Quakes lineup. (Photo credit – Steve Saenz)

Roache was considered to have as much raw power as anyone in that drafting class, but fell in the draft after breaking his wrist during his sixth collegiate game in 2012 while making a diving play in the outfield. He remembers the accident all too well.

“I remember it pretty well,” Roache said. “It was a freak accident, diving for a ball and my arm got stuck in the ground and I rolled over it. Snapped my wrist pretty good. My initial thought was just, ‘Hopefully I can play baseball again.'”

Roache made his debut in the Brewers organization in 2013, slugging 22 home runs along with 74 runs batted in for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Class A Midwest League. The 6’- 1” / 225-lb right-handed hitter has played four years in the Brewers organization with the last three in the AA Southern League as a Biloxi Schucker. He has a career minor league batting average of .240 and a .313 OBP.

He has a history of Player of the Week awards having twice done so in the Cape Cod League in 2011. In the same year at Georgia Southern he had a stellar week that earned him the Collegiate Baseball’s national Player of the Week award.

In 2014 Roache captured a Player of the Week award with the Brevard County Manatees of the Florida State League and followed that up with the same recognition with the Biloxi Shuckers of the Southern League in 2015.

The now 25-year-old Roache missed the second half of the 2016 season with a lower left leg fibular fracture.

Roache made his debut with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League on June 1 playing right field against the Visalia Rawhide. He hit a two-run home run that game and followed it up with another home run against the Rawhide the next night. His second home run as a Quake, this time in the DH role, was a bases-clearing grand slam. He currently has four hits in four games with the Quakes with three being for extra bases.