January 6th, 2019 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka Let’s face it, a Dodgers team without All-Star outfielder Yasiel Puig is going to be an entirely different Dodgers team in 2019. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing remains to be seen, but it will be different.
As every Dodger fan knows, the 28-year-old Cienfuegos, Cuba native, whom the Dodgers signed as an amateur free agent on June 29, 2012 after his defection from Cuba for a then unprecedented seven-year / $42 million contract that included a $12 million signing bonus, was recently traded to the Cincinnati Reds, along with beloved outfielder Matt Kemp, utility infielder / catcher Kyle Farmer, left-hander Alex Wood and cash.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
In exchange, the Dodgers received 32-year-old veteran right-hander Homer Bailey (whom they immediately released as a condition of his 10-and-5 rights), 21-year-old minor league right-hander Josiah Gray, and the real focus (and prize) of the deal, 20-year-old middle infielder Jeter Downs, whom the Reds had selected in the first round of the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens, Florida.
You certainly don’t have to be a rocket scientist – or even an avid baseball fan – to figure out after whom Jeter Downs was named (yes, it was that Jeter – soon to be Hall of Fame New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter). And while naming your kid after one of the greatest to ever play the game is certainly novel, it doesn’t (or didn’t) automatically mean that he would one day become a professional baseball player; especially when you consider that Downs was born and raised in San Andrés, Colombia.
So why all of the hype and hoopla over a kid who will undoubtedly begin his career with the Dodgers in the minor leagues (most likely with the defending 2018 California League champion Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes), you ask?
Good question … with an even better answer.
Young Jeter Downs is very good. We’re talking exceptionally good, here; hence him being drafted by Cincinnati in the first round in 2017 as the 32nd overall pick.
(Photo credit – Alex Dominguez)
In his first season with the Reds’ Pioneer Rookie League Billings Mustangs, the 5′-11″ / 180-pound Downs posted a slash-line of .267 / .370 / .424 for an OPS of .795, all as the Mustangs’ second baseman. In 2018, he was promoted to the Dayton Dragons of the Low Single-A Midwest League, where he played 73 games at second base and 43 games at shortstop, posting a slash-line of .257 / .351 / .402 / .753; not over-the-top-type numbers, but certainly respectable.
If you noticed the pattern here, the Dodgers’ have an affiliate in both the Pioneer Rookie League (Ogden Raptors) and the Midwest League (Great Lakes Loons). In other words, Dodger scouts and player development folks were – and are – very familiar with Downs; enough to make him the primary target of the December 21, 2018 blockbuster trade with the Reds.
Why on earth would a minor league middle infielder be the focus of a trade that included guys named Puig, Kemp, Wood, Farmer, Bailey and Gray, you ask?
Although the real answer to this question remains to be seen (aside from the very obvious salary dump), one has to believe that it is because of Jeter Downs’ very good defense at shortstop and even more so at second base; a position that the Dodgers have been seriously lacking at of late, especially with the recent retirement of 16-year MLB veteran second baseman Chase Utley.
In his combined 166 minor league games on defense (93 at shortstop and 73 at second base), Downs committed a grand total of 32 errors in 348 total chances for a combined fielding percentage (FPCT.) of .908. Again, not over-the-top-type numbers, but certainly very respectable; especially when you consider that we’re talking about a 20-year-old kid whose highest level to date is Low Single-A.
Will young Jeter Downs eventually live up to his namesake?
Probably not. I mean, we’re talking about Derek Jeter; a former Rookie of the Year, a 14-time All-Star, a five-time World Series champion, a five-time Gold Glove winner, a World Series MVP and an All-Star MVP here.
But you’ve got to admit, it is an intoxicating thought and one of those things that makes you say: “Wouldn’t it be something if…”
Play Ball!
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And not to forget Omar Estevez who is just 5 months older than Downs who had a very similar offensive season in 20. Lux, Downs, Estevez with Amaya, Liput, Mann, and Brito a step back in lower minors. Dodgers middle infield prospects are terrific. A couple may need to move over to 3b.
umm “soon to be Hall of Fame New York Yankees second baseman Derek Jeter”?
Should be a unanimous, first ballot HOF’er
Wasn’t he that guy who played shortstop?
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This trade will haunt me until Downs shows up and starts stealing bases like Maury Wills.
IMO, the trade with the Reds was a great deal for Dodgers regardless of Downs (or Gray) making it to the majors. Kemp and Puig were addition by subtraction and none of the 3 were going to be on the 2020 roster.
Fixed. That’s what I get for writing these things at 3 a.m.
Well I’m glad it’s finally been said. So far the big trade netted nothing for 2019. With the loss of Kemp, Puig and Grandahl (28% of the Dodgers’ 2018 RBI’s) I find it difficult to believe that the team will be better this year compared to last year.
If the front office is determined that he Dodgers are going to bring back a World Series, they better start dealing or we’ll be praying for 2020.
First, the Reds trade had nothing to do with Grandal who is a free agent. WAR is not my favorite stat, but it is commonly used and for a short comment it works well. Last season Puig had a 2.7 WAR, Kemp 1.1, and Wood -.3 (baseball reference). In 2016 and 2017 seasons Corey Seager averaged 5.8 WAR, so his return alone more than makes up for the loss of those 3 players. In 2018 both Kemp and Puig’s defense were below ML average, so replacing either with Verdugo will be a plus and I believe Verdugo will be at least a 2 WAR player in his rookie season. Statistically, trading Wood and going with Stripling and/or Urias should be worth a net increase of 3 WAR. Putting Taylor at 2b (4.1 WAR) is a significant upgrade over any other second baseman Dodgers had in 2018, and a platoon of Kiké (3.2 WAR) with with Joc (2.3 WAR) in LF statistically gives the Dodgers an All Star LF combo. OK, now for Grandal and replacing his 3.3 WAR. There is no doubt that Dodgers will find a catcher to pair with Barnes, but unless it is Realmuto (more than a 4 WAR) there will likely be a reduction, but there is more than enough to make up for that loss. There is no doubt in my mind that Dodgers will add at least one position player who will add to the overall WAR; Realmuto? Castellanos? Renfroe? Marwin Gonzalez? TBD, but this team is currently in great shape.
I’m going to miss Puig. I wish he could have been a life-long Dodger.
I’ve seen him as a potential super-star for a long-time. His best years could still be ahead of him. Puig’s “below ML average” defense just doesn’t pass the eye test with me. He made watching the game more enjoyable. He always hustled and I loved how when he fielded a ball with a runner thinking of heading to third you could almost hear him thinking “Do you feel lucky punk, well do you?”
All that said, I can see the wisdom of the Cincinnati trade, especially if the two prospects are anywhere as good as some scouts think. We were overloaded with outfielders and starting pitching and Puig’s, Wood’s and Kemp’s expiring contracts were never going to be more valuable and therefore moving them made sense from from a business standpoint. And we can never forget MLB is a business FIRST. Besides all three will soon be free-agents and available if the Dodgers want them back in 2020.
I’m now looking forward to Verdugo taking over right-field, he also has a cannon for an arm and he has a good chance of being the full time lead off man we’ve been looking for. If he falters we’re still very deep in the outfield, and one righty short of being able to platoon all three outfield positions with good options. Unlike a lot of you guys, platooning is not something I mind if it results in a bigger percentage chance of better overall offense. I guess I’ve bought into analytics.
I’d love to see the Dodgers acquire Renfroe. I think he could blow up like Haniger at Seattle. Have you actually seen trade rumors or is this pipe?
Bottom line, I agree the 2019 Dodgers are in GREAT SHAPE. We are already the favorite to win the division and have lots of time, money, prospects and cheap MLB talent to make a splash when the opportunity presents itself.
Stay tuned.
You always make great points about Dodgers, but I have to disagree with the “eye test” for Puig last season. I watch at least 90% of all Dodgers games on TV (live in Charlotte NC so get them on MLB Extra Innings plus TBS when they play the Braves and last season Puig took so many wrong paths to balls down the line and into the RCF alley that I started to think he needed glasses. It was strange because he had such an outstanding defensive season in 2017 — gold glove quality IMO — to look so bad in 2018 was frustrating. Playing half his games in Cinn. I expect Puig to have a sensational offensive season in 2019 that will likely get him a very nice pay day as a free agent.
I, also, will miss Puig. Of the three I think he’s the only one that may be back, though even with him it’s not likely. Kemp will probably retire.
I do wish Farmer had had an opportunity for more playing time.
If they pull off a major trade I think Verdugo is heading the other way. He’s probably our most valuable trade chip at the present time.
Thanks SoCalBum.
You make an interesting observation about maybe Puig needing glasses. I’ve wondered that a few times about different players. However, I would think it would be gross negligence if teams did not require at least semiannual eye tests for players. Probably not the problem.
I’ve seen it argued that platooning prevents a player from getting in a groove and may cause resentment and thus sub optimal play. We’ve seen it reported that Puig was uphappy with being sat against lefties, which as a righty should have been a strength. Perhaps this could have been a factor. If it was, I see this as a player failure. Puig had over 250 at bats against lefties during 2017 and 2018 and just wasn’t any good. In my opinion that is more than enough opportunity to show you’re capable of succeeding. He didn’t and that is probably the big reason he was traded.
As I’ve stated I’m not against platooning, in fact, I think it’s going to become even more common in the analytical Dodgers world. Sure I would love a everyday star, someone who can hit both lefties and righties equally very well. I see many posters state that we need to find such a player for second base. I ask who? If Muncy can field the position, a platoon of him and Taylor/Hernandez would be very acceptable to me and probably much better than any single player available.
With the Castellanos rumors, someone with a similar contract situation as Puig, looks like lots of platooning in the outfield is the 2019 plan. Again that’s all right with me.
You forgot to mention his invitation to big league camp and the fact that he is a viable first base option?????
It seems to me we have a plethora of first base options. Either that or a whole lot of ’em.
My comment was sarcasm. I said that because in a previous article Ron said he received a big league invite which I have not seen announced anywhere and that he was an option at first base this year which I think is crazy talk.