Suffice to say, Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman has a knack – and a reputation – for finding the proverbial ‘Diamond(s) in the Rough’ when it comes to discovering talented baseball players and prospects. Granted, he personally may not discover them all, but he arguably has one of the best scouting staffs in the business who often find these hidden gems.

On Wednesday, Major League Baseball held the Minor League phase of the 2021 Rule-5 Draft, with the Major League phase currently suspended due to the ongoing MLB lockout. The Dodgers selected three players: 24-year-old catcher/third baseman Kekai Rios, 27-year-old right-handed pitcher Carson Fulmer, and 27-year-old right handed pitcher Jon Duplantier. Of the three, only Rios has never appeared in a Major League game.

Rios was initially selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 28th round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. He made it as high as the Biloxi Shuckers of the Double-A South League, where he appeared in six games, going 2-for-19 (.105), with a double. That said, he owns a respectable .242/.348/.342/.690 slashline over his three MiLB seasons, which undoubtedly caught Friedman’s (et al.) eye. For good measure, Rios also made two relief appearances in the minors. He allowed no runs and only one hit in his combined two innings pitched, with no walks and one strikeout. He did, however, hit one of the nine total batters he faced, suggesting that the Dodgers selected him for what he does behind the plate as opposed to in front of it.

Fulmer appeared in 74 games (15 starts) during his six MLB seasons – 44 with the Chicago White Sox, 20 with the Cincinnati Reds, three with the Baltimore Orioles, and seven with the Detroit Tigers – having been selected by the Boston Red Sox in the first round of the 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. He joins the Dodgers with an MLB record of 6-9 and 6.41 ERA.

Duplantier appeared in 19 games (seven starts) with the Arizona Diamonbacks during the 2019 and 2021 seasons, posting a 1-4 record and 6.70 ERA. He was initially selected by the Dbacks in the third round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Rice University in Houston, TX.

The Rule-5 Draft typically includes a Major League phase, which allows teams to select non-40-man-roster players from other teams. They must, however, immediately add MLB Rule-5-drafted players to their respective 40-man rosters. But because of the lockout, the MLB phase of the 2021 Rule-5 Draft has yet to happen. It could still be rescheduled, should the lockout end relatively soon

One can only hope.

In the meantime, welcome to the Dodgers, Kekai, Carson, and Jon!

Play Ball!

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