Mets RP Addison Reed to LAD For…

Some Dodger chips to ponder –

OF Alex Verdugo - An extremely advanced hitter for his age, Verdugo excels at recognizing pitches, managing the strike zone and squaring up the ball. He exhibits plenty of bat speed from the left side of the plate and an affinity for using the opposite field. The only concerns with him offensively are whether his line-drive approach will limit him to average power and whether he makes contact so easily that it will cut into his walks. Though Verdugo has just average speed, he has spent most of his pro career in center field. His instincts help him make plays, but a lot of evaluators believe his range will be better suited for right field in the long run. His well above-average arm definitely will play there and allowed him to record 37 assists in his first two full pro seasons. ETA: 2017

2B Willie Calhoun - Calhoun also finished second in the TL in homers (27) and strikeout rate (one per 8.6 plate appearances), demonstrating his rare combination of hitting ability and power. A left-handed hitter, he has a quick bat and a knack for making contact, and he might do even more damage once he learns to wait a little better for pitches he can drive. He could be a .280 hitter with 20 or more homers per season at his peak. That would be quality production for a second baseman, but Calhoun probably won't remain in the infield. His quickness, hands and arm all grade as below average at second, though he has worked hard on his defense. An outfielder and third baseman at Yavapai, he's most likely to wind up in left field and has enough bat to profile there. ETA: 2018

RHSP Walker Buehler - Buehler usually operated with a 90-96 mph fastball in college, and he opened eyes by throwing in the mid-90s during his brief pro debut and hitting 99 during instructional league. Though he's unlikely to maintain that velocity while handling a starter's workload, he has a definite plus fastball and an array of impressive secondary pitches. He can miss bats with both his curveball and slider (and morph the latter pitch into a harder cutter), and his changeup shows flashes of becoming an above-average offering. Because Buehler has a slight build, there were concerns about his durability even before his elbow gave out. His athleticism and strike-throwing ability should help his cause, and he was able to repeat his delivery and maintain his stuff into the later innings while at Vanderbilt. If he stays healthy he should become a mid-rotation starter, and he could be more than that if his increased velocity is for real. ETA: 2018

OF Yusniel Diaz - With his quick right-handed stroke and good hand-eye coordination, Diaz barrels balls easily. He focuses on hitting line drives and using the entire field, displaying decent patience at the plate. The Dodgers had him focus on incorporating his lower half more in his swing while he was sidelined, though he won't be a big power hitter and figures to max out at 12-15 homers per year. Diaz doesn't need to be a slugger because the rest of his tools all grade as solid or better. He's a plus runner whose still figuring out how to use his speed on the basepaths after getting caught in eight of his 15 steal attempts during his debut. He has the range and arm strength to man all three outfield spots and he's capable of playing regularly in center field. ETA: 2019

RHSP Brock Stewart - Stewart showed a strong arm as a position player and continues to do so on the mound, working at 92-95 mph and topping out at 97 with his fastball. He throws a two-seamer with sink and a four-seamer with riding life, commanding both of them very well. The rest of his arsenal has improved significantly as he has gained more pitching experience, with his tumbling changeup showing flashes of becoming a plus offering and his mid-80s slider/cutter serving as an effective third pitch. Stewart's control also has gotten better as he has focused on pitching, with his Minor League walk rate shrinking from 4.5 per nine innings in 2014 to 2.1 in 2015 to 1.4 in 2016. Though he surrendered four homers in his second big league start, he usually does a good job of keeping the ball down in the zone. If he can tighten his slider, he could become a No. 3 starter. ETA: 2017