Dodgers Rumors: Impact Call-Ups that can Stop the Dodgers Dry Spell

O’Koyea Dickson.

Dickson, a first-round draft pick for the Dodgers back in 2011 out of Sonoma State University, is not a player on many radars. That said, he is definitely at the forefront of manager Dave Roberts’ mind, especially after a phenomenal Spring Training that turned heads both in and outside of the organization.

“I’ve just grown to really love this guy,” Roberts said to Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times in March. “He’s going to play in the big leagues. I expect to see him at some point in time this year. We don’t know how it’s going to play out, but he’s got a big-league bat.”

Dickson can best be described as consistent. Advancing steadily through the Dodgers farm system, he collected 13-18 home runs at each level, while batting a collective .286 with a .850 OPS. His Kirby Puckett-like build may not win him any fans aesthetically, but he is a solid gloveman that fits best in left field, though may be functional at first base as well.

The fact that Dickson is 27 years old may seem to be a detriment, but the Dodgers front office has a recent history of plugging in players in their prime years, despite lacking a big league pedigree. Rob Segedin, Josh Ravin, and Josh Fields are examples of contributors in 2016 that performed in big league action for the first time at a relatively advanced age.

Dickson is determined to make an impact with the Dodgers – he even dominated the Mexican League this offseason to show that he can literally hit anywhere. Hopefully, for the Dodgers, Los Angeles is his next and final stop.