Los Angeles Dodgers: It may be time to call up Alex Verdugo

The Los Angeles Dodgers have the rare breed of a deep farm system alongside a talented major league roster. However, the farm may get a tad thinner.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are rolling into the month of July. Despite losing the opening contest of the Freeway Series, Los Angeles owns an 18-6 record in the month of June. This is coming off of a ten game winning streak that the Angels snapped making the Dodgers 15-2 in their last 17 contests.

This success has been attributed to many things. The pitching staff has done its job, with Alex Wood and Clayton Kershaw dealing. The bullpen has been lights out per usual, but the biggest impact has been the offense. Whether they need to hit three consecutive home runs in the ninth or score five runs on wild pitches this Dodgers team has shown a never give up attitude.

Many give credit to Cody Bellinger, who has sparked this Dodgers team. Despite missing a month of the season Bellinger ranks second in the MLB in home runs (24) and tenth in RBIs (55).

If Bellinger would have played every game thus far with the same home run averages he would be at 33 home runs. To put that into perspective, Barry Bonds had 39 home runs at this point in 2001 when he blasted a record-setting 73 long bombs.

Bellinger has provided quite the power arsenal, but he has not put the entire team on his back. Justin Turner is batting .393 and Corey Seager has been, well, Corey Seager. However, it is safe to say that Bellinger has been the catalyst for this turnaround by the Dodgers.

That is something special coming out of a call-up that was only supposed to remain in the bigs during Joc Pederson’s first DL stint. Now, coming into July, we may see another top prospect called up in Alex Verdugo.

If you do not already know Verdugo let me introduce you. Verdugo was drafted in the second round of the 2014 MLB Draft by the Dodgers. He currently ranks as the second best prospect for LA on MLB Pipeline (first in our rankings) and is the 51st best prospect in all of baseball.

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In AAA OKC Verdugo has batted .344 in 153 at bats. He has driven in 36 runs for the OKC Dodgers while walking more (30) than he strikes out (26). Verdugo may not have the most powerful bat you’ll see, but he is a gap to gap hitter that thrives on solid line drives.

Bleacher Report compared Verdugo to Nick Markakis due to his advanced hitting ability and his solid arm from the outfield. Currently a center fielder, Verdugo could easily play all three outfield spots.

That is why Verdugo’s call up should be so blatantly obvious. I understand not wanting to rush a player by letting him grow in AAA, but the Los Angeles Dodgers need his bat right now. It does not have to be a long-term call up like Bellinger either. Instead, it can be a short call up until the Dodgers get healthy, with promises of bringing him back up when the rosters expand.

This would be a good opportunity for Verdugo to get his feet wet before it really matters in late September. With Franklin Gutierrez and Adrian Gonzalez constantly battling injury alongside a banged up Corey Seager, this outfield could use one more guy.

Next: Cody Bellinger compares to an all-time great

That guy should not be Mike Freeman, who was called up by the Dodgers. It should be Alex Verdugo, who can see looks in all three outfield spots. Verdugo would be the perfect contrast to the power hitting Joc Pederson for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and would only make them that much better.

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