Los Angeles Dodgers: Three players that are primed for a breakout year
By Jason Reed
1. Alex Verdugo
Alex Verdugo is someone who many people think will actually get traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers this offseason. It all depends on what happens with the Yasiel Puig–Corey Kluber trade talks. If Puig or any other outfielder(s) go, Verdugo is guaranteed a spot.
If no other outfielder is traded, there is always going to be the possibility of the Dodgers including Verdugo as the main piece of a package for a star.
Verdugo, in almost every sense, is a rookie heading into 2019. While he did appear in 15 games in 2017 and 37 games in 2018, Verdugo has not spent enough time on the 25-man roster to take away his rookie status and has not accumulated the 130 needed at-bats.
Most of Verdugo’s time on the big league roster came when it expanded in September, which technically makes him a rookie.
Anyone that knows Verdugo knows that he is a star in the making. While he is not elite in all five areas, Verdugo really is a five-tool player. He has the pop to flirt with 15-20 home runs a game, has the smooth swing of a contact hitter, has speed and is an elite defender with an arm that mirrors Yasiel Puig’s.
He has all the intangibles and he cannot be held back in triple-A any longer. Verdugo is undoubtedly big league ready and he will be the fourth impressive rookie in a row, joining Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger and Walker Buehler.