Los Angeles Dodgers: Three overlooked aspects of the Mookie Betts trade

2. Luis Rengifo has the potential to be another sneaky good pick up

The Los Angeles Dodgers are known for their scouting department and making the most out of players they obtain. Justin Turner, Chris Taylor and Max Muncy are all great examples of journeymen players that turned into above-average big leaguers in LA.

This even happens in the minor leagues. The Dodgers do not have a top farm system by accident and have a great eye for talent and know when to let it go as well. It seems like every top-100 prospect that they trade doesn’t pan out, and every prospect they trade for does pan out.

Yusniel Diaz, who was traded for Manny Machado, is no longer even in the top-100; the two prospects that the Dodgers obtained in the Yasiel Puig trade last winter, Jeter Downs and Josiah Gray, were both outside the top-100 at the time of the trade and are both now in the top-70.

I think Luis Rengifo has the potential to be another sneaky good acquisition by the Dodgers. I do not want to predict too much for Rengifo, but there are signs there that indicate he is better than his numbers suggest and is due for a breakout.

First, the utility infielder is only 22 years old, which not only means he is bound to improve but he gives the Dodgers a long-term utility option if Enrique Hernandez is no longer with the team after 2020.

Second of all, the switch-hitter had some really good flashes where he showed that potential. In June last year, Rengifo hit .278 with a .327 on-base percentage in the most plate appearances that he got in a month. When he was given more consistency, he performed.

It is not crazy to expect a 22-year-old to get better as time goes on and his minor-league numbers indicate that he is a talented hitter. He hit .299 in 2018 in the minors and .273 in 27 minor-league games last year.

He might not make an impact right away, but in three years, we might look back at when the Los Angeles Dodgers traded an expiring outfielder and the team’s seventh-best starting pitcher for Rengifo and think “what a steal”.