The Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers announced their preliminary roster for the 2022 season ahead of Tuesday’s Opening Day matchup against the Albuquerque Isotopes at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
The team begins the year with 32 active players, including three highly regarded prospects and two former MLB All-Stars. As was the case last season, a Triple-A roster can hold a maximum of 33 players, but only 28 are permitted to be active per game.
Some members of the OKC roster will simultaneously serve as part of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ taxi squad.
The OKC Dodgers roster is headlined by Miguel Vargas (No. 3), Ryan Pepiot (No. 5) and Andre Jackson (No. 9), all of whom were featured in Baseball America’s top-10 Dodgers prospects list heading into the 2022 season.
Vargas of course was the organization’s Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year in 2021 after a stellar campaign split between High-A Great Lakes and Double-A Tulsa. Pepiot and Jackson each saw time with OKC last season, and for Jackson, he also went on to make his MLB debut.
Jackson is one of three players of the Dodgers’ 40-man roster who will begin the 2022 season in OKC, joining Zach McKinstry and Darien Núñez. Both players split the 2021 campaign between Triple-A and the Majors.
Andy Burns and Shane Greene are among the other players who will open the 2022 season with OKC after pitching for the Dodgers last year. Greene is one of two former MLB All-Stars on the preliminary roster, with Jake Lamb being the other.
Greene and Lamb are among 24 players on OKC’s roster with previous Major League experience, 12 of whom appeared in the Major Leagues last season with a different organization: Yency Almonte (Colorado Rockies), Eddy Alvarez (Miami Marlins), Beau Burrows (Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins), Jon Duplantier (Arizona Diamondbacks), Carson Fulmer (Cincinnati Reds), Jason Martin (Texas Rangers), Reyes Moronta (San Francisco Giants), Kevin Pillar (New York Mets), Mike Wright Jr. (Chicago White Sox), Tony Wolters (Chicago Cubs) and Daniel Zamora (Seattle Mariners).
Wolters is one of 12 players who spent at least part of the 2021 season with the OKC Dodgers, including Omar Estévez, Drew Avans, Hamlet Marte, Yefry Ramírez, Marshall Kasowski and Bobby Wahl.
Others with previous MLB experience on OKC’s preliminary roster are Robbie Erlin, Sam Gaviglio, Ty Kelly, Stefen Romero, Ramírez, Tomás Telis and Wahl.
Only two players on the OKC roster have never played above Double-A in their careers: Vargas and outfielder Ryan Noda.
Roberts expects Lamb & Pillar to join Dodgers
Lamb was among the Dodgers’ Spring Training earlier this week, but manager Dave Roberts expects him to contribute to the big league club at some point this season.
“I feel very fondly of Jake,” Roberts said. “It’s a tough game to have that conversation when you know players are deserving. But he was a pro and I expect him, along with Kevin, at some point to help us out.”
Roberts also believes Pillar will find his way to the Dodgers this year. “No doubt in my mind,” Roberts began. “Kevin is a Los Angeles guy, grew up rooting for the Dodgers. I just wish I would’ve played with the guy. He’s a guy I love watching and admire.
“To see him in a Dodger uniform, it looks right. He’s a Major League player. Fortunately for the Dodgers, he’s open to taking an assignment to Triple-A. But there’s no doubt in my mind he’ll come up and help us at some point.”
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