With teams due to submit an initial list of those included on the 60-man player pool by 1 p.m. PT on Sunday, Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said he will take a methodical approach.
“Our thought process in putting together the 60-man is trying to balance whether or not this might be the only reps some of our prospects get this year,” Friedman said on a conference call.
“There’s just a lot that’s up in the air.
“I guess first and foremost, as deep as we are and as excited as we are about our 26-man, 40-man and prospects behind it, we don’t have 60 guys that we feel like could step in and help us win a Major League game this year.
“So we’re going to try to make sure we balance depth and figuring out which of our prospects either need reps or pitchers that could really use some increase in workload, and just try to balance to make sure we’re protected and covered where we need to be but also a really good experience for some of our prospects.”
Since Friedman’s remarks, it has been reported the Dodgers will include pitching prospect Marshall Kasowski in their player pool. According to Emily Waldon of The Athletic, the Dodgers also plan to have 2020 MLB Draft picks Bobby Miller and Landon Knack as part of their group of 60 players as well:
Source: Bobby Miller and Landon Knack to be included in #Dodgers taxi squad.
— emilycwaldon (@EmilyCWaldon) June 27, 2020
The Dodgers selected Miller in the first round with the No. 29 overall pick. Knack was the club’s second-round selection at No. 60. Overall, the Dodgers used four of their six picks in the 2020 MLB Draft on a collegiate pitcher.
“We’re fired up. We just got a lot of velocity, a lot of pure stuff. It’s big, it’s right handed. It was a strength of the Draft, and we just took advantage of it,” Dodgers vice president of amateur scouting director Billy Gasparino said at the conclusion of the Draft.
Gasparino added the organization plans to develop all four pitchers as a starter. However, he allowed that Competitive Balance Round B pick Clayton Beeter was the most likely of the bunch to ultimately wind up in the bullpen.
Miller, fourth-round pick Carson Taylor and fifth-round selection Gavin Stone, have each signed with the Dodgers for below slot value. There has not yet been a report of Knack and the Dodgers coming to terms.
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