The Los Angeles Dodgers have reportedly made their first signing of the offseason.
Minor league catcher Eliezer Alfonzo Jr., a 26-year-old from Venezuela, inked a minor league take care of the Dodgers. He first appeared within the Detroit Tigers’ system in 2017, and labored his manner up from Rookie Ball to creating his first Triple-A look this previous season.
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Alfonzo hit .247 with a .618 OPS throughout his time in each Double-A and Triple-A this season, including a house run and 34 RBIs.
The Dodgers proved final season simply how essential depth within the catching division might be after All-Star backstop (and World Sequence hero) Will Smith suffered a hairline fracture in direction of the start of September, and rookie catcher Dalton Speeding landed on the injured record a number of days later.
Ben Rortvedt emerged because the catcher who would bridge the hole in the course of the last common season stretch for the Dodgers, having been acquired by way of an below the radar transfer on the commerce deadline. He was included in a commerce with the Tampa Bay Rays during which the Dodgers acquired pitching prospects Paul Gervase and Adam Serwinowski in change for minor league catcher/first baseman Hunter Feduccia.
Though his offense was barely beneath common, Rortvedt’s defensive potential and framing abilities made him a greater than succesful choice forward of the postseason.
Rortvedt began each video games of the Wild Card spherical this previous postseason, and the primary two video games of the NLDS (with Smith relieving him a number of innings later in that sequence) and batted .429 with a 1.071 OPS in his seven at-bats of the postseason.
The aim for Alfonzo will seemingly be to blossom right into a catcher able to taking up a job equivalent to Rortvedt did, or no less than to have the safety of him doing so within the minor leagues. It stays to be seen if he receives an invitation to spring coaching.
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Picture Credit score: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports activities
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