Before we discuss this year’s DSL position players, let’s review last year’s selections:
Geraldi Diaz
2018: .244/.399/.375, .986 (C), +.039 GPA vs. DSL Lg. Avg. of .234
2019: .280/.415/.373, .994 (C), +.043 GPA vs. GCL Lg. Avg. of .237
Andry Arias
2018: .270/.360/.412, .978 (1B) .914 (OF), +.031
2019: .195/.321/.310, .965 (OF), -.015
Braian Fernandez
2018: .313/.375/.388, .990 (OF), +.031
2019: .245/.319/.333, .984 (OF), -.010
Viandel Peña
2018: .250/.386/.358, .969 (2B), +.029
2019: .359/.455/.481, .967 (2B) .906 (SS), +.088
Jorge Hurtado
2018: .277/.336/.436, .895 (RF), +.026
2019: .272/.333/.439, .867 (LF) .950 (RF), +.023
In this space a year ago, I wrote that Wilmer Perez seemed to be the Obi-Wan Kenobi from the 2017 DSL Guys (“our only hope”). Landerson Peña and Caldioli Sanfler both rebounded from poor showings in 2018, both made it to the NYPL in 2019 while Perez regressed. Thus, while I’m encouraged that my 2018 DSL guys may do better because three of the five moved up a level and still produced above league average, it doesn’t take too many looks backward to see how often these guys flame out.
Active full-season players from 2016 DSL season: one (Juan Pascal)
Active full-season players from 2015 DSL season: one (Aldrem Corredor)
Active full-season players from 2014 DSL season: two (Telmito Agustin, Victor Robles)
So take a pound or two of salt—and save it for the sidewalk, because that much sodium isn’t good for you—with the 2019-season DSL Bats (ordered alphabetically):
Christopher De La Cruz
POS: OF/1B
JULY 1, 2020 AGE: 19
STATS: .243/.338/.325, .985 (OF) .980 (1B), -.010 GPA vs. DSL Lg. Avg. of .244
One of the things you’ll notice very quickly is that while the team as a whole was younger than the league average (17.5 vs. 17.8), the production came from its oldest players. De La Cruz spent most of his time in the outfield and played some 1B despite being woefully undersized (5’11”, 145).
He is the only LHB and the only one who has played two season in the DSL.
Angel Geraldo
POS: 2B/SS/3B
JULY 1, 2019 AGE: 19
STATS: .282/.314/.380, .973 (2B) .904 (SS) .914 (3B), -.007
Geraldo showed “doubles power” that could blossom into something more if/when he puts on some weight (6’1″ 160).
Raymi Gomez
POS: RF/LF
JULY 1, 2020 AGE: 20
STATS: .256/.356/.442, .952 (RF), 1.000 (LF), +.027
Gomez was one of three D-Nats to hit 5HR, which is unusual for the your typical D-Nats team, though he was old for the level.
Daniel Marte
POS: CF
JULY 1, 2020 AGE: 18
STATS: .257/.310/.448, .922 (OF), +.016
Marte was another (Ivan Murzi) and is the youngest of this quintent. He also stole 10 bases but struck out 67 times in 55G.
Yoander Rivero
POS: SS/2B
JULY 1, 2019 AGE: 18
STATS: .249/.327/.330, .966 (SS) .949 (2B), -.014
Rivero was the lone Venezuelan and showed very good discipline, with only three more whiffs (25) than walks (22).