6:55pm: First baseman/outfielder Rangel Ravelo is also among the Dodgers’ non-roster invitees to camp, Kyle Glaser of Baseball America tweets. The 28-year-old batted .189/.250/.351 in 84 PA as a Cardinal from 2019-20. Ravelo has hit a much more productive .293/.369/.452 over 1,652 trips to the plate at the Triple-A level.
6:41pm: The Dodgers have reached a minor league agreement with corner infielder Matt Davidson, according to J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group. The deal includes an invitation to major league spring training.
Davidson, the 35th overall pick of the Diamondbacks in 2009 and a well-regarded prospect in the ensuing years, debuted in the bigs with the club in 2013. The Diamondbacks traded Davidson to the White Sox prior to 2014 for reliever Addison Reed, however. Davidson didn’t make his White Sox debut until 2016, but the now-29-year-old owns a lifetime .223/.292/.433 line with 52 home runs in 1,075 plate appearances. He was a 20-home run hitter in both 2017 and ’18.
Davidson spent last year as a member of the Reds, with whom he struggled to a .163/.264/.395 mark at the plate with three HRs in 47 PA. He also appeared in three games as a pitcher, tossing 3 1/3 innings of two-earned run ball. Davidson threw three scoreless innings while with the White Sox in 2018.
In all likelihood, Davidson won’t help the Dodgers’ pitching staff. But he’ll at least try to earn a backup role as an infielder behind third baseman Justin Turner, whom the Dodgers just agreed to re-sign, and first baseman Max Muncy.
Next muncy, turner, Taylor?
No better place in MLB, if he wants to see how other late bloomers have turned it on.
What a cool clubhouse culture to watch as a dodger fan.
Hats off to Friedman and Kasten.
It’s Possible. LA is great at catching lightening in a bottle.
Is he considered a two-way player by the rules?
He wasn’t last year.
It’ll be up to the Dodgers, but since they have relaxed the rules to allow position players to pitch in certain scenarios, there really isn’t a reason to list anyone as a Two-way player unless they will start games (a la Ohtani).
@Steve Nebraska
Thanks for the clarification!
Does he have family in Oklahoma City?
Dodgers comeback player. It would’ve been a Mediocre signing for any other team, but a great one for the Dodgers.
Puig gonna miss another year? It’s doubtful he gets signed before the sexual-assault case is resolved. He and Roberto Osuna look like they’re going to be the last ones standing — for good reason.
Any other news of significance before camps open?
Not really significant, but the probability of Matt Kemp getting signed is not good. Kyle Farmer is the only player the Reds have left from that trade. They probably wish they’d kept Gray and Downs.
Probably don’t dwell on it like MLBTR people do…
Front offices need to dwell on their mistakes. Otherwise, they live to make the same ones over and over.
Crazy as it seems the Reds probably make that trade again.
For a small market team rapidly losing fan interest that trade was probably the best of bad options. They were trying to spin the sunk cost they had with Homer Bailey and add immediate wins without adding payroll. They also then flipped Puig for Trevor Bauer, which got them a few more wins and ultimately a compensatory draft pick. And they can thank the Dodgers that it’s a high pick because they signed him for more than the $50M minimum under QO rules.
Saw him play in Nashville all 2019. Must’ve been a letdown after the Sox had him starting most of the time. Dangerous hitter in the PCL, but too bad the Rangers couldn’t find any reason to give him a callup.
Depth is always fantastic, but I hope Edwin and DJ Peters are all the depth we need.
I agree.
Gavin Lux and Kiebert Ruiz knocking on the door.
I’d like to see Mckinstry and Reks get shots at utility roles too.
Let the kids play, Andy.
In all seriousness, they have a lot of depth.
Supposedly Roberts LOVES McKinstry, so if he plays well in Spring Training, I would expect he’ll have the first crack at filling Kiké’s vacant super utility role…unless Lux figures it out. In that scenario, Taylor will be the super utility.
Had it not been for the pandemic, McKinstry would have played a larger role at some point. Btw, his first MLB appearance as a fielder was one inning in right field, a position he had never played professionally. We should expect him to get some starts in LF while also filling in at 2B and SS. I would expect both Lux and McKinstry to crack the opening day roster. Penciling in Lux at 2B, the reserves should be Barnes, Rios, McKinstry. Neuse, and Taylor. Odd-man out is Beaty. The others will all play a lot, especially Taylor. Batting average isn’t the most important thing, but the Dodgers will probably be better in that regard with Pederson and Hernandez (assuming Muncy and Bellinger bounce back).
I remember when Davidson hit 3 HRs on Opening Day of the 2018 season for the White Sox. Things were looking promising that he was going to be another solid piece to add to the mix of rising talent. Would have been nice.
I have never seen so many minor league deals until this year.
No kidding! Every C- player with at least two professional games under his belt has moved twice this winter.
Didn’t work out in Cincinnati for Davidson, but I liked the guy…
As a Sox fan I always liked him!
Just as long as he’s not in the AL Central. Dude has hit .310/.384/.730 12 HR 24 RBI against the Royals in his career compared to his career total .222/.292/.430 52 HR 154 RBi. He hit 3 HR on opening day against us a few years ago and like 6 in that opening series.
Great guy in the clubhouse. Unfortunately, as a classic 3 outcomes guy, he didn’t fit the profile of the Sox rebuild and became readily expendable when the club moved Moncada to 3b. Best of luck to him, can see him excelling as a bat of the bench and in a platoon role. The Dodgers likely found a nice replacement for Joc. Also really like their deal with the As for Sheldon Neuse.