Dodgers Ink Top Pick

By George G. Garvin
Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES ---- Less than one week after the draft started, the Los Angeles Dodgers have announced they have signed their first overall pick.

On Wednesday the Dodgers selected Reginald Norsworthy with the 14th pick. Norsworthy (pictured to the right),
a third baseman in high school signed for $1,184,500.

"We had him high up on our draft board and for him to fall all the way to No. 14 was a blesssing," said GM Tommy Lasorda. "Not only can he hit the ball but he can play great defense."

With an arm rated at a maxed out 10, Norsworthy carries a rating for both the hot corner and first base. But with Peter Pimentel already at third base and Matthew Mott getting ready to turn 35, Norsworthy will be moved across the diamond.

"I don't care where I play," he said. "As long as I get a chance to play."

Norsworthy is already ranked No. 82 among all other prospects in the ISBL and he will be sent t0 Double-A Jacksonville.

Below is the history of the Dodgers draft since sim season 2006.

• 2006 - RF Tony Gwynn Jr. ---- Traded to Minnasota for Dave Kelton after underperforming for the Dodgers in the minors for four years. Has now become one of the most feared hitters in ISBL.
  
  
• 2007 - P Maurice Miller ---- He spent a decade in the minor leagues before getting called up in 2017. He pitched 52 innings, and went 0-9 with a 9.35 ERA. He was released the next spring training.
  
  
• 2008 - 1B Robert Stiller ---- No information available
  
  
• 2009 - Not available
  
  
• 2010 - P Jose Garduno ---- After two years in the minors, Garduno was called up in 2012 and he went 5-15 with a 4.86 ERA. He hasn't been able to pitch well since, and is a combined 10-30 with a 6.40 ERA. He was taken by Boston in the Rule V draft in 2014 and was released two years later.
  
  
• 2011 - OF James Robertson ---- After hitting 71 home runs in Single-A in 2013, he was left off the 40-man roster in a bonehead move where he was quickly snapped up by San Francisco. After spending the season on the bench during his rookie campaign, in which he had only 100 ABs, he has since become a great hitter, thanks to some timley upgrades at the hands of the Astros GM. He has joined the 30-30 club each of the past three seasons.
  
  
• 2012 - P Ricardo Cruz ---- Sensing a trend yet, Cruz was also taken in the Rule V draft. A five-star stud when drafted, Cruz was not able to recover from the time he spent on the of the Tigers and is now a 1-star flunkee. He was demoted by the Tigers midway through the season and the Dodgers gave him a shot in 2017 and 2018 hoping he would improve on his ratings, but no such luck. He is a dreadful 6-25 with a 7.85 ERA in his lifetime. He is still
  pitching for the Pirates in AAA.
  
  
• 2013 - P Lance Broadway ---- A stud since the minute they drafted him, Broadway lasted less than one year as the Dodgers traded him to pick up some much needed offense down the stretch run in 2014. To date, GM Tommy Lasorda calls it the worst trade he has ever made. Broadway is now a legit No. 1 starter for the Mets and has won 16 or more games each of the past four seasons.
  
  
• 2014 - C Taylor Teagarden ---- Another first round pick. Another bust. Teagarden was taken with the 11th pick and has done nothing for the Dodgers, expect fill a spot up in AAA for the past three seasons.
  
  
• 2015 - 1B Jerry Simmons ---- Simmons is an interesting case. At the time of his draft, the Dodgers farm system was in deep trouble and Simmons was all we had. So we wereoffered three quality specs for one quanity spec. Five years later, Simmons is producing for Charlotte. However, he is not excatly living up to his potential. But the three guys the Dodgers got for him are doing okay. Matt Antonelli started two seasons ago and produced, but was relegated to backup duty in 2019 and Steven Roman started last season and did well. Jl Lupo was taken in the Rule V draft (ANOTHER ONE) and is a 5-star prospect. However, he won't ever live up to his pots because he was stunted in the majors.
  
  
• 2016 - 2B John Huseby ---- Finally a winner. The 2016 draft was a great one for the Dodgers as they nabbed Huseby, their starting second baseman, current No. 5 starting pitcher Bryant Duque in the third round and starting center fielder Malcom Williamson in the second. But Huseby is the creame of the crop. The 21-year-old has a career batting average of .344 in 1600 at bats and has had 200 hits or more each of the past two seasons. And to top it off, he had 113 RBIs last year.
  
  
• 2017 - P Chet Lohmann ---- Another trend is starting to show up ---- successful drafts. Lohmann, taken with the fifth pick has pitched very well and is only getting better. He has already wona Gold Glove, but injuries have hurt him over his career. If he can stay healthy, the sky is the limit.
  
  
• 2018 - 3B Peter Pimentel ---- The third straight success story. Pimentel won the Rookie of the Year last year, the second such award for the Dodgers (the last was starting pitcher Cesar Mazza). He hit 30 home runs and had 97 RBIs in a great freshman year. More is expected of the young third baseman during his sophomore year.
  
  
• 2019 - OF Garrett Henry ---- After one year in the minors, Henry is ready to go. Henry hit 31 dingers in AAA last season to go with his .332 batting average. With the trade of DeShawn Erhart, the door is open for Henry to continue the Rookie of the Year theme for the Dodgers.