GLENDALE, Ariz. – Logan Wagner tapped out early. It was almost midnight, and the Glendale Desert Canine had a day recreation the following day. As a lot as he wished to observe the top of Sport 3 of the World Collection, his eyelids bought heavy after the seventeenth inning, greater than six hours after first pitch.
Fortunately, fellow Dodgers prospect and Glendale teammate Payton Martin was awake. And wired.
Martin burst into the room to alert a sleeping Wagner, who was jolted awake and needed to accept watching highlights. He knew from that time on, he couldn’t be the one missing within the Fall League Dodgers’ group chat, which had grow to be virtually a nightly ritual among the many group in Arizona.
The 2025 World Collection champions are nicely represented in the course of the Fall League. The group’s contingent consists of infielders Wagner (No. 30 prospect) and Jose D. Hernandez, right-handers Martin (No. 20), Hyun-Seok Jang (No. 21) and Alex Makarewich, left-handers Jakob Wright (No. 28) and Justin Chambers, catcher Jesus Galiz and growth coach Braelin Therefore.
The group – which has the benefit of understanding and spending time on the membership’s complicated in Glendale – was persistently locked in all through the chase for a second consecutive World Collection crown, proper as much as the ultimate moments, together with Miguel Rojas’ game-tying homer to Andy Pages’ leaping seize to Will Smith’s go-ahead house run to Freeman squeezing the ultimate out in Sport 7. It’s a reminder that members of the group are sometimes similar to followers – vulnerable to going wild in celebration.
COMPLETE DODGERS PROSPECT COVERAGE
“I bear in mind seeing Miggy Ro hit that bomb [in Game 7] and I’m within the resort room, I’m screaming,” laughed Therefore. “I’m fairly positive they wish to name up and ask about it, however hey, what an awesome second.”
“It was insane,” stated Makarewich. “I imply, similar to each different fan of baseball, that was unbelievable to observe. Each recreation, it felt prefer it might go both manner, tip both manner. Very blissful that it went our manner. It was superior.”
The aim of a Minor League system, in its purest sense, is to supply expertise for the Main League membership. The Dodgers haven’t solely been capable of obtain that persistently over the previous decade, however they’ve additionally instilled a successful tradition all all through their system.
From 2016-2023, Los Angeles’ mixed organizational report every season ranked among the many prime 10 in baseball and prime 3 within the Nationwide League. Profitable within the Dominican Summer time League, Arizona Advanced League, Rancho Cucamonga, Nice Lakes, Tulsa and Oklahoma Metropolis has bred successful in Los Angeles.
“There is a laundry record of issues [that lead to success], whether or not or not it’s how they coach, how they deal with you in participant [development], however I believe it all the time boils right down to the folks,” stated Makarewich. “I believe that we’ve bought plenty of nice folks like Braelin round us on daily basis pushing us to be higher, but in addition caring for us and supporting us when issues aren’t going as nicely.”
And it’s not simply the gamers the Dodgers have drafted and developed of their system from Day 1 which have picked up on the tradition. Chambers, a Twentieth-round choose within the 2023 Draft by Milwaukee, was acquired in an offseason deal simply months later. He’s spent ample time on the Glendale complicated round myriad members of the group as he rehabbed from Tommy John surgical procedure over the previous two years.
“Truthfully, as quickly as I bought right here, not a single particular person was an unfriendly face to see,” stated Chambers. “I can go to anybody, ask anybody about my throw and so they’ll give me 20 minutes on what I might do higher. … It’s simply superior to be round.”
“Whilst a [player development] employees member, I get that very same tradition vibe, that very same facet from our employees,” stated Therefore. “I let these guys know on a regular basis, I could be taught extra from them than I ever educate them.”
Through the Fall League, gamers – regardless of their present degree – get to don the threads of the massive league membership they at some point aspire to take the sector for. The prospect of stepping on a area in entrance of 56,000+ at Dodger Stadium with a World Collection on the road is a methods off for this group, however Mookie Betts is an AFL alum. So is Freeman. So is Smith. And the record goes on, with over 40 % of this yr’s World Collection contributors having as soon as performed in baseball’s ending faculty lengthy earlier than the intense lights of the Fall Traditional.
Which is to say, in a system flush with expertise, the Dodgers are utilizing their slots of gamers – and coaches – to tab for the Fall League with intent.
“I believe plenty of it is the construction and simply the fellows that we usher in,” stated Wagner. “Our employees, it is wonderful – they care about you truthfully on the sector, however then off the sector as nicely. Simply feeling so welcome to be your self has simply been a tremendous tradition to be part of.”
