Ryan Falla
The Dodgers saw fit to take Boston College’s premiere power hitter Joe Vetrano in the 5th round of the 2023 draft and have already seen the move paying off dividends. Vetrano was drafted due to the prime power-hitting tools he showcased in his time with Boston College which saw him knock opposing pitchers round for an incredible 1.078 OPS which included 22 HRs alongside 64 RBI in his final year with the school.
Boston College is no slouch when it comes to producing big-league talent. In fact, the Dodgers currently sport the talents of alumni Emmet Sheehan, a 2021 sixth-round draft pick who just recently made his MLB debut with six hitless innings against the divisional rival Giants for a pitching-deprived Dodgers rotation. If the trend continues, Emmet Sheehan will soon no longer be the only modern-day Dodger to come out of Boston College and contribute to big league wins in a starring role. Joe Vetrano closely nips at the heels of his former teammate as they both look to put Boston College at the forefront of the Dodgers’ future core.
“We actually FaceTime’d yesterday. [Sheehan] is a good friend of mine, he’s been looking out for me so I’m super grateful for him. I just gotta stay present and enjoy the process. It’s good to have someone I can always call and kind of bounce ideas off of. He’s been a really good resource for me”
Joe Vetrano is about as built as corner infielders come. The young star stands at an imposing 6’3/220lbs while somehow looking even bigger once he steps into the box. The lefty first baseman saw his burgeoning power come to fruition last year in college thanks to an improved plate discipline that saw a very favorable increase in BB/K%. From there his power numbers blew up considerably across the board as Boston College’s primary cleanup hitter.
The Dodgers now look to further tap into his improving form as he plays out the final two months of the Minor League season with the Low A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. It’s no surprise to see the young bat hit the ground running with a double in his very first professional at-bat with the Quakes. Since then he has followed up his immediate hot start with 9 hits and 6 RBI. His bat plays well as a burgeoning power device. As a plus, he’s already shown a well-rounded consistent approach at the plate with the Quakes. A hot start to his Dodgers career in these first two months could very well push Vetrano to the top of the Dodgers prospect rankings.
“You always want to get the first hit out of the way. To hit a double there was pretty cool, I had some family out to see me. It was awesome.”
Timely hitting is as valuable a tool as they come, more so than any other hitting tool out there, including power ability. Luckily for the Dodgers Vetrano is more than well-versed on both accounts. The path forward looks to guide the young star towards a role as a middle-of-the-lineup anchor on a big league lineup. The Dodgers are in no rush to develop Vetrano given Freddie Freeman‘s presence on the big league lineup, but after a couple goes around the calendar there could be a real chance to see Vetrano making his way through as a DH on a big league lineup.
However, his glove does play nicely at 1B and could see a higher-end defensive play at the Major League level given proper development. It’s a matter of how quickly his development forces the Dodgers’ hand and makes them create a spot for his bat. As a Max Muncy offensive type, perhaps with a more rounded plate discipline, Vetrano aims to provide big hits on the biggest stages possible.
“I’m just trying to be a sponge and learn as much as I can. There are so many great people in this organization, the development that they do is pretty remarkable. Just trying to learn as much as I can.”
