DSL Dodgers — Dominican Summer League (Rookie)

A split day in the DSL, and the two games could not have looked more different. We’ll start with the fun one.

The DSL Dodgers exploded for 17 runs in a 17-9 win over the DSL Brewers Blue, and the middle of the order was absolutely ridiculous. Helvin Mendoza went a perfect 4-for-4 with a homer, two walks, and five RBI. That is about as complete a day as you’ll see from anyone at any level — he didn’t make a single out all afternoon. Rafy Peguero was right there with him, going 3-for-4 with a homer and a double of his own, driving in five and drawing two walks. Between the two of them, that’s 10 RBI on 7 hits. When the DSL bats wake up like this, it’s worth paying attention to which names are doing the damage.

Roberto Saucedo added a solo homer of his own from the first base spot, finishing 2-for-6 with two RBI. Not his sharpest day at the plate overall — he struck out and went hitless in four of his six at-bats — but the power was there when it connected. Luis Luna was quietly excellent at shortstop, going 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch, scoring three times. He was on base constantly and helped keep the line moving.

The most interesting line of the day might belong to Antoni Urena, who went 0-for-2 but drew four walks, scored four runs, stole two bases, and drove in a run. That’s elite plate discipline for a teenager in the DSL. He never got a pitch to hit and he didn’t chase — and then he wreaked havoc on the bases. That kind of approach matters more than the batting average line suggests.

On the mound, Jose Leon picked up the win with a clean inning of relief — one strikeout, one walk, no earned runs. In a game that was already a track meet, he kept things in order during his frame.

As for Game 1, there isn’t much to celebrate. The DSL Dodgers fell 1-9 to the DSL Royals Ventura. No batting or pitching performances stood out enough to highlight. Some days the bats just don’t show up. It happens, especially in the DSL where these are young players still finding consistency. We move on.

The split keeps things even, and what we saw from Mendoza and Peguero in Game 2 is encouraging. Both showed real power and the ability to do damage in multiple ways — not just one swing. Keep an eye on those two.