You may not have even noticed it. It was probably just a blip on your radar. Barely a news-worthy event, but the Dodgers traded minor league infielder Darnell Sweeney again. This time they flipped him to the Reds for future considerations to be determined at a later time. I have no idea what future considerations mean but perhaps it’s something like give us a few bucks and throw in a Dodger dog and we’ll call it even.
The Dodgers traded Darnell Sweeney for the second time in two years. This time, Sweeney goes to the Reds for future considerations.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) May 28, 2017
This is the second time the Dodgers have traded the once highly rated farmhand. Originally he was traded to the Phillies in 2015 for Chase Utley. Then the Dodgers reacquired him from the Phillies along with Darin Ruff, in exchange for second baseman Howie Kendrick. Ruff was almost immediately designated for assignment before signing and moving to the KBO.
Sweeney is a 26-year old switch-hitting infielder that the Dodgers drafted in the thirteenth round of the 2012 amateur draft. Possibly a useful player the Dodgers never called him up to the majors as he spent parts of six seasons in the Dodger’s minor league system. While in the minor leagues Sweeney batted .269 with a .341 career OBP and 49 home runs in 605 games. In 2,607 minor league plate appearances Sweeney posted a .761 OPS and stole 141 bases.
Sweeney spent just one campaign at the major league level when the Phillies called him up for a 37-game stint in 2015. During that time Sweeney batted .176/.286/.353 (15 for 85) with 3 home runs and 11 runs batted in while gathering 98 MLB plate appearances. Sweeney played 12 games in left field for the Phillies but also saw time at second base, third base, and center field.
