Jacob Amaya has been grinding in the Dodgers minor league system for years. The 23-year-old middle infield prospect was drafted by LA in the 11th round of the 2017 draft. He spent his first three minor league seasons playing in rookie leagues and Single-A.
He played for the Tulsa Drillers (Double-A) last season, but really struggled at the plate (.645 OPS). Amaya played in the Arizona Fall League and vastly outperformed his mediocre offensive season in Double-A. In 67 plate appearances in the AZFL, he posted a 1.018 OPS.
This year, he once again started in Tulsa, but was promoted to the OKC Dodgers (Triple-A) this week. His first hit in Triple-A is something he'll probably never forget. With the OKC Dodgers trailing 4-5, Amaya crushed a grand slam home run to left field to log his first ever hit at the Triple-A level and hand his team a 8-5 lead.
Amaya is in fact the grandson of former Dodgers middle-infield prospect Frank Amaya. The younger Amaya is known as a shortstop, but was playing second base on the day he hit his grand salami.
The LA native played his high school ball at South Hills High School in West Covina. He's ranked as the Dodgers 19th best prospect by MLB Pipeline.
For those that don't catch a ton of Triple-A Dodgers games, here's MLB Pipeline's scouting report on Amaya.
"Even when he slumped, Amaya continued to provide the best infield defense in the Dodgers system. His high baseball IQ and constant energy allow him to maximize his tools and play faster than his average speed. His quick, reliable hands and a strong, accurate arm help make him a plus defender at shortstop and will serve him well in a projected utility role."
The site believes the shortstop prospect could make his big league debut for the Dodgers sometime in 2023.
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