Highly touted prospect Alex Verdugo was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City as Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig both went down with injuries. Alex is known for his "mature approach, drawing more walks than strike outs as well as a good defensive outfielder. The Dodgers have been wanting to call him up and now is the chance with the open roster spot. He has shown he can play in the minors, but is he injury proof? Here is what I saw:

Faults:

Limited left hip extension

Limited pelvic and spinal rotation with compensatory bend to the left

Right pelvis shift to clear more room for his lack of rotation

Excessive left knee rotational torque due to excessive left tibia internal rotation and limited hip internal rotation

Synopsis: Some mobility issues (especially left sided) that cause improper movements. His compensatory left sidebend (due to lack of rotation) will likely get him more pop outs due to an upward swing. His lack of rotation to the right (because of left sided tightness) makes him an opposite field hitter and leaves him without true power. If Alex can open up his swing and coordinate his hips and trunk, he can become a more versatile hitter and decrease his risk of injury in the Majors.

The Injury Analyst is a blog dedicated to not only explaining injuries that have occurred, but predicting and highlighting future injury risks for professional athletes. You can email us at info@jamsportsandspine.com

Note: I have not seen the subject of this article personally in clinic, rather all views and opinions of the author have been made based off of video footage of the athlete. This article is not meant as a diagnosis or a treatment plan.