We continue our State of the Franchise Series with the Mt. Diablo Devils who snapped a four season streak of missing the RDBL Playoffs in 2023, winning their fourth East Bay Division Title while finishing 3rd Overall.
President of Baseball Operations: Jason Watson
Headquarters: Walnut Creek, CA
Seasons: 10
Cash Finishes: 4
Division Titles: 4
Lifetime Earnings: $2,275
Top Hitter: Mookie Betts, 487.0 (2023)
Top Pitcher: Gio Gonzalez, 477.0 (2017)
2023 Season
The Devils success was largely built on some impressive off-season work by GM Jason Watson who acquired Christian Yelich and Nathan Eovaldi prior to Draft Day with each producing at elite levels over the 2023 season. When the bidding on Mookie Betts surprisingly stopped at $52, Watson thought he might have a true contender which quickly became the case early in the season.
With Betts, Jose Ramirez, Bo Bichette, Justin Turner and Wander Franco driving the ship on the league's third ranked offense, Watson saw the opportunity to pounce on the East Bay Division competition. They added Manny Machado, Emmanuel Clase and Ty France from the Alamo Short Stacks before additional deals for Freddy Peralta, Yeiner Diaz, Ryan Helsley, James Paxton and Lance Lynn.
While they were able to cruise to their fourth Division Title in Franchise History, MLB's suspension of Wander Franco began the turn downward in an otherwise successful year. The Devils limped to just 1,201.5 Playoff points, the fewest in RDBL History as their pitching staff lost command with a 4.83 ERA and 1.38 WHIP over the last five weeks.
Despite ending on a sour note, the Devils certainly turned the corner in 2023 with plenty to build on heading into next season.
Lost to 2024 Free Agency
SS Bo Bichette, RP Emmanuel Clase, RHP Nathan Eovaldi, 1B Ty France, 3B Justin Turner, RP Ryan Helsley
Current Projected Keeper Roster Ranked by Value
1. 2B/OF Mookie Betts (2/$52)
2. SS Wander Franco (3R/$5)
3. 3B Jose Ramirez (3/$47)
4. RHP Merrill Kelly (3D/$15)
5. OF Christian Yelich (3/$31)
6. RHP Freddy Peralta (2/$9)
7. C Yeiner Diaz (2FA/$5)
8. C Bo Naylor (1R/$1)
9. LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (2D/$5)
10. RHP Dane Dunning (2FA/$5)
11. IF Michael Busch (1R/$1)
12. 1B/OF Joey Meneses (2/$12)
13. OF Brent Rooker (2FA/$5)
It didn't take long for clubs to be kicking themselves on not exceeding the $52 it took to land Mookie Betts in the 2023 Draft, reminiscent of how they felt when the bidding stopped at $47 for Jose Ramirez the previous year. The duo serves as the foundation of the Devils, albeit an expensive one. That's where the pending charges on Wander Franco play a critical factor in how this club is viewed heading into 2024. If Franco is exiled, as many have reported, it will be a huge blow to Watson's plans for next season.
While Merrill Kelly will see a jump in his contract to $15, he's proved to be well worth the investment as he's backed up a strong 447.0 point performance with a dominant postseason in the D'Backs World Series run.
Franco's potential absence could have the biggest effect on Christian Yelich who exceeded 400 points for the first time since 2019, but is owed $31 in a budget already squeezed by star contracts.
One area that will provide relief is the catcher position which was solidified by a savvy trade for Yeiner Diaz and the selection of Bo Naylor in the 2023 Reserve Draft.
Farm System
1. C Bo Naylor (Guardians)
2. SS Brady House (Nationals)
3. IF Michael Busch (Dodgers)
4. RHP Owen White (Rangers) 5. C Diego Cartaya (Dodgers)
6. RHP Cade Cavalli (Nationals) 7. RHP Deivi Garcià (White Sox)
The Devils Farm System took a hit with the exit of Colson Montgomery, Cam Collier and Tyler Soderstrom last season, but the emergence of Bo Naylor (hit .321 with 26 hits, eight doubles, seven home runs, 18 RBI, and a 1.113 OPS over last 28 games) will make the impact hurt a bit less.
Naylor is the safest bet to slide right into the Active Roster while Michael Busch would be a logical addition as well if he can overcome the Dodgers lack of trust in him. Busch has proven to be far too skilled for the Triple-A level as he was named Pacific Coast League MVP and the league's top prospect by MiLB. Busch hit .323/.431/.618 with 27 home runs and a 150 wRC+ in 98 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City but still seems to lack the confidence from his coaching staff at the big league level after he was left off the Playoff Roster.
Brady House holds the highest upside of any prospect in the system, reaching Double-A in 2023 while hitting .312/.365/.497 overall at age 20.
Few saw a bigger dip in value than Diego Cartaya in 2023 as the backstop went from a consensus Top-10 prospect in the Minors to being surpassed at his own position in the Dodgers Minor League catching pecking order. Cartaya hit just .189 with 117 strikeouts in 93 games for Double-A Tulsa and could be ticketed for a return to that level to start 2024.
On the mound, Owen White could emerge as an Active Roster option in 2024 after getting a cup of coffee in the big leagues last season. The one to watch will be Cade Cavalli, once considered one of the top pitching prospects in the game, who is returning from Tommy John surgery this year.
Off-Season Questions
1. Resolution on Wander Franco?
No storyline is more important for the Devils Franchise than the resolution on Wander Franco's status for 2024. Facing a potential MLB Death Penalty according to sources, Franco's absence would be a huge blow to their Active Roster. The shortstop was on pace for a potential 500+ point season before being placed on administrative leave.
2. Level of concern with Cap Space?
If Wander Franco is out of the picture for 2024, the Devils are facing an even tighter cap space squeeze. Even with Franco, the club currently projects to have $72 available for 11 open positions, just $6.55 per opening. That will put eyes on Christian Yelich (3/$31) who posted his first 400+ point season since 2019. With Mookie Betts and Jose Ramirez unlikely to be moved, Yelich could be the one to go if Watson wants more Draft Day flexibility.
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