Dodgers prospect Charles Davalan is learning second base in the Arizona Fall League after playing the outfield throughout his first full pro season, BVM Sports reported.
The experiment gives Los Angeles more flexibility with its deep group of outfield prospects while helping Davalan build on his defensive versatility, BVM Sports reported. He is still refining the position, but says the Dodgers’ main focus for him in the Fall League is defense rather than his batting numbers.
Davalan is ranked No. 79 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list, BVM Sports reported. He has made 3 errors in 15 Fall League games at second base.
In 115 games at High-A Great Lakes, he hit .292/.402/.535 with 24 home runs and 17 steals, according to BVM Sports. In the Fall League, he is hitting .217/.333/.350.
Davalan has past experience in the infield, but second base remains a work in progress as he focuses on footwork and turning double plays. His Fall League offense has also cooled, though he says the position change has not affected his hitting and is not weighing on him.
“They talked to me with about a month left in the year and said I was going to come play in this league and play second,” said Davalan, the 41st overall pick in the 2025 Draft, according to BVM Sports. “So I got some reps there in practice but didn’t play in games. It’s something they wanted me to try, and I’m super open-minded.”
“It kind of sucks to not be hitting good, but I’m always going to go up there and hit,” Davalan said, as reported by BVM Sports. “I haven’t been all that great, but the Dodgers mentioned just to go there and play defense, so that’s kind of taken the weight off my shoulders.”
Charles Davalan had played second base in college, but all his pro game experience before Arizona was in the outfield. In the Arizona Fall League, he’s been getting comfortable with his footwork and turning double plays. He told MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis that having a clear… pic.twitter.com/qY5suVwE6y
