Iván DeJesús, Jr.

Iván DeJesús, Jr. (born May 1, 1987)cite web|url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/D/ivan-de-jesus.shtml|title=Ivan DeJesus|accessdate=2008-09-24|publisher=thebaseballcube.com] is a right-handed throwing and right-handed batting Puerto Rican professional baseball player who plays shortstop in the Dodgers minor league baseball system. He was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers' in the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft, and he is the son of Ivan DeJesus.cite web|url=http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080630&content_id=425656&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp|title=Past, Futures meet in young DeJesus: Dodgers prospect with big-league bloodlines building a bright future|accessdate=2008-09-24|date=2008-07-02|publisher=Minor League Baseball|work=MiLB.com|author=Winston, Lisa] DeJesús was named 2008 minor league player of the year for the Dodgers organization.cite web|url=http://dodgers.scout.com/2/793461.html|title=De Jesus, McDonald Honored |accessdate=2008-09-25|date=2008-09-22|publisher=Scout.com|work=LADugout.com|author=Holmes, Tot] [cite web|url=http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AiKP8pOprMrBKPVE.ENmadQd0bYF?slug=teamreports-2008-mlb-lad&prov=sportsxchange&type=team_report|title=Dodgers Team Report|accessdate=2008-09-24|date=2008-09-23|publisher=Yahoo! Inc.] DeJesus had been the Dodgers sixth highest rated prospect and best defensive infielder prior to by|2007. [cite web|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/263364.html|title=Top 10 Prospects: Los Angeles Dodgers|accessdate=2008-09-25|date=2007-02-20|work=Baseball America|author=Matthews, Alan] He was listed as the #12 Dodger prospect prior to 2008 by Scout.com and #13 by "Baseball America". [cite web|url=http://dodgers.scout.com/a.z?s=283&p=2&c=725965&ssf=1&RequestedURL=http%3a%2f%2fdodgers.scout.com%2f2%2f725965.html|title=Dodger Prospect #12 - SS Ivan De Jesus, Jr.|accessdate=2008-09-25|date=2008-02-03|publisher=Scout.com|work=LADugout.com|author=Holmes, Tot] [cite web|url=http://www.mlntherawfeed.com/minor-league-baseball/2008/9/12/james-mcdonald-and-ivan-dejesus-jr-named-los-angeles-dodgers.html|title=James McDonald and Ivan DeJesus Jr. Named Los Angeles Dodgers Minor League Players of the Year|accessdate=2008-09-25|date=2008-09-12|publisher=MLN Sports Group LLC.|work=The Raw Feed]

Career

In 1987, he was born in city-state|Guaynabo|Puerto Rico. He went to high school at Puerto Rico Baseball Academy of city-state|Gurabo|Puerto Rico. He was the Los Angeles Dodgers' 2nd selection and 51st overall selection of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft.

In 2005, he split time between the GCL Dodgers of the Gulf Coast League and the Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer Baseball League. He has played with the Columbus Catfish of the South Atlantic League in 2006 and with the Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino of the California League in 2007. He spent the 2008 season with the Jacksonville Suns of the Southern League. He was selected to play for the South Division of the Southern League All-star game, but he instead played in the 2008 All-Star Futures Game. [cite web|url=http://www.insidesocal.com/dodgers/2008/06/ivan-dejesus-jr.html|title=Ivan DeJesus Jr. named to Futures Game|accessdate=2008-09-24|date=2008-06-26|publisher=Los Angeles Newspaper group|work=inside the dodgers|author=Jackson, Tony] He ended 2008 with a 23-game hitting streak. He finished second in the Southern League with 76 walks and tied for third with 150 hits. He was selected to the "Baseball America" Minor League All-Star Second Team as a second baseman.cite web|url=http://www.beloblog.com/Pe_Blogs/prosports/2008/09/dodgers-mcdonald-a-twotime-poy.html#more-2466|title=Dodgers' McDonald a two-time POY|accessdate=2008-09-25|date=2008-09-11|publisher=Press-Enterprise Company|work=The Press Enterprise|author=Leung, Diamond]

As of 2008, he is behind Chin-Lung Hu in the Dodgers minor league depth chart. Hu shared 2008 Dodger major league shortstop duties with Rafael Furcal, Angel Berroa, Nomar Garciaparra, as well as Luis Maza. [cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/2008.shtml|title=2008 Los Angeles Dodgers|accessdate=2008-09-26|publisher=Sports Reference, LLC|work=Baseball-Reference.com] In 2008, several other shortstops played for Las Vegas 51s, the Dodgers' Class AAA affiliate: Rex Rundgren, Ramón Martínez and Francisco Lizarraga. [cite web|url=http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ibp&cid=400&stn=true&sid=t400|title=Las Vegas 51s|accessdate=2008-09-26|publisher=Minor League Baseball]

De Jesus will play in the 2008 Arizona Fall League and the 2008–2009 Puerto Rican Winter League. In by|2009, he expects to be promoted to at least Class AAA.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/D/ivan-de-jesus.shtml Iván DeJesús, Jr.] @ thebaseballcube.com
* [http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/players/playerpage/1098914 Iván DeJesús, Jr.] @ CBS sportsline