Featured autograph - Jeren Kendall

I like the look of these 2018 Bowman Atomic parallels and picked up a couple to see how they would look signed - after the fact, any particular signed card is just another I can add to my collection, but I like how this one shines and reflects.

Kendall is a prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system - in 42 games so far at the Class A Advanced level, he is hitting .232 with 19 stolen bases and a .333 on-base percentage.

Featured autographs - Dodgers prospects

Pitchers Grant Holmes, Josh Sborz and Andrew Sopko maybe just the trade bait needed to land an ace like Chris Sale - who seems an obvious fit for the Dodgers now that Clayton Kershaw could be out for the season.

The trio of Holmes, Sborz and Sopko have each shown they can pitch in the hitter friendly California League - but regardless of their performance or ceiling, the Dodgers maybe less reluctant to deal either one or all three as opposed to Julio Urias, Jose De Leon or Yadier Alvarez.

Sborz and Sopko were drafted out of college, so as long as they are healthy and effective, they may get to the big leagues by some point next year - while a team like the Chicago White Sox can wait for Holmes to make the progression a level at a time.

I really don't ask for inscriptions [particularly on cards], but it's cool to get something a bit more than an autograph [especially when the player has more of a scribble] - if a player is willing to add the inscription and it looks clean.

Steve Cilladi

I have two cards of Cilladi still hanging around in my 'temporary A-Z' box for miscellaneous cards I need to put away - it looks like Cilladi was still in the Dodgers' farm system as of last year, but with his MILB.com profile status noted as 'released,' I thought he was just another minor league guy whose playing career probably ended.

There are players who seemingly fall off the face of the earth when their pro careers grind to a halt - I tend to dwell over the guys who have 'mainstream' cards, maybe supposed top prospects, guys who may have reached the major leagues or just players who serve as 'fillers' in a Bowman product.

As is, sometimes I pick up the occasional minor league team set [the Cilladi cards were part of a Rancho Cucamonga Quakes team set stadium giveaway a few years ago] - I was never able to get a beat on Cilladi down in-person and the cards I had were lost in the shuffle.

As improbable as it seems, I was surprised to see Cilladi actually made it to the major leagues - it was interesting to read about Cilladi's journey as a part time player who played sparingly, but climbed the minor league ladder to become a MLB bullpen catcher.

Featured autograph - Yasiel Puig

Yasiel Puig is a Cuban outfielder baseball pundits knew little about when defected - because the organization can, the Los Angeles Dodgers still gambled and signed him to a $42 million, seven year deal to see if he can be an All-Star talent once he gets to the Major Leagues.

He made his Single-A debut for the Dodgers' California League team in Rancho Cucamonga last Tuesday night and I got his autograph - the autograph isn't great but he put his number '8' and put 'Dodgers' on my dummy card.

Before the game, Puig signed for about 10 minutes and then warmed up by himself out in left field for about five minutes, before running back into the dugout as the game was to start - obviously he speaks little English, but he was accomodating otherwise.

Featured autograph - Angelo Songco

Angelo Songco is another Dodger minor league currently playing with Rancho Cucamonga whose autograph I've added to my collection - the California League is where my buddy and I get most of our minor league autographs during the baseball season.

Even though I may lament the fact they are now a Dodgers affiliate - Rancho is probably the closest Cal League team to my home and still an alternative place to watch baseball and get in-person autographs.

I guess the recent set of featured autographs I've posted could be considered my 'down on the farm' segment - featuring just a few of the players [whose autographs I've gotten this year] who will be playing in the California / Carolina League All-Star game next week.

Featured autograph - Jake Lemmerman

Jake Lemmerman is a minor league shortstop playing for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes - looking at his stats, nothing remarkable stands out but he might be one of those players who steadily rises through a team's minor league system and within a couple of years is within the cusp of reaching the Major Leagues.

Featured autograph - Gorman Erickson

It was trading card giveaway day at the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes game this past Sunday and I was able to get catcher Gorman Erickson to sign his card - the Dodgers minor leaguer has had an up-and-down playing career as a professional starting in 2007, but it looks like his bat is getting a boost this year by playing in the California League.

Featured autograph - Hank Conger

Hank Conger made his season debut for the Angels on Tuesday and hit his first Major League home run against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday - I quietly root for Conger because he is the type of professional baseball player who I might have aspired to be in my dreams.

He and Mark Trumbo are living their dreams of professional baseball players from Orange County playing for the Angels - so maybe I'll play closer attention to what they do as Major Leaguers because they are 'local guys' made good for.

The 2006 Bowman Draft card was signed when in-person when the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes team made an organized appearance at Angel Stadium back in 2008 - Conger was on the team with Trumbo, Jordan Walden, Peter Bourjos, Trevor Bell, Bobby Cassevah, David Herndon, et al.

Featured autograph - Mike Trout

Mike Trout, the future of the Angels is probably just a couple of years away from reaching the Major Leagues - the autographed card was signed in-person by Trout before a Rancho Cucamonga Quakes game in 2010.

The Quakes, the Angels' advanced A affiliate in the California League up through 2010 now has switched organization this past off-season and is now part of the Dodgers' chain - in 2011, the Angels' advanced A team in the California League will be in the Inland Empire 66ers.

Maybe not as big or really new information, but as spring training gets through the middle part of the schedule - the affiliation change maybe something to think about when seeing possible California League minor league games this upcoming year.