Another thing the team can lay rep to; having some of the better recent draft classes around, and therefore top farm system ranks have been placed on them, thanks to Logan White. While he's not nearly as into statistics as DePodesta was, White does study past trends - including acknowledging that prep players have a higher percentage of becoming above average players than college players. While that concept is seemingly common sense - consider that most college players are done growing by the time they get drafted, prep athletes still have another four years before reaching that same age and body development.

Some of White's notable selections include Russell Martin, Chad Billingsley, Jonathan Broxton, James Loney, Matt Kemp, Eric Stults, Delwyn Young, and the top young lefty in the minor leagues Clayton Kershaw. That's a high rate of success without spending large sums of money to acquire "hard signs" and slipping players with concerns over the likelihood of inking a contract - in fact DePodesta's old team, the Athletics, routinely spend more on the draft than the Dodgers - also don't disregard the Dodgers' free agent promiscuity - signing numerous high profile players and therefore taking away high draft picks.