Former Marmonte slugger now top-rated Dodgers prospect




Andrew Lambo

Andrew Lambo


Newbury Park High graduate Andrew Lambo has been named the Los Angeles Dodgers’ No. 1 minor league prospect by Baseball America.

The announcement was made on the publication’s website Jan. 30.

“It’s a pretty big honor because we have such a heavily stacked system,” said Lambo, a corner outfielder.

“It’s an honor, and it’s a great award, but you want to keep looking ahead at your bigger goals. It’s fine to be called a No. 1 prospect and everything, but you can’t dwell on it and hide behind it. You’ve got to prove yourself year in and year out.”

Lambo, a fourth-round pick by the Dodgers in the 2007 draft, batted .343 in his first professional season with the Gold Coast League Dodgers. In addition, he posted a .440 on-base percentage, .519 slugging percentage and had 34 RBI.

Last year, Lambo batted .295 with 18 home runs and 91 RBI while splitting time between Single-A and Double-A.

After the season, the 20yearold slugger competed in the talent-laden Arizona Fall League, where he hit .313 in 67 at-bats despite being one of the youngest players on the diamond.

“That was a big eye-opener,” said Lambo of his AFL experience.

“Playing against that kind of talent was unbelievable. . . . There may have been some future 20game winners out there. But you get a sense of the strike zone, what they throw and how they’re throwing it. It’s great to be around that.”

Lambo said it’s taken a lot of hard work to advance from the batting cage at Newbury Park to highly-touted prospect in less than two years. Still, he says he’s far from finished proving his worth to the Dodger organization.

Of late, Lambo’s placed a greater emphasis on dealing with his on-field struggles—he’s not perfect, as evidenced by 110 strikeouts in 472 atbats in SingleA last season. Still, Lambo realizes that being mentally strong is a vital trait for a big leaguer.

“My No. 1 thing has been dealing with the struggles,” he said. “I think that’s helped me as a baseball player, because it’s not about how a player deals with the success, it’s about dealing with the failures.

“I think I’m a lot better now at failing and looking forward.”

For two weeks, Lambo participated in the Dodgers’ Winter Development Program, where he rubbed elbows with former team greats and engaged in community events throughout Los Angeles.

The highlight, he said, was chatting with former Dodger first baseman Eric Karros, his boyhood idol.

“A Greek guy meeting a Greek guy, that was a pretty big honor for me,” Lambo said. “I was pretty stoked.”

Although he won’t speculate on the Dodgers’ plan for him this season, Lambo may begin the year in Double-A, playing for the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern League.

Wherever he ends up, Lambo said he’ll be ready to contribute and continue his climb toward the major leagues.

“You never dwell on where you play,” Lambo said. “You put your jersey on when you get there and you play.”

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