James Tibbs III's bat has been a constant for Triple-A Oklahoma City this season, whether he's been clearing the fence or not. Lately, he’s been clearing it an awful lot.
The Dodgers No. 10 prospect went deep Saturday for the third straight game as the Comets defeated the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, 9-1, at Constellation Field. The 23-year-old has hit five homers in his past five games, driving in 15 runs in that span.
After opening the season with 11 homers in his first 27 games, Tibbs went 21 games without a home run from April 28 through May 23. However, he never stopped producing during that time, slashing .345/.444/.476 with nine doubles, a triple, 15 walks and 12 RBIs.
Tibbs has hit 16 homers this season, tied for the fourth most in Minor League Baseball. His 1.063 OPS ranks third among Triple-A qualifiers behind Jacob Gonzalez and Henry Bolte, both of whom are currently in the Majors.
COMPLETE DODGERS PROSPECT COVERAGE
Despite his strong performance this season, Los Angeles decided against calling up Tibbs when they placed Teoscar Hernández on the 10-day injured list with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain on Friday. Instead, the club promoted No. 19 prospect Ryan Ward.
According to Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes, Ward’s experience played a part in the team’s decision. The 2019 eighth-round Draft pick turned 28 in February and has amassed 2,000 plate appearances at the Triple-A level.
Tibbs, the 13th-overall pick in 2024, has played just 119 games combined at the two highest Minor League levels. He also has been limited to DH duty since May 8 due to a minor forearm issue, according to a report from The Athletic, which may have been a factor as well.
This is Tibbs’ first full season in the Dodgers organization after the club acquired him and Zach Ehrhard (the Dodgers No. 17 prospect) from the Red Sox for right-hander Dustin May last July -- just six weeks after he was dealt from San Francisco to Boston in the Rafael Devers trade.
The move already looks like a big win for the Dodgers. May posted a 5.40 ERA over 28 1/3 innings for Boston last season before departing as a free agent to sign with the Cardinals. Tibbs, meanwhile, has turned into one of Los Angeles' most intriguing prospects.