The Dodger’s Prospect Machine

Posted By on January 29, 2025

This time last year, Baseball America ranked the Dodgers Prospects like this:

  1. Dalton Rushing – C
  2. Andy Pages – OF (Graduated)
  3. Gavin Stone – RHP (Graduated)
  4. Nick Frasso – RHP
  5. Josue DePaula – OF
  6. Kyle Hurt – RHP
  7. River Ryan – RHP
  8. Diego Cartaya – C (Traded)
  9. Jackson Ferris – LHP
  10. Maddux Bruns – LHP
  11. Landon Knack – RHP (Graduated)
  12. Thayron Liranzo – C (Traded)
  13. Justin Wrobleski – LHP
  14. Kendall George – OF
  15. Ronan Kopp – LHP (Dropped Out)
  16. Trey Sweeney – SS (Traded)
  17. Payton Martin – RHP
  18. Joendry Vargas – SS
  19. Emil Morales – SS
  20. Austin Gauthier – IF (Dropped Out)
  21. Yenier Fernandez – C/2B (Dropped Out)
  22. Gus Varland – RHP (Waived)
  23. 23. Ben Casparius – RHP
  24. Jose Ramos – OF (Dropped Out)
  25. Alex Freeland – SS
  26. Jake Gelof – 3B (Dropped Out)
  27. Peter Huebeck – RHP (Dropped Out)
  28. Samuel Munoz – OF (Dropped Out)
  29. John Rooney – LHP (Dropped Out)
  30. Chris Newell – OF (Dropped Out)

Of those Top 30, 16 are gone, either graduating, being traded, waived, or just dropped out of the Top 30. That means that 16 new prospects are ranked in the Top 30. That’s a lot!

Here are the 2025 Top 30 Dodger Prospects (the ones in BOLD are new)

  1. Roki Sasaki – RHP
  2. Dalton Rushing – C
  3. Alex Freeland – SS
  4. Josue DePaula – OF
  5. Zyhir Hope – OF
  6. Jackson Ferris – LHP
  7. Eduardo Quintero – OF
  8. Kellon Lindsey – SS
  9. Justin Wrobleski – LHP
  10. Joendry Vargas – SS
  11. River Ryan – RHP
  12. Edgardo Henriquez – RHP
  13. Emil Morales – SS
  14. Kendall George – OF
  15. Eriq Swan – RHP
  16. Chase Harlan – 3B
  17. Nick Frasso – RHP
  18. Payton Martin – RHP
  19. Hyun-Seok Jang – RHP
  20. Brendan Tunink – OF
  21. Kyle Hurt -RHP
  22. Ben Casparius – RHP
  23. Jakob Wright – LHP
  24. Noah Miller – SS
  25. Mike Sirota – OF
  26. Jack Dreyer – LHP
  27. Maddux Bruns – LHP
  28. Brooks Auger – RHP
  29. Samuel Sanchez – RHP
  30. Reynaldo Yean – RHP

Don’t assume that the ones who just dropped out are duds. Player development is not linear. For instance, Jose Ramos, Austin Gauthier, Yenier Fernandez, Ronan Kopp, and others who dropped out could all someday play in MLB. You never know, but the players who took their places are even more qualified… at least at this juncture.

Here’s the Million Dollar Question: What players could we see at The Show this year? Here’s my guess:

Dreyer, Frasso, Casparius, Wrobleski, Sasaki, Rushing, Freeland, Ryan, and Henriquez would all be a good guess. Not all, of course, but one for sure: Roki Sasaki!

Roster Decisions

Kirby Yates has allegedly agreed with the Dodgers on a 1-year/$13 Million Dollar Contract, but he’s not on the roster because there is no room. Many people are thinking that the Dodgers are trying to figure out who to trade or DFA, but I think it’s more than that. This may fall under the category of W.A.G. (Wild Ass Guess). What if the Dodgers are trying to package Justin Wrobleski, James Outman, and Ben Casparious to a team that needs pitching and an outfielder for some lower-level prospects (a few years away)? Maybe Ryan Brasier is in the deal. Quite a few teams might like that, but the Catch is that they have to take CT3.

Brasier, Casparius, Wrobleski, Outman, and Taylor for 3 or 4 lower level GOOD prospects. Then the Dodgers sign Kike and put Yates on the roster. Got a better idea?

Keith Law’s Farm System Ratings

Today, Keith Law released his farm system rankings in The Athletic:

He said this:

Even without counting Roki Sasaki as a prospect, the Dodgers still have one of the best and deepest systems in the sport. They have stayed that way since Andrew Friedman first took over as president of baseball operations, because he has maintained sizable scouting staffs on the amateur, pro, and international sides; built up their R&D department; and brought the people-management style he used in Tampa to the bigger budgets (OK, much bigger budgets) of Los Angeles. Teams that try to do this on the cheap haven’t been able to sustain success like the Dodgers have. The Dodgers’ system right now still has a bunch of high-upside position players and arms, with an emphasis on athletes, complemented by some higher-floor finds from the college ranks in the draft, usually coming beyond the first round.

— Keith Law

The Dodgers have won their division 9 out of the last 10 years and pick near the bottom of every round. In my mind, this is nothing short of amazing! What is also amazing is that the Dodgers could get a TOP 3 pick next year IF Roki Sasaki wins the Rookie of the Year Award!

This article has 51 Comments

  1. Agree that AF may be working on something bigger than just a trade of Brasier or Grove and that’s why we haven’t heard anything yet.

    Not likely we’ll see River Ryan this year since his surgery was pretty late in the year. I doubt he’ll be back until 2026.

  2. I like your trade even without Taylor, as long as the prospects we get back are good. I can’t imagine a situation where our front office wouldn’t get one or maybe more gems out of a trade like you proposed. Grove in a way reminds me of Ross Stripling. He would be handy to have in the right situation. I just don’t think LA for Grove is the right situation at this time.

    1. I think Mark’s WAG could work if the Dodgers included about $10 million in salary relief for Taylor’s contract.
      But rather than teenage lottery tickets, I’d prefer the Dodgers target top-tier prospects.
      I’ve mentioned the O’s 25-year-old Jordan Westburg, an all-star as a rookie, as a potential trade target. He could immediately platoon with Max at 3B, see action at 2B and could be Max’s successor.
      (Then again, the Dodgers might already be counting on Murakami to be Max’s successor.)
      Why would the O’s consider dealing Westburg? Because the O’s are deep in infield talent, and he is specifically blocking top prospect Coby Mayo, a 6-6 slugger who is thought to have more upside. So should the Dodgers target Mayo instead? The O’s need frontline pitching more than a promising prospect who may not have a position.
      Gonsolin? May? Miller? Knack?
      The O’s certainly aren’t the only team with a surplus of young talent that might be obtained with the right offer….

      I could see the Dodgers clear some space by trading Banda to a small-market team for prospects. I like Banda, but with Scott and Vesia ahead of him as lefty options, and Jack Dreyer in OKC, he could be especially appealing to a small-market team that could handle his $1 million salary.
      Remember: About four winters, AF signed mid-season acquisition Dylan Floro to a modest one-year contract and then flipped him for promising but unproven prospects Vesia and Hurt. Pretty slick move.
      Duplicating that success might be tough, but a lot teams with small budgets might have something good to offer.

  3. Do I have a better idea?

    Not really. But something is in the wind. Your guess is as good as any.

  4. Love BA but Lindsey above Wrobleski is puzzling.

    Tunink & Wright two to watch.

    Thx 4 posting

    1. From what I’ve read, Lindsay may have the better chance of sticking at SS than this teenage peers Vargas and Morales. Lindsay was a high school QB with speed that draws comparisons to Trea Turner. Vargas and Morales seem more likely to shift to 3B. (With his speed, Lindsey could wind up in CF.)
      But we really don’t have to worry about that for another 3 or 4 years.
      Still, I keep hoping that one of youngsters–including DePaula and Hope–will turn into the Dodgers next prodigy…

    1. Kendall George is another guy with blazing speed, but now he has slipped behind Hope and Quintero on the OF prospect depth chart.
      Another OF prospect to watch is Mike Sirota, the prospect obtained in the Lux trade (with a second prospect to be drafted.)
      Sirota, a legit CF talent, was viewed as a potential first-round talent before a setback due to illness. Sirota is now 21 and could move up quickly.

  6. Some how Freidman will figure out how to get Kike back on a 1 year deal. Let’s all get real, despite all the big time signings this off season we all know you gotta have a glue guy, and Kike is that. He started that 5th inning rally against Cole, and was heads up taking second on Judges screw up. He is part of the heart and soul of this team, screw his average over the season, just turn his ass loose come playoff time.. dude is money, love it when he said F U on national TV during the playoffs. He’s Muncy attitude wise without the beard. Gotta have have a couple of wildcards on the team to keep it real. He has totally earned a spot. Got the rings and parade to prove it.

    1. I think Kike said, “We don’t give an F”–to be polite about it.
      “F U” would have been a bigger problem.

  7. I simply have no clue what the Dodger brain trust has in mind. This entire off season has been a whirlwind of moves I did not expect or for the most part, even contemplate. Just win baby! Congrats to Pete Carroll on his new gig. Giants traded Taylor Rogers to the Reds, Estevez signs with the Royals and Ha-Seong Kim inks a two-year deal with the Rays. I am doing much better, able to walk with a walker again. Should be outa here very soon.

    1. Good to read about your progress, Bear.
      Ha-Seong Kim is getting good money from the Rays, which makes me think that Dodgers might have gotten a good deal for Hye-Seong Kim.
      Certainly the Dodgers have an overloaded roster and I understand the desire to bring Kike back. But I’m still hoping that there is legitimate competition for CF involving Outman, Edman, Pages and perhaps a surprise contender.
      It’s been suggested that one of the Dodgers’ weaknesses will be the limited range of Teoscar and Conforto in the corners. This could bode Outman, as he gets good jumps and has excellent speed. Edman is fine too. Pages is better off in a corner.

    2. Hey Bear, I hope the menu has lots of benefitual betterments for your polite self. Myself I’m feeling pretty good as long as I don’t have to stand up longer than the time to make a peanut butter sandwich. I think maybe the doctors were trying to kill me by power of suggestion or that they just didn’t want to do the opporations. But I’m still standing, er sitting rather. Best O Shots your way Brother.

      1. Thanks Quas. Food here is passable, but not up to Outback standards. When I first was admitted all I got was pureed food that resembled something your dog leaves on the yard. Last evening though, I got a nice piece of Salmon that was pretty tasty. White Sox have discussed Robert Jr. with the Reds and Giants per MLBTR

        1. Sometimes Im not real clear to what I’m trying to relay. I didn’t mean food but rather just good things and to add to that now I hope that menu is stacked with such.

  8. On the latest podcast of the Windup, the group starts with a discussion about the Dodgers, the ludicrously great (and good Philly boy) Andy McCollough has a nice bit about what people don’t understand about the Dodgers focusing on Superstars in the context of spending lots of money:

    “… And I agree with that. So I don’t want to like be too, you know, like rah rah, go Dodgers. But I do think one point that I haven’t really, hadn’t really seen anyone make is that like, this is something that the Dodgers are very fundamentally aware of as a front office and it’s something that as an organization, they have known for 20 years or more, you know, is that the best types of players, the absolute best players you want are zero to six stars, right?

    The Bobby Wits, the Paul Skenese (SIC), the Adley Rutchmans, perhaps you’re sensing a theme about those types of players. They are all chosen in the early portion of the draft, right? The first five to 10 picks, that’s where the stars are.

    That’s it just, you know, that’s where the talent is. Bryce Harper, you know, Steven Strasburg. I’m sure there’s been other drafts since then, I can’t really remember.

    But like the Dodgers structurally do not have access to that talent pool. They cannot get into the most valuable talent pool. And there’s very few people, you know, like crying for the Dodgers or the Yankees…”

    From The Windup: A show about Baseball: The Roundtable | The Dodgers’ signing spree continues, Jan 29, 2025
    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-roundtable-the-dodgers-signing-spree-continues/id1558220009?i=1000686865374
    This material may be protected by copyright.

  9. Good to read about your progress, Bear.
    Ha-Seong Kim is getting (to me) surprisingly good money from the Rays, which makes me think that Dodgers might have gotten a very good deal for Hye-Seong Kim. I’m optimistic about the Korean import.
    Certainly the Dodgers have an overloaded roster and I understand the desire to bring Kike back. But I’m still hoping for a legitimate competition for CF involving Outman, Edman, Pages and perhaps a surprise contender. CF and 2B may be the only positions that are contested–and both could be platoons.
    It’s been suggested that one of the Dodgers’ weaknesses will be the limited range of Teoscar and Conforto in the corners. This could bode Outman, as he gets good jumps and has excellent speed. Edman is fine too.

  10. Dont trade CT3.

    He is going to have a bounce back year and can play ANYWHERE on the diamond.

    Guy works as hard as anyone and you need vets like that on the roster…..

    Remember he spelled Teo in the outfield for late game defense during the playoffs, there is value in that….

          1. Yeah they could but it makes absolutely zero sense; they are essentially the same player and fill the same need…..especially on a roster with this much talent. CT3 has been a great Dodger but he has to go!

          2. Not without cutting Rojas they can’t. Kim can be optioned. Carrying Kike and Taylor with Kim, and Rojas also on the roster makes absolutely no sense at all.

    2. Every Dodger works hard, only Taylor’s hard work has, on the whole, produced substandard value.

  13. Thanks for the lists of the top prospects from both ’24 and currently. It’s interesting to see the changes.
    One of the big winners from the ’24 list was Trey Sweeney, who got traded to the Tigers with Liranzo for Flaherty. Sweeney took over SS and was a vital part of the Tigers’ big surge down the stretch. Sweeney had very little chance of playing for the Dodgers. Definitely a winning move.

    From ’23, Jonny DeLuca was a big winner. He was part of the deal for Glasnow. He’s sort of a poor man’s Outman–a bit faster, maybe, but less power. As a rookie last season, he hit to mediocre .609 OPS in 332 ABs. (Missed several weeks due to a broken hand.) This season, he is penciled into a platoon in CF.
    Meanwhile, Outman–who hit to a .790 OPS as a rookie–will be fighting to get on the Dodgers roster. He may return to OKC to provide depth. Outman, I think, can still be a winner with the Dodgers. We’ll see.
    I’m hoping that I can call Diego Cartaya a winner next season. Rooting for him to bounce back and help the Twins. Getting dealt away from the powerhouse Dodger can be beneficial to a prospect’s career.

  15. “What is also amazing is that the Dodgers could get a TOP 3 pick next year IF Roki Sasaki wins the Rookie of the Year Award!”
    I am not clear on this. What is the rule or formula and is it really one of the top 3 picks in next years draft?

    1. This is all due to MLB’s Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI), the program instituted in the last collective bargaining agreement to disincentive teams from playing the service-time game with their top prospects. A player is eligible to earn his team a draft pick if he a) has rookie eligibility at the start of the season, b) accrues a near-full season’s worth of service time and c) appears in at least two of the Top 100 lists from Baseball America, MLB Pipeline and ESPN.

  16. Rumor that the Dodgers will trade Brasier to Houston. The trade would send Brasier to Houston in exchange for right-hander Miguel Ullola, who was the Astros’ No. 8 prospect in 2024, and cash considerations.

    1. He’s their #6 Prospect now. I would be surprised if the Astros paid that much for Brasier!

      From BA:

      Scouting Report: A young righthander with premium stuff but very fringy command, Ullola has been able to hold on as a starter. He has free-and-easy mechanics, moderate arm action length and releases the ball from a high three-quarters slot. Ullola gets above-average extension with a lower release height that generates ride and a flatter plane to the plate. Ullola’s fastball sits 93-95 mph and peaks at 98 with some cut and 18-20 inches of induced vertical break. His fastball is plus-plus and generates swing-and-miss at an elite rate. Ullola’s primary secondary is his slider with cutter shape that sits 87-88 mph, touches 90 and has been marked both as a slider and cutter by ball-tracking systems. It’s a solid bat-misser that generates weak contact. Ullola also mixes a low-80s curveball and an upper-80s changeup. Both pitches see increased usage against lefthanded hitters. Ullola’s command is still below-average, but he improved his strike-throwing to fringe-average in 2024 with accompanying results.

      The Future: If Ullola can hold the fringe-average control he did in 2024, he has a chance to break through as a high-strikeout, five-and-dive starter. If not, his stuff would play in high-leverage relief.

      Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45.

    1. He can still be traded.

      Designating a player for assignment immediately removes that player from the 40-man roster. Within seven days of being designated, the player can either be traded (if the DFA is made before the Trade Deadline) or placed on outright or unconditional release waivers.

  18. The Astros could certainly use Ryan Brasier after trading Pressley and while Ullola is their #6 prospect, they have one on the worst farm systems in baseball. Ullola would likely be just inside the Dodgers Top 20.

  19. Another savvy move by Gomes with more to come.
    I just want to put my 2 cents in concerning Outman . He’s a really good defender and he crushes minor league pitching. No established Major League arm will show their out pitch in Sping Training. Therefore, even a fabulous spring by James will not move the needle. MLB pitchers already know how to get him out. I love James and I hope he can figure it out. It just won’t be with the Dodgers. They only have 4 reserves and he will not be one of them. Oh and Edman with his elite flexibility……..enough said. I’m afraid Outman couldn’t carry his jock.
    Good info about the kids down on the farm. Exciting.
    Book em

    1. Outman has no future here. Give him one more chance when called up due to injury but that swing and miss overrides all other tools. 20 hit tool?

    2. Outman hit major league pitching quite well in ’23, producing a .790 OPS for the season. And it was a full season: only Freddie and Mookie appeared in more games. In ’23, Outman started in 137 major league games–100 more than he started in his woeful ’24 season
      What we’ve learned, I think, is that Outman is very streaky. High peaks and deep valleys. In ’23, he started strong and then fell into a slump. The brass was patient and Outman worked through a couple of midseason slumps to finish strong.
      In ’24, Outman started poorly and was shipped to OKC. He hit well at OKC, with an especially strong finish after his daughter was born.
      Rushing hit pretty well when he was getting some starts in LF–but Outman outhit him. His OPS was .933 and his OBP was nearly .400.
      If he played for most other teams, Outman might have been able to work through his slump in the majors, just as he did in ’23. Spring training should be interesting.

  20. Ohtani will have four bobbleheads next year. Has to be a record. Ice Cube, Koby Bryant, also will get one. Cey will be inducted into the Legends of Dodger baseball on the 18th of July. LA is going to rub it in the Padres noses when they come to LA in June. First game will feature a World Series replica trophy for the fans, and a Blake Snell bobblehead will be given away for game 2. Freddie, Mookie, Teo, Edman, Glasnow, Roberts, Smith, Yamamoto, Sasaki and Treinen all getting bobbles along with Joe Davis and another Valenzuela.

    1. Speak of rubbing it in, what if Snell starts the game and Yates and Scott pitch the 8th and 9th. All former Padres.

        1. I think if you ask SD fans which of the four they’d most like to have back, Doc would finish last. 🙂

  21. don’t sleep on River Ryan! young man looked filthy on the mound. Gavin Stone will be back . Emmit Sheehan. Bobby Miller. i don’t consider Sasaki a prospect since he’s pitched in japan. i pray all the starters stay healthy this season so the dodgers can really give the scrooges (other owners) a reason to cry! Glasnow is the one i’m most excited about with Snell right behind him. if Tyler can stay healthy, he will be a cy young contender! Heck, the top 3 starters are cy young contenders! that doesn’t include ohtani,Sasaki, gonsolin, and hopefully Clayton! i believe ohtani will pitch this season but not a bunch of innings. if he’s. healthy he will be a force in october. Ohtani, Yamamoto,Snell, Glasnow, Kershaw, sasaki in the playoffs with that bullpen? i’m still concerned about muncy having more falloff both offensively and defensively. I hope he proves me wrong! Make or break for Pages? Outman maybe odd man? i can see Conforto playing 100 -125 games in right field. look for him to slug 20 + homers. with edman being a switch hitter, i just don’t see James on this roster. like him, but his strikeout problem will keep him in n the minors or on a different team. Taylor or kike? glad it’s not my decision! Rojas? don’t look for him to be the hitter he was last season. Barnes? another year , oh well. hope he does well. injuries may be the only way Kike makes this team. If some other team doesn’t scoop him up first.

    1. River Ryan looked great last season.
      Several pitchers have come back from surgery strong. But Ryan (and Stone and Hurt) will be coming back to a clubhouse crowded with pitchers.
      Stone threw the most innings of all Dodgers pitchers last season–and he might come back to rotation without an opening.
      We can worry about that later, I guess. Right now we can envision a marquee rotation at midseason:
      Shohei, Kershaw, Snell, Yamamoto, Sasaki, Glasnow……with Miller, Gonsolin or May in the wings.
      Crazy depth.

  22. Gomes said today at Dodger Fest that the door is open for Kike to come back. But who goes? Taylor? Dodgers going to eat his 13 mil and his 4-mil buyout? Rojas? The only true SS on the roster, valuable in the clubhouse and on the field. Pages? Kim? Those are the only two position players on the roster with options left.

    1. I’ve said before I believe Kike’ will be signed when camp opens and roster spots are available. Taylor can platoon with Conforto, Rojas with Kim, Muncy with Kike’. Pages to AAA. I think the Dodgers ride out Taylor’s contract as he will get 10 years service time which is beneficial for his pension. The Dodgers have a reputation of doing right by their players and I think they will take care of Taylor.

Comments are closed.