Dodgers OF Prospects - A Blessing and a CUrse

I have been accused of favoring the prospects over finding veteran alternatives.  For the most part that is true.  I have been a prospect fan for as long as I can remember.  The Dodgers have had 18 NL Rookies of the year; 4 in Brooklyn and 14 in LA.  The 2nd most is NYY and Boston/Atlanta Braves with 10. 

·      1947 – Jackie Robinson

·      1949 – Don Newcombe

·      1952 – Joe Black

·      1953 – Jim Gilliam

·      1960 – Frank Howard

·      1965 – Jim Lefebvre

·      1969 – Ted Sizemore

·      1979 – Rick Sutcliffe

·      1980 – Steve Howe

·      1981 – Fernando Valenzuela

·      1982 – Steve Sax

·      1992 – Eric Karros

·      1993 – Mike Piazza

·      1994 - Raúl Mondesi

·      1995 – Hideo Nomo

·      1996 – Todd Hollandsworth

·      2016 – Corey Seager

·      2017 – Cody Bellinger 

The first four were not only from the Brooklyn days, but all four started their careers in the Negro Leagues.  Great history. 

I was particularly happy about the 4-year run (1979-1982) and the 5-year run (1992-1996).  Many of those ROY became my favorite Dodgers, especially the middle infielders (4 second basemen and 1 SS).   Maybe that explains my affinity towards Alex Freeland.  No, it is not because he was born with a club foot as some have suggested.  

The Dodgers have had 4 rookies voted into the top 5 since Bellinger, but none higher than 3rd.  

·      2018 – Walker Buehler – 3rd

·      2020 – Tony Gonsolin – 4th

·      2020 – Dustin May – 5th

·      2023 – James Outman – 3rd 

Maybe Josue De Paula becomes the 19th Dodger Rookie of the Year. 

The Dodgers are both blessed and cursed.  They are blessed to have multiple prospects who can be considered MLB ready or near MLB ready.  While some will go on to be stars, almost all of them will be MLB players. 

Cursed, because 8 of the Dodgers top 15 prospects are OF, and 9 of the top 18.  Of the 8, James Tibbs III can be considered more of a 1B prospect who can play corner OF, and maybe Chuck Davalan will be fully transitioning to 2B. 

·      1 – Josue De Paula (#4 in top 100) - MLB

·      2 – Eduardo Quintero (#15) - AA

·      3 – Mike Sirota (#17) - AAA

·      4 – Chuck Davalan (#79) - AA

·      7 – James Tibbs III - AAA

·      11 – Kendall George – AA (should start AAA)

·      12 – Ching-Hsien Ko – A (should start A+)

·      15 – Zach Ehrhard - AAA

·      18 – Jaron Elkins – A+ 

Last time I checked, there are only 3 OF positions in the lineup.  Probably 4 on the MLB roster.  Of the expected regulars, Andy Pages is the incumbent CF with 4 years of team control.  JDP is a rookie with 6 years of team control.  And Kyle Tucker is not going anywhere for 3 years.  

7 of the 9 OF have at least some AA or AAA experience.  That makes them MLB ready or near MLB ready.  How does a franchise like the Dodgers, who seem to favor the veteran player over the prospect, plan to utilize 7 OF?  I know.  I can hear it. It’s a good problem to have.  Yes and no. 

I believe JDP will get the LF job and will be allowed to run with it.  At least that is my hope as a fan.  How he adjusts to MLB pitchers’ adjustments to him, will dictate how his season goes.  I am not as worried about his defense.  As long as the Dodgers stuck with Teoscar and Tucker, and Conforto before Tucker, corner defense is probably more important to the fans, journalists, and scouting combine publications than the Dodgers. If the OF hits, they will hide his defensive liabilities.  That is not unique to the Dodgers.  There have been multiple poor defensive LF stick in MLB because of their bat.  

I also believe that the Dodgers will find their 4th OF from the above list.  IMO, Zach Ehrhard makes the most sense, but maybe Mike Sirota.  Ehrhard does not scream star, but more of a grinder with skills to be a MLB OF. He led the PCL in PA, was second in hits with 155, 2nd in BB with 94, top 5 in OBP (.400), knocked in 94 runs primarily from the leadoff role, and played solid defense in all three OF positions.  He also stole 28 bases, but was caught 11 times. He would not embarrass himself or the team as a 4th OF.  But for those who thinks he will be a major improvement over Alex Call will be disappointed.  Younger, certainly. 

Sirota has more of a long term OF asset look.  More on him below. 

That will leave 5 with AA or AAA experience.  They cannot all be Dodger OF.  

The Dodgers are apparently speaking with Freddie about an extension.  What does that do for JTIII?  

I am a huge Chuck Davalan fan.  Davalan has spent his entire professional career as an OF.  He has not played any 2B since his freshman days at Florida Gulf Coast University.  However, Davalan is transitioning to 2B in the AFL, and the accounts are uneven.  Will the Dodgers keep him there? I am not as optimistic as most here that Davalan will play for LAD.  Davalan played CF, but because of his below average arm, he will be restricted to LF as a MLB OF.  His arm is not good enough to play 3B.  He is not a SS and at 5’9” he is probably not going to be a future LAD 1B.  Realistically Davalan is a LF/2B as a MLB prospect.  Although a good one, top 100. 

Here is the latest BA report on Davalan's transition:

The Dodgers are trying Davalan at second base because of their outfield depth, and he’s looked raw at times there. He last played second in 2024 during his freshman season at Florida Gulf Coast. Davalan’s short, stocky build isn’t a natural fit at the position, and he doesn’t have the twitch or instincts you usually see from a second baseman. He has made most of the routine plays, but his lack of range was noticeable, and his reads off the bat were a step slow.

It will be interesting to see if the Dodgers continue to pursue this route with him heading into 2027, as it could slow down his ascension to the big leagues. With his offensive potential, however, it would maximize his value if he can develop into at least a playable second baseman in a part-time role.

Davalan’s batting metrics may not show much in the AFL, but I think he is concentrating on learning the nuances of professional 2B play rather than hitting.  

For those who are happy about his 2B transition, just exactly how will he become the LAD 2B.  It is expected that Mookie will eventually need to move to 2B, maybe as early as 2027.  Where does that leave Davalan?  He will be blocked at 2B, and probably LF.  

Mike Sirota’s ceiling is a star OF at the MLB level.  His biggest blessing and curse is his plate discipline.  Yes, he does strike out a lot, but much of that is due to his reluctance to swing at early strikes.  If he whiffs, it is because he is chasing a pitcher’s pitch.  He walks a lot making his OBP very high.  Sounds a lot like JDP and Alex Freeland.  JDP is a top 4 MLB prospect and has good bat control.  Freeland is more of a grinder who probably needs to change his approach to more of an attack hitter.  He started doing that late last season, and with promising results.  Sirota should start at OKC and be ready if needed.  

Eduardo Quintero is possibly the best overall OF of the bunch.  He will start with Davalan at AA.  Will Davalan join him in the OF or start at 2B?  Quintero is struggling with hitting in the AFL, but he routinely starts out slowly when changing leagues.  

I do not know what the Dodgers have in mind for James Tibbs III; 1B or corner OF.  For now, both.  He had a monster year at OKC, and has nothing left to prove there.  He also has no place to play with LAD.  Can the Dodgers find a spot on the 26-man roster for JTIII?  Of course they can, but it will be a bench role.  We know that the Dodgers do not like wasting talent on the bench at the MLB level.  

I have generally believed that Kendall George is the future 4th OF for the team.  He is potentially an October 2027 addition because of his speed and ability to play CF. He is a true base stealer, unlike Hyeseong Kim who can steal bases but has not shown that skillset off in the LAD organization.  George was well on his way to leading the Texas League in hits and SB before his freak knee injury.  Kendall George is the closest clone to Brett Butler that the Dodgers have had. Way more so than Jeren Kendall. I (and others) have compared George to Chandler Simpson.  However, his ability to stick with LAD will fall unto AF, and his beliefs that a primary contact hitter is preferable to pull side power.  Even with his injury last year, he should move directly to AAA in 2027.  He will play MLB. 

Outside of JDP, none of the other OF prospects will be added to the 40-man roster before the pending lockout.  MiLB’s season is not affected by the lockout, and the Dodgers will want all of their prospects having a true ST and start to the MiLB season. 

Ching-Hsien Ko and Jaron Elkins will probably start the season in Great Lakes, with Elkins (22) on a faster track to Tulsa where the real work begins.  Elkins crushed California League pitching, but struggled a bit at Great Lakes.  Elkins was my pick to click for 2025, but it looks like I was a year off.  Ko was consistently good in Ontario.  He is still just 20.  Great Lakes is more of a proving ground compared to the California League.  GL will be a good test for him.  

The Dodgers have a lot of options for OF coming up, but with little room for additions.  Questions that probably need to be answered. 

·      Do the Dodgers feel that Mike Sirota and the Dodgers are best served with Sirota going back to AAA?  As a regular, he is blocked for 3 years.  He is certainly an excellent insurance policy and is capable of getting that opportunity as a regular at any of three OF positions. But is he a better trade asset than an insurance policy?  Sirota will be 24 next year, so his trade value has probably reached its zenith.  The Dodgers have shown their affinity towards Sirota after drafting him out of HS, and later trading for him.  IMO, he sticks in the LAD organization.  

·      Do the Dodgers see JDP as their future LF or do they see him as a centerpiece for a significant trade for an elite middle infielder?  Both have been reported.  If Cincinnati is willing to trade Elly De La Cruz, but they absolutely insist on JDP, what does AF/BG do?  IMO, the Dodgers are not moving that bat. 

·      Where is James Tibbs III going to play next year?  LA, OKC, another organization?  JTIII can certainly be that 4th OF over Ehrhard or Sirota and be a backup 1B to Freddie.  But he is LH and the Dodgers seemingly do not need a LH bat which makes Ehrhard and Sirota better options.  He will also be playing as a 24-year-old next year and has already been traded twice.  He is not going to be a centerpiece in a trade but could be a more than passable addition to any package, but like with Sirota, his trade value has probably reached its zenith.  

·      I know Chuck Davalan is a favorite here, and with very good reason.  But where is he going to play?  Davalan is behind JDP and Sirota as a corner OF prospect, and behind Pages, Quintero, and Sirota as a CF.  It is not much of a secret that Mookie is headed to 2B in the not too distant future.  Mookie’s contract makes him not tradeable. Plus, he has 10/5 rights meaning he has a no trade privileges.  Outside of Bums, there is no talk of Mookie moving to 3B. Thus, Davalan is blocked at 2B and LF.  His arm is not good enough to be a utility infielder or outfielder.  People much smarter than me will figure this out.  IMO, Davalan is not going anywhere this winter, so he will get every chance to add to his resume in Tulsa. 

·      Eduardo Quintero is a wild card.  He is a top 15 prospect in all of MiLB.  He will be 21 in AA next year.  He is an athlete who took to CF as a natural after converting from C.  He is the best CF prospect in the organization, and arguably the best CF prospect in all of MiLB.  He makes excellent reads and routes.  His arm is certainly strong enough for CF, with 22 OF assists in 227 games from CF.  He is also a prolific base stealer.  He has stolen 145 bases in 357 games, with a 82.8 SB %.  He is the least ready of any of the other top OF prospects but may have the highest ceiling and floor.  Teams that may ask for JDP could very well take Quintero as a fallback option and be more than happy.  But it will have to be for a rebuilding team.  Teams looking for that missing MLB OF are not going to consider him as a centerpiece, and he is too good to be a throw in.  He is at least 2 years away, and with the Dodgers, probably longer.  He would more likely be a trade deadline option than a winter trade option. 

Getting Elly De La Cruz, Otto Lopez, or Gunnar Henderson is going to take a LOT. The Dodgers certainly have the ability to put together a very compelling package for any of the three.  But Cincinnati, Miami, and Baltimore have to be convinced. 

I know the Dodgers would like to add to their high leverage bullpen options, and Trevor Megill is one year away from free agency.  The timing is perfect for the Dodgers to make a trade with the Brewers, but I cannot see the Dodgers trading a top 100 OF prospect for one year of Megill. 

How many of the OF prospects will be moved to make the MLB team stronger?  They all can’t stay in the LAD organization.  Everybody has their favorites, so not everyone is going to agree on a trade including one of JDP, Sirota, Quintero, Davalan, or JTIII.  Maybe this is not going to be the year the Dodgers make such a move, but it is coming.