The Dodgers made big news when they chose not to tender Cody Bellinger a contract for this upcoming season in 2023. Bellinger is just 27 years old and is just 3 years removed from being the MVP of the National League, so it was a cliffhanger because we all know that he still has MVP talent.

And he still has plenty of time in his career to return to that MVP form.

But, the decision was made, and unless he agrees to come back to the Dodgers at a lesser rate, something which seems unlikely, especially knowing that Scott Boras is his agent, the Dodgers are moving on. 

So, whose next? Is James Outman the future in Center Field for the Dodgers? 

That’s the million-dollar question that, most likely, the organization hasn’t even sorted through yet, so today’s article will make Outman’s case.

2022

Outman hit .294 this past season, had an OPS of .978, knocked in 106 runs, and had 31 home runs. He, quite possibly, was the best player in the Minor Leagues last season when taking into account the type of defense he plays, which, has always been his strongest point.

In the following video watch how “fearless” Outman is going back on balls toward the wall. He was a Linebacker at Serra, and it shows when danger lurks because it doesn’t phase him. 

Over the Wall

If you’re still not convinced of how good he is going back on the ball, and how he’s not phased by the wall, check out this next video where Outman actually flips over the wall.

Coming In on the Ball

We’ve seen how good Outman is going back on the ball, so naturally, you may be asking how he does coming in on the ball. Well, here you go, watch this next video and be the judge for yourself. 

Speed 

Outman is one of the best athletes in the system and is an above-average runner and has a speed tool that has been rated as a 55 grade. He didn’t steal a ton of bases last year, 13 to be exact, and getting jumps to steal bases isn’t his best tool, but he is a  very aggressive base-runner and knows how to take the extra base. So, he likely won’t ever be near the top of the league in stolen bases, but he’s most definitely capable of putting multiple 20/20 years together.

Arm

His arm is an above-average tool as well as it has been rated as a 60 grade by the MLB pipeline. His footwork is very good which helps make him an accurate thrower. This next video shows him fielding the ball, transitioning into a throw, then making accurate throws to gun down base runners. 

Power

Outman hit 31 home runs in 2022 which would have tied for 3rd most in the PCL if he had enough at-bats to qualify, had an OPS of .978, hit 31 home runs, and had 31 doubles. Again, he didn’t have enough at-bats to qualify, but, again, if he did, his 31 doubles would have been tied for 7th most in the PCL. He added 7 triples which would have also been 4th most in the league, so, he, unquestionably, was one of the better hitters in all of the Minor Leagues in 2022. 

Explosive

If you were paying close enough attention to the last video you noticed that Outman hit for the cycle in that video. As a matter of fact, he hit for the cycle twice this year, both within a one-week span. When combining that with the fact that he also hit 2 grand slams, and had 106 RBIs, it goes to show just how explosive his offensive game is. 

You’ve already seen his first cycle in the last video, now you can watch his 2nd cycle in this next video.

Offensive Game

Outman is one of the most explosive offensive prospects in the game and has unlimited potential, but one aspect of his offensive game that needs improvement is his strikeout rate. He struck out 152 times last year and had a K Rate of 27%, which needs to come down a little. Of course, it’s a trade-off because his power is great, and guys that hit with his kind of power swing and miss more often. But, barring injury, if, for some reason, he doesn’t end up becoming a top-shelf MLB player, his strikeout rate would, most likely, be the only reason why. 

But the good news is that, since the beginning of August, when he got brought up to LA, then sent back down, his strike-out rate went down to 25% in AAA action which is the lowest since his first year in Pro Ball. So he showed improvement in that area in the last 2 months of the season, and again, a guy like Outman needs the freedom to be able to swing and miss to stay aggressive. That much can’t be debated. But what can be debated is the question of the right balance between swing and miss and power.

Polishing It Up

Outman’s situation last year was odd because he hit .462 during his time with LA and certainly made the most of his opportunities. But, that time was limited to just 4 games and 13 at-bats. The peculiar aspect to that is that the Dodgers FO had to have known at the time that it was possible that Bellinger wasn’t coming back, so it was odd that Outman never got called back up and given much more experience.

Especially considering that the Dodgers had such a huge lead in the Division.

But, I’ve learned at least one thing over the years about this organization, and that is that the Front Office always has a plan and they are very disciplined in executing it. So, what are the plans for Outman? Only time will tell, but as of right now he looks like he is a future everyday outfielder and that’s a very good thing.