The Dodgers started game action yesterday against the Cubs, and although the scoreboard wasn’t pretty, there was a lot of good action.
Click to watch Yamamoto in acton
Yoshinobu Yamamoto got the start and flashed his devastating splitter, his cutter and his fastball was up to 97. Spring Training is all about the process, and one thing Dave was hoping to get from Yamamoto was and up/down. Meaning he had to pitch, sit, get back up then pitch again. So the amount of pitches he threw in the 2nd inning was way less important than the fact that he had to throw pitches after an up/down.
Spring Training is awesome!
Click to watch the Challenge System in actionI was super glad to see the challenge system being used in yesterday’s game. It’s hard to explain in a way for people to understand, but it is easily better than the full-blown ABS.
From the players to the managers and the folks who make a living doing this, it was the preferred system.
Each team receives a certain number of challenges. In AAA last year, there were 3, and in this game, there are 2. The challenge must come immediately from the pitcher, catcher, or hitter on the field; it can NOT come from the bench.
I saw this system in action last year in OKC, and baseball fans who haven’t seen it in action yet will be pleased with how much better human strike zones become when they can be challenged.
This system won’t be used this year, as it stands right now, but its success has put it up for consideration for the future.
If you watched our last Down on the Farm on Dodgers Dawgs, Sub was the 1st prospect we covered, and for good reason, he has a lot of potential. Super talented 3/4 slot who, despite the arm angle still stays behind the ball and gets all the benefits of spin rate.
Big year for the former Texas Tech Red Raider!
Click to watch Rosario Nail a Home Run
Eddie Rosario…Welcome to the Dodgers! Dude went yard in his 1st at bat. He’s been with the Braves the last 2 years, was with Minnesota the 6 years before that, and was signed by the Dodgers this off-season to a Minor League contract.
Major League experience, Minor League contract, that’s a classic Dodgers move on the margins. And, as we always like to point out, the Dodgers spend, but they also do the best on the margins. And, without the excellent work on the margins, they would not be anywhere near having built the type of roster they have.
Click to watch Feddy Nail a base hit
Atta Baby Feddy!
Hunter Feduccia got a hit in his 1st AB of ST, and, if you follow the system much, it should come as no surprise. Feduccia has been good for a long time, but on this roster, there just aren’t very many opportunities. As a result, the dude just goes to work every day and keeps getting better.
Mad respect for this dude!
From Lake Charles, played for legend Glen Cecchino at Barbe HS, went to LSU Eunice, then transferred to LSU. Shaped his body, kept getting better, and made himself a Major Leaguer.
If you can’t root for Feddy, you don’t have blood in your veins.
Talk about Scary! Bobby Miller is one tough sumbuck. Dude got centered by a 106 mph line drive and walked off on his own power. Wow!
Cllick to watch Jarvis in action
First look at Justin Jarvis who the Dodgers signed in the offseason. Jarvis made it to AAA with Syracuse, the AAA affiliate of the Mets, and chose Free Agency after his 6th year in the Minor Leagues.
He was in the International League in AAA, then wasn’t in the Texas League in AA, and I’m sure I saw him when he was with Wisconsin in the Midwest at High A in 2021 but don’t remember it.
So, yesterday was my first time ever getting to see him pitch, and super excited about that. He’s listed on the AAA OKC roster, so excited to see more and more of him pitch.
To be very clear as well, I could care less about “results” when it comes to Spring Training. Just excited to see these guys get their “process” started.
Click to watch Knowles in action
While Ryan Sublette was our 1st prospect on our last Down on the Farm, Antonio Knowles was our 2nd. Like a pitcher, that’s called good “sequencing”, lol.
Antonio is a very talented young man who grew up in Key West, and then ended up in College at Stetson, after a stint in Juco. He spent all of last year in AA and is known to go on long heaters.
His mix revolves around his slider, which is a GREAT pitch, but he also knows how to get in on hitters, especially with the cutter to lefties, and sinkers to righties.
Tones, as he’s known, is an absolutely elite human being, and has a ton of potential. I would assume, in most other organizations, he’d already be a Major Leaguer and having success. Not gonna hide it, he’s one of my favorites to root for.
We have a lot of content on him, interviews, feature articles and more if you want to know more about him.
Click to watch Gallegos in action
Giovanny Gallegos has 335.2 MLB innings and signed with the Dodgers on a Minor League contract in the off-season. Another classic Dodgers transaction on the margin, that easily could pay off.
Like Nabil Crismatt or Dinelson Lamet last year! I keep harping on it, but those types of situations get overshadowed by the movie star type Celebrity of this roster, but they absolutely make a difference.
Gallegos features a right turn with his change-up, a left turn with his slider, and a 4-seam in the 92 range.
Click to watch Sauer in action
Matt Sauer got Major League experience last year with the Royals but chose Free Agency after his 7th year in professional baseball. Yet another pitcher that will likely start in OKC that has Major League experience, and is on a Minor League Contract.
I haven’t seen a lot of him, excited to see more, but is listed as having a 4 Seam, slider, Curveball, Sinker, and Split. 4 Seam and Slider are the 2 primary pitches.
Click to watch Hernandez in action
We covered Jose Hernandez on our last Down of the Farm too. Hernandez was hitting 99 in the Dodgers system back in 2022, then was taken by the Pirates in the Rule 5 Draft after that season, and spent 2023 on their MLB roster.
He came back to the Dodgers last summer, worked some mechanics to get back to the form he had last time he was in the system, and is looking to make an impact this year.
Rough outing today, but nothing to take from being the 1st time out, and he’s a very talented lefty, who is used to throwing high-leverage innings.
Click to watch Carlson in action
Sam Carlson was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2017 Draft, so he has some pretty loud tools, as he showed today. Fastball explodes and rides in on righties pretty hard, and his bullet-shaped slider is a tight left turn.
He had Tommy John surgery in 2018 and hasn’t put it back together enough yet to make his MLB debut, but he has some fairly loud stuff.
Carlson’s tools, plus the Dodgers pitching instruction could be a good marriage. Stay tuned, super excited to watch his progress as he gets more experience in the system.
Click to watch GLP in action
Griffin Lockwood Powell….Let’s Go! GLP, Lock, Griff, whatever you want to call him, he was another one we covered on our last Down on the Farm on Dodgers Dawgs. He’s a really good ball player who grew up in South Dakota, went to Central Michigan, went undrafted, and has worked his ass off to get a Non-Roster invite to Spring Training.
Lock is a big dude, but centers his hitting approach with the opposite field gap to “stay on” the ball, which is an approach that allows him to hit “gap to gap”.
Griffin catches, plays 1st base, can play the outfield, drive the bus, mow the infield, could definitely manage, or anything other thing a club might need him to do.
Easy one to root for, that’s for sure!
Next Up
The Dodgers and Cubs play each other again today and just flip locations. The game will be at the Cubs Spring Training location and will start at 12:05 Pacific. Tony Gonsolin is scheduled to get the ball, so super excited to see him back in action.
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Dalton Rushing is the highest-rated prospect in the Dodgers organization, and for good reason, he can hit. We all know that, but his intangibles are what set him apart, and played a large part in him being awarded as the Dodgers Minor League Player of the Year for this past season.
Click to Watch Rushing in Action
Rushing is a leader on the field and holds his teammates to a very high standard. He’s fiery, and he breathes that fire into those around him. When pitchers pitch to him, he ensures they compete with an edge.
Rushing started his career in 2022 as the Dodgers 1st pick in that year’s draft and spent just two games at the Complex before being shipped out to Rancho. That was a stretch of his career where he was unconscious at the plate, both to finish his college career and then to start as a Pro.
Click to Watch Rushing in Action
He hit .442 in his first full month in professional baseball, and his play made folks take notice.
On the flip side of things, he got injured in 2023 and experienced an 0-36 stretch, so he’s also shown the ability to grind through failure. And for prospects who have had as much success as he has, knowing they can handle failure is a valuable piece.
He’s always handled the high prospect ranking in stride and embraces that he is in an organization that emphasizes winning. That allows him to focus on his job and not feel he has to do anything more than that.
Click to Watch Rushing in Action
Rushing made it to AAA in 2024 and hit .273, had a walk rate of 15.4%, and a K% of just 20%. He posted a WRC+ of 128 and had an ISO (Power Index) 4 points higher than his K%. Typically, and especially for hitters that can slug, an ISO that is in the same ballpark of a K% indicates a positive tradeoff between power and swing and miss. The fact that his ISO was 4 points higher shows how elite his tradeoff was between slugging and striking out.
When Rushing moved up to OKC that club already had Hunter Feduccia, Diego Cartaya, and Chris Okey at the catcher’s position. So, the Dodgers moved him to left field for much of his time to end last year, and he made progress.
That’s a good move considering the Dodgers have Will Smith locked up for a long time, so positional versatility will be needed to get Rushing’s bat in the lineup.
Click to Watch Rushing in Action
Over the off-season, the Dodgers DFA’d Cartaya, so Rushing will likely catch more to start 2025. He is not on the 40-man roster, and it is at 100% capacity, so finding an opportunity, as the roster currently sits, will require someone to get injured.
But he is too talented and has too elite of intangibles to leave in AAA for too long, and the Dodgers are very creative, so stay tuned to this situation. You can start that process by watching him in Spring Training, which is quickly approaching.
Alex Freeland
Click to watch Freeland in Action
Alex Freeland is a shortstop prospect with a tremendous amount of talent. Freeland hit 18 home runs last year and posted a strikeout % of 21.6% and a WRC+ of 132 over both the AA and AAA levels.
After dominating AA, he came back to earth a little when getting to AAA OKC in August, then rebounded with a very good September. He figured things out at the AAA level towards the end of last year and carried a lot of momentum into the off-season.
Click to Watch Freeland in Action
Despite his power potential, Freeland is also a ++athlete, as evidenced by his stolen base numbers. Freeland has stolen 31 bases in each of the last 2 seasons.
Shortstop is a position where, in my opinion, the Dodgers haven’t put a long-term plan together. Mookie Betts is penciled in to play there this year, but we’ll see how long that becomes the answer. So, there is likely an opportunity for someone to become the future of that position, and there is no one more capable of doing that than Freeland.
Click to Watch Freeland in Action
Freeland, like Rushing, is much more than just a treasure trove of tools. He also has a presence to him that is all business, and he is all about winning. As his coaches will tell you, he is not afraid to hold his teammates accountable if the competitive edge isn’t to his satisfaction. Freeland is laser-focused, and no one will ever outwork him.
Josue DePaula
Click to Watch DePaula his 108 & 109 MPH Singles
Josue DePaula is a 19-year-old outfield prospect from Brooklyn who has a pizazz to his game that is enjoyable to watch. He is very confident, and he builds that confidence into his style.
DePaula reminds a lot of Dodgers fans of Yordan Alvarez, who the Dodgers traded back in 2016 for Josh Fields. That trade has haunted Dodgers fans ever since, so when trade talks come up and DePaula is the first one mentioned because he’s a headliner, it makes Dodgers fans shiver.
Click to Watch DePaula in Action
DePaula is known for his advanced plate discipline, especially for someone who is just 19, and his exit velocities. Josue has an advanced feel and understanding of which pitches to swing at, and when he does hit the ball, he hits it very hard.
He hasn’t put up incredible home run numbers because the ball comes off of his bat at lower launch angles, and that is something the Dodgers will likely try and tweak. The Dodgers typically favor higher launch angles to maximize the effect of harder-hit balls, so it will be interesting to see how much if at all, his swing gets reworked to add lift.
Click to Watch DePaula in Action
To show how elite his swing decisions have been, his K% was barely 2 points higher than his BB% last year. Hitters that have K% and BB% that are somewhat similar are typically the “table setting” and “contact-oriented” type offensive players. So, to have someone who hits the ball as hard as DePaula does and then has such a crazy positive ratio between walking and striking out is rare.
DePaula hit .268 across two levels, Single A and High A, last year, hit 10 home runs, posted an OPS of .809 and a WRC+ of 130.
Click to Watch DePaula in Action
One of the big questions surrounding DePaula is what position he will play. He does not have elite speed, and although he does hit the ball hard, he doesn’t hit a lot of home runs. So, his foot speed would suggest corner outfielder, but one could make the case that his offensive profile suggests a position that doesn’t revolve around hitting home runs and slugging.
Regardless, few prospects have garnered the attention that DePaula has, so keep your eyes out for him, we’ll have it covered every day.
Zyhir Hope
Click to Watch Hope in Action
Zyhir Hope is a 20-year-old outfielder who is creating as much buzz as any young player in the game. The Dodgers acquired him in the trade with Jackson Ferris that sent Michael Busch and Yency Almonte to the Cubs, and he has been rising up the prospects charts ever since.
Hope hit .290 last year, posted an OPS of .904, hit nine home runs, and had a WRC+ of 144, which is ridiculous. His power potential is unlimited because this dude can flat-hit tanks, and he clobbers the ball. As an illustration, Hope hit a 470-foot BOMB while playing in the Arizona Fall League this off-season.
Click to Watch Hope in Action
Hope can run, too, has above-average arm strength, and is just now tapping into his tools. He was a 2-way player when drafted and has transitioned to full-time as a position player, so this has been the first time where he’s been able to dedicate full time to his outfield skills and hit tool.
Hope spent all of last year at the Single-A level, so there is a long way to go to determine how he handles the adjustments of the increasing talent levels of pitchers as he moves up. High A is a big jump, and AA many times is the biggest jump, so it will be fun to watch his progress over the next year or so.
First things first, though, and that is Spring Training, where he got a “non-roster” invite. That simply means he’s not on the 40-man roster but is still invited to participate in Big League Camp, at least to a certain extent. So, we’ll almost assuredly get to see him on the main field, and hopefully a lot.
Kendall George is the most electric young prospect in the organization. Of course, that is a matter of opinion, but that certainly is mine. I love watching this young man play, I love his confidence, how he’s not afraid to show it, and his understanding of what makes him good.
George has what some would call an “old school” game, meaning a game that is built on speed and not power. But, when you have 80-grade speed and can impact the game in as many ways as he does, there is no such thing as Old School or New School, just the “Right School”.
He was the Dodger’s 1st pick of the 2023 draft and for many, it was an indication that the Dodgers were transitioning to placing more value on his type of skill set built around speed.
He hit .270 last year, had 36 stolen bases, and despite only hitting 1 home run, the one was an absolute bomb. So, he’s capable of hitting home runs, it’s just not an emphasis, and rightfully so with his kind of speed.
Thirty-six stolen bases are good, but it is just scratching the surface for someone with his speed. George is in the process of learning the finer details of how to read pitchers and become a good base runner, and not just someone who is fast.
As an example of how he uses his speed to impact games, George has been known to score from 2nd base on a routine ground ball to shortstop, he’s walked off a game by stealing home and he’ll go 1st to 3rd on fairly routine fly balls in the outfield.
George was drafted straight out of Atascosita High School, which is in Houston area, so he is still just 20 years old and has plenty of time to continue to shape his game in a way that maximizes his tools.
He spent all of last year at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, so will likely start this year at High A Great Lakes. Great Lakes plays in the Midwest League in very cold environments, which isn’t ideal for offense, especially power, or scoring runs. So, it will be fun to watch how his speed is utilized in those cold-weather games where offense is limited and runs are at a premium.
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Jack Dreyer is a left-handed reliever who grew up in Iowa, went to Iowa, but fought injury. He had a shoulder injury that forced him to miss his Sophomore season in 2019, then COVID-19 canceled almost all of 2020.
So, in reality, he got to pitch as a Freshman at Iowa, then only pitched 29 innings in the next 3 years, which is why he went undrafted.
The Dodgers signed him to an Undrafted Free Agent Contract in August of 2021.
He didn’t pitch the remainder of that year, then threw just 12.1 innings in 2022.
Jack posted an ERA of 2.30 in High A Great Lakes in 2023, then got promoted to AA Tulsa to start 2024 and didn’t give up a run in 14.2 innings. He had 20 strikeouts and no walks during that stint, earning him a quick promotion to AAA.
The success being as immediate as it was and as consistent as it has been is fairly unprecedented. As a result, Dreyer was placed on the 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 draft, which means he’s gonna be in the system for a while moving forward.
Beginning the 2024 season, his first full season in a long time, Dreyer featured primarily a fastball/slider mix. Then, after meeting with Rob Hill and Dave Anderson, they tweaked his grip and added back in the curveball he had back in college.
That 3 pitch mix led to a ton of swing and miss for the Lefty.
When asked where he thinks he’ll eventually end up sitting, in terms of velocity, Dreyer said he had no doubt he could get up to 94 to 95 on average, while hitting higher than that.
Ben Casparius
Click to Watch the Full Feature on Caparius
Ben Casparius has mainly been a starter throughout his journey through the Minor Leagues, but, as we saw in the post-season last year, he is versatile enough to pitch in any role. That versatility is vital for the young pitchers because there are so few opportunities on such a stacked roster.
Casparius posted a 3.36 ERA overall at the AAA level, then got the call. He made this MLB debut on August 31, then posted a 1.42 ERA in 6.1 innings in the playoffs.
Casparius was a 2-way player as recently as his time at North Carolina where he went out of High School. He eventually transferred back home to UConn, and it was there that he began his full-time journey on the mound. So, he is still somewhat in the beginning stages of learning “who” he is as a pitcher and “what” he can become.
He has used the Minor League process to continue to find the best version of himself and has prioritized the “process” over results. Because of that mindset, he’s continued to redefine his mix and has built an arsenal that might be the best of any of the young pitchers in the organization.
His slider has always been his “Crown Jewel” because it has a sharp break. But, now his fastball has caught up and is approaching 100 miles per hour, so he now has multiple ++ pitches.
He is developing a harder and a softer cutter and has featured as many as five pitches in the past. Of course, no pitcher can get to 5 pitches in a relief setting, so his 2 “crown jewels” would likely be leaned on in relief appearances. But, if asked to provide length, he can reach into his bag pretty deep. He has a change-up to add to the 4 seam, slider, and cutters.
Edgardo Henriquez
Click to Watch Henriquez in Action
Edgardo Henriquez is a right-handed reliever who has a lightning bolt of a right arm. He made a historic jump through every level of the Minor Leagues last year, starting at Low A Rancho and ending up on the NLCS roster.
He hit 104 miles per hour with his four-seam fastball and has hit 94 with his bullet slider. His stuff is elite, there is no doubt about that, but he still has work to do with his command. And sometimes control as well.
Henriquez struck out 88 hitters last year at the Minor League level in 53 innings but had a 7.11 BB/9 ratio at the AAA level. His BB/9 ratio with LA was 5.40, but that was greatly offset by his 14.94 K/9 mark.
To further illustrate how “crazy” his “stuff” is, his spin consistently hit above 2600, so he is a Video game.
He was a former starter but underwent Tommy John Surgery and was transitioned into relief when he splashed onto the scene last year in the Spring Breakout game. He continued that momentum into Rancho, then Great Lakes, then Tulsa, then OKC, then LA, then the playoffs.
His season in 2024 was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen in this game.
Despite having such a devastating arsenal, Henriquez is still far from a finished product, so he will likely start in OKC in 2025. Plus, the 26-man roster is loaded, so opportunities, even for pitchers as talented as him, will be limited.
Carlos Duran
Click to Watch Duran in Action
Carlos Duran is a 6’6 right-handed pitcher who has worked as a starter and out of the pen during his time in the Minor Leagues. When I asked him which role he preferred, he didn’t hesitate to say “starter”, but with the depth of this organization, having a choice isn’t always an option. He has been in the organization since 2018, but, because he was signed out of the Dominican Republic at such a young age, he’s still only 23 years old.
There is still plenty of time for him to reach the potential that has placed him on several top prospects lists in the past.
Duran is another pitcher on the long list of Tommy John reclamations. Last year was his first full year back after he missed all of 2023 recovering. He started in Rancho, then jumped from there to AA, then finished in AAA OKC.
2024 saw him throw only 1.1 innings at AAA OKC, so his biggest body of work was at AA Tulsa where he was very good. He posted a 3.05 ERA and struck out 48 hitters in 38.1 innings with the Drillers.
Standing at 6’6 he has good length and can hit in the 96 range, but typically sits in the 92-94 range. He also has a very good slider, and creates a lot of arm-side movement to his fastball, so he can miss both bats and barrels. He’s also thrown a tumbling curveball in the past and has worked on a changeup as well, so he has a starter mix.
He has a unique windup where he varies his tempo, holds his leg kick, and works on the hitter’s timing. So, his stuff is explosive enough but also deceptive. He was Rule 5 eligible, but not taken, so the Dodgers did not put him on the 40-man roster, which means he would need someone, or multiple people to get hurt to have opportunity.
Jose Hernandez
Click to Watch Hernandez in Action
Jose Hernandez is not a prospect and has Major League experience, but he’s not on the 40-man roster, is slated to start in OKC, and is also a name Dodgers fans might not be familiar with. So, he’s worth covering in an article that’s meant to familiarize fans with some guys they may not know all that well.
Hernandez is a 6’3 left-handed reliever from the DR that was taken in the Rule 5 Draft after the 2022 season. So, he spent all of 2023 in the Pittsburgh organization, then started last year with them before making his way back to the Dodgers last June.
It came as a surprise to many when he was taken in the Rule 5 Draft because he had only AA experience, but his fastball had reached 99 with Tulsa and he was the leader in saves in the Midwest League with Great Lakes when he was promoted. So, he has explosive stuff and a lot of potential to be a very good high-leverage reliever.
Hernandez also has featured an 83ish mile-per-hour off-speed pitch but spent a good deal of time on the developmental list last year refining and reworking his mix. So, all bets are off in terms of the off-speed, but he’s thrown a cutter that has approached 90 miles per hour in the past, as well as a change in the 84 range and then a sweeping slider.
And you can be assured he’ll have his he’ll have his explosive fastball still in his back pocket as well.
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It’s no secret that the Dodgers have more financial firepower than probably every other team in baseball. There’s no need to hide that fact, and there’s also no need to apologize for it either.
Especially when you consider the way the Front Office has built this team.
Of Course, the Free Agent signings over the last half a decade or so have been huge, but so has just about every other decision as well that get fewer headlines.
When the Dodgers traded Gavin Lux, Will Smith became the only position player left on the roster that is penciled in as a starter. Beyond that, Andy Pages and James Outman are the only other 2 position players on the 40-man roster that the Dodgers signed and developed from start to finish.
So, the perception could easily be that the Dodgers have “bought” a dynasty-caliber roster as opposed to “building” the next generation of World Championships. And, that is true to an extent, but not as big of an extent as popular perception would make it seem.
The Dodgers have made several moves, beyond the “headline” free agency moves, that have allowed them to stay aggressive, and in this article, we are going to cover some of them.
Mookie Betts
The Dodgers traded for Mookie Betts just before the 2020 season and then won the World Series that same year. And despite what Alex Verdugo might say, the Yankee who made the last out of the World Series last year, that Championship is as legit as any other.
As a matter of fact, in many ways, it was a lot harder to win because there were extra rounds.
But, back to the Mookie Betts trade.
The Dodgers sent two highly ranked prospects to the Red Sox, Jeter Downs, who was MLB.coms #44 overall prospect, and Connor Wong. Downs never delivered on his promise and Wong now has 4 years of Major League experience, but there is no argument to make that the Dodgers won this trade by leaps and bounds. Especially considering they got Downs in a deal that sent Yasiel Puig, Alex Wood, and Matt Kemp to the Reds.
The Dodgers also got Josiah Gray in that deal with Downs, and JoJo as he was known, was a fairly large chip in the trade that brought Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Dodgers as well.
So, when you put all of that together, the Dodgers lost Keibert Ruiz, Connor Wong, Jeter Downs, Josiah Gray, Yasiel Puig, Alex Wood, and Matt Kemp. In return, they got Mookie Betts, Trea Turner, and Max Scherzer, have won 2 World Series, and have built a dynasty.
Miguel Rojas
The Dodgers traded for Miguel Rojas ahead of the 2023 season for shortstop prospect Jacob Amaya. I can’t tell you how many comments and messages were sent to Dodgers Daily about this trade.
Fans largely couldn’t understand why the Dodgers would trade a younger version of the same player.
Jacob was a favorite of Dodgers Daily to cover, and his defense is Major League quality, but facts are facts. And the facts are that he only has 77 MLB at-bats and hasn’t seen much success.
Meanwhile, Rojas has turned into a clubhouse leader for the Dodgers, has set the tone from a competitive mentality perspective, and had a good year on the offensive side of the ball last year.
As much as I respect Amaya, his competitive nature, his pension to be clutch, and his competitive fire, the Dodgers have won that trade.
Now, let’s all hope that Jacob turns into a good MLB player, which he is capable of, and then comes back to the Dodgers, just as Rojas did. That would be especially cool, considering Jacob is from West Covina and had a grandpa who played in the Dodgers system.
Max Muncy and Chris Taylor
Max Muncy and Chris Taylor weren’t originally drafted into the organization but were built by the Dodgers. When Muncy came to the Dodgers in 2018 he had just been designated for assignment by the As.
The Dodgers sent him to OKC, taught him to play defense, accented his offensive strengths, and turned him into a force. Since becoming a Dodger, he has been an All-Star twice, won two World Series Championships, and has been one of the game’s best sluggers.
Chris Taylor has a similar story. Although he has struggled in the last couple of years, he has been a big part of some great moments and teams. He’s also helped, in one way or the other, win two World Championships.
When Taylor came to the Dodgers in 2016 he had just been optioned by Seattle down to AAA Tacoma. He was traded for Zach Lee who had a lifetime ERA in the MLB of 8.53, and never saw Major League action after throwing 8 innings in 2017.
Edman and Kopech
Without Tommy Edman, the Dodgers don’t win the World Series. Of course, that’s a matter of opinion, but no one will ever be able to convince me differently. While the Dodgers acquired two players instrumental in winning a World Title, they gave up Miguel Vargas, Jeral Perez, and Alexander Albertus.
Perez and Albertus are talented middle infielders, and Vargas still has the chance to become a good Major Leaguer, and we all hope that happens. But, nothing those guys can do can replace winning a World Series and being a large part of it, something both Edman and Kopech have done.
Vesia and Hurt
Alex Vesia was a big part of last year’s World Championship, and no one has more potential than Kyle Hurt. Although Hurt is injured, he’ll be back and will be a force as a pitcher in the MLB.
The Dodgers got both Vesia and Hurt for Dylan Floro who was a good pitcher for the Dodgers and has been decent to good since. But, Vesia was one of the best relievers in all of the game of baseball last year, he’s left-handed, which is valuable in itself, and he has Minor League options. And, he didn’t allow a run in his 5.2 innings of work in the Post-season, so, all things considered, the Dodgers won the trade Vesia vs. Floro. But, add Hurt and they won it going away.
Banda and Brasier
The Dodgers lost to San Diego in the playoffs in 2022, to the Diamondbacks in 2024, and were on the brink of elimination last year. They went down 2-1 to the Padres, were on the road and no one felt great about that situation. Those feelings were amplified knowing the options were either to start a rookie in Game 4, Landon Knack, or choose a bullpen game instead.
The Dodgers chose the bullpen game, and Ryan Brasier got the ball first. Brasier threw four outs and by the time he came out the Dodgers had a 3-1 lead. That allowed everyone to exhale and relax.
Anthony Banda replaced Brasier to get the last 2 outs of the 2nd inning, then, in the top of the 3rd the Dodgers scored 2 more runs to take a 5-0 lead, and cruised from there. So, it can’t be overstated how important Ryan Brasier and Anthony Banda were to overcoming that obstacle. And, if the Dodgers lose to the Padres, again, and again in their first round of playoffs, the narrative would have been dark.
Brasier is yet another relief pitcher the Dodgers acquired after being released. The Red Sox released Brasier in May of 2023, and, instead of accepting a Minor League assignment chose to become a Free Agent. The Dodgers signed him to a Minor League Contract and developed him into a valuable piece to the bullpen.
The Dodgers traded for Anthony Banda for cash. This organization is swimming in money, so to pick up such a valuable left-handed reliever for cash is yet another checkmate chess move from the Dodger’s Front Office.
Graterol and Scott
The Dodgers traded Kenta Maeda, Luke Raley, and some cash to acquire Brusdar Graterol. Maeda posted ERAs of 4.66, 4.23, and 6.09 in the last 3 years whereas, during that same time, Graterol has posted ERAs of 3.26, 1.20, and 2.45.
Although Maeda was very popular in LA, that trade speaks for itself.
The Dodgers stepped out of their comfort zone to sign Tanner Scott but came out of the deal way better than the Padres. The Padres gave up 4 of their top 25 prospects to get Scott, then only had him for a 3-month rental period. They sold out to try and win a World Series but got eliminated by the Dodgers, the team that took him out of Free Agency. So, although the Dodgers did pay a hefty price for Scott, they had their cake and ate it too, especially when compared to the Padres.
The Dodgers also signed Roki Sasaki and Hyeseong Kim to Minor League contracts, Tyler Glasnow signed an extension as part of his signing with the Dodgers and many would say that the 6-year contract of Freddie Freeman was a steal. $162 million is a lot of money, but $27 million a year for a future Hall of Famer who has played in 7 All-Star games is a bargain. Especially considering he’s also won a Gold Glove, is a leader, fits the culture to a glove, and hit the Grand Slam last year in the World Series.
Of course, the contracts of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto and others are huge and likely contracts only the Dodgers could offer, but, still, this club has been built way more than people give it credit for.
Without the parts of this roster that have been built, this club would not have won the World Series last year. It could be factual to say they wouldn’t have made it out of the Padres series, which would have been a disaster.
The Relievers
Evan Phillips has developed into one of the best high-leverage relievers in the game since becoming a Dodger. The Dodgers acquired him off the waiver wire in 2021 after he had been DFAd by Tampa Bay. Previous to that the Orioles had outright released him.
So, while he wasn’t drafted by the Dodgers, like Muncy and Taylor, he was made by this organization. That can’t be debated!
Built or Bought?
Whether the Dodgers have been built or bought is complicated, but it’s also irrelevant. It is what it is, as the saying goes, and every team in the Major Leagues would LOVE to be able to do what the Dodgers are doing. The Dodgers Front Office has their foot on the gas pedal with no signs of letting up, and, as fans, we should be thankful and greatly appreciate what they are doing.
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The Dodgers are completely loaded in the pitching department. They usually enter every season loaded, but injuries have thinned them out to the point that last post season, the starting rotation was not in good shape. In fact, due to health issues, it was a fairly glaring weakness that the “Dawgs” in the bullpen had to cover up for, requiring some decently miraculous work.
Once Fooled, Twice a Fool!
The Dodgers have acquired the most talented staff in baseball, I don’t think anyone would question that at this point. But, they’ve also held on to their depth and have done so with contracts on the margins that provide them the flexibility needed to be aggressive.
After the Dodgers make Scott and Yates official, the 40-man roster would sit at 41. So the Dodgers would have to make a corresponding move or wait to make either Scott or Yates official until the 60-day ILs are removed.
But, that’s the easy part of the equation.
If the Dodgers sign Kershaw, something we all want to happen, that would put them at 16 pitchers on the 26-man after everyone gets healthy. And, of those 16 pitchers, only 3 of them, Sasaki, Vesia, and Gonsolin have options, and none of them are good candidates to be optioned.
It appears the plan is to play it “day by day” and let things work themselves out. Michael Kopech is going to be out for a month or so, and situations like that are what would open the needed spots and make the math work.
It’s a great problem to have, trying to figure out how to use all of the accumulated talent. It’s better to have and not need, than need and not have.
That is, unless you are one of the younger pitchers and needing opportunity to get your MLB career started. The one aspect of the plan for the Dodgers that is, in my opinion, tough to get on board with, is that guys like Bobby Miller, Landon Knack, Justin Wrobleski Ben Casparius and all the young guys have anywhere from no path to one that is massively limited.
Much more limited than they have earned, in my opinion.
That’s all part of doing business for an organization that is as “win-now” as the Dodgers, that much is understood. But, on a personal level, for those guys, it’s a tough situation. It’s frustrating to see them enter the backside of their 20s and still be given no path to the chance they deserve to have a long and prosperous Major League career.
The Dodgers view them as depth, and with all of the pitching injuries in the recent past that’s understandable. But, again, on a personal level, I would rather see these guys used, or see them moved for someone the Dodgers will eventually use for something more than depth.
That’s a personal rant though, and not meant to take away from the excitement of the roster the Dodgers have built, but just wanted to also cover that aspect of it.
On a similar note, another aspect to consider is that the Dodgers love using the up/down train from OKC to keep the club supplied with fresh arms. That being the case, it would benefit the Dodgers to keep that 14th spot open for the pitchers they keep in OKC as depth.
That would provide the path for some of these young guys to at least get some time with LA this year.
Of course, there’s a long time in between now and when they actually have to start making decisions, so this is all very premature. But, as it stands, the organization has a couple of options in terms of the roster crunch. They can either keep everybody, and assume injury will take care of these equations, or there are going to be some corresponding moves between now and the beginning of the season.
Stay tuned, because what has already been an incredible ride of an off season likely isn’t done.
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The Dodgers have been the most aggressive team in baseball this off-season, and it’s given Dodgers fans reason to celebrate. The Dodgers have added a substantial amount of firepower to a roster good enough to win the World Series just last year.
This is the type of off-season you might expect from a “Blue Blood” type organization that has fallen SHORT of its goals in recent times. Not one that has won the World Series twice in the last 5 Major League seasons.
The Dodgers added one of the best starting pitchers in the game, Blake Snell, and the best International free-agent pitcher, Roki Sasaki. They’ve added two of the best high-end relievers, Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates, and then re-signed Blake Treinen, who was crucial in the Bullpen last year in the World Series.
Position Players
On the position player side, the Dodgers have re-signed Teoscar Hernandez, a fan favorite, who is not only a good ball player but fits perfectly into the Dodger’s culture. They also signed Michael Conforto, who, not too long ago, was one of the best young players in the game, and Hyeseong Kim who they have had eyes on since their trip to Korea last year.
It’s been an incredible off-season, but there is still “Meat Left on the Bone”.
Dodgers fans would still like to see both Clayton Kershaw and Kike Hernandez re-signed for 2025, which, at that point, would cap a perfect off-season.
Be Thankful!
We are lucky to have an ownership group that is this aggressive. We are equally lucky to have a front office that has been smart enough to put the club in a position to make all of these moves.
Looking at the list in the graphic above, it truly is hard to believe. Other teams can complain, but the Dodgers have been smarter on the margins.
Yes, the Dodgers have a fairly unfair amount of financial firepower, but the “Game-Set Match” to the whole thing has been the decision-making process in making the right moves.
Beyond the “Hall of Famer” type players on this roster, like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, the Dodgers have built this type of roster without recklessly committing to too many long-term contracts that could be a problem on the back half of the aging curves.
Ahem…Ahem…Padres!
The Dodgers have created flexibility with guys like Ryan Brasier, Anthony Banda, Blake Treinen, Max Muncy, and, to be honest, even Teoscar Hernandez. Because their contracts are either one year, have one year left or are reasonably priced, the Dodgers can maneuver any of them if needed.
On top of that, Chris Taylor and Austin Barnes come off the books after this year to add even more flexibility for the future.
The only players with the potential to age past the value of their contracts are future “Hall of Famers”, which removes much of the risk because that caliber of player starts with such a higher ceiling. So, even when their skills diminish, they likely will still be very productive even as they age past their prime.
Hyeseong Kim and Roki Sasaski both have Minor League options, which, although those options may never be used, having them in your back pocket creates even more flexibility if push came to shove.
Chess
Because the Dodgers have made the “Right” moves, and signed the right contracts, they’ve given themselves the flexibility needed to build a roster that has set them up to create a “Dynasty”.
Congrats to all who have had a hand in this. It’s truly one of the most incredible roster-building exercises in the history of professional sports.
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It was quite a weekend for the Dodgers that started by signing the best International pitching prospect in the game, Roki Sasaki, and ended by signing the best high-end reliever on the market Tanner Scott.
The Dodgers have been eyeing both for some time now, especially Scott who the Dodgers got to see up close just last year when he was with the Padres.
The Dodgers signed Scott to a 4-year $72 million contract. The length and price tag of Scott’s contract isn’t in the typical “wheelhouse” of the Dodgers in terms of signing relievers, but it’s yet another case of the Front Office having the foot on the gas pedal with no intentions of letting off.
That mentality started, likely when the Dodgers got Betts and Freeman, but it was put in warp drive when Ohtani was signed.
The Ohtani Effect
This front office would be aggressive in any scenario but likely have been made to be more aggressive since signing Shohei Ohtani. When Ohtani signed and deferred as much money as he did, those in charge of roster building were held to the fire. His contract, as crazy large as it was, still was made team-friendly enough to make a statement.
That statement was that he expected the Dodgers to put the best roster around him as they possibly could.
And, they’ve done that plus some.
Building a Dynasty
During this off-season, the Dodgers have signed Tanner Scott, Roki Sasaki, Michael Conforto, Hyeseong Kim, Blake Snell, and the re-signed Blake Treinen and Teoscar Hernandez.
A team that was good enough to win the World Series last year is now even better, and substantially in terms of starting pitching.
Since Ohtani is a 2-way player, once he starts pitching, the Dodgers will be able to carry 14 pitchers instead of the typical 13 on the active 26-man roster. That will allow LA to implement a 6-man rotation, which has been talked about for a while but is now made realistic.
With only 13 pitchers, a 6-man rotation would leave the bullpen with just 7 arms. So, it’s not adding, or giving more arms to cover innings, it’s just moving pieces from one part of the staff to the other.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul, if you will.
But, with 14 pitchers, Ohtani being one of them, the Dodgers can now implement that 6-man rotation and still have all 8 bullpen arms available..
The organization found yet another way to have their cake and to eat it too.
The Roster Crunch
With the signing of Scott, the Dodgers 40-man roster is full. But, that’s not of great concern, because once all of the injured pitchers are added to the 60-day IL, 40-man spots will be available.
So, finding room on the 40-man will be easy.
It’s trying to figure out the Active 26-man roster where it gets complicated.
The Dodgers now have all 14 pitching spots taken, which is the maximum they will be able to keep once the season starts. So, if they want to add Clayton Kershaw, they’ll either have to trade or DFA one of the pitchers without options, or exercise the Minor League options of Tony Gonsolin or Alex Vesia.
It would be crazy talk to think Gonsolin or Vesia would get optioned, especially considering that, being at 14, there isn’t a spot to move anyone up or down from AAA OKC.
The ideal situation is to leave the last spot open for the up/downs from the Minor Leagues. The Dodgers have utilized this tactic extensively to keep the Major League club stocked with fresh arms.
So, having said all of that, as active and successful as the off season has been, it likely isn’t over. The Dodgers will almost assuredly make more moves between now and the first pitch of 2025.
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The Dodgers have one of the highest payrolls in baseball and are not afraid to spend on the most expensive free agents. And, those high-profile signings are a big part of the success this organization is having and will continue to have for as far as the eye can see.
That much can’t be debated.
Because of that, the job they do in Lower-profile situations stays widely “under the radar”
Griffin Lockwood-Powell is yet another example of the great job the Dodgers do finding prospects that don’t have high profiles, and turning them into very good professionals. Ones that have a great chance at becoming a Major Leaguer, and one that can provide a lot of value.
Earning His Way
Powell grew up in Sioux Falls South Dakota, and while the Mount Rushmore State has had its share of Major Leaguers, it’s certainly not the hotbed for baseball that other warmer climates have the chance to be.
He had a wildly successful prep career and helped his High School win a State Title in his sophomore year, the first one in school history. His Lincoln team then made the semifinals in his Junior year, then the finals again when he was a Senior.
So, his days at Lincoln were filled full of success and great memories, and it’s a period that he looks back on as being a special time in his life.
It was a good ride, and the Cool thing about the Championship was that it was the first one in school history, and it was my older brother’s Senior year. He was playing 3rd base while I was playing 1st base so that was a really special moment for us because those were pretty much his last games ever. and he got to go out winning a State Championship.
I feel like we should have won 3 State Championships, but we did get one, so I’m happy about that, so I can’t complain.
Fire Up Chips!
Photo by Keara Chaperon courtesy of cmuchippewa.com
The next stage of Powell’s baseball journey landed in Mount Pleasant Michigan on the campus of Central Michigan University. The Chips noticed GLP at a camp he was attending on the Campus of Notre Dame between his Jr. and Sr. years of High School. The CMU coaches brought him in for a visit, convinced him to be a Chiop, and then turned him into one of the best players in school history.
During his time in Mount Pleasant, GLP, as he’s known by many, became the school’s all-time leader in career RBIs, and led CMU to great success. In his Sophomore year, he was the MVP of the MAC Tournament, a tournament his Chips team won for the 1st time since 1995. He also was a big part of a Chips team his Senior year that made a Regional as well.
Powell is very happy with his choice of becoming a Chip.
After my Junior year I wasn’t really talking to anybody and Central Michigan noticed me at a camp at Notre Dame. I went on a visit and loved it so I chose them. It was one of only 2 D1 offers I had, so it was between that and Nebraska Omaha and I wanted to get away from home a little bit, so it was a good setup and I liked it there.
Photo by Benjamin Suddendorf
Lockwood Powell continued about how cool it was to be the MVP of the MAC tournament in his Sophomore year and then also to make a Regional as a Senior.
It was really cool. It was the 1st year of the new coaching staff so we were all re-energized about that. It was awesome because we hadn’t won the MAC and made a Regional since I think 1995 so that was a special moment.
Making a Regional my Senior year at Central Michigan was really cool too. I wouldn’t say I led the team because I really struggled when I came back from my broken thumb. In fact, I think I was 0-17, or something like that my first weekend back, so we had a lot of really good guys that picked me up.
I kind of caught my groove towards the back end of that season and in the Regional Tournament at Notre Dame. So, yeah, those CMU days were some really good days because we had some really good teams, and I has some really great teammates, and we got really close. I still talk to all of those guys to this day so its been really special.
UDFA
Photo courtesy of Tim Campbell/MiLB
Lock, as he’s known by his pro buddies, had a very good collegiate career and played a premium position, catcher. But, despite all of that, he still didn’t get drafted and was left to sign as an undrafted Free Agent as his only option.
He had missed close to 30 games in his Senior year due to a thumb injury, so maybe that played a part in him not getting drafted, and maybe it didn’t, but regardless, that’s when the Dodgers did their thing.
Just as they do many times, the Dodgers signed GLP, as he’s known in the dugout, and, have developed him into a very valuable asset to their organization. Powell can catch, he can play 1st, he can hit home runs, and he can hit the ball to all fields. And, he’s an “elite” teammate, so his set of skills are ones that every team needs.
Here’s what he had to say about that whole process
I would say signing with the Dodgers was less of a choice because, throughout my baseball career, I’ve always felt like I’ve been overlooked in a way. I didn’t play up to my standards my Senior year after I got thumb surgery, so there weren’t many teams calling.
I had been talking to the Dodgers off and on for a few years at that point, and we had talked during my first draft-eligible year, so I was comfortable with them.
The Dodgers do a very good job finding guys that are under-valued and that aren’t looked at by a ton of teams and then developing those guys. We have a ton of them, like Jack Dreyer who’s on the 40-man, Austin Gauthier and Orlando Ortiz were all undrafted, so they consistently do that with guys. So I owe a lot to the Dodgers for how they have developed me and how they have given me a chance to play professional baseball.
Onto the Dodgers
Click to Watch Powell in Action
Powell signed as a Free Agent in August of 2021 and has worked his way up to AA where he spent all of last year.
His defensive versatility is very valuable because he can catch, play 1st base and the outfield as well if needed. While being very versatile on the defensive side of the ball, he’s also very balanced on the offensive side.
He does a great job using the entire field and is especially good at letting the ball get deep peppering balls up the middle to the opposite field. It’s a skill he feels like he learned at an early age.
That must have just been something I learned as a kid. The old-school train of thought, at least when I was growing up, was to hit the ball up the middle and to see the ball deep. And it’s good to think that way because some guys can get the ball out front consistently but I’m not one of those guys.
Balance
Click to Watch Powell in Action
In Powell’s 1st year of professional baseball, he posted an ISO, which is a power index, that was identical to his K%. That goes to show that, although he doesn’t hit home runs at a Barry Bonds-type rate, he has the potential to have a very positive trade-off between power and swing and miss.
And, to the point of using the entire field, his Oppo% has either exceeded or been around 30% in every season he has played in the Dodgers system. But, make no mistake, he can still turn on a ball, it’s just not the overall focus for the talented Sioux Falls Native.
I need to see the ball deep and think Right-Center because the minute I start thinking out front I get a bunch of rollovers and I go through about 30 bats a year. So, that’s when my swing plays the best and flows better.
Moving Forward
Powell is 26 years old and spent all of last year at AA Tulsa, so hopefully he’s due for a promotion to AAA in 2025. The thing about him is that, as he put it, he doesn’t necessarily have “showcase” skills, so you really have to watch him play every day to understand all the things he does for a team and how valuable he is.
Dodgers Daily loves covering every prospect, there are no questions that can be asked about that. But, those like GLP, who have absolutely 0 entitlement to anything, and have worked, largely under the radar, for everything they get, are the ones we root for just a little bit harder. Well, no, actually, I think if you follow our YouTube or any other coverage, you would realize we root quite a bit harder for these kinds of guys.
And Griffin Lockwood-Powell is at the top of that list!
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Dylan Campbell is a position player prospect in the Dodgers organization that has versatility and balance to his game that allows him to do just about everything. He’s known for making diving catches, both in the infield and outfield, bunting for base hits, and then also hitting home runs.
And, he’s known for doing all those things in the same game.
I know because I’ve seen it with my own eyes, and when you see it, it makes an impact.
Complete Athlete
Campbell grew up in Houston, known as the “Bo Jackson” of high school football, and loved the “Friday Night Lights” He also feels like his experience on the gridiron helped him on the baseball field as well.
Playing football at Strake Jesuit was a great experience for me, and I loved football, but not as much as baseball. People always asked me which one I was going to choose and I kind of didn’t know until about my Junior Year of High School, but being on the football field is special. There’s no other feeling like taking the field on Friday after anticipating it all week.
Football made me a better athlete, and there’s a different mentality between football and baseball, and that Bulldog mentality was crucial for me on the baseball field, so it gave me another competitive advantage.
Campbell ran for over 2000 yards and 31 TDs, just in his Senior year, and if you know anything about the talent level in the Houston area, you know that’s incredibly impressive.
Stickin’ With Baseball
Campbell had a crazy good football career, and certainly could have chosen football, and who knows where that would have taken him. But, baseball is something that got in his blood early on in his life, and it eventually won out.
I always thought that I was much better at baseball, and some people might say differently, but I feel like it’s one thing I caught on to at a younger age. When I got to High School baseball was way more serious because I played in the Summers, which meant I didn’t do much Spring Football or 7 on 7s, because all of my Summers were usually spent playing
So, that’s kind of how it worked out and I’m glad it did because football is tough and there’s a lot more contact and injuries and everything like that. So I just feel like it was a good choice to stick with baseball because that’s what I thought I was better at.
Hook ’em
Of course, making that decision is a lot easier when you end up with the opportunity to play for the school you watch on TV, in this case, the Texas Longhorns. Campbell grew up a shortstop and had plenty of options, but the lure of Burnt Orange drew him to Austin.
At Texas, he played some 2nd base and outfield and set the school record for single consecutive games with a hit at 38 games. He also stole 42 bases, had a batting average of .295, an OPS of over .900, and 24 home runs. He also had a walk-off home run at East Carolina in the Super Regionals to keep their season alive as they were facing elimination,
He’s versatile, he’s balanced, he’s talented and he’s clutch. He also carries with him a humble approach, but with an extreme amount of confidence, which all pretty much describes the type of player that thrives in the Dodgers system.
Or, any system for that matter.
Here are his thoughts on his time back at Texas.
I’ll always reminisce on my days at Texas because it’s such a special place and a special University. Not many people get to say they got to go there, so I’ll always be grateful for that.
Bunting for base hits, hitting home runs, and diving plays in the outfield is just kinda how we were brought up through that program. Being able to do multiple things, and not just being a one-trick pony, where you might only have power, but can’t do anything else, or just having speed with no power is the way we were built throughout the system. I feel like I’ve really benefited from that, especially transitioning into pro ball because those are great skill sets to have moving on to the next level.
Perfect Fit
Campbell was drafted in the compensatory Round 4 of the 2023 draft and was sent to Rancho after just 4 games at the Complex, where he finished that year, his first year of pro ball. The fast pace of which he was moved to affiliated ball was not surprising considering the high level of experience he had in college.
Campbell then spent all of last year, 2024, at High A Great Lakes where he was able to show his big basket of skills. He hit .251, , had 10 Home Runs, but then also swiped 42 bases.
Keep in mind, the Midwest League is played in cold environments, so offense is hard to come by, especially on the power side of things, so Campbell did a good job of showing his well rounded game.
Being well rounded on offense, then very versatile on defense is something he takes pride in and feels as if it will continue to help him as he moves forward in pro ball.
Yeah, I feel like being well rounded can take your game to heights that you might not even know. Just being a player that can do a lot of things is very beneficial because let’s say one day you’re not feeling great with your power then you lay down a bunt and get a hit. So, instead of being 0-4 that day with a couple of strikeouts, you turn it into 1-4 and little things like that really help.
Looking Forward
Campbell grew up a shortstop, has played a lot of 2nd base, then has also played a lot of outfield as well. So, he is very versatile, and that’s a trait we know the Dodgers value at a premium. To further that point, it’s not as if he can just play all of those different positions, he also does them all at a high level, because his basket of skills are so big.
Offensively he can beat a defense in every which way from bunting to hitting home runs to stealing bases, and sometimes all in the same game, or all in a row.
All in all, his complete game, combined with his humble approach and supreme confidence is a mix that will allow him to continue to get better as he moves up. I am super excited to watch him grow throughout the system, and I hope now, you are too.
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In a fairly surprising move, the Dodgers traded Gavin Lux, a second baseman who has been part of 2 World Championships for the Dodgers since 2020, to the Cincinnati Reds. Although the Dodgers are not getting a “Major League ready” return, that does not mean it wasn’t a “Major League” transaction.
Lux has always had the “Top Prospect” tag following him, and that’s because he always was just that, a top prospect. He was the Dodger’s first pick of the 2016 draft straight out of High School and he blazed a trail through the Minor Leagues.
He hit .296 in 2016, his first year in professional baseball, and by 2019 he was possibly the best position player in all of the Minor Leagues. In fact, he was thought of as maybe the best Short Stop prospect in the game as well.
And then he got promoted. And then things started slowing down.
Lux hit just .175 in the World Championship-shortened season of 2020 and has been a good player since then, but not the “Elite” player his prospect status of 2019 had Dodgers fans hyped for.
What Position?
Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
The situation surrounding Lux is more complicated than how good he has been, or even how good be might end up being. Of course, he missed all of 2023 to a torn ACL, then spent the entire first half of last season trying to recover and get all of his movements back to normal.
And, that took a minute, but once he got back in the groove he was one of the best players in baseball after the All-Star Break.
And that’s all great, but it still doesn’t solve his puzzle. In fact, it just added layers to its complexity.
What? What does that mean?
The problem with his situation is the position he plays and the lack of MLB-quality positional versatility. If the Dodgers felt as if they could put him at Short Stop, get league-average defense, and move Mookie to 2nd, he would be a slam dunk as a keeper and a good young player to build around and support along the way.
But, they tried that, and it didn’t work.
Now, keep in mind it was for a ridiculously short amount of time, made even more ridiculous considering the injury he was coming off of and the fact that he hadn’t played Short Stop consistently in 5 years. And while all those factors matter as to whether or not he actually could be a league-average shortstop, they don’t and can’t matter to an organization like the Dodgers that are in such a “win-now” window.
The Dodgers don’t have the time for experiments that may or may not work. They need players that are “plug and play”, because, despite having some of the best players in the game, raising your floor is probably equally as important.
The Dodgers spend a lot of time evaluating the margins to raise that floor, and, although it may seem like a minor deal, it’s not. Not close!
Players like Kike Hernandez, Tommy Edman, and all the relief pitchers that were found as bargains have played huge roles for this club. That part of the equation needs to be given the respect it deserves, because it has mattered, and does matter.
And, it’s also why Lux just didn’t quite fit.
To guarantee the floor for this club is high enough, the only position Lux was ever going to play on a consistent basis was 2nd base, and the club already has a gold-glove 2nd baseman with Tommy Edman, and would surely like to have a cleaner option to move Mookie there as well, which moving Lux does for them.
So, trading Lux became a good option, and, in my opinion, the only option.
The Trade
Of course, the value for Lux was probably the highest in 2019 when he was still setting the world on fire as a prospect, but who in their right mind wouldn’t want to reap the benefits of what his potential had to offer?
The dude was young, he could rake, was a great athlete, and had created a big buzz around himself. So, it’s completely unrealistic for Dodgers fans to use hindsight to say they should have traded him back then. No one, not even the Dodgers have that type of crystal ball.
So, in the realistic world of things, with the way he finished last year, Lux has the highest trade value that he’s ever had, and probably ever will have. So, when you combine that, with the fact that the Dodgers have “elite” alternatives at 2nd base, it actually was pretty much a “no-brainer”.
At least it was for me, and ended up being for the Dodgers
The Return
AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File
So, having made the statement that Lux’s trade value is probably at the highest it ever will be, did the Dodgers maximize that value?
Of course, that’s a matter of opinion, but, for my money, the answer to that question is a solid “YES”.
The organization got a Competitive Balance Round A pick, and then also a young outfielder in Mike Sirota whom the Dodgers actually drafted back in 2021 when he was coming out of High School.
That means the Dodgers amateur scouts have been evaluating him for 4 years now, and, likely the “pro” scouts have evaluated him even though he’s never played a professional affiliated game to this point.
So, he is someone who has been on the Dodger’s radar for a good amount of time, and he fills a need in the Farm System, which is talent in the outfield ranks.
The Competitive Balance Draft rounds are in place to help the smaller market teams compete. The 10 lowest revenue-producing organizations, or the 10 smallest markets, get an extra draft pick to make them more “competitive”.
There are 2 rounds to the Competitive Balance part of the draft, part A and Part B. Part A is between the 1st and 2nd Rounds, which is the pick the Dodgers got in this trade, and that is significant.
How significant? Possibly very much so.
As an example, this pick is likely to come somewhere in the mid to late 30s in terms of overall picks in the draft, and Dalton Rushing, the Dodgers #1 overall prospect was drafted with the 40th pick of the 2022 Draft.
So, the Dodgers will be in a position to draft an “elite” “top prospect” type of player with this pick, and that is huge.
And, keep in mind, the Dodgers needed to make room for their future 26-man roster, and while Lux was going to be on both the 40 and 26-man rosters, neither player coming back in return will, so they added one more spot of flexibility.
Hello Tanner Scott! Well, at least this move makes something like that much, much more plausible just from a math perspective.
And, then, here’s another potential aspect of this deal. Not only do teams that have competitive balance picks get an extra draft pick, but they also get extra International Bonus Pool Money. In fact, for Round A, the round the Dodgers traded for, teams in that slot get $5.25 Million instead of the minimum $4.75 Million.
So, although the Dodgers didn’t get a “Major League” return, it still was absolutely a “Major League” move.
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Powell grew up in Sioux Falls South Dakota, and while the Mount Rushmore State has had its share of Major Leaguers, it’s certainly not the hotbed for baseball that other warmer climates have the chance to be. 
Of course, making that decision is a lot easier when you end up with the opportunity to play for the school you watch on TV, in this case, the Texas Longhorns. Campbell grew up a shortstop and had plenty of options, but the lure of Burnt Orange drew him to Austin.
Campbell was drafted in the compensatory Round 4 of the 2023 draft and was sent to Rancho after just 4 games at the Complex, where he finished that year, his first year of pro ball. The fast pace of which he was moved to affiliated ball was not surprising considering the high level of experience he had in college. 
