While their efforts have yet to produce a World Series championship, no organization is doing a better job of winning at the big league level while developing impact young talent than the Dodgers. They've won seven consecutive National League West championships and tallied a franchise-record 106 victories this year, when their postseason roster included three rookies from their 2016 Draft: Gavin Lux, Will Smith and Dustin May.
All three have the look of future All-Stars, with Lux currently the leading contender for the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 2020. They're following in the footsteps of reigning NL MVP Cody Bellinger, Walker Buehler, Joc Pederson, Corey Seager, Julio Urias and Alex Verdugo, all of whom transitioned from high rankings on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list to key roles on a perennial contender.
More talent is coming from a farm system that came in at No. 3 in our latest organizational talent rankings in July. Tony Gonsolin, Edwin Rios and Matt Beaty also impressed in short rookie stints in 2019. Catcher Keibert Ruiz, right-hander Josiah Gray and middle infielder Jeter Downs all could push for roles in Los Angeles by the end of next season.
Since MLB Pipeline began ranking farm systems biannually in 2015, the Dodgers are the lone organization to place in the top 10 every time. That shows no signs of changing in the near future because they continue to accrue talent. In the last 12 months, Los Angeles stole Gray and Downs from the Reds while dumping salary in a trade, used two first-round picks on advanced college sluggers Kody Hoese and Michael Busch and landed toolsy Venezuelan outfielder Luis Rodriguez.
TOP FIVE PROSPECTS
- Gavin Lux, SS/2B (No. 2 on Top 100)
- Dustin May, RHP (No. 32)
- Keibert Ruiz, C (No. 33)
- Josiah Gray, RHP (No. 75)
- Jeter Downs, SS (No. 87)
Complete Top 30 list ?
HITTING & PITCHING PROSPECTS OF THE YEAR
Gavin Lux, SS/2B (No. 1): He became the first middle infielder age 21 or younger to log a 1.000 OPS in the upper levels of the Minors since Gregg Jefferies in 1987 and fell .001 shy in on-base percentage of leading all Minor League shortstops in all three slash stats for the second straight season, batting .347/.421/.607 with 26 homers and 10 steals between Double-A and Triple-A.
Josiah Gray, RHP (No. 4): The former shortstop at NCAA Division II Le Moyne rose from Class A to Double-A in his first full pro season, going a combined 11-2 with a 2.28 ERA, 147/31 K/BB ratio and .207 opponent average in 130 innings. More ?
STOCK UP/DOWN
Josiah Gray, RHP (No. 4): His lively mid-90s fastball and sharp slider got him drafted in the second round in 2018, and he raised his profile this year by adding a curveball, refining his changeup and improving his command.
Jeren Kendall, OF: He's still the best athlete in the system, but he has hit just .223/.309/.413 with a 32 percent strikeout rate since signing for $2,897,500 as the 23rd overall pick in the 2017 Draft.
NOTABLE ADDITIONS
Draft: Kody Hoese, 3B, 1st round (No. 7); Michael Busch, 2B, 1st round (No. 8); Jimmy Lewis, RHP, supplemental 2nd round (No. 19); Ryan Pepiot, RHP, 3rd round (No. 20); Brandon Lewis, 3B/1B, 4th round; Jack Little, RHP, 5th round. Complete Draft list ?
International: Luis Rodriguez, OF (No. 24)
In Hoese, Busch and Lewis, Los Angeles grabbed three highly productive college infielders. International scouts considered Rodriguez one of the best all-around players on the 2019 international market.
2020 IMPACT PROSPECT
Gavin Lux, SS/2B (No. 1): He tore up Triple-A at a .392./.478/.719 clip, handled a regular role in Los Angeles during September and homered in the NL Division Series.
BEST TOOLS
Hit: Gavin Lux
Power: D.J. Peters
Run: Brayan Morales
Arm: Donovan Casey
Field: Jeren Kendall
Best athlete: Jeren Kendall
Fastball: Dustin May
Curveball: Mitchell White
Slider: Mitchell White
Changeup: Ryan Pepiot
Control: Josiah Gray
HOW THE TOP 30 WAS BUILT
Draft: 18
International: 10
Trade: 2
The 2016 Draft yielded Smith (who already has graduated to Los Angeles), the system's top two prospects (Lux, May) and four other members of the Top 30 Prospects list in Gonsolin, right-handers Mitchell White and Jordan Sheffield and outfielder D.J. Peters.
TOP 30 BY POSITION
C: 3
2B: 3
3B: 4
SS: 3
OF: 2
LHP: 2
RHP: 13
The Dodgers lead all organizations with three second basemen (most notably Busch) on their Top 30, and their total of 10 infielders is second only to the Indians' 14. Los Angeles ranks last with just two outfielders.