Dodgers' Top 30 Prospect reset: Who's on the move?
LOS ANGELES -- For as good as the Dodgers have been at the Major League level over the last decade-plus, they¡¯ve been equally as impressive with their player development throughout the Minor League system.
That¡¯s no different this season, as the Dodgers¡¯ system, from top to bottom, grades out as one of the best in the industry. Led by impressive catching prospect Dalton Rushing (No. 39), the Dodgers have five prospects inside the Top 100 per MLB Pipeline.
Rushing has one of the best hitting tools in the Minors and earned a promotion to Triple-A Oklahoma City a week ago. Joining Rushing in the Top 100 are talented position players Josue De Paula (No. 49) and Alex Freeland (No. 79), who has really impressed this season. River Ryan (No. 65), who unfortunately will miss the remainder of the 2024 season and beyond with a right UCL strain, and left-hander Jackson Ferris (No. 90) round out the impressive top five.
Let¡¯s take a look at how everything else shook out following the midseason rankings.
Here¡¯s a look at the Dodgers¡¯ top prospects:
- Dalton Rushing, C/1B
- Josue De Paula, OF
- River Ryan, RHP
- Alex Freeland, SS
- Jackson Ferris, LHP
Biggest jump/fall
Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the preseason list:
Jump: Emil Morales, SS (Preseason: 19 | Midseason: 8)
Morales is one of the most impressive middle infielders in the DSL and continues to make a name for himself. He¡¯ll be ready to make the transition to the United States soon, but all his tools give him the potential to be a future star in the middle of the diamond.
Fall: Payton Martin, RHP (Preseason: 11 | Midseason: 28)
After bursting onto the scene with a very impressive 2023 campaign with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, Martin has struggled in his sophomore season in the Dodgers¡¯ system. He has posted a 4.58 ERA in 16 starts between Single-A and High-A Great Lakes.
More from MLB Pipeline:
? Top 100 prospects | Stats | Video | Podcast | Complete coverage
New to the list
Here are the players added to the Top 30 from outside the organization:
No. 10, Kellon Lindsey, SS (No. 23 pick in 2024 Draft)
No. 21, Chase Harlan, 3B, (No. 98 pick in 2024 Draft
No. 22, Jared Karros, RHP
No. 23, Ben Casparius, RHP
No. 27, Samuel Sanchez, RHP
No. 29, Jakob Wright, LHP, (No. 128 pick in 2024 Draft
Best tools
Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average. Players in parentheses have the same grade.
Hit: 60 -- Josue De Paula
Power: 55 -- Emil Morales (Josue De Paula, Chase Harlan, Zyhir Hope, Dalton Rushing, Joendry Vargas)
Run: 80 -- Kendall George (Kellon Lindsey)
Arm: 65 -- Zyhir Hope
Defense: 65 -- Noah Miller
Fastball: 70 -- Edgardo Hernandez (Patrick Copen, Nick Frasso)
Curveball: 60 -- Maddux Bruns (Jackson Ferris, Peter Heubeck, Hyun-Seok Jang, River Ryan)
Slider: 70 -- Edgardo Hernandez
Changeup: 60 -- Kyle Hurt (Jared Karros, Samuel Sanchez)
Control: 55 -- Samuel Sanchez (Jared Karros, Justin Wrobleski)