With the Minor League season opening this week, here's where the Dodgers' Top 30 prospects are projected to start:
1. Dalton Rushing (MLB No. 71), C/1B -- Tulsa (Double-A)
2. Nick Frasso (MLB No. 76), RHP -- Oklahoma City (Triple-A) -- injured list (shoulder surgery)
3. Andy Pages (MLB No. 98), OF -- Oklahoma City (Triple-A)
4. Josue De Paula (MLB No. 99), OF -- Rancho Cucamonga (Single-A)
5. River Ryan, RHP -- Oklahoma City (Triple-A) -- injured list (shoulder)
6. Gavin Stone, RHP -- Los Angeles (MLB)
7. Kyle Hurt, RHP -- Los Angeles (MLB)
8. Jackson Ferris, LHP -- Great Lakes (High-A)
9. Diego Cartaya, C -- Tulsa (Double-A)
10. Thayron Liranzo, C/1B -- Great Lakes (High-A)
11. Payton Martin, RHP -- Extended Spring Training
12. Kendall George, OF -- Rancho Cucamonga (Single-A)
13. Joendry Vargas, SS -- Extended Spring Training
14. Landon Knack, RHP -- Oklahoma City (Triple-A)
15. Maddux Bruns, LHP -- Extended Spring Training
16. Justin Wrobleski, LHP -- Tulsa (Double-A)
17. Ronan Kopp, LHP -- Extended Spring Training
18. Hyun-Seok Jang, RHP -- Extended Spring Training
19. Emil Morales, SS -- Dominican Republic complex
20. Eduardo Quintero, OF -- Extended Spring Training
21. Zyhir Hope, OF -- Rancho Cucamonga (Single-A)
22. Trey Sweeney, SS -- Oklahoma City (Triple-A)
23. Jake Gelof, 3B -- Rancho Cucamonga (Single-A)
24. Alexander Albertus, INF -- Extended Spring Training
25. Samuel Munoz, OF -- Extended Spring Training
26. Austin Gauthier, INF/OF -- Tulsa (Double-A)
27. Noah Miller, SS/2B -- Great Lakes (High-A)
28. Yeiner Fernandez, C/2B -- Tulsa (Double-A)
29. Jose Ramos, OF -- Tulsa (Double-A)
30. Jesus Tillero, RHP -- Extended Spring Training
Team to watch
Dalton Rushing, the Dodgers' top prospect, will open the season at Double-A Tulsa along with fellow blue-chip backstop Diego Cartaya and polished left-hander Justin Wrobleski. Infielder/outfielder Austin Gauthier may have the best strike-zone judgment in the system, catcher/second baseman Yeiner Fernandez is unusually versatile and outfielder Jose Ramos has well above-average raw power and arm strength. Ronan Kopp, who has better stuff than almost any southpaw in the Minors, will join the Drillers in a week or two.
Players we could see in MLB in 2024
Los Angeles may have the most loaded roster in the Majors and not quite as many opportunities for rookies as it has had in recent years. Outfielder Andy Pages could power his way into some at-bats with the Dodgers. Right-hander Landon Knack has enough stuff and strikes to contribute if he can stay healthy. Righty River Ryan may have the deepest repertoire in the system, but he's on the 60-day IL at Triple-A Oklahoma City.
New faces
Though they're all in to win, the Dodgers managed to acquire four Top 30 prospects via offseason trades that also cleared space on the 40-man roster: shortstop Trey Sweeney from the Yankees for Victor Gonz¨¢lez and infield prospect Jorbit Vivas in December; left-hander Jackson Ferris and outfielder Zyhir Hope from the Cubs for Yency Almonte and Michael Busch in January; and shortstop Noah Miller from the Twins for Manuel Margot and infield prospect Rayne Doncon in February. Two big-ticket international signees are set to make their pro debuts in 2024: Korean right-hander Hyun-Seok Jang and Dominican shortstop Emil Morales.
On the shelf
Right-hander Nick Frasso has a special fastball and was on course to make his big league debut this year before having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder in November. He may miss the entire season. The Dodgers are being cautious with Ryan after he came down with shoulder fatigue during Spring Training, and he should arrive in Oklahoma City in late May or early June. Those are the only injuries on the Top 30, though righty Payton Martin and lefties Maddux Bruns and Kopp are getting time in extended spring training to manage their innings and avoid some cold weather. Bruns will report to High-A Great Lakes in a couple of weeks and Martin will get there at the beginning of May. Infielder Alexander Albertus and outfielder Samuel Munoz both fared well in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League in 2023 but didn't turn 19 until the offseason, so they're also in extended spring training before getting eased into Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.