Los Angeles Dodgers Top 50 Prospects (2024)

2024-P1500-LAD — Top 50 graphic design by Michael Packard, @CollectingPack on Twitter.

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In 2023, the Dodgers watched a fellow NL West division mate make a run to the World Series. Their mission this offseason has been to make sure that doesn’t happen again in 2024. They spent and then spent some more to strengthen their big-league roster. That spending spree quickly thrust a new number one prospect into this system (just don’t expect to see his name on this list mid-season).

2023 also saw the graduation of five top-15 prospects from the system in Bobby Miller, Miguel Vargas, Ryan Pepiot, Emmet Sheehan, and James Outman. All that movement would be a shock to most minor league systems. Not the Dodgers. This system is still loaded. Spoiler Alert, it might be even deeper than last year.

Six Prospects1500 writers contributed to this column and rankings including Scott Greene (@Scotty_Ballgame), Tony Bps (@tonybps1), Greg Bracken (@gregbracken07), Adam Greene (@aj_greene1015), Clint Fasse (@ProspectLarceny), and Jeremy Mahy (@JMahyfam). The writer’s Twitter handle follows each player write-up or paragraph.

Prospects1500 Tiers:
Tier 1: Players with high expectations of both making the majors and playing at an All-Star level for a number of years
Tier 2: Players with an above-average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 3: Players with an average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 4: Players who have the potential to make the majors; possible sleeper candidates for sustained MLB success
Tier 5: Players of interest, worth keeping an eye on, who may make (or have made) the majors but provide minimal impact

Levels listed for each player are the highest levels player reached in 2023

Tier 1

1. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHP, 25, International signee
What else is there to say about Yamamoto that hasn’t been said yet? He received the largest pitching contact in league history for a reason: he’s a 25 year-old ace that is already one of the best pitchers in the world. He has a legitimate five pitch mix, all featuring velocity that ranks among MLB’s best. As a three-time Sawamura Award winner in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), three-time NPB Triple Crown winner, World Baseball Classic Champion, and Olympic gold medalist, Yamamoto has seen success everywhere he’s pitched. It’s hard to believe MLB won’t be more of the same. The only knock against him is his frame and if he’ll hold up how hard he throws. His transition to MLB will be one of the focal points of the 2024 season. (@aj_greene1015)

Tier 2

2. Dalton Rushing, C/1B, 22, High-A
As a 22-year-old in High-A, Rushing hit 15 home runs and drove in 53 runs in 381 plate appearances good for a 146 wRC+. All that came with only a .228 average, but an 18.9% walk rate and .404 OBP shows a discerning eye at the plate. A bit more aggressiveness to his approach might serve him well as he climbs the ladder. He played 42 games at 1B/DH and 46 at catcher last year. If he stays behind the dish there could be a ton of value here. If he moves off catcher, it will put a lot of pressure on the bat. (@JMahyfam)

3. Andy Pages, OF, 23, Triple-A
Pages’ had a steady 2022 season in Double-A after taking High-A by storm the year prior, so he was primed to have a big 2023. Unfortunately a torn labrum ended his season in May, but posted a .907 OPS in the games he did play. In the outfield, Pages plays solid to good defense, with both a strong arm and good range. While not as much of a stealing threat as he once was, he’s still a smart base runner and his bat provides any lineup with great raw power. (@aj_greene1015)

4. Josue De Paula, OF, 18, Single-A
Coming into 2023, the Dodgers were optimistic about what they had in De Paula after tearing up the Dominican Summer League. The organization believed he had shown enough to skip straight to Single-A, and he proved the organization right. He showcased what is one of the best hit-tools in their system, utilizing his frame, quick bat speed, and intelligent approach. Anything you get defensively is a bonus, but De Paula has a shot to be the Dodgers top International signing in recent memory. (@aj_greene1015)

5. Diego Cartaya, C, 22, Double-A
Prospect development is not always linear. That will be important to keep in mind with Cartaya. After a breakout 2022 season that saw him race to the top of prospect lists, his 2023 Double-A season was a step back for his prospect status. He hit a career low .182/.278/.379, posted a career high strikeout rate (29%), and a career low walk rate (9.2%). He is a very good defender behind the plate, and I have heard really good things about his work ethic. Both are qualities that will serve him well. Whether this is a good buy low opportunity or a time to get nervous is up to you. Either way we will know a lot more this time next year. (@JMahyfam)

Tier 3

6. Michael Busch, 3B/2B, 26, MLB
Throughout the 2023 season, Busch made a couple appearances in the majors as a utility man, but the majority of his time was in Triple-A where he recorded a 1.049 OPS. He’s improved his defense in every facet, looking strong at the hot corners and able to play a serviceable second base and left field. Busch led all Dodgers minor leaguers with 27 home runs in 2023, and will probably see much more time in the majors this season. (@aj_greene1015)

7. Gavin Stone, RHP, 25, MLB
Like Busch, Stone also made a few starts with the Dodgers, but pitched most of his 29 starts in Oklahoma City. His acclimation to the majors will be something to keep an eye on after his initial outings didn’t go well; he ended the year with a 9.00 ERA in the Chavez Ravine. Stone’s athletic delivery has been supplemented by the improvement of his changeup and a new slider. Both have come a long way over his three years in the minors, and should translate to the majors better than they originally did with added experience. (@aj_greene1015)

8. Nick Frasso, RHP, 25, Triple-A
The 25-year-old right hander came over to the Dodgers via trade with Toronto in August 2022. He had 16 starts across three levels that year, and a nice increase (25 starts) in 2023, four of which came for AAA Oklahoma City where he posted a solid 3.26 ERA. Frasso’s strikeout numbers were a lot better in AA Tulsa (11.5 K/9), but he still finished the campaign with a 10.4 K/9 (107 K in 93 IP). The 2020 4th round pick could compete for a spot in LA’s rotation, but he’s more likely to spend a bulk of 2024 in the Triple-A rotation with the likes of Stone, Grove, Knack, Hurt and Company. (@Scotty_Ballgame)

9. Kyle Hurt, RHP, 25, MLB
Hurt, the former USC product, got his cup of coffee in 2023, getting into one game in September, tossing 2 shutout innings with 3 punchouts. He can definitely miss bats. In 92 IP across AA/AAA last season, Hurt tallied 152 strikeouts, which is an astounding 14.9 K/9. If the righty continues that trend in 2024, look for him to be one of the first arms recalled from Oklahoma City. (@Scotty_Ballgame)

10. Trey Sweeney, SS, 23, Double-A
Sent over to the Dodgers in a trade with the New York Yankees, Sweeney slides seamlessly into a system with a positive reputation for its middle infield prospects. Pitch recognition has been a big part of his recent success, since he’s drawn 65+ walks in each of the last two seasons. Sweeney is going to hit the ball hard and drive in runs, so the Dodgers will be looking to pair that with some better defense in the upper minors. (@aj_greene1015)

11. Landon Knack, RHP, 26, Triple-A
Remember the shortened 2020 Covid MLB Draft, made up of only five rounds? Knack was Los Angeles’ 2nd round selection that year out of East Tennessee State. The 26-year-old was very impressive in 22 games started this past season, split pretty evenly with 12 for Tulsa and 10 for Oklahoma City. Knack was charged with only one loss all year long. His Triple-A ERA (2.93) was fifth among all PCL pitchers with more than 40 IP, and his 2.20 ERA was fourth among all Texas League pitchers with more than 50 IP. As with Stone and Hurt, he could be in line for MLB innings if needed. (@Scotty_Ballgame)

12. Joendry Vargas, SS, 18, Rookie (DSL)
Vargas looks to be a savvy dynasty player’s dream lottery ticket type of guy. He was the Dodgers top international signing last year and is uber talented. The surface stats were impressive. With a .328/.423/.529 slash, 7 home runs, and 19 stolen bases in just 48 games, but what gets me most excited is that he had nearly identical walk and strikeout rates (14.4% and 14.9% respectively). He is very young and is a long way from the big leagues. Patience, though, could give you the payoff of a top-50 type player if everything breaks right. (@JMahyfam)

13. River Ryan, RHP, 25, Triple-A
Ryan was a two-way player in college, but has made significant strides as a pitcher since focusing on it full time with the Dodgers. He has good life on a fastball that touches the upper 90’s, a nasty cutter, and a developing change-up. Between Double-A and Triple-A last year he struck out 110 and walked only 46 across 104.1 innings. In a system full of really good arms, don’t let Ryan go unnoticed. His stock is trending up quickly, and there is a chance that he is in in the big leagues at the end of next year. (@JMahyfam)

Tier 4

14. Thayron Liranzo, C/1B, 20, Single-A
15. Payton Martin, RHP, 19, Single-A
16. Eduardo Quintero, OF, 18, Rookie (DSL)
17. Maddux Bruns, LHP, 21, High-A
18. Jake Gelof, 3B, 21, Single-A
19. Ronan Kopp, LHP, 21, High-A
20. Kendall George, OF, 19, Single-A
21. Yeiner Fernandez, C/2B, 21, High-A
22. Austin Gauthier, SS/3B/2B, 24, Double-A
23. Samuel Munoz, OF, 21, Rookie (ACL)
24. Jose Ramos, OF, 22, Double-A
25. Justin Wrobleski, LHP, 23, High-A

There are some fun prospects in this Tier, further adding to the incredible depth in this system. Liranzo hit .272/.400/.562 with 24 home runs, 70 RBI, and scored 81 runs in Single-A last year as a 19-year-old. Martin was drafted in the 17th round of the 2022 draft and is now throwing an upper-90’s fastball and a mid-80’s slider with good depth, both of which he commands well. Quintero stole 22 bases and posted a .618 SLG with a 16% strikeout rate in 212 PAs in the DSL last year. Jake Gelof comps very similarly to big brother Zack but might end up with even more pop in his bat. Kopp is a 6’7” left-handed flamethrower that pairs a high-octane fastball with a wipeout slider, but does come with inconsistent control. George has 80-grade speed and a decent hit tool, but likely offers little to nothing in the power department. Fernandez is a high contact bat (12.9% K/8.9% SwStr rate) with the rare C/2B profile that looks to have the floor of a super utility player. Wrobleski has a solid four-pitch mix with a fastball that has increased in velocity since coming back from TJ surgery and could add to the embarrassment of riches the Dodgers have on the pitching side.

Tier 5

26. Yorfran Medina, 1B/OF, 18, Rookie (DSL)
27. Jerming Rosario, RHP, 21, High-A
28. Rayne Doncon, 3B/SS/2B, 20, Single-A
29. Chris Newell, OF, 22, High-A
30. Hyun-Seok Jang, RHP, 19, International signee
31. Moises Brito, LHP, 21, Rookie (ACL)
32. Alexander Albertus, 3B/SS/2B, 19, Rookie (ACL)
33. Peter Heubeck, RHP, 21, High-A
34. Carlos Duran, RHP, 22, DNP (High-A in 2022)
35. Brady Smith, RHP, 18, High School
36. Oswaldo Osorio, 2B/3B/SS, 18, Rookie (ACL)
37. Wilman Diaz, 2B/SS/3B, 20, Single-A
38. Jesus Tillero, RHP, 17, Rookie (DSL)
39. Jake Pilarski, RHP, 25, Double-A
40. Hunter Feduccia, C, 26, Triple-A
41. Jesus Galiz, C, 20, Single-A
42. Jared Karros, RHP, 23, High-A
43. Damon Keith, OF, 23, High-A
44. Elias Medina, 3B/SS, 18, Rookie (DSL)
45. Arnaldo Lantigua, OF, 18, Rookie (DSL)
46. Lucas Wepf, RHP, 24, High-A
47. Jeral Perez, 3B/SS/2B, 19, Single-A
48. Mairoshendrick Martinus, OF/SS, 18, Rookie (ACL)
49. Reynaldo Yean, RHP, 19, Single-A
50. Christian Romero, RHP, 21, Single-A

According to MLB.com, Jang was expected to be the #1 overall pick in September’s KBO Draft, but LA signed the 19-year-old in August. Duran missed all of 2023 following TJ surgery and could pitch for AA Tulsa at some point in ’24 after stints with High-A Rancho Cucamonga in 2021-2022. Expectations are high for right handed pitcher Smith, whom the Dodgers selected in the 2023 MLB Draft (3rd round) out of Grainger HS in Rutledge, TN. Osorio has slashed .252/.410/.457/.867 in his two years of Rookie ball (Dominican Summer League, then Complex League). The 18-year-old should begin 2024 with the Single-A Loons. Galiz impressed at Single-A with 8 HR, 55 RBI as a 19-year-old. After spending all of 2023 in High-A, and hitting only .229 although he tallied 11 homers, Keith was one of the Dodgers’ representatives in the Arizona Fall League where he slashed .254/.329/.507 with 4 HR in 19 games.

Prospects1500

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Scott Greene

President of Prospects1500. Founder of Diamond Duos dynasty fantasy baseball leagues and the MLB Fantasy Playoffs Parlay. Participant and champion in several dynasty/fantasy baseball and football leagues. Sales Manager for Reminder Publishing in real life. Huge Bruce Springsteen and pro wrestling fan. Along with his wife and two boys, lives in Longmeadow, MA. Follow on Twitter at @Scotty_Ballgame.

Adam Greene

Adam Greene is a Sport Management and Marketing double major at UMass Amherst's Isenberg School of Management. His main focus is sport marketing, where he's already had internships with the local Westfield Starfires and Springfield Thunderbirds. He now writes for the Cape Cod Baseball League. From Longmeadow, MA, Adam is a huge Red Sox fan and has been following the team his whole life. When Covid hit, he started paying a lot more attention to the Red Sox minor league teams, and now, follows them almost as much as the big league squad. Follow him on Twitter at @aj_greene1015 and Instagram at the same handle.

Jeremy Mahy

Jeremy covers the St Louis organization and contributes on Prospects of the Week for Prospects1500. Born and raised in the Midwest, he is a lifelong fan of the Birds on the Bat. You can follow him on Twitter @JMahyfam for more baseball content.

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