MLB Pipeline published their Dodgers Top 30 prospects earlier this week. They were the last of the top 6 Baseball Publications to publish their top prospect lists. The publications I reference are:
- MLB Pipeline – Top 30
- Baseball America – Top 40
- Fangraphs – Top 53
- Athletic (Keith Law) – Top 20
- ESPN (Kiley McDaniel) – Top 10
- Baseball Prospectus – Top 21
The first 4 prospects were the same in 5 of the 6 publications albeit in differing orders: Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, Eduardo Quintero, and Mike Sirota. Fangraphs had Sirota at #6. Emil Morales and Alex Freeland were the other two consensus top 10 prospects.
Interestingly, Charles Davalan was included in top 10 in 5 of the 6 publications. Only ESPN left him out of top 10.
Two pitchers were named on 4 of the 6, River Ryan and Jackson Ferris. Ryan was #13 with Baseball America and #17 with Baseball Prospectus. Ferris was #13 with Fangraphs and #15 with Baseball Prospectus.
Christian Zazueta and James Tibbs III were named on 2 top lists. 7 other players were named on one of the six lists: Zach Root, Chase Harlan, Ching-Hsien Ko, Zach Ehrhard, Adam Serwinowski, Landyn Vidourek, Joendry Vargas.
Here is a compilation of the Dodgers top 10 prospects by publication.
While all the lists are subjective, MLB Pipeline is the most referenced top prospect list. Below is the MLB Pipeline Top 30.
Baseball America identifies 28 of the same prospects on their top 30. BA included relievers Ronan Kopp and José Rodríguez replacing RHP Payton Martin and INF Elijah Hainline.
10 prospects are outfielders, 7 are RHP, 4 are LHP, 4 are SS, 2 are OF/1B, 2 are infielders, and 1 is a 3B.
Of the 30 MLB prospects14 were drafted, 10 were acquired by trade, and 6 were signed as International Free Agents. For the drafted prospects, 4 were drafted last year, 4 in 2024, 3 in 2023, 2 in 2022, and 1 in 2019.
3 prospects have reached MLB, 3 in AAA, 10 in AA, 6 in A+, 5 full season A, 1 in Rookie Arizona Complex League (ACL), and 2 did not play.
Keith Law (Athletic) on Alex Freeland – “He doesn’t have the upside of most of the players on this list, but he would be a regular on at least 25 teams right now. It’s too bad the Dodgers aren’t one of them.”
I am going with Law on this. He is not going to be a star, but he could be a regular on some team. He is not going to make the Dodgers team this year. The team will always find a “star” over the kids. IMO, the best case for Freeland is to get traded before any more trade value evaporates. Nick Senzel can be the emergency 3B at OKC if he does not have an opt out. Noah Miller can play defensively at 2B or SS right now. Ryan Fitzgerald can play all over the infield.
Is Alex a Jo Adell or Nick Senzel? Adell was horrible until age 25, when something clicked. Freeland is just 24.
Keith Law on River Ryan – “The only real knock on him as a prospect is that at age 27, he’s the oldest player on the top 100 and I think the oldest I have ever put on one. I said last year he could be a No. 2 starter if healthy, but with his stuff looking better than ever, maybe he could be even more than that.”
Besides Ryan, the Dodgers have 2 other prospects who have reached a baseball age of 28. Ryan Ward is the oldest prospect at 28. Kyle Hurt will turn 28 on May 30. Three prospects age 27 and older is not common. The other prospects are all under 25.
The Dodgers have 3 teenage prospects (19): Emil Morales, Ching-Hsein Ko, and Chase Harlan. Morales is not only the highest rated of the three, he is also the youngest. Ko is 42 days older, and Harlan is 75 days older.
Charles Davalan has received a lot of early hype with the team. Some publications have him on a fast track to Top 100 status. RHSP Christian Zazueta is also giving that vibe. Davalan was drafted last year at #41 overall, while Zazueta came from NYY in the Caleb Ferguson trade.
We have already been advised that James Tibbs III will start his season with OKC. I have to believe that Zach Ehrhard will also. We will wait and see on that one.
Which one of De Paula, Hope, or Sirota get off to the best start and find a quick path to AAA? Will Kendall George start with AA or will he return to A+? What happens to Chris Newell? Damon Keith?
I am anxious to see LHP Zach Root, and RHP Cam Leiter pitch this year. Neither pitched after being drafted last year.
The Dodgers have recently signed another IFA, 18-year-old Dominican pitcher Delio Centeno after he had a showcase in New Balance’s Future Stars Series last month.
International Player Spotlight – Delio Centeno
Plays In: Dominican Republic
Trainer/Agent: Chulo, Class of 2026
Position – RHP; B/T – R/R
Measureables – 6'4", 205 lbs #WeGotNow @NB_Baseball @_JeremyBooth pic.twitter.com/FiV036yDBD— New Balance 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 (@ftrstarsseries) February 18, 2026
For now, Centeno is a lottery ticket. Best case, he turns into a dude and becomes the next top pitching prospect in the Dodgers’ system. If not, the Dodgers will chalk this gamble up as a loss and move to the next project.
Hurt is pitching his way onto the roster and a BP spot. I really like this kid, Tibbs III. He has some pop in that bat. De Paula has been pretty impressive too. Here by 27-28.
Espinal is the new guy blocking Freeland…
And Noah Miller might be catching up.
Miller would probably make it if Rojas had not been resigned, same with Kike. Freeland has not looked good at all.
Freeland is not ready. Espinal looks good. I really like Tibbs and Ehrhard.
Man, Tibbs & Ehrhard really topped off that talent chart.
Been really enjoying seeing the kids in ST. The one that impressed me the most was Ferris. He was better than I’d imagined.
It’s incredible how quickly time goes by unfortunately. Can’t believe I’m writing this again but happy birthday Badger!!!
Hope you have a great day old friend.
Thank you W. You’ve been remembering this and wishing me well on this day for what, over a decade now? Hope I hear from you for another decade.
Yes, the days are flying by. And with them the years. Interestingly, to me anyway, last night, in the early morning hours of my 78th birthday, I had a dream I was playing in the Reno Memorial Day Classic, a yearly slow pitch tournament that brought 60 A and B League teams together from all over a three state area. My team, the Redding Merchants, won that tournament in ‘76.
The reason I bring that up is because in this dream Mark Timmons was on that team with me. He was the pitcher and I was the shortstop. Together we won the tournament. I woke up with a feeling of nostalgia for the old days when I first started posting in a Dodger chat room. I did it from my Web TV unit. (Anyone remember those?) Mountainmover was a big part of those early years. A lot of water over the damn since then.
Anyway, thanks again for remembering.
Happy Birthday, my friend. Enjoy your day and all the others that follow it. May they be many.
Happy bday! I saved you some vegan Indian food
Thanks Bobby. I’ll be right over.
nice…
dodgersdigest.com/2026/03/06/embarrassment-of-riches-dodgers-have-full-outfields-worth-of-prospects-at-every-level/
We are getting a good look at our young prospects, although much of it is against minor league pitching, or Major League pitching in early stages of preparation. Who among these top prospects is ready to step in and contribute?
From my recliner, looking into my crystal ball, none of the Top 5 are, and only maybe 2 of the Top 15. Not on this team. And if it’s Freeland, Ryan, or Ferris it won’t be for a full year.
This could be a season where a few of those guys could make a debut. But when was the last time a Dodger whizbang prospect broke in and stayed in?
Clearly the Dodgers are a unique organization. I still see most of the names on the list being trade pieces. Who out there will be the piece, or pieces, needed to complete the three-peat? And who among the top 15 prospects stays, and who will be used to bring those finishing features in?
It’s going to be an interesting year. Every team in the league, especially those Division favorites, will have the Dodgers circled on their schedules. The Dodgers are dead serious about being the last team standing. That won’t be accomplished with rookies in the lineup. And I am certain the brain trust already knows who it is out there they want to target.
Freeland’s performance thus far has been the biggest disappointment to me–i.e., if there was ever a time to show-up ready to hit mostly minor league pitching and compete, this is it.
Many hall of famers have had terrible spring trainings
Sorry, Freeland does not fall into that category. He is merely a prospect nothing else.
He isn’t?
He is a prospect and suspect until he actually makes it to the majors and sticks. Seen way to many guys hyped and they never make it. AAAA players most of them. Look at Lux, traded twice in two years, never has lived up to the hype. He has been ok, but nothing to write home about.
I think what he’s saying is if Freeland doesn’t make the team it’s not because of his spring training results. It’s a deeper roster decision.
His performance is going to have a huge impact on that decision, right now, of the four players competing for the 2nd base job with Edman out, he is way behind the other three. Kim homered in Korea’s loss to Japan; Ohtani hit his second. Rojas and Espinal both hitting very well.
With the Dodgers in 3-peat mode, I believe they well be more apt to go with veterans over rookies/prospects when it is all said and done.
I also believe that is the case. With a lock out possible unless MLB and the MLBPA reach an agreement before next season, LA is in win now mode. Why else would they have spent so much money in the off season. Even bringing back Phillips and Kike is a concerted move to bring back players with certified post-season credentials.
Doc announced that Santiago Espinol has made the opening day roster.
now SNLA clarifies that by “Doc announced that Santiago Espinol LIKELY has made the opening day roster”
That’s why I said “expected?” Wouldn’t Doc know whether he would or wouldn’t? And why would he say anything this early? Now those young guys working hard for that roster spot pretty much know they aren’t LIKELY going to get it. See ya Freeland.
Maybe the play is to get Freeland more at bats against these same guys in the minors, stay there, and Espinal gets released when Edman gets back. And Kim is going to be on this team, not Espinal.
Sorry I’m late to the party but happy birthday Badger
Thanks Keith
I think the off man out will be Siani when Edman comes back. Assuming he’s the 26th man as a defensive replacement in late innings.
I don’t assume that at all.
I thought, hoped actually, the Dodgers had found their centerfielder in Pages. I figured they would hit him a few thousand fly balls, coach him up over the winter and he would come back ready to step in be that guy.
So far I don’t see it. He’s still throwing to the wrong base and throwing off line. His routes often look misjudged. He will hit, they all will, but unless things change, I see our outfield as I did last year. It’s less than defensively.
What does this mean for the Dodgers in ‘26? Very little probably. Watching the Rockies outfielders make great plays last night had me saying “sure wish our guys could do that”. But would I want those guys instead of our guys?
Hell no.
The Dodgers will win games with offense and pitching. They are middle of the pack defensively but so what?
You’re right, built for power.
It’s interestng to see the Dodgers assemble an outfield that is avg or below avg defensively. The team understands the need for good D–e.g., that’s why we saw Kike play LF over Call in Game 7 even thougth he was batting .130. it’s why Pages was brought into game 7 for one out (because they needed his arm) and then quickly replaced with Justin Dean. Justin Dean!
i rewatched the WS last night (never gets old) and noticed that key defensive plays made the difference as they typcially do in a contested series.
So where does that leave us? I think the Dodger’s plan is to mash their way thru the regular season and become more discerning defensively come the playoffs as it relates to their OF.
And, by the way, the formula works!
You take the good, you take the bad