The Dodgers have taken a big hit in the MLB Pipeline Top 100 Prospects. Last year the Dodgers had 7 top 100 prospects:
- Diego Cartaya – C – #8
- Bobby Miller – RHP – #26
- Miguel Vargas – 2B – #41
- Michael Busch – 3B – #42
- Andy Pages – OF – #66
- Ryan Pepiot – RHP – #74
- Gavin Stone – RHP – #77
Of that group none are in the top 100 at the beginning of 2024. Miller, Vargas, and Pepiot graduated (and traded).
Cartaya, Pages, and Stone are no longer in the top 100 for MLB Pipeline.
Busch is now with the Cubs and checked in at #44. Busch is one of 7 Cubs to make the top 100. No team had more top 100 prospects than the Chicago Cubs.
The Dodgers? They had two top 100 prospects, and neither were higher than #75.
- Dalton Rushing – C – #75
- Nick Frasso – RHP – #80
26 teams placed a player in the top 100 before the Dodgers had one.
The Orioles are still the most elite farm system. They have 5 of the top 50 (6 overall), and the Brewers have 4. The Nationals, Padres, Tigers, Red Sox, and Cubs all have 3 in the top 50.
Only the Marlins (1), A’s (1), Royals (1), Angels (1), and Astros (0) had less than the Dodgers with two.
I understand that Dodgers fans want to play the kids and get younger, but they just do not have the elite talent that AF/BG can point to that is a potential starter. That being said, James Outman was not a top 100 prospect except for The Athletic (#86) and he has made the regular lineup.
The Dodgers have a good number of lower level MiLB players who have a chance to rise into the top 100, and some could rise by mid-season. Jackson Ferris (LHP), River Ryan (RHP), Josue DePaula )OF), and Payton Martin (RHP) could have some helium if they get out to good starts in 2024. Notice that 3 are pitchers. Andy Pages could return to his projected elite status if he starts out well. Diego Cartaya’s helium has a leak, but it could be patched. DePaula, Pages, and maybe Cartaya are the only position players that could join Rushing as position players in the top 100 in the near future. It will be fun to watch Joendry Vargas, Kendall George, Trey Sweeney, and Jake Gelof this year to gauge how far away they are.
The Dodgers have a bundle of depth players who will play MLB. But how many regulars if not All Stars? This is why it makes more sense to package some of these prospects and trade for a player or pitcher who are difference makers. Just how long before their trade value dissipates? Just how long before we see far more Kody Hoese’s than James Outman’s?
Top 100 prospects per team:
- Cubs – 7
- Orioles – 6
- Padres – 6
- Reds – 5
- Brewers – 4
- Pirates – 4
- Rays – 4
- Rangers – 4
- Tigers – 4
- Red Sox – 4
- Giants – 4
- Phillies – 4
- Rockies – 4
- Guardians – 4
- Mariners – 4
- Yankees – 4
- Mets – 4
- Nationals – 3
- Twins – 3
- D-backs – 3
- Cardinals – 3
- White Sox – 2
- Blue Jays – 2
- Braves – 2
- Dodgers – 2
- Marlins – 1
- A’s – 1
- Royals – 1
- Angels – 1
- Astros – 0
The Dodgers have also announced that they have invited 20 non-roster players to major league camp.
Right-handed pitchers (8) Nabil Crismatt, Kevin Gowdy, Jesse Hahn, Elieser Hernández, Daniel Hudson, Michael Petersen, River Ryan and Eduardo Salazar, left-handed pitchers (2) Stephen Gonsalves and T.J. McFarland, catchers (2) Chris Okey and Dalton Rushing, infielders (4) Jonathan Araúz, Austin Gauthier, Kevin Padlo and Trey Sweeney and outfielders (4) Drew Avans, José Ramos, Travis Swaggerty and Ryan Ward.
Home grown players are River Ryan, Dalton Rushing, Austin Gauthier, Drew Avans, José Ramos, and Ryan Ward. None of them figure to crack the 40 man this year. The one to watch is Austin Gauthier. He appears to be a good candidate to be the heir apparent to Miguel Rojas and CT3 for 2025. He seems to get better the more he advances. I do not know if he will start at AAA, but he should get there rather quickly. How he performs at OKC will dictate just how far away he is.
I will be out of the loop for most of this weekend. My grandson has a soccer tournament 2+ hours away. He has games (at least 2) on both days. Unfortunately for us, his team has drawn Game 1, and we need to leave by 5:00 AM.
I will be away from my computer for most of the next two days. I will not be able to approve anyone who needs to have their comments approved. There is only one commenter who has been placed in moderation for approval after being approved that first time. Hopefully he will not get blocked. It does not happen very often, but it does happen. I have been trying to get the maintenance team to remedy this issue. They just have not been successful as of yet.
I will also not be able to monitor the comments, so please be respectful.
Bear has a post that I will publish for Sunday, and because I may not be around much to write, it may need to go for two days.
FWIW, Rushing and Frasso are the only Dodger prospects listed in the top 100 by MLB Pipeline–and not very highly, with Rushing at 75 and Frasso at 80.
I’m not sure if any of these lists really have a great track record of predicting major league success.
James Outman only cracked one top 100 list when he was a prospect.
I asked about an updated system ranking a few days as I couldn’t find one. The most recent I did find was BR and with Busch still on board they had the Dodgers 10th. No doubt they aren’t there anymore so I assume all the talk about how deep the system is might, for the time being anyway, abate. These ratings can appear mutable and I fully expect revisions through the course of the year.
I will also add the Dodgers system ranking, for the time being anyway, hardly matters.
Good post but I wouldn’t conclude anything based on the new Pipeline ratings. You say we might not have any new hitters join the list in the next few years but we don’t know. You mention DePaula, Pages & Cartaya and some high upside guys, but what about all the teenagers like Quintero & Morales. Then there’s Liranzo, Newell etc. I know the system skews toward pitchers and probably toward lower-level hitters and overall depth, but we’re in good shape and maybe someone will be a surprise.
I know the excuse is “the Dodgers never draft high enough to draft super stars because we’re so good every year, but they have good depth type players.”
It’d be interesting to know how many players from this Top 100 list were in fact Top 10 draft picks, or even first round picks at all.
If I think of the “superstars” on the current Dodgers and over the last decade of dominance, how many of those guys were top 10 picks?
Just looking back at some of our All Stars the past decade: Mookie was a 5th rounder. Freeman 2nd rounder. Bellinger a 4th rounder. Trae Turner 13th round. Muncy 5th rounder. Justin Turner 7th round. JD Martinez 20th round. Tony Gonsolin 9th round. CT3 5th round. Matt Kemp 6th round. Joc Pederson 11th round.
Yes, most of those guys weren’t drafted by us, but they were later round, outside of the Top 10 for sure, guys who made the All Star Game, and in some cases are considered superstars.
I think the Dodgers do a good job of player development and some of the lower level players will get better. But really, w Betts, Freeman, Ohtani anf Yamamoto all signed to big long term contracts there are less holes to fill. Pitching is always needed and they have Yamamoto, Ohtani and Miller locked up for awhile.
Was reading that Hudson probably makes the team is he’s healthy in spring training. Assuming either he or Treinen snags one of the bullpen jobs. Would be nice is Yarbrough can be the 3rd lefty/swingman. Assuming 8 members:
1. Phillips
2. Graterol
3. Ferguson
4. Kelly
5. Vesia
6. Yarbrough
7. Hudson/Treinen/Grove/Hurt
8. Feyereisen/Vanasco/Varland/NRI
Some good arms will be traded or sent to AAA–AND we likely still are adding a Brasier-type in FA.
I love following and rooting for our prospects but I’d still choose our success over the past 10 years and having a roster that lists Ohtani, Yamamoto, Mookie and Freddie over having the most top 100 prospects.
Speaking of home grown prospects, James Outman made MLB’s top 10 list of best centerfielders at #6. Nice little blurb about him on MLB Network.