Four publications have updated their MiLB Top Prospect lists:
- Baseball America – Top 100
- MLB Pipeline – Top 100
- ESPN (Kiley McDaniel) – Top 50
- Fangraphs – Top 107
The names have really not changed, but their rankings have, and in some cases, dramatically so.
Baseball America Pre-Season:
- Dalton Rushing – #50
- Gavin Stone – #82
- Andy Pages – #96
- Nick Frasso – #97
In the early 2024 update, Gavin Stone graduated and Nick Frasso was moved out of the top 100, due to injury.
The biggest jump was 19 year old OF Josue De Paula, who went from unranked to #40. Catcher/1B Liranzo went from unranked to #89.
Baseball America May In-Season Revision:
- Josue De Paula – #40
- Dalton Rushing – #41
- Andy Pages – #52
- Thayron Liranzo – #89
Fangraphs Pre-Season:
- River Ryan – #19
- Diego Cartaya – #60
- Dalton Rushing – #68
- Thayron Liranzo – #72
- Kyle Hurt – #86
- Joendry Vargas – #92
All 6 of the above prospects were still named in the May Update, although their ranking order did change. Rushing, Liranzo, and Vargas were relatively small changes. River Ryan was Fangraphs #1 LAD prospect and #19 overall. Because of his injury he dropped to LAD #2 prospect and #33 overall.
Kyle Hurt moved to #104 due to his injury, and Diego Cartaya dropped from #60 all the way to #106, and that was not due to injury.
Two new LAD prospects moved into the Top 100. Josue De Paula was unranked and moved all the way to #28, and is now the #1 LAD prospect per Fangraphs. The second LAD prospect is returning to the Top 100. Andy Pages went from unranked to #68.
Per Eric Logenhagen on both De Paula and Pages:
Josue De Paula, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
De Paula was left out of the Top 100 during the offseason because I wanted to see him actually hit for power (he is a corner defender, after all), which has started to happen. He didn’t have a home run until a few days before this update, but his underlying exit velos have been sensational. His 94 mph average exit velo so far this season is elite, up eight ticks from last year, while his 114 mph max is up four.
Andy Pages, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Another guy who remade his physique during the offseason, Pages had season-ending shoulder surgery in 2023 and came back this year with a totally different body and level of athleticism. He is swinging with more athletic verve than ever before (he was a Top 100 guy before his injury), and it raises the ceiling on his defense to have better speed.
Fangraphs May In-Season Revision:
- Josue De Paula – #28
- River Ryan – #33
- Dalton Rushing – #65
- Andy Pages – #68
- Thayron Liranzo – #79
- Joendry Vargas – #94
- Kyle Hurt – #104
- Diego Cartaya – #106
MLB Pipeline Pre-Season:
- Dalton Rushing – #75
- Nick Frasso – #80
Dalton Rushing was considered a big move up, moving from #75 to #53 (+22 spots). Nick Frasso dropped out due to his season ending injury.
Josue De Paula appeared in his 3rd revised Top Prospect list, moving from unranked to #83. Andy Pages returned to MLB Pipeline Top 100 status after his injury, moving to #52, and becoming LAD top prospect.
MLB Pipeline May In-Season Revision:
- Andy Pages – #52
- Dalton Rushing – #53
- Josue De Paula – #83
The Cubs have 7 in the May revised top prospect list. The Rockies have 6 and NYM has 5. 11 teams have 4, and 7 teams (including the Dodgers) have 3. Only the Angels do not have at least 1 Top 100 prospect in MLB Pipeline.
ESPN Pre-Season:
- Josue De Paula – #68
- Dalton Rushing – #75
- Diego Cartaya – #85
- Nick Frasso – #86
- Andy Pages – #87
- River Ryan – #102
- Joendry Vargas – #106
ESPN (Kiley McDaniel) only had 50 top prospects in their May Revision:
- Josue De Paula – #35
- Dalton Rushing – #40
So the Dodgers not having any prospects in the ESPN Top 67 Pre-Season, now have 2 in their Top 40.
De Paula is the #1 LAD prospect in 3 of the 4 revised Top Prospect lists.
With Andy Pages at MLB, the Dodgers do not have any healthy Top Prospects in AAA, and only 2 in AA (Dalton Rushing and Diego Cartaya). That does not bode well for trades of difference making OF or middle infielders. Maybe a reliever.
Here is what one of the publications wrote about Thayron Liranzo after his slow start.
Thayron Liranzo, C, Dodgers: As a rule, it’s always a good idea to take the weather into consideration when assessing hitting prospects in the early portion of a minor league season. That’s especially true in the Midwest League, where it is particularly frigid to begin the year. As such, even the best will succumb to the elements and have their talents muted. Consider Liranzo squarely in that mix. The Dodgers’ catching prospect was icy cold in April, when he hit .159/.274/.333/.607 over 16 games. With the weather heating up, Liranzo has begun to perform. His May batting line is .308/.451/.492/.943 with three home runs, and 17 BB and 17K.
When will we ever get a straight answer from the Dodgers on an injury.
The Dodgers do give out correct information but you need to understand the code. When you hear someone will be back in one week you need to multiply that by 2 and then increase the time frame to the next unit of measure. So as far as Muncy goes;
1week = 2 months
Thank you Sam. Based on past statements and results I think your formula should work perfectly.
If by “straight answer” you mean the Dodgers telling the truth instead of lying about injuries ..then NO.. you’ll never get a straight answer out of them.
And I’m sure you already know this.
Straight answers? Who gives straight answers anymore?
The term “read between the lines” was first written around 1862 in The NY Times. It had to do with British communications. Bear was around then, he can explain it better than I can. The point is, when Dodger brass speak, it’s important to listen between the words. The message is there, it’s just hidden. I think Sam may be on to something with his interpretation on how to decipher the messages.
To be clear – I didn’t ask the question, Jeff did.
Yeah. I know. I guess I should have replied to Jeff but it probably would have landed in the same place.
Now here is some reeeeaaaaly bad umpiring.
Yeah, that was ridiculous and embarrassing for MLB. They will issue an apology but is that enough? I don’t think so. The crew chief should be disciplined. You just can’t have that happen.
There was also a mention of “framing” a topic I’ve had issues with since it was first mentioned. I just tried to post a picture and it failed.
I was trained by a former MiLB umpire and one of the first things we talked about was interpreting the strike zone. It has nothing to do with where the catcher receives the ball. Ignore that. The strike zone is directly over the plate. The fact MLB umpires don’t know this is astonishing to me.
Badger, have you read anything that explains why MLB doesn’t institute the Electronic Strike Zone? What is their reluctance?
Manfred said “no one is particularly satisfied with the use of ABS. Players prefer a challenge system. Taking time to make sure you get it right is the best approach”
Sounds like a challenge system is what is coming. No details given on how that would work.
I too think the challenge system will be employed. For the life of me, I don’t understand the reluctance to just using the ABS System full time. I’ve seen it in use, and many of us have, and it just works. You don’t even realize it’s being used.
I am opposed to the challenge system and have expressed my reasons many times. You can’t have 2 different strike zones in use simultaneously; the HPU’s interpretation of the strike zone and the ABS System. So a HPU establishes HIS zone all day. Maybe a generous outside corner. Suddenly in a critical situation, that zone is challenged on one pitch. And damned if the ABS says it’s a ball? 2 strike zones in play.
And how many pitches can be challenged and when. Is CD Bucknor allowed to call shit all over the place and suddenly you challenge one call?
This just overcomplicated the whole deal. The mantra has been using replay to “just get the calls right” so use put the ABS in use full time and forget about it.
On another note, my gawd, the Reds City Connect Uniforms might be the worst, ever. Where is the red for the Reds? The only Red I get looking at these black and orange Clown Suits is my ass from looking at em. Few of these City Connect unis are good. The Giants with the fogged out lettering and the Padres ones that look like an explosion in a paint factory, may be the worst.
On any given night you have a variable strike zone in play. So would a challenge system, with 3 challenges available per game really be bad?
I’d say challenge Strike 3 and they may choose to use it only in the last three innings. How many? As long as you get them right as many as you need.
And I agree that using the ABS full time is the way to go, but the article I read, for what it’s worth, said the players prefer the challenge system, though I have no clear idea why.
So let me get this straight— because of Manfred, the pitch clock, limited throws to first, the automatic runner on second to cut down on extra innings, were put in place to “speed up the game”. Now he wants a challenge system that will add more time to games. He’s about as lame as they come.
I have watched at AAA. It really does not take time. I do not recall one last week in Sacramento that lasted 5 seconds. It is almost immediately put up on the screen for all to see.
Like Phil, I am opposed to the challenge system. It wrecks the flow of the game and really doesn’t decide unanimously if a pitch is a ball or strike unless it uses the ABS. The challenge system is a flow wrecker as we see in the NBA. Introducing the pitching clock was a great innovation and shortened game times. Why extend them with a challenge system? One step forward, two steps back.
This is the picture Badger was trying to add
Thank you Jeff.
As you can see, the catcher is typically a few feet from the strike zone. That box is where ABS is set up. “Framing” from 2-3’ away is nonsense. No umpire worth his clicker should be fooled by a catcher moving his mitt. And yet….. there’s an actual stat for it.
This debacle reminds me of some softball games I used to play in where the umpire just wanted to end the game and go home.
Totally inexcusable. The sad thing is this will not be the worst call of the season. Hopefully, the postseason will not have this type of umpiring.
As far as Muncy’s injury, we all knew that he would be out for at least a month. It’s difficult to heal from an oblique injury in two weeks like Roberts stated when the injury happened. With Sam’s formula Muncy will be gone for four months. Maybe, a week = month. Rarely it Roberts truthful with the media. A better initial remark might have been “right now we don’t know”.
Umpiring. There’s a piece in the Times this morning about ABS. Manfred knows it’s needed, I read between the words and know this to be true. But, the system won’t be employed before ‘26. He did say the players would like a challenge system and that could be employed before ABS. I mentioned what I thought would be a good idea regarding that the other day. Challenge strike 3.
There was also a mention of working with Dow Chemical (not kidding about that) on the application they are currently using to make balls tackier. Dow first tried substances they had left over from the 60s but it turned the balls a shade of orange and was killing the grass so they switched to another 60s leftover substance, a sticky jelly like material that works, but it’s important not to smoke around the balls.
Ah, Badger.
I imagine you were around a lot of those substances back in the day.
Probably not very fond memories for you, but your comment did bring a sardonic smile to my face.
Agent Orange?
And the sticky gel that could catch on fire?
Glad to see someone get it. Figured it might be you Jefe.
Didn’t Manfred mention that umpires treat the strike zone as an oval instead of a rectangle?
Liranzo: future 1B
De Paula: future RF
I can see Ohtani at first after Freeman leaves.
Or LF
I could see him left next year.
or RF? He’s got the arm.
Rushing may also be a future !B…
Why not train both for 3B too? I just have a hunch Dodgers will need to replace Max before they replace Freddy.
Interesting to see the fruits of the new International scouting and strategy with regard to prospects.
Hopefully for them they’ll be traded to organizations that will actually give them a shot to play for the big club.
I’m interested in following the prospects and Jeff does an outstanding job of keeping us informed of their progress. But, with the history of the past couple of years the realization of any of them actually playing for the Dodgers is minimal.
De Paula is in AA and probably 3-4 years away from being a Dodger. Rushing, Liranzo, and Cartaya are most likely trade pieces as there is no position for them with Smith. Freeman, and Ohtani occupying positions that they could possibly play. Joendry Vargas is a SS who is 18 and is projected to make the Dodgers in 2028. This is probably the only other rated position prospect that has a realistic chance to play for the Dodgers in the future.
The top pitchers Ryan, Hurt, Sheehan, and Frasso are all injured. The team seems to do an excellent job developing their pitching prospects. But, how come so many injures once they get close to playing for the Dodgers? Bobby Miller has three starts to begin the season and then is on the 15 day IL for a month so far. It will most likely be another month before he returns.
The Dodgers have been lauded for their consistently deep farm system. It’s been ranked top five or so for years. It gives them “depth”. AF has drafted dozens of pitchers in the past few years with the objective of improving the BP with cheap, young arms. Where are they? Instead, AF churns through one marginal reliever after another. A recent example is Yohan Ramirez. What a shit outing by him last night. So, with all this minor league “depth”, the current staff, how in the heck does this pitcher even sniff a Dodger uniform? Why? Is AF trying to give the opponents a better chance to win? Paxton was not happy at being pulled. He had to be furious while watching the shit show that followed.
So, while continue to pull for Vargas, Pages, and Lux to be successful MLB players I have a feeling that none will be with the Dodgers in the near future.
Can the team produce pitching that can last longer than 3-4 games before going on the IL? I certainly hope I’m wrong.
Carry on
Top 5 Farm? Not for years when considering their position players. Not one has stuck and I’ve always felt they lacked the overall development. Pitchers come closer but eventually break down and spend years trying to rehab and come back. Top 5 is not reality.
Did I mention that we will always have pitching problems with Roberts managing. He is one of the worst I’ve ever seen in his choices and timing.
I mean, if we look at any given year? Yeah, I’d bet the average is probably between 5-10, but if you look at how perennially the team’s system has been ranked over the past decade? That average is probably top 5, if not alone atop MLB.
Where are they? Many are playing elsewhere. And for the most part I’m ok with that. We get guys like Mookie and Glasnow in return. I figure if we see one a year make the lineup, and two or three a year are traded for starters, it’s a productive system.
If you add up the costs, they don’t make sense for such a small number to reach the MLB. They spend a fortune on MiLB. Baseball has turned into a big business model for corporations. Even the NBA doesn’t approach this scale.
Who cares what team the majority play for? The are assets not foundations.
ONE. the goal of an organization is long term success and club value, not having a team of home grown players.
TWO. the goal of the prospect is to develop into the best player they can be, make the majors and make a lot of money.
no team is better at achieving all of point one and best enabling point two.
Ted you write some great posts. This is one is too. Well thought out and written.
Great points.
I think we will all be happy with a World Series win but most of us will be very grumpy and negative during the regular season if the team were to only win 85 games.
Hey Bum, many are really caught up taking about our future performers in the playoffs and World Series. I’m in favor of just putting all that aside and play better right now.
Me too. Enjoy the now and don’t get old.
I can enjoy the now but it’s much more difficult to avoid getting old. Well, there’s a way around that too, but that result is even worse.
True. I was mostly referring to the Dodgers though.
Enjoy both.
Thank you for putting this info together!
Well we just kinda suck now don’t we. 5 for 30, 0 for 7 WRISP, bottom of the lineup 0 for 10.
It was a thoroughly disappointing effort by the offense tonight.
Mookie gets a leadoff single in the 1st. Three straight easy outs. Then Freeman a leadoff double in the 4th. Three straight easy outs. Ohtani gets a triple with one out, and two straight unproductive outs…oh the bases loaded no out debacle in the second. 0-7 RISP.
Look at the bright side.
Tomorrow we probably replace JHey, Lux, CT and Smith with Pages, Vargas, Rojas and Barnes. Each of them is overdue for a great offensive day. We should win by at least 6 runs tomorrow.
At the beginning of the year, most everyone agreed that the Dodgers and Braves were the class of the league, maybe the two best teams in MLB.
We still have a 5.5 game lead over the second place Giants while the Braves are now 6.5 games behind the Phillies.
We go through these periods of impotence every year (I’m talking about the Dodgers, Badger, not you and me) but it usually all comes together by August.
We still have the returns of Miller, Kershaw and Phillips to look forward to.
Buehler is looking pretty good and Treinen has been great.
A couple of fixes in the lineup and we’ll be good to go. This too shall pass.
It’s always a possibility but that doesn’t account for the mediocre mentality that the Dodgers seem to have. It’s the all or nothing mentality that has gotten us into this dilemma. Get rid of RVS, Roberts, and the endless dithering of the geeks behind the scene, trying to make stars out of re-treads and re-habs. Commit to players that are targeted and not one season wonders. We are who we are because of players like Mookie, Freddie, Kersh, and some others that come to play and play well. Ohtani certainly fits that bill but players like Teoscar, Muncy, and some others are not sustainable.. We need a good cleaning but the FO is not built that way and so the Dodgers will struggle, whether it’s during the season or in the playoffs. Luck is the only thing that can save them from another frustrating year, and luck cannot be counted on. They are boring.
Who was it who said the bottom of the order wasn’t that bad? I see Dave was merciful to Pages for benching him today against Greene. I’m fairly certain he would have had another 0-4 with 2-3 more Ks. Heck even left handed Ohtani struck out 3 times today.
So, are we now convinced this team as is, even with our 3 superstars, may not be much better in the playoffs than we were last year with our two superstars. The difference in the playoffs is often determined by a super star, but rather a blue collar lunch pail guy. Do we have any of them? Hernandez is the closest we have but in all honesty, he should not even be mentioned in the same breath as the 4 stooges in the bottom- Pages, Lux, Taylor, Vargas, Outman (should he return) and even possibly KiKe when facing a RHP, like today.
Could anyone please define this cliche?
“a blue collar lunch pail guy. “
Who was it for the past 5 WS winners?
We need some junk yard dogs. We have a bunch of Labradoodles.
Justin Turner used to be the heart and soul of this club and we went deep in the playoffs with him.
The prospect rankings are fun, but I wonder if they have much meaning to people like AF.
I assume that the Dodgers and most other teams use their scouting networks to make independent judgments. And I assume these judgments may vary widely from team to team.