MLB Age 26 and Under Strength Rating: Los Angeles Dodgers No. 7

The FOX Sports Young Talent Ranking is a new twist on the classic prospect rankings. Yes, prospects are important, but with all the game-changing young talent already in the big companies, the farm system alone can’t tell the whole story. So we’re digging into each MLB club in depth, ranking all of them by players in an organization entering the season 26 or under. From the big guys to the farms.

number 7 Dodgers Los Angeles

Total score of 26 or less: 21

Starting the franchise’s best 111-win season ending sooner than anyone anticipated, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been eerily quiet this winter, bowing their heads away from the high-end market even after All-Star Trea Turner signed with Philadelphia.

Boasting a ranch system that Keith Law of The Athletic ranks as the best in baseball, the Dodgers felt ready to give their talented young players the opportunity to perform.

Manager Dave Roberts said before the start of spring training: “Definitely a lot more is unknown — I think it could even be said to be unstable. “I still believe that the talent in the room, the way we can put it together, will make us a very good dance club.”

Opting out of the strong free agency pool, the Dodgers have placed short-term faith in Gavin Lux, who will move into his more natural position this year. Then came a blow this spring when the 25-year-old former top prospect tore his ACL in a run to third base in a Cactus League game, ending the highly-anticipated season. his before it could begin.

The injury was devastating for both Lux and his team, although there are still plenty of potential young stars to make an impact in Los Angeles this year. If the Dodgers could keep spending free Padres San Diego for their 11th division championship over the past 12 years, their talent 26 and under is sure to play an important role.

“This is adding to a great, talented core of domestic players,” said Roberts. “I’m biased, but I think we do it better than anyone when it comes to having youth but without compromising experience and talent on the front lines.”

Major league appearances: 8 (out of 10)

Considering he’s entering his eighth major league season, it’s easy to forget that Julio Urías is only 26 years old.

Urías, the youngest major league pitcher to ever start a knockout match at 20 years and 68 days in 2016, has grown into the Dodgers and will probably be paid well for his services next winter.

Over the past two years, reins have been removed from early lefties. And he responded.

The star of the 2020 World Series exploded into 2021 when he won 20-3 with a 2.96 ERA in 185.2 innings. He built on those numbers last season, although his velocity dropped a bit, posting a 2.16 ERA leading the National League while finishing third in the Awards vote. NL Cy Young. Now, a contract year is ahead.

An even younger pitcher will hold a prominent role in the Dodgers’ rotation.

Dust of life, 25, looked like a rising star at 23 in the 2021 season before undergoing Tommy John surgery. He made a comeback last season, although his six appearances were erratic. The tough right-hander has now fully recovered and is looking to tap back into his huge potential. It will be interesting to see how Dodgers manages his workload. May has not thrown more than 100 innings in a professional season since 2019.

Many younger arms will assist in the barn, including another pitcher who can hit triple-digit speeds. Brusdar Graterol, who threw the 10th most at at least 100 mph in Major League Baseball last season, didn’t miss a ton of shots for a pitcher as strong as him. But the 24-year-old increased his shot rate last year with the help of a slider, and his slider has made him one of the best ground-breaking holders in the game. play.

Caleb Ferguson had quietly been one of the best painkillers in the Dodgers’ barn for most of the season prior to his second Tommy John surgery. The 26-year-old is not allowed to run a single of his first 19 appearances. Although he was dropped from the post-season roster after some difficulty in the second half, he still finished the year with a 1.82 ERA.

Sales pitch prospect: 4 (out of 5)

If by Tony Gonsolin ankle doesn’t heal in time, most likely a season-start prospect in rotation. The most obvious candidates would be Ryan Pepiot or Michael Groveboth debuted last season and are among the many pitching prospects knocking on the Dodgers’ revolving door.

Pepiot, 25, is the higher rated of the two and will break the bottom of most major league rotations, especially if he fixes the commanding issues that keep him from playing. more than five innings in six of seven starts for the Dodgers last year. His plus change will play well whether starting or clearing.

While Pepiot and Grove are more predictable as rear-end spinners, the prospect of pitching the highest ceiling in the Dodgers’ system isn’t far off.

The Dodgers will soon reap the benefits of their 2020 draft, which brought them Bobby Miller in the first round and Gavin Stone in the fifth round. Even if those two don’t break camp with the team, it’s not about whether they get called up this year but more about when they get called up.

Miller’s power arm and four-note combination give him ace potential. He’s picked up the pace more slowly this spring and will likely start the new year in Triple-A. Last year, he hit 145 in 112.1 plays between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City. What he’s most focused on right now is mentality – “not letting things affect me,” he told FOX Sports in February – and pitching sequence.

Stone, the Dodgers’ 2022 minor league best pitcher, may not be of impressive stature but could be ready for the big tournament. The 6-foot-1-inch right-hander still produces mid-’90s velocity while boasting an elite change, a throw he added while playing professionally. He saw his velocity increase last year as he put on more weight, and his ability to hit close to Central Arkansas has been considered a starter in the Dodgers’ system.

Further down the line, the Dodgers could eventually participate in the 2021 draft picks Maddux Bruns and Nick Nastrini as well as Nick Grasso, who was acquired in the Mitch White deal with Toronto. River Ryan, another secret commercial acquisition, hit 70 in 47.2 plays between Low-A and High-A last year and will be a name worth watching.

Major Tournament Hit: 5 (out of 10)

The rankings for 26 and under were compiled before Lux was injured, so this score can be quite generous.

While the injury is certainly a significant blow for the Dodgers and Lux, his doubles partner offers reason for optimism. Miguel Vargas appeared as the third sentinel through minors but changed his body and worked hard to land a second-base everyday role this season. Annoyingly, there was never any doubt about his abilities.

Spring training injury happened to Gavin Lux among others

Ben Verlander and Alex Curry discuss the serious injuries that have occurred in spring training so far, including Gavin Lux of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The only players in the PCL last year who played close to Vargas’ level were all 26 or older. Meanwhile, Vargas has dropped 0.304/.404/ .511 with 17 home hits, 32 doubles and a very small hit rate of 14.6% at just 22 years old. He also has more footsteps than people might realize, stealing 16 bases in Oklahoma City last year. Even if he never becomes the 30-homer type of player, he should still hit doubles and hit the base at high speed.

After Lux’s injury, the Dodgers will most likely find a way to bring James Outman into the fold earlier than expected. The 2018 seventh-round sports pick got off to an unconventional start to his major league career last year, scoring in his first game and winning 6 to 13 with a total. plus three basic hits. The problem is that seven appearances are all sorties, a problem that also exists in minors despite the best 141 wRC+ and 0.586 slips in his organization last year. He can run, he can throw, he can hit the field, he can hit for power – and even if he doesn’t finish camp with the Dodgers, he could start at the top. downtown in Los Angeles in the summer.

Hit prospects: 4 (out of 5)

Considered one of the top 20 promising players in baseball, Diego Cartaya looked like part of 2021 as he hit 10 own goals in 31 games at just 19 years old at Low-A Rancho Cucamonga. Despite battling injuries, he continued to hit that record with 22 headers and 22 doubles between Low-A and High-A last season. So far, Cartaya is more advanced in attack than defense, but star power is evident.

While he may be a few years away, potential customers in the field Michael Busch should launch sometime this year; The question is where the defense will be.

The Dodgers moved Busch from first base to second base early in his professional career, and he handled the transition very well. Busch image in Max Muncy mold with slightly lower walking rate and higher exposure rate. Busch hit a decent amount but got better in that respect as the Triple-A season went on while leading the system in doubles (38), runs (118) and RBI ( 108) and took the top spot in terms of hosts (32).

However, he is the best fit in the first two bases – one position Freddie Freeman will probably be the manager for the next five years – or the second base where Vargas will make a living.

If the Dodgers need help out in the corner this summer, Andy’s Page can provide answers. The pages that appear to be camping are considerably thinner, which would ideally help him move around better without sacrificing raw power in his swing. The Cuban midfielder struggled more in the jump to Double-A than at any previous level, but he still showed that strength with the hosts’ 26 pitches while enjoying the left-handed pitch (.316/.412/.735).

A few notable names are main catcher Dalton Rushing and midfielder Josue de Paula. Rushing, the 2022 second-round pick, beat the low-A pitch with 19 base hits in 28 games last year at just 21 years old. De Paula impressed with 0.970 OPS at 17 in the Dominican Summer League. He’s a 6-foot-3-inch-tall left-hander who seriously predicts strength as he builds strength.

Rowan Kavner covers the Dodgers and NL West for FOX Sports. Previously he was the editor of digital and print publications of the Dodgers. Follow him on Twitter at @Rowan Kavner.

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