For a Dodgers system, this is a relatively down year from what you have come to expect from their farm system. Luckily, the Dodgers' financial might and superior player development group have allowed them to acquire lower-level talents like Jackson Ferris and Zyhir Hope in return for Michael Busch, and Noah Miller for Manuel Margot. The Dodgers' draft didn't go as planned as they were reportedly targeting Thomas White, but got their pocket picked, and ended up with the elite speedster Kendall George. They have plenty of arms who are able to contribute, like their fifth starter Gavin Stone, and Kyle Hurt, who will contribute out of the bullpen. With a strong spring, Andy Pages and his power may have moved up his timetable. Their top prospect, Josue De Paula, is one of the more polished young hitters in the minors and looks like yet another success from the Dodgers' international scouting staff, with another interesting crop headlined by Joendry Vargas. They even noticed something in River Ryan with the Padres, traded for him, and optimized him. While the system doesn't have the top 20-30 prospect you would normally expect from the Dodgers, it is a deep system with an interesting mix of low-level upside and close-to-the-majors ready-made contributors.
About Our Top 30 Lists
Prospects Live, led by its evaluating team, is proud to begin rolling out its annual offseason system reports. The team has meticulously worked on every detail in this list and all future teams, sparing no effort as we combine industry feedback, our live looks, film, and available data to compile each org. We believe this effort has enabled us to present you, the reader, with our best possible list.
We have constructed this list using the Overall Future Potential (OFP) scale. There is no perfect equation for ranking prospects or assigning value to them, but we believe this method is the best possible approach. Every prospect on this list has been graded based on the tried and true 20-80 scouting scale. An 80 is the highest tool and OFP grade on the scale, reserved for MVP-caliber players or tools. Conversely, a 20 is reserved for non-prospects (NPs). A 50 OFP falls in the middle, indicating our evaluators deem this player a future average major league player. Below the 50 OFP tier are the 45s and 40s, comprising a large majority of players on each list. These are specific-role players, such as platoon hitters, utility players, or low-leverage relievers. Above the 50 OFP tier are the 55s and 60s. A 55 represents a future above-average player, and a 60 OFP designation is reserved for future All-Star caliber players.
In addition to the tool grades and OFP, we will also include a 'Risk' associated with each prospect. We use this to better communicate to you, the reader, whether a grade is more aggressive or conservative in nature. The evaluation team has worked painstakingly to apply both the grades and risk components to better illustrate how each individual prospect stacks up in their respective system and in the baseball ecosystem.
This year, we decided to accompany the scouting reports with dynasty commentary on each, as well as quick reference to the player's Top 500 fantasy prospect rank & top 1000 dynasty rank, PLIVE+ metrics and Jordan Rosenblum's peak projections. The PLIVE+ rank noted is the rank among hitters, starters or relievers.
Below you'll find the top 10 players in the system with full reports of the top 5. The full rankings and reports on all top 30 prospects per team will be available on our Patreon at the 55-tier ($5 level) as we publish them. If you're into fantasy baseball, this tier also gets you the dynasty show, the FYPD list, and the MiLB Daily Sheet during the regular season.
Top 10 Team Rank and First 5 Reports for Free Below
1. Josue De Paula, OF - 55 OFP
Age: 18 Highest Level: A
2023 Pre-season Rank: 21 OFP: 45
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 74
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 55 | 40 | 50 | 45 | Exteme |
Report De Paula is a guy that you notice as soon as he leaves the dugout. He is every bit of his height/weight listing, and when he puts on more weight as he matures it is going to be a large frame. He’s also pretty fluid in his movements, and even though his foot speed is not impressive, there’s still athleticism there. That fluidity transfers over to how he operates at the plate, where he is extremely smooth with the body/hands and has a beautiful swing from the left side. What makes De Paula a big-time prospect is his bat combined with the approach at the plate. He is extremely patient at the plate, and he knows the zone better than most 18-year-olds. The bat-to-ball skills are real, and the discipline he showed at his age in the Single-A level this season was very impressive. Combine his approach with the plus hit tool, and it’s hard to not be super high on the bat. He also has a body with real power projection and plenty of time to grow into it. Defensively, De Paula is super raw and a bit slow in the grass. I saw him misread multiple balls this year, the route running needs a ton of work, and the arm is a bit erratic. He’s young enough that I won’t call him a DH-only type, but if he puts on a bunch of weight he might end up as just that. Nevertheless, the advanced bat at the plate for a guy his age is extremely exciting, and he has a very bright future for the Dodgers. - Grant Carver
Fantasy Outlook As an 18-year-old who hasn’t played above A ball, De Paula is still a long way away but presents a package of tools for fantasy managers to dream on. He has an advanced plate approach, well beyond his years, with a plus hit tool and raw power that might be even better. The only real knock on his offensive profile is the fact that he projects to be a below average runner, so although he has stolen 30 total bases in his first two seasons as a pro, he likely won’t contribute more than a small handful on a yearly basis. The raw power De Paula possesses hasn’t shown up much in games yet, but it’s not difficult to see why with a near 50% ground ball rate. Look for the Dodgers to work their magic, improve his launch angle, and turn De Paula into a masher whose bat may be so good it doesn’t matter if he ends up as a DH long-term. - Kyle Sonntag
2. Diego Cartaya, C - 55 OFP
Age: 22 Highest Level: A+
2023 Pre-season Rank: 1 OFP: 60
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 190
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 60 | 60 | 70 | 30 | Mod |
Report Diego Cartaya stands out as one of the more refined catching prospects in the minor leagues, equipped with a frame capable of enduring the daily grind that comes with the catching position. He boasts a well-built physique with ample muscle mass, showcasing agility both behind the plate and on one knee. Notably, Cartaya exhibits polished receiving skills, particularly impressive given his age. His adeptness at framing borderline pitches as strikes is exceptional. With a powerful right arm, he possesses the capability to deter base runners. Additionally, he consistently positions himself well for relay throws and backs up plays at third or first base when required. His proficiency in blocking balls in the dirt further enhances his defensive prowess. As a hitter, Cartaya faced issues with in-zone whiffs during the recent season, particularly struggling against fastballs within the strike zone. Pitchers targeted him with elevated fastballs, exploiting his challenge in laying off such pitches. He prioritized power over contact this past season. Fortunately, Cartaya's exceptional defensive skills lower the bar offensively that he has to climb. When Cartaya makes contact, his plus-bat speed, natural swing loft, and strength enable him to send the ball out of any ballpark. Despite potentially below-average contact, his defensive excellence elevates his status, likely securing him as an above-average regular player, even if his offensive production is hovering around league average. - Rhys White
Fantasy Outlook Cartaya is going to make it to the Major Leagues thanks to his defensive prowess behind the plate. He has the prototypical batting profile for a catcher: mash first, ask questions later. Often selling out for power, Cartaya ran a 34% whiff rate at Double-A last year while hitting just .189. He did have 19 home runs in just over 400 plate appearances, and that’s where all of his fantasy relevance should come into play. He has a similar profile to Cal Raleigh and should be rostered in all but the shallowest dynasty leagues. -Ryan Epperson
3. Dalton Rushing, C - 50 OFP
Age: 23 Highest Level: AA
2023 Pre-season Rank: 7 OFP: 50
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 69
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 60 | 45 | 50 | 40 | High |
Report The Louisville catching factory churned out another one with Dalton Rushing following in the footsteps of organization mate Will Smith and his predecessor, Henry Davis. Rushing is a very physical specimen and is likely one of the stronger players in all the minor leagues. His muscular frame generates plus bat speed which is the foundation for his immense power. It’s plus-plus raw and plays to that level in games due to his elite-level plate discipline. He posts some of the best exit velocity numbers in the minors and his power and approach make for a solid offensive foundation. He showed some vulnerability with fastballs up in the zone last season and was consistently getting beat by velocity in the upper quadrants. For the first time in his professional career, he posted a sub-70% contact rate, with his 68% rate in High-A. Defensively he’s a below-average receiver but does have a strong enough arm to deter runners and generally makes accurate throws. He struggles at blocking and receiving pitches in the lower half of the zone. He also spent time on the IL twice for concussion-related issues. The first one was for the concussion and his second was for lingering symptoms. There’s a better than 50/50 chance Rushing settles in as a first baseman, but it's not a large concern as he will have the bat to handle the move. He looks like a high OBP and power option destined to hit in the middle of a big-league lineup. - Matt Thompson
Fantasy Outlook After being drafted, Rushing slashed .424/.539/.778 with 8 home runs in 28 games, and his stock soared. A bit of an elevated K-rate led to a dip in his average in 2023 as some holes in his swing started to be exposed. He still showed off his best offensive tools: power and plate discipline, by slugging 15 HR and walking 18.9% of the time at the A+ level. If he doesn’t stick behind the dish, ideally, he plays enough catcher to maintain eligibility while accumulating 600+ plate appearances as a first baseman. He has the makings of a potential beast in OBP and while his overall value may be slightly lower in batting average leagues, his power should make him a solid contributor regardless of format. - Kyle Sonntag
4. Thayron Liranzo, C - 50 OFP
Age: 20 Highest Level: A
2023 Pre-season Rank: Unranked
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 105
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 55 | 45 | 55 | 30 | High |
Report A relatively unknown prospect signed for $30K in 2021, since then Liranzo has become the next big Dodgers catching prospect. The switch-hitting power first bat has displayed a combination of patience and power that is easy to dream on. His raw power is already above average with an approach designed to pull the ball as often as he can. He has already produced some big exit velocity numbers and his in-game power can easily cross into plus range if he can lift the ball more consistently. While he has an aggressive mentality, he displays patience and maturity taking what pitchers give him and willing to draw a healthy amount of walks. However, his on-base skills are offset by his swing-and-miss with fringe average bat-to-ball skills. He is a well below-average runner and not expected to be a threat on the basepaths. His defensive skills are quite a bit behind his bat and is a below average fielder. However, he made good strides in his ability to block this past season offering optimism that he could work his way into a fringe average catcher. His arm is very strong and as he gains experience will become a true asset in controlling traffic on the base paths. Ultimately, this is a high risk slugger who may hit himself out from behind the plate. The transition may have begun as the Dodgers had him play roughly a fourth of his games at 1B last year. Regardless, he has the upside to bet on with some floor due to his ability to draw a walk. His aggressive mentality and raw power will be what determines his offensive ceiling, but improvements in bat-to-ball and where he lands defensively will determine how quickly he climbs the ladder. - Adam Kiel
Fantasy Outlook Liranzo has big raw power and a mature approach that balances his aggression at the plate nicely. The biggest improvement to put Liranzo over the top would be to make more consistent contact, ideally with a better launch angle. While his arm strength is bonkers, it feels more likely the Dodgers will move Liranzo from behind the plate to move him up the ladder faster. Liranzo had a silly .290 ISO and 24 home runs in A ball last year – that’ll play. Liranzo’s season landed him just outside our top 100 prospects (#105) in the February 2024 500, which is quite the leap from his unheralded start in affiliated ball. This is the kind of splashy bat that becomes a fantasy commodity quickly. – Drew Wheeler
5. Gavin Stone - 50 OFP
Age: 25 Highest Level: MLB
2023 Pre-season Rank: 3 OFP: 55
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 70
| Fastball | Cutter | Slider | Changeup | Command | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 45 | 50 | 60 | 50 | Mod |
Report 2023 saw the debut of Stone, a tall and slender righty with an interesting profile, and it did not go all that well. It was a small sample size and it’s very early, but Stone did struggle at the big league level and got hit harder than expected. His fastball has good movement out of his release point, but the overall profile or velocity does not jump out as all that impressive. His fastball got crushed in the big leagues, and it made him rely more on the changeup. His changeup is a plus pitch and he loves to throw it. This is the kind of changeup that drops off a cliff and he was running whiff rates in the 40’s with it, making it his best pitch and a legitimate out pitch. After that, his third pitch is mainly the slider, although he went away from it a bit in 2023 and he does not love to use it. He added a cutter last year, but it’s still a work in progress and it’s similar to his slider. He needs a third pitch with some breaking ball action on it so hitters cannot just sit on his fastball/changeup like they did last season. He still has all the makings of a good mid-rotation arm, but the repertoire needs to be tweaked to reach that peak. The Dodgers will likely do so and are counting on Stone to provide innings in 2024. - Grant Carver
Fantasy Outlook Gavin Stone and his arsenal both need a bit more adjustment. The fastball has a strong release point and movement, but the velocity is only ‘fine.’ Stone’s changeup is truly plus and draws lots of swing-and-miss, but Stone’s over-reliance on his main weapon led to batters sitting on it in favor of his fastball, which got hit hard. The solution, of course, is a third pitch of value – but Stone’s slider and cutter are scarcely used offerings at the moment which need more refinement. In other organizations, Stone may have lost all luster; the Dodgers, however, can make the best of their pitchers and Stone has many of the necessary ingredients for success. With his big-league debut behind him, Stone may benefit further from the Dodgers’ excellent pitching development and could be a strong late-round selection with upside. We’d recommend holding in dynasty leagues, as Stone ranked 70th in our February 2024 Top 500 Prospects. – Drew Wheeler
6. Andy Pages, OF - 50 OFP
Age: 23 Highest Level: AAA
2023 Pre-season Rank: 9 OFP: 50
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 101
7. Eduardo Quintero, C/OF - 50 OFP
Age: 18 Highest Level: DSL
2023 Pre-season Rank: Unranked
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 152
8. Kyle Hurt, RHP - 50 OFP
Age: 25 Highest Level: MLB
2023 Pre-season Rank: “Just Missed”
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 117
9. Nick Frasso, RHP - 50 OFP
Age: 25 Highest Level: AA
2023 Pre-season Rank: 10 OFP: 50
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 236
10. River Ryan, RHP - 45 OFP
Age: 25 Highest Level: AAA
2023 Pre-season Rank: 14 OFP: 45
Dynasty Prospect Rank: 169