The defending World Champions have stockpiled premium talent on their MLB roster and farm system. As if no financial restrictions weren’t enough, the Dodgers also have the luxury of dipping into a talent-laden pool to fill internal needs if they cannot find them on the free-agent market. With such a vast portfolio of resources, the Dodgers are here to stay atop the MLB landscape.
This article is part of a series focusing on each MLB team’s top 20 prospects for fantasy baseball heading into the 2025 season. Stay tuned for prospect breakdowns for all 30 teams throughout January here at Pitcher List, and be sure to check out all our published pieces in the series.
Top Dodgers Prospects
The Top Tier
1) Dalton Rushing, C/OF
2024 Stats (AA, AAA): .271 AVG | .385 OBP | .512 SLG | 26 HR | 2 SB | 20.5 K% | 12.9 BB%
Rushing ascended to the top of the heap in a very deep and talented Dodgers system. The 23-year-old part-time catcher and outfielder is turning heads after a monster 2024 season split between Double and Triple-A. In 114 games, Rushing slashed .271/.384/.512 with 26 homers, 21 doubles, 85 RBIs, and a 144 wRC+. Things weren’t always easy for Rushing after serving as a backup to Henry Davis at Louisville and playing sporadically until his junior season. Now that he’s come into his own, Rushing is looking to do what Davis hasn’t: become a big league-level star.
Offensively, Rushing is a dangerous hitter. While his power has always been present, his home run production jumped significantly this season. Rushing posted an average exit velocity of over 90mph and a 105mph 90th percentile. His launch angle has improved this season, cutting his ground-ball rate below 40% while boosting his line drives and fly balls. Adding that extra lift resulted in an 11-homer jump year over year, and Rushing looks more like a 25+ homer bat versus the 15+ bat entering 2024.
2) Josue de Paula, OF
2024 Stats (A, A+): .268 AVG | .404 OBP | .405 SLG | 10 HR | 27 SB | 19.8 K% | 17.7 BB%
De Paula, a very athletic 6’3″ outfielder, would likely be the top prospect in most other organizations. Instead, the 19-year-old ranks second with the Dodgers but is still a clear Top-30 prospect overall. De Paula just finished his second season in the US after a brief stop in the DSL. In 2024, he hit .268 with ten homers, 17 doubles, and 27 steals, playing between Low and High-A.
Even with his size, De Paula is a terrific athlete, capable of hitting 30 homers and stealing 30 bags. His passivity at the plate has led to an inflated strikeout rate, which still sits at around 20%. De Paula has shown plus power for his age, and as long as his contact rate hovers around 80%, he will tap into it more in-game. The next challenge for De Paula will be to attack pitching at the higher levels, something that he’s set to do at Double-A in 2025.
3) Zyhir Hope, OF
2024 Stats (ROOKIE, A): .290 AVG | .419 OBP | .484 SLG | 9 HR | 9 SB | 22.8 K% | 15.1 BB%
2024 Stats (AFL): .228 AVG | .301 OBP | .446 SLG | 5 HR | 2 SB | 24.2 K% | 7.8 BB%
That’s Hope with an ‘O’, not a ‘Y.’ Lousy dad jokes aside, Hope has some of the most considerable hype in the prospect world. He flew under the radar until the Cubs traded him to LA as part of the Michael Busch deal. Following the offseason trade, Hope came out guns blazing this spring, slashing .282/.378/.521 with three homers and 20 hits in his first 18 games at Class A. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury limited him to 61 games total in 2024, but Hope still had nine homers and steals with 16 doubles en route to a 144 wRC+. In addition, Hope mashed five homers in 23 games in the Arizona Fall League.
Hope’s profile has a ton of power, and he’s flashed it in-game. He hit several balls over 110 mph in the AFL and has outstanding batted-ball metrics for his age. Hope is also super athletic, and although his surface stats aren’t reflective, he’s got 70-grade speed and will cause havoc on the bases. If he can stay healthy, Hope could be a Top 15 overall prospect by the end of 2025.
4) Emil Morales, SS
2024 Stats (DSL): .342 AVG | .478 OBP | .691 SLG | 14 HR | 12 SB | 22.4 K% | 19.9 BB%
The Dodgers have such a talented crop of minor league shortstops that it’s hard to decipher which is the best. For me, it’s now 18-year-old Emil Morales, a Spanish-born infielder who annihilated pitching in the DSL this summer. It’s always hard to project just how meaningful dominating the DSL actually is, but Morales was head and shoulders above the rest. In 46 games, he slashed .342/.478/.691 with 14 homers, 11 doubles, and 12 steals. His performance produced a 194 wRC+, and Morales did all of it as a 17-year-old. As with most players in the DSL, he drew a high walk rate of over 19%, which helped boost his OBP to nearly .500.
Morales is a wiry 6’3″, 190 lbs., with room to grow into his frame. He is a sneaky-good athlete who moves well and is an above-average defender. As he grows, he may need to move to the corner as a third baseman. His plate approach is advanced, and although he’s already reached some in-game power, more will surely come as he develops physically. There are some preliminary concerns about contact rates, but Morales has the tools to become a #1 overall prospect if he cleans that up.
5) Joendry Vargas, SS
2024 Stats (ROOKIE): .303 AVG | .406 OBP | .493 SLG | 4 HR | 11 SB | 22.8 K% | 12.3 BB%
Young, projectible, shortstops. The Dodgers have a type, and Vargas fits the bill. The 6’4″ Dominican-born middle infielder was one of the top prizes in the 2023 international class and has performed well since joining their organization. As a 17-year-old, Vargas shined in the DSL, hitting .328 with seven homers, 12 doubles, and 19 steals. He followed that effort with a solid season at the Arizona Complex League in 2024. In 38 games, he posted a .303 average with four homers and 11 steals.
Vargas has shown flashes of power and speed, although the present outcomes do not reflect future values. He should add mass to his body to generate more power, but it will likely slow down his running game. If everything comes to fruition, Vargas should be a 20-homer bat with 10-15 steals annually. His athleticism and defensive ability may keep him at shortstop in the long term, but it’s always possible he will move off the position as he grows.
6) Alex Freeland, SS
2024 Stats (A+, AA, AAA): .260 AVG | .387 OBP | .442 SLG | 18 HR | 31 SB | 21.6 K% | 14.8 BB%
Alex Freeland came on to close out 2023 and kept his momentum going with a strong 2024 performance, putting him on the verge of the major leagues. The 23-year-old from UCF played 136 games across three levels, eventually reaching Triple-A, where he played in 39 games. Freeland slashed .260/.387/.442 with 18 homers, 32 doubles, and 31 doubles, good for a 132 wRC+. Freeland is a switch-hitter but showed much better results against right-handed pitchers and will likely stay on the left side of the plate moving forward.
Freeland took his most significant step in the power department, doubling his power output despite playing against better competition. His batted ball data was impressive, with a 91mph average EV and 103.9 mph 90th percentile. Freeland rarely expands the zone and makes solid contact, including an overall rate of 80% and an in-zone rate of 86.8%. Given Freeland’s offensive and defensive abilities, he represents an upgrade over the current MLB-level shortstop for the Dodgers. Hopefully, Freeland can show off his talents this season in the bigs.
7) Eduardo Quintero, OF
2024 Stats (ROOKIE, A): .285 AVG | .419 OBP | .394 SLG | 3 HR | 32 SB | 19.4 K% | 17.1 BB%
Quintero is a former catcher turned centerfielder who has dazzled with his outstanding speed and athleticism. After a strong showing in the DSL in 2023, Quintero performed well across two levels stateside in 2024. In 83 games, he hit .285 with 19 extra-base hits (3 HR) and 32 steals. Quintero also managed a similar walk and strikeout rate (17.1% walk rate to 19.4% strikeout rate).
Much like Morales, Quintero has a slight build on his 6’0″ frame. His speed is terrific, and even with added size, he should be a 20+ steal contributor at the next level. The big question with Quintero is how his power will develop. He’s not realizing much in-game and appears to be hit-over-power in the long term. Although he was lifting the ball more in the DSL, he posted a 54% groundball rate at High-A, which will further limit his potential.
Prospects Every Dynasty Manager Should Know
8) Jackson Ferris, SP
2024 Stats (A+, AA): 126.2 IP | 145 K | 27.4 K% | 10.8 BB%
Ferris is a 6’4″ left-handed pitcher the Dodgers acquired with Zyhir Hope in the Michael Busch trade. Ferris has electric stuff and has posted strikeout rates well over 25% in his first two seasons in the pros. The problem is his command, which gets a little wonky and limits his potential.
9) River Ryan, SP
2024 Stats (ROOKIE, A, AAA): 24. 1 IP | 32 K | 33.7 K% | 8.4 BB%
2024 Stats (MLB): 20.1 IP | 18 K | 22.2 K% | 11.1 BB%
Ryan is currently recovering from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in July 2024. At his best, Ryan has a true four-pitch mix headlined by a four-seam fastball in the upper 90s. Ryan debuted last season, posting a 1.33 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings for the Dodgers.
10) Kellon Lindsey, SS
2024 Stats (DNP)
The Dodgers used their first-round pick in 2024 on Lindsey, a prep shortstop likely headed to the outfield long term. Lindsey has elite speed, earning an 80 grade from MLB Pipeline, and has drawn early comps to Trea Turner. Lindsey did not debut following the draft but should spend most of his 2025 season at the Complex level.
11) Justin Wrobleski, SP
2024 Stats (AA, AAA): 95.2 IP | 104 K | 25.9 K% | 7.7 BB%
2024 Stats (MLB): 36.1 IP | 26 K | 16.9 K% | 10.4 BB%
Wrobleski is the complete opposite of Ferris and Ryan in that his arsenal relies on deception and movement to get hitters out versus a traditional power arm. His MLB debut did not go well (5.70 ERA in 36 1/3 innings), but Wrobleski has a history of success in the minors and has a deep arsenal that can get hitters out. He should be among the first call-ups if the Dodgers need a spot start.
12) Kendall George, OF
2024 Stats (A): .279 AVG | .384 OBP | .328 SLG | 1 HR | 36 SB | 20.5 K% | 14.1 BB%
George was a highly-regarded prep bat in the 2023 draft class and earned a first-round selection by the Dodgers. In his debut season, George hit .279 with 36 steals and a .384 OBP. He is another player with 80-grade speed, and he’ll need it based on the limited power in his profile.
13) Hyun-Seok Jang, SP
2024 Stats (ROOKIE, A): 36.2 IP | 68 K | 41.0 K% | 16.3 BB%
Jang was a prep star in Korea before coming stateside to join the Dodgers as an international free agent. The right-handed hurler has a mid-90s fastball with a power slider and curve. In his pro debut, Jang struck out 68 batters in 36 2/3 innings, although he did issue 27 free passes (16.3% walk rate). If Jang can command his arsenal, his strikeout potential is enormous.
14) Nick Frasso, SP
2024 Stats (DNP- Labrum surgery)
Frasso missed all of 2024 after surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. When we last saw him, he tossed 93 innings between two levels in 2023. His lengthy injury history is concerning, but he has legitimate mid-rotation stuff and outstanding command when he’s healthy.
15) Edgardo Henriquez, SP
2024 Stats (A, A+, AA, AAA): 53 IP | 88K | 38.9 K% | 12.8 BB%
2024 Stats (MLB): 8.1 IP | 8K | 20.0 K% | 12.5 BB%
Henriquez has a power arm, headlined by a triple-digit heater and a disgusting slider. Henriquez made a brief MLB debut last season, including five postseason innings. He’s posted some gaudy strikeout numbers in the minors and has a future as a high-leverage bullpen arm if he can limit his walks.
The Final Five
Although these prospects do not crack the top 15, dynasty managers should keep their eye on these five players:
16) Maddux Bruns, SP
Bruns is a 2021 1st-rounder but has yet to climb above High-A. Bruns missed most of 2024 with an injury but has a 29.2% career strikeout rate in 174 2/3 minor league innings.
17) Kyle Hurt, SP
Hurt’s surname matches his injury status as the 26-year-old is recovering from Tommy John surgery. His 36.3% strikeout rate in the minors shows incredible upside, but we’ve got to see how he bounces back from TJ.
18) Patrick Copen, SP
Copen is a 6’6″ right-hander with a 70-grade fastball but a 40-grade command. His arsenal has enormous upside, but 5.29 walks per nine isn’t going to get it done for long.
19) Chase Harlan, 3B
The Dodgers’ third-round pick in 2024 was a promising prep bat from Pennsylvania. Harlan has a strong 6’3″ frame and easy raw power, but he will need refinement in his swing as a pro.
20) Mike Sorota, OF
The Dodgers acquired Sorota earlier this offseason from the Reds in the Gavin Lux trade. Sirota has enticing skills but struggled to consistently produce on the collegiate level. If the Dodgers can stabilize his performance, he has a ton of offensive potential.
It’s Sirota, not Sorota. Otherwise, it’s a good read.