Here are the Dodgers' 2019 Top 30 Prospects
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Since MLB Pipeline began ranking baseball's best farm systems in the spring of 2015, the Dodgers are the only organization to appear on all nine of our twice-a-year top 10 lists.
During that time, they've promoted two Rookies of the Year (Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager), four All-Stars (Bellinger, Joc Pederson, Seager, Ross Stripling), a pair of potential aces (Walker Buehler, Julio Urias) and several others to Los Angeles. They've also generated plenty of trade ammunition to swing deals for Yu Darvish, Logan Forsythe, Rich Hill, Manny Machado, Josh Reddick, Chris Taylor and more.
Even with all of those graduations and departures, the Dodgers have more talent coming. No. 7 in our 2019 rankings, they can expect big league contributions this year from outfielder Alex Verdugo, right-handers Tony Gonsolin and Dennis Santana, and catcher Will Smith if needed. Next season, catcher Keibert Ruiz, righty Dustin May and middle infielder Gavin Lux -- all Top 100 Prospects, along with Verdugo -- could be ready.
Here's a look at the Dodgers' top prospects:
1) Alex Verdugo, OF
2) Keibert Ruiz, C
3) Dustin May, RHP
4) Gavin Lux, SS/2B
5) Tony Gonsolin, RHP
Biggest jump/fall
Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the 2018 preseason list to the 2019 preseason list.
Jump: Tony Gonsolin, RHP (2018: 24 | 2019: 5) -- Maintained swing-and-miss stuff while transitioning from reliever to starter; splitter is a legitimate out pitch.
Fall: Starling Heredia, OF (2018: 17 | 2019: NR) -- Can't get to his massive raw power because he doesn't make enough contact.
MLB's Top 10 farm systems
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1. | San Diego Padres |
| 2. | Tampa Bay Rays |
| 3. | Atlanta Braves |
| 4. | Chicago White Sox |
| 5. | Toronto Blue Jays |
| 6. | Houston Astros |
| 7. | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 8. | Minnesota Twins |
| 9. | Cincinnati Reds |
| 10. | Detroit Tigers |
| Preseason: 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
| Midseason: 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
Best tools
Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average. Players in parentheses have the same grade.
Hit: 65 -- Alex Verdugo
Power: 60 -- D.J. Peters
Run: 70 -- Jeren Kendall
Arm: 70 -- Alex Verdugo
Defense: 60 -- Will Smith (Jeren Kendall)
Fastball: 70 -- Marshall Kasowski (Yadier Alvarez, Zach Willeman)
Curveball: 60 -- Tony Gonsolin (Dustin May, Zach Willeman)
Slider: 60 -- Mitchell White (Yadier Alvarez, Michael Grove, Zach Willleman)
Changeup: 55 -- Robinson Ortiz (John Rooney)
Control: 55 -- Dustin May (John Rooney)
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How they were built
Draft: 17 | International: 11 | Trade: 2
Breakdown by ETA
2019: 9 | 2020: 8 | 2021: 7 | 2022: 5 | 2023: 1
Breakdown by position
C: 4 | 1B: 1 | 2B: 1 | 3B: 3 | SS: 4 | OF: 3 | RHP: 12 | LHP: 2