Despite the graduation of 2017 National League Rookie of the Year Cody Bellinger and departures of Jose De Leon and Willie Calhoun, the Los Angeles Dodgers still boast one of the league’s best farm systems.
Baseball Prospectus revealed its top-10 Dodgers prospect list for the 2018 season and unsurprisingly ranked Walker Buehler at the top. It’s the 23-year-old’s first such honor, taking the spot of Yadier Alvarez from last year’s rankings.
In his first full season back from Tommy John surgery, Buehler displayed his dominant arsenal over four different levels of play in 2017. He earned a September call-up with the Dodgers and struck out 12 batters in 9.1 innings — deploying a fastball that can reach triple digits while showing excellent command on his curveball.
Another publication in Baseball America also placed Buehler at the top of its rankings. The right-hander looks to earn a spot on the Major League roster in Spring Training and has the potential to start or relieve in the early going.
Following Buehler on Baseball Prospectus’ rankings is outfielder Alex Verdugo, who also made his debut for the Dodgers last September. The 21-year old struggled in 15 games at the Major League level but tore up the competition at Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he slashed .314/.389/.436 in 117 games.
Verdugo will challenge for a roster spot in Spring Training, but faces steep competition with an outfield rotation that already includes the likes of Joc Pederson, Yasiel Puig, Chris Taylor and Andrew Toles.
Rounding out Baseball Prospectus’ top-10 list is right-hander Alvarez (No. 3), catcher Keibert Ruiz, pitcher Dustin May, outfielder Yusniel Diaz, pitcher Mitchell White, outfielder Jeren Kendall, shortstop Gavin Lux and pitcher Jordan Sheffield.
Of the 10 prospects included on the 2018 list, Buehler and Verdugo are the only to have made their respective MLB debuts. The other eight prospects on the list look to join them as possible late-season call-ups in 2018.
