With the 2023 World Baseball Classic beginning this week, clubs around Major League Baseball will be without some of their stars, but that will open the door for younger players to make their mark.
That is no different for the Los Angeles Dodgers as they are set to lose some of their best players for the international tournament. Among them are Will Smith, who joined Team USA, and Austin Barnes, who is playing for Team Mexico, which leaves the Dodgers short their top two catchers for Spring Training.
Without them in camp, however, that will allow top prospect Diego Cartaya to make an impact in Cactus League play, and some of their organizational depth pieces can attempt to prove they’re more than Minor Leaguers.
“Just look at it right now, I see Diego catching every other day on the back half of games,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently said. “We’ll get [Hunter Feduccia] starting some games, (Patrick) Mazeika will start some games, but we’ll have (David) Freitas and Cartaya (primarily) for the backend of games.
“It’s an opportunity that Diego normally wouldn’t have.”
Along with being the Dodgers’ top prospect, Cartaya is one of the highest-regarded players at the Minor League level. He split last season between Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and High-A Great Lakes, batting a combined .254/.389/.503 with 22 doubles, 22 home runs and 72 RBI over 95 games.
Cartaya is expected to begin the season with Double-A Tulsa, but if he impresses in Spring Training, could force himself into the conversation to be called up at some point during the 2023 season, especially considering the is already on the 40-man roster.
Still, it’s more likely Cartaya makes his MLB debut in 2024 and has a larger impact in 2025. With Smith and Barnes behind the plate through the 2025 season, the Dodgers have no reason to rush Cartaya.
Diego Cartaya trained at Dodger Stadium during offseason
Cartaya was among the players who spent time working out at Dodger Stadium during the offseason to prepare for his 2023 season.
The 21-year-old previously participated in the 2022 MLB All-Star Futures Game at Dodger Stadium last season and was named the 2022 Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year by the Dodgers.
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