Over the past few seasons the Los Angeles Dodgers decided against trading the likes of Joc Pederson, Corey Seager and Julio Urias, no matter how enticing adding the likes of Cole Hamels or David Price may have been.
The strategy has paid dividends, with Pederson anchoring center field, Seager becoming the unanimous 2016 National League Rookie of the Year, and Urias being well on his way to entrenching himself in the rotation. Beyond the trio is another wave of prospects, headlined by Cody Bellinger.
He’s joined by pitchers Yadier Alvarez, Walker Buehler and Jose De Leon, and outfielder Alex Verdugo. Naturally, Bellinger has drawn plenty of trade interest, but the Dodgers have remained adamant in that not being a starting point.
According to Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball, clubs believe Los Angeles is being frugal with including prospects in trade talks:
It’s no surprise that some suggest the Dodgers are being “stingy” with their top prospects in talks for veteran players, as LA values their top minor leaguers high.
That being said, De Leon does appear to be on the table as a centerpiece in a trade package for Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier. That in part is due to the Dodgers’ willingness to trade De Leon as opposed to Alvarez and Buehler.
The Twins were said to have interest in Brock Stewart, and the Dodgers do have a bevy of options to trade, beyond the aforementioned prospects.
Although they don’t appear to be as insistent on it, there hasn’t been any indication the Dodgers are open to moving Verdugo, their second-round selection in the 2014 Draft. And Urias presumably remains off-limits.
The Dodgers’ approach has led to their farm system again becoming one of the best in baseball, all the while fielding a Major League roster that’s won four consecutive NL West titles.
