At the beginning of the season ESPN’s Keith Law released his ranking of the best farm systems in baseball, listing the Los Angeles Dodgers second behind only the Atlanta Braves.
Much of that had to do with the organization’s top two prospects Corey Seager and Julio Urias, who have both seen time at the big league level this season. Seager has been with the Dodgers the entire year and is the favorite to win National League Rookie of the Year.
He no longer is classified as a prospect. The same goes for Urias as Baseball America no longer views him as a prospect due to service time already accrued. As a result, the publication moved Cody Bellinger to the top of the list in their midseason ranking of the Dodgers’ top prospects.
As for the Dodgers’ collective farm system ranking, Law dropped the club to fifth in his midseason update:
5. Los Angeles Dodgers
Top 50 prospects: Julio Urias, Alex Verdugo, Cody Bellinger
The Dodgers’ system remains loaded thanks to some big expenditures on the international market last cycle, some great holdover draft picks from the previous regime, and the current front office’s disinclination to trade prospects. They’re deep in potential starting pitchers as well as corner bats, but somewhat light up the middle other than just-drafted shortstop Gavin Lux, who is talented but a solid four to five years away from big league impact.
Aside from Bellinger and outfielder Alex Verdugo, the Dodgers’ top prospects are primarily pitchers including, Jose De Leon, Grant Holmes, Frankie Montas, Walker Buehler, Jharel Cotton and Yadier Alvarez.
Urias, who was recently used in another spot-start, is expected to again join the Dodgers once active rosters expand in September, if not sooner. De Leon presumably also will make the jump with his Oklahoma City teammate.
