Despite recent trades and graduations, the Los Angeles Dodgers remain flush in Minor League talent and potential. To no surprise, MLB Pipeline recently ranked the club’s farm system as the 10th-best in all of baseball.
In 2017, the Dodgers’ farm system placed No. 6 in the publication’s annual list. The drop can be explained by the promotion of Cody Bellinger to the Major League club, and the trade of Willie Calhoun to the Texas Rangers last July.
The Dodgers are the only team in the league to receive top-10 recognition in each of MLB Pipeline’s previous seven rankings. That dates back to the 2015 preseason, during president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman’s and general manager Farhan Zaidi’s first full year at the helm.
During the past offseason, Baseball America rated Los Angeles’ farm system among the league’s top 10 at No. 8. ESPN’s Keith Law shared similar praise and additionally placed the Dodgers in his top-10 rankings.
Walker Buehler is widely viewed as the consensus top prospect in the Dodgers’ organization. He’s expected to impact the Major League club during the second half of the season — just in time for the stretch run and likely push toward the postseason. Buehler is projected to throw upwards of 150 innings this year.
Furthermore, outfielder Alex Verdugo is seen as the team’s best positional prospect, while catcher Keibert Ruiz experienced a huge jump in the rankings after a breakout campaign in 2017.
While it was a relatively quiet offseason for Los Angeles, the organization still added to its impressive group of prospects in the form of utility man Jake Peter. Acquired in a three-team trade from the Chicago White Sox, the 24-year-old has already impressed with his bat during Cactus League play.
