The Los Angeles Dodgers have one of the top Minor League systems in baseball that is headlined by Diego Cartaya, who is among the top catching prospects overall.
In MLB Pipeline’s 2022 Midseason Top 100 update, Cartaya was ranked as the No. 9 overall prospect in baseball after seeing time with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and High-A Great Lakes this season. The backstop posted a .254/.389/.503 slash line with 22 home runs, 72 RBI and 74 runs scored in 95 games.
After his successful season, Cartaya has already begun to prepare for the 2023 season and posted a workout video to his Instagram while training with Hector Alvarez, a catching coach within the New York Mets organization.
Cartaya was one of three Dodgers representatives in the 2022 Futures Game at Dodger Stadium, along with Bobby Miller and Miguel Vargas.
The 21-year-old is praised for his advanced baseball IQ despite his young age, and he has quickly risen through the prospect rankings since he first signed with the Dodgers in 2018, when he was regarded as the No. 1 international prospect.
He has often received comparisons to Kansas City Royals’ All-Star catcher Salvador Pérez for his big frame, raw power and defensive ability.
Although he could make his debut during the mid-to-late-2023 season, it is more likely he debuts in 2024. With Will Smith and Austin Barnes both under contact through 2025, the Dodgers won’t have to worry about the catcher position for years to come.
Diego Cartaya won 2022 Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year Award
The Dodgers named Cartaya their 2022 Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year. The honor is a culmination of consistent performance through multiple levels of the Dodgers Minor League system and it is the first time he has received the award.
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