Dodgers prospect rankings, breakout picks & 80-grade tools
Today at 10:24 AM
A look back to 2024 performance, plus searching for 2025 risers and those with standout traits
Let's head into the weekend with a trio of articles about various Dodgers prospects.
First up, Bruce Kuntz at Dodgers Digest unveiled his 2024 all-prospect first and second team, with details on each player.
Pitcher Eriq Swan, drafted by the Dodgers in the fourth round in 2023, showed up in the top 10 prospects in the organization as deemed by Baseball Prospectus this week, ranked eighth. He's rated the 14th-best prospect in the system by Baseball America, and was tabbed there as one of a trio of potential Dodgers breakout prospects in 2025.
"The changeup is firm and gets up to 91 mph, though it produced solid results in the AFL and could be an average offering in time," Josh Norris wrote. "The next step for the former high school shortstop is to throw more frequent, higher-quality strikes. He has a shorter arm action and moved to a stretch-only delivery in an effort to achieve those goals."
Other potential Dodgers breakouts from Baseball America are a pair of 2024 draft picks — sixth-round pitcher Brooks Auger and eighth-round outfielder Brendan Tunink — both of whom will make their professional debuts this year.
A total of 13 prospects in the Baseball America Prospect Handbook (which profiles 900 players) had a scouting grade of 80 on the 20-80 scale in at least one tool. Three are Dodgers.
Two Dodgers have 80 speed, according to BA, and they were the team's first pick in the last two drafts — 2023 selection Kendall George, an outfielder; and shortstop Kellon Lindsey, the team's 2024 first-rounder.
The other Dodgers prospect with 80-grade tool, was right-hander Reynaldo Yean, who topped 104 mph with Low-A Rancho Cucamonga last season. From Norris at BA:
Yean's velocity is unmatched among minor leaguers. He was only non-debuted pitcher whose fastball was thrown more than 100 mph on average. His max velocity of 104.6 was also tops in the minors . Couple the velocity with an average of 19.7 inches of induced vertical break and you have a forecast of elite heat.
