Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Although the best Dodger performance of the 2024 season was from the big league team, there were plenty of players who excelled in the farm system as well. Below are some of the best minor league performers in the Dodgers system from 2024.
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Here are the previous iterations of the team.
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2024 Dodgers Digest All-Prospect 1st Team
Catcher: Dalton Rushing, Double-A/Triple-A
.271/.384/.512, 26 HR, 85 RBI, 2 SB, 12.7% BB, 20.5% K, 142 wRC+
Rushing was the best player in the system this year, and he won the Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year Award accordingly. A catcher by trade, he finished the season playing left field in Triple-A. He is all but certain to make his debut in 2025 and is the top prospect in the system by most accounts.
First Base: Cameron Decker, Arizona Complex League/Single-A
.253/.371/.526, 16 HR, 67 RBI, 1 SB, 14.3% BB, 31.7% K, 131 wRC+
A former 18th rounder, Decker had a breakout season at the plate. He had one of the best individual games in minor league history, going 6-for-6 and driving in 10 runs on August 2nd. Decker has a compact but powerful right-handed swing that could make him an interesting bat-first prospect.
Second Base: Jordan Thompson, Single-A/High-A
.239/.337/.419, 13 HR, 58 RBI, 18 SB, 10.6% BB, 26.5% K, 110 wRC+
The LSU Tiger alum Thompson split the season between Rancho Cucamonga and Great Lakes while delivering a strong offensive performance. He contributed in other areas as well with a strong arm and solid glove as well as 18 stolen bases.
Third Base: Kody Hoese, Triple-A
.287/.361/.474, 17 HR, 79 RBI, 1 SB, 9.9% BB, 19.8% K, 108 wRC+
Hoese saw a bit of a career revival upon reaching the Pacific Coast League for the first time in 2024. In his age 27 season, the former 25th overall pick saw his best offensive performance since his professional debut in 2019.
Shortstop: Emil Morales, Dominican Summer League
.342/.478/.691, 14 HR, 46 RBI, 12 SB, 19.9% BB, 22.4% K, 194 wRC+
The crowned jewel of the Dodgers’ 2024 international class, Morales won the Dominican Summer League MVP award as he demolished every pitcher unfortunate enough to face him. A physical teenager with easy power to all fields, Morales will head stateside this year with the chance to become a true blue-chip prospect.
Outfield: Josue De Paula, Single-A/High-A
.268/.404/.405, 10 HR, 62 RBI, 27 SB, 17.5% BB, 19.8% K, 130 wRC+
De Paula made some good progression in 2024, starting to hit for power that more closely resembles his frame and natural strength. He is as talented as any hitter in the system and posted a 136 wRC+ as a teenager in High-A. His superb combination of strike zone knowledge and feel for the barrel give him a bright future.
Outfield: Ryan Ward, Triple-A
.265/.325/.558, 34 HR, 104 RBI, 11 SB, 8.1% BB, 26.8% K, 108 wRC+
Ward won the Pacific Coast League home run title but still did not receive his first big league call up. He went untaken in the Rule 5 Draft this winter, meaning he will continue to serve as organizational outfield depth. The former eighth rounder consistently makes the most of his raw power.
Outfield: Damon Keith, Double-A
.259/.340/.496, 16 HR, 38 RBI, 13 SB, 10.1% BB, 29.6% K, 136 wRC+
Although an injury on opening night limited Keith to 75 games, the 24-year-old still had a very good season. He has some of the best raw strength of any hitter in the organization and has posted exit velocities in the 117 mph range before. If he can manage the strikeouts, Keith could have an interesting future as a power-first bat.
Starting Pitcher 1: Jackson Ferris, High-A/Double-A
3.20 ERA, 3.30 FIP, 1.18 WHIP, .200 BAA, 27.4 K%, 10.8 BB%, 126.2 IP
In his first year in the organization, Ferris met and/or exceeded all expectations. The former second rounder reached Double-A at just 20 years old and posted a 2.54 ERA in his seven starts there. He has as bright a future as any pitcher in system and will have a lot of eyes on him in 2025.
Starting Pitcher 2: Justin Wrobleski, Double-A/Triple-A
3.76 ERA, 3.41 FIP, 1.28 WHIP, .249 BAA, 25.9 K%, 7.7 BB%, 95.2 IP
Wrobleski’s season didn’t finish as well as it started but it was still a good campaign. He ended up pitching in eight games for the Dodgers to get his feet wet in the majors. The former 11th rounder will look to get back to his command-oriented (but still high-whiff) style that brought him success early in the year.
Starting Pitcher 3: Jared Karros, High-A/Double-A
2.79 ERA, 2.98 FIP, 1.08 WHIP, .208 BAA, 27.7 K%, 8.2 BB%, 67.2 IP
Karros, the former UCLA Bruin, was in the midst of a very strong season when he was shut down in mid-June. He ended up returning for three starts at the end of the year, but his overall workload ended up far below the pace he was on. Karros brings a ton of extension paired with great command and stuff that is trending upward.
Starting Pitcher 4: Peter Heubeck, High-A
3.05 ERA, 3.64 FIP, 1.35 WHIP, .181 BAA, 29.9 K%, 16.6 BB%, 91.1 IP
Heubeck continued to be bit by his inconsistent command but was excellent in every other area. A 2021 draftee out of high school, he will look for his walk rate to catch up with his lofty strikeout numbers as he reaches Double-A in 2025. If it can’t, his quality fastball and hammer breaking ball should play in relief.
Starting Pitcher 5: Ben Casparius, Double-A/Triple-A
3.35 ERA, 3.91 FIP, 1.25 WHIP, .198 BAA, 28.0 K%, 12.2 BB%, 88.2 IP
Casparius ended up finishing the season on the championship pitching staff through the World Series, but he spent the majority of the season starting games in Triple-A. His athleticism as a former collegiate two-way player serves him on the mound, as does his double-plus slider. The 25-year-old should be a contributor in Los Angeles for years to come, potentially as a swingman type.
Relief Pitcher 1: Jack Dreyer, Double-A/Triple-A
2.20 ERA, 2.75 FIP, 0.99 WHIP, .209 BAA, 31.7 K%, 5.3 BB%, 57.1 IP
Dreyer was among the best minor league relievers in 2024, and his performance was enough to earn a 40-man roster spot come the winter. He will immediately factor into the big league bullpen mix. His daunting combination of strikeout stuff and command, plus the fact he throws left-handed (although he has reverse splits), figures to make him a valuable major league contributor heading into 2025.
Relief Pitcher 2: Jose Rodriguez, Single-A/High-A
3.38 ERA, 2.52 FIP, 1.16 WHIP, .210 BAA, 32.9 K%, 8.4 BB%, 90.2 IP
Rodriguez made it through the Rule 5 Draft after going unprotected despite a hugely encouraging season. The 23-year-old out of Oaxaca, Mexico served as a multi-inning reliever for the majority of the year. His 19.5% swinging strike rate was easily best among Dodger arms with at least 50 innings.
Relief Pitcher 3: Edgardo Henriquez, Single-A/High-A/Double-A/Triple-A
2.72 ERA, 2.74 FIP, 1.23 WHIP, .188 BAA, 38.9 K%, 12.8 BB%, 53.0 IP
One of the most meteoric rises across all of Minor League Baseball in 2024, Henriquez returned from elbow surgery and propelled himself from Single-A all the way to the majors. He consistently put himself on the radar by lighting up the radar, as the Venezuelan fireballer touched 104 mph on his way to the big leagues. Henriquez’s high-octane stuff should factor into the late-innings mix for the Dodgers moving forward.
Relief Pitcher 4: Garrett McDaniels, Single-A/High-A/Double-A
3.19 ERA, 3.42 FIP, 1.27 WHIP, .227 BAA, 26.7 K%, 9.2 BB%, 73.1 IP
An undrafted free agent in 2022, McDaniels began the season as a starter in Single-A. Everything changed when he was promoted to High-A and moved to the bullpen at the end of June: From that point on, he posted a 34% strikeout rate, 5% walk rate and 1.57 FIP. McDaniels’ ascent was impressive enough that he was selected by the Angels in the Rule 5 Draft this winter.
Relief Pitcher 5: Sauryn Lao, Double-A/Triple-A
3.74 ERA, 3.40 FIP, 1.38 WHIP, .254 BAA, 23.7 K%, 9.2 BB%, 53.0 IP
Lao has made his arm talent apparent since transitioning to the mound in 2023. The 25-year-old was an infielder in the Dodger system for seven years before that, but he quickly reached Triple-A this season just over a year into his new role. Lao was left off the 40-man roster this offseason and elected free agency; he has since signed a minor league deal with Seattle.
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2024 Dodgers Digest All-Prospect 2nd Team
| Name | Position |
| Hunter Feduccia | C |
| Andre Lipcius | 1B |
| Austin Gauthier | 2B |
| Brendon Davis | 3B |
| Alex Freeland | SS |
| Zyhir Hope | OF |
| James Outman | OF |
| Chris Newell | OF |
| Chris Campos | SP 6 |
| Carlos Duran | SP 7 |
| Alec Gamboa | SP 8 |
| Patrick Copen | SP 9 |
| Wyatt Crowell | SP 10 |
| Lucas Wepf | RP 6 |
| Michael Martinez | RP 7 |
| Brandon Neeck | RP 8 |
| Christian Suarez | RP 9 |
| Jack Little | RP 10 |
Notes about the second team:
- Feduccia had another quality season, posting a 117 wRC+ in Triple-A and making his MLB debut.
- Freeland climbed three levels, posting a 132 wRC+ while stealing 31 bases and flashing the leather at shortstop.
- Hope had an abbreviated season due to injury, but he posted a .905 OPS in Single-A before playing solid in the Arizona Fall League despite being more than three years younger than league average.
- Outman was constantly on the shuttle from OKC to LA, but he put up a .933 OPS during his time in the minors.
- Newell cooled off as the season went on but still finished with 25 homers and 31 stolen bases.
- Campos was one of only four Dodger minor leaguers to surpass 110 innings pitched.
- Duran made his return from elbow surgery and posted a 29% strikeout rate while climbing three levels.
- Crowell posted a 31% strikeout rate in his first professional action.
- Wepf had mixed batted ball results but had a 35% strikeout rate and is a relief name to watch heading into his third year in the system.
- Martinez elected free agency after posting a 1.91 ERA and 3.46 FIP.
- Neeck, a southpaw, posted a 2.85 ERA and 18.3 K-BB% in a strong campaign.
- Little made it through the Rule 5 Draft and could help the big league team in relief this year.
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To another year of Dodger successes.
