Dodgers 2023 Roster Could Feature Some Minor League Stars
The future of some current Dodgers players still remains unknown such as if Clayton Kershaw will return and what jersey it will be in, whether or not the team will extend Trea Turner, or who will be welcomed to LA in the offseason.
But we do know one thing: the Dodgers have some big talent in their farm system as well.
Andrew Friedman, the team's President of Operations, met with the media last week to discuss the potential future of the team.
“We have a number of really talented minor-league players right now at the upper levels,” Friedman said. “And part of our focus this offseason will be, how many to look to integrate early in the year? How many of them will kind of serve as depth throughout the year, get some experience and then be part of the core going forward? All are things that we’re going to have to work through this offseason."
So who might he be referring to?
There is a high possibility that the Dodgers' No. 1 prospect, Diego Cartaya, will get his major league debut this season. Although the team will most likely return both of their catchers, Will Smith, and Austin Barnes, it would be good to have Carataya break into a few games here and there.
James Outman could see some more playing time in the outfield especially if the team decides to finally let Cody Bellinger go leaving only Joey Gallo, Chris Taylor, and Trayce Thompson in the outfield.
Outman surpassed all expectations this year both in his major league debut and during his time down in OKC as well. He hit for a .294 AVG and .978 OPS with 31 homers in the minor leagues. He also went 6-for-13 in the major leagues for .462 AVG.
Miguel Vargas, the Dodgers' No. 3 prospect, got his time to shine with the Dodgers and even made it onto the postseason roster. He appeared in 18 with the Dodgers over the 2022 season and could become more of a regular face if Justin Turner makes a move during his free agency.
Then, we have to consider the potential exit of Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Anderson, and Andrew Heaney who all head into free agency. This could make room for Bobby Miller, Gavin Stone, and some more action from Ryan Pepiot if they wanted to go that route.
Pepiot went 3-0 and appeared on the mound for the Dodgers 9 times this season. He posted a 3.47 ERA allowing 26 hits across his 36 innings of work while striking out 46. He
The goal is to bring up some younger guys into the mix, give them experience, and also test them since the major league level is a whole different type of beast.
Some players transition from the Triple AAA level to the Show with great success such as Miguel Vargas and James Outman while some never see the major league level ever again.
The 2023 Dodgers might look a lot different next year but at this point, we'll take whatever we can get after the results of this past season. Can the younger guys spark a new type of fire under the Dodgers?
