The Dodgers Farm System

MLB Network Top 10 Third Basemen (2026) Rank Player Team 2025 Rank 1 José Ramírez Cleveland Guardians 1 2 Max Muncy Los Angeles Dodgers 8 3 Alex Bregman Chicago Cubs 3 4 Matt Chapman San Francisco Giants 6 5 Manny Machado San Diego Padres 4 6 Junior Caminero Tampa Bay Rays NR 7 Bo Bichette New York Mets NR 8 Isaac Paredes Houston Astros 9 9 Eugenio Suárez Cincinnati Reds 10 10 Austin Riley Atlanta Braves 5

Mookie Betts Wants to Play Shortstop For Dodgers Until He Retires “Betts, as always has lofty ambitions for the 2026 season and beyond. While he was a Gold Glove finalist in his first full season as the Dodgers shortstop, he told reporters that he wants to play the position for the remainder of his career. “I’m a hundred percent sure I’ll be able to. I keep my body in really good shape, and so, at that age, you know, the argument is, ‘Yeah, you’ll slow down’ or whatever, but nah, I’ll be fine,” Betts said at DodgerFest Saturday. “I work out and do everything it takes to be successful to be able to move. And I understand that’s what I got, you know? I have to be able to move and stay agile. I’ll be able to play.”

Tigers, Framber Valdez Agree To Three-Year Deal “The Tigers land the offseason’s top remaining free agent, reportedly agreeing to a three-year deal with Framber Valdez that guarantees $115MM. The deal, which is pending a physical, allows the star left-hander to opt out after the second season. It contains a $20MM signing bonus and an unspecified amount of deferred money. Valdez is represented by Octagon”.

ESPN’s top ten: 1. Josue De Paula, LF 2. Eduardo Quintero, CF 3. Zyhir Hope, RF 4. Mike Sirota, CF 5. Emil Morales, SS 6. Alex Freeland, SS 7. Zach Ehrhard, RF 8. River Ryan, RHP 9. Jackson Ferris, LHP 10. James Tibbs III, RF https://youtu.be/ui8kUKuLBaU

Weird I love Max but

Sox sign lame-o IKF

I think people forget how good Gavin Stone was. I sure hope the Dodgers don’t trade away River Ryan.

Very strange… I think Max might deserve to be 9th on this list, because Suarez will be DHing.

They’ll be discussed in the trade talks for Skubal. Seriously, I think the Tigers’ decision to sign Framber is a quiet acknowledgment that they’ll have to deal Skubal. IThey’ll save a few hundred million by flipping Skubal for for Sheehan/Stone/Ryan plus a top OF prospect,

Just a few months ago, some wonky baseball rag was proclaiming that the Dodgers had the VERY BEST farm system, and others rated it highly. All very subjective, of course. But a “Top Five” system seemed about right to me. And now Baseball America is ranking at No. 13? This makes as much sense as Max being rated as the game’s second-best third baseman.

AF would NEVER trade three controllable pitchers for Skubal especially with a lockout that is immerit and the future of a salary cap that will be discussed along with higher team spending penalties.

Prospects are only Suspects until they perform at the Major League level. Lists are basically meaningless.

Well I’m not sure Max is #2! But if he’s in the top 10, that’s a big deal! If he’s stays healthy he could have a very good season. He’s playing for another contract so look for Max to be ready to play! Austin Riley #10? That’s a little strange also. Behind Bichette and Suarez? I would take him in a heartbeat after Max leaves. With all the praise River Ryan is receiving, I don’t think he’s a trade candidate! Sheehan? Probably. Stone? Possibly if it was for Skubal. I agree that it looks like the Tigers are preparing to trade him with the Valdez signing. I seem to recall that the Dodgers would only trade for him if he signed a contract extension. Could get very interesting! Speaking of 3rd basemen, Jose Ramirez has always been on my wishlist! Top 5 player who just plays the game the right way! Looks like he’s a Cleveland guy for life. So Preller has gutted the friars farm system. How much longer does he stay in his job? Maybe he has to trade Tatis to try and start restocking the farm. Or maybe someone else will be given the opportunity to do that? Poor Colorado! Maybe they are the Cowboys of baseball. Won’t win nothing till they change ownership! Really thought Baltimore would sign Valdez. Nice additions early, but not enough pitching depth to compete for the division. Just enough to make the fans feel better. Same thing in Pittsburgh. Read they had an offer for Valdez. Again, close but no cigar. Finally. We have some awesome pitchers in the game today! But this week with the passing of Mickey Lolich, we lost another “horse “ from the past. The Sandy K’s, the Drysdale’s, the Gibson’s, the Carlton’s, Denny McClain, Jim Palmer, and later on Randy Johnson, Roy Haladay, Mike Mussina, and on and on. Guys who took the mound to not only beat the other team, pitch as long as they could, and have to be drug off the mound. 6 innings is now a great start for pitchers. It’s never going to be the same again. But it does make me smile when once in a while”vida blue” moment someone pitches a complete game. I’m sorry to say now, I loved watching Roger Clemens pitch as much as anyone who ever took the mound! Sorta like Bonds. He was a hall of famer before whatever he didn’t do that he probably did do! Yamamoto gave us some of the old days in the World Series this past season! It still happens every blue moon!

Cool We dont really have a top SS prospect so I see no problem. Morales probably to 3b. Vargas moves too. Lindsey is a long way off. Freeland utility or 3b.

They won’t. I’m happy they didnt sign a SP Show faith in young guys

Agree and i love BA

True, it was great for fans. I did love it personally, but look at what it did to them physically. The pitching motion is unnatural. Sandy’s arm would literally double in size the morning after a game. I miss the complete games but I wouldn’t go back for the sake of the pitchers themselves. Even if we did not care about the layer, “enlightened self interest” says protect your investment. On another note: do we have games in 2027? The more I read about it the more I think not.

I am not a believer in Lindsey.

Or, maybe they’re all in to win THIS year.

There are three things that literally “KILLED” pitchers’ arms: 1. LOWERING THE MOUND: This created a need for pitchers to make up for the velo lost from a higher level. 2. MAX EFORT THROWING: I mean, throwing your hardest on every pitch is debilitating. 3. SPIN RATE: Contorting your arm in order to do that is unnatural. On games in 2027: The only thing that gives me hope is that this is money neither the owners nor the players will get back.

So, I did a little ChatGPT on the Prospect Rankings. I don’t think it will all format corectly, but here goes: Here’s why Baseball America currently slots the Los Angeles Dodgers’ farm system around #13 while other outlets like ESPN, MLB Pipeline, The Athletic (Keith Law) rate it significantly higher — and where Keith Law specifically has them: 1. Why Baseball America’s Ranking is Lower Baseball America (BA) uses its own methodology to rank farm systems, and in 2026 their preseason organizational ranking for the Dodgers is not as high as some competitors. That can happen for a few reasons: Depth vs. Top-End Talent • BA’s organizational rankings weigh both breadth and impact potential across the full top 30, including lower-level players. • If most of the Dodgers’ highly rated prospects are clustered in a few positions (like outfielders) with less high-impact depth elsewhere, BA’s model can push the system down. • BA also looks at recent performance, tool grades, and risk a bit differently than other services. They may see more volatility or less impact probability beyond the top tier of prospects. Comparative Organization Context • Some farm systems have a wider range of impactful prospects at multiple positions and levels, which can make them look “deeper” in BA’s view even if they don’t have as many top stars. • For example, systems with both elite pitching and hitting prospects across multiple levels tend to rank higher. BA historically places more emphasis on that balance. The result: BA has the Dodgers lower in its organizational power rankings relative to some other evaluators. 2. Other Services Rank the Dodgers Higher In contrast: • ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel has the Dodgers tied for #1 in quality depth behind another club in terms of graded prospects (40+ future value grades). • MLB Pipeline lists multiple Dodgers in their top-100 overall prospects (five), including Josue De Paula (No. 15) and others — which bolsters system perception. • FanGraphs, MLB Pipeline, and others include several Dodgers prospects in their top rankings, again supporting a higher view of the system’s talent pool. These services may weight overall talent ceilings and headline prospects more heavily than BA’s balance/depth metrics do. 3. Where Keith Law Ranks the Dodgers Keith Law’s ranking — published via The Athletic — places the Dodgers’ farm system at #2 overall in MLB for the 2026 preseason, just behind the Milwaukee Brewers. A few notes on Law’s evaluation style: • He tends to emphasize top-end prospect talent and impact potential, especially recent breakout performers and high-upside hitters. • Law also categorizes systems into tiers, so being second overall suggests he sees the Dodgers as a true elite system despite Baseball America’s more modest placement. Summary Source Dodgers Farm System Rank Baseball America ~#13 (moderate depth/balance view) Keith Law (The Athletic) #2 in MLB ESPN / Pipeline Top systems (tied for high quality depth) Why the differences? Each evaluator uses slightly different criteria — BA balances full system depth, others emphasize top-end impact and tools, and Law’s tier system rewards peak-upside talent — which is why you see such variation in Dodgers farm system rankings. If you want the full side-by-side prospect lists from each service this year (BA, Law, ESPN, Pipeline), I can compile them into one table too. OK do that! Here’s a **side-by-side comparison of how the Los Angeles Dodgers’ prospects fare on the four major preseason top-prospect lists for 2026. This gives you a clearer picture of why organizational rankings vary and which individual players are lifting those evaluations: Dodgers Prospects on the Top 100 Lists (2026) Baseball America (Team & Individual) Baseball America’s 2026 Dodgers Top Prospects (Baseball America publishes a team-specific top 30 as part of its annual prospect coverage — you can see the full list in their prospect handbook.) – #1 Dodgers prospect: Eduardo Quintero (OF) Dodgers in Baseball America’s Top 100 MLB Prospects (National List) According to BA’s national Top 100 published list: • Eduardo Quintero – ranked (approx) #20 overall (top Dodger) • Josue De Paula – also in top 100 • Mike Sirota – in top 100 • Zyhir Hope – in top 100 That’s 4 Dodgers in BA’s Top 100. Baseball America values tool grades, depth beyond the top handful, and full organizational balance, so having only four top-100 prospects (even if they’re quality players) can pull the overall system ranking down relative to systems with both elite prospects and broader organizational depth. MLB Pipeline (National Top 100) MLB Pipeline’s 2026 Top 100 list shows five Dodgers in the national top 100: Player Approx Rank Comment Josue De Paula (OF) #15 Highest-ranked Dodger on Pipeline’s list Zyhir Hope (OF) #27 Strong dual tool guy Eduardo Quintero (OF) #30 Very high on many boards Mike Sirota (OF) ~#60 Pipeline sees him as a legit bat/defense combo Emil Morales (SS) ~#92 Braves outfielder shortstop with intriguing offensive profile So Pipeline has more Dodgers in the Top 100 than BA — and their highest ones (like De Paula and Hope) are ranked tighter to the stars. ESPN / Kiley McDaniel (Top 100) ESPN’s McDaniel list similarly features five Dodgers in the 2026 Top 100: Player Approx Rank (ESPN) Josue De Paula (OF) – ~#21 Eduardo Quintero (OF) – ~#37 Zyhir Hope (OF) – ~#40 Mike Sirota (OF) – ~#55 Emil Morales (SS) – ~#65 ESPN’s list aligns with Pipeline but typically weights future impact projections slightly differently, which is why ranks aren’t identical. The Athletic / Keith Law (Top 100) According to Keith Law’s The Athletic Top 100: The Dodgers have an even larger presence — seven Dodgers prospects crack his list (most the team has ever had): Player Approx Rank (Law) Eduardo Quintero – ~#9 (highest Dodgers rank) Josue De Paula – ~#20 Zyhir Hope – ~#36 Mike Sirota – ~#51 River Ryan (RHP) – ~#55 Emil Morales – ~#65 Alex Freeland – ~#87 Law’s list includes pitching prospects like River Ryan and a 40-man eligible MLB player like Freeland, expanding the Dodgers’ representation compared to other outlets. Why the Rankings Differ System-Wide Service Dodgers in Top 100 System Perception Baseball America 4 More conservative on depth; weighted on broad balance — system feels thinner overall by this metric MLB Pipeline 5 Stronger emphasis on star prospect presence and depth at the top ESPN (McDaniel) 5 Similar to Pipeline, tilts toward hit tools & future value Keith Law (Athletic) 7 Includes more pitchers/non-traditional prospects & sees higher ceilings on some players Because Keith Law lists more Dodgers spread throughout his top 100, and some of his highest guys (Quintero at #9, De Paula in the 20s) have real star-type ceilings, his view of the farm system as a whole is much stronger — and that’s one big reason The Athletic rated the system #2 overall whereas Baseball America’s organizational evaluation is more modest. Highest-Profile Dodgers Prospects Across Lists Prospect BA Pipeline ESPN Keith Law Eduardo Quintero (OF) Top Dodgers prospect; BA ~20 ~30 ~37 ~9 Josue De Paula (OF) In BA top 100 ~15 ~21 ~20 Zyhir Hope (OF) In BA top 100 ~27 ~40 ~36 Mike Sirota (OF) In BA top 100 ~60 ~55 ~51 Emil Morales (SS) (less prominent) ~92 ~65 ~65 River Ryan (RHP) Not in BA top 100 Not in Pipeline top 100 Not in ESPN top 100 ~55 Alex Freeland (INF) Not BA top 100 Not Pipeline top 100 Not ESPN top 100 ~87 ________________________________________ Takeaway The Dodgers’ farm system placement among services depends on how each outlet weighs depth vs. elite talent: • Baseball America sees fewer elite players and thus values overall balance more conservatively. • MLB Pipeline, ESPN, and Keith Law emphasize high-end talent, giving L.A. a bigger presence because of prospects like Quintero and De Paula. • Keith Law’s list in particular includes additional players not in other outlets’ top 100, which helps explain why he ranks L.A.’s system much higher than Baseball America does.

Turned 79 years young today and I’ve bee lucky to be alive rooting for all 9 Dodger World Series Championships. Hopefully there are more on the way.

Max Muncy: His career OPS is .828. 3B with a career OPS higher than Max: 1. José Ramírez 2. Austin Riley 3. Manny Machado If Max is healthy, he could put a year like he did in 2021: .895 OPS! That’s superstar level!

Happy Birthday!

HBD!!!!!