Baseball America (subscription required) has announced its top 100 prospects for 2019. The list includes five Dodgers: Keibert Ruiz (ranked 20th); Alex Verdugo (35); Gavin Lux (40); Dustin May (82); and Will Smith (95). Ruiz is the highest rated catcher in the top 100.

As an aside, three former Dodgers prospects also made the top 100: Yusniel Diaz (No. 44), Yordan Alvarez (49) and Oneil Cruz (91). Diaz was traded to the Baltimore Orioles last season as part of the trade package for Manny Machado, Alvarez was sent to the Houston Astros in 2016 for right-hander Josh Fields, and Cruz was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2017 for left-hander Tony Watson.

Baseball America uses the MLB 20-80 rating scale in its evaluations (50 being major league average) for position players (hitting / power / speed / defense / arm). Ruiz is rated a plus hitter (60), power a tick below average (45), speed below average (40), while his defense and arm are above average (55). 

Verdugo is considered a plus hitter and arm (60), and average in the other categories (50).

Lux is above average across the board (55) except for power, which is considered average (50).

Smith is rated a tick below average (45) in his hitting, above average in power, speed, and arm, and he is considered a plus defender (60)

The only Dodgers pitching prospect to make the top 100, May, was rated with a plus fastball (60), an above average curve (55), a well below average changeup, an above average cutter, and plus control (60).

The Dodgers future indeed looks bright!

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