Between a barrage of injuries and the 40-man roster call-ups of September, several Dodgers minor league prospects had the opportunity to show their stuff and attempt to earn a more permanent spot on the Dodgers 25-man roster next season; or even better – a coveted spot on the postseason roster.

Of the six rookie standouts that will be highlighted here, four did make the postseason roster after stringing together some highlight-reel moments during the regular season.

Catcher Will Smith stepped in and took over a difficult role the Dodgers have been trying to find a good fit for, as 29-year-old once Dodgers primary catcher Austin Barnes had a rough season and 36-year-old / 14-year MLB veteran catcher Russell Martin had his share of injuries.

Over 54 games, the Fresh Prince (as Smith is often called) had 43 hits, with 24 of them going for extra bases. Nine of those were double and 15 were home runs. His first home run was a big one, as it was a walk-off against the Phillies on June 1. Smith also walked it off against the Rockies in a string of three consecutive rookie-aided walk-off wins with a three-run home run on June 23. Against Miami, Smith had two long balls in one game on August 13.

However, one of Smith’s biggest hits came in the postseason. As unimportant as it might sound, Smith broke up a no-hitter being thrown by Washington Nationals three-time All-Star right-hander Stephen Strasburg with a single in the fifth inning of game two of the NLDS. It was his first and only hit of the postseason, but it was a big one as far as Dodger fans were concerned.

Overall, Smith finished the regular season with a .253 batting average while driving in 42 runs and scoring 30. He took on a role with very large shoes to fill and he not only met the high expectations of being the Dodgers starting catcher but surpassed them, showing fans he has a very bright future ahead of him.

The next player on the list is Matt Beaty. Beaty is listed as a first baseman, but he showed his versatility with the Dodgers, playing both corners of the infield and outfield over the span of 99 games. Throughout the season, injuries plagued the Dodgers, with Justin Turner, David Freese, and A.J. Pollock all ending up on the injured list during the season. Beaty was able to fill in those roles as needed and he did an excellent job with it.

Because of the plethora of injuries, players had to be moved to places they might not normally be at, and with that came experimental failures until Beaty showed up. In addition to his ability to fit seamlessly into wherever he was needed on the field, Beaty had a great year at the plate. In 249 at-bats, he had 66 hits (.265) with 19 doubles and nine home runs.

Beaty hit a two-run walk-off homer against Colorado on June 21, the first of those three consecutive walk-off home runs by a Dodgers rookie. He was also one of five Dodgers to hit a home run in a seven home run game vs. the Rockies on September 2. He also stole five bases, which may not sound like much, but it tied him for third on the team behind only Cody Bellinger and Chris Taylor.

Beaty’s impressive season earned him a spot on the postseason roster for the NLDS. Against the Nationals, he went 3-for-8 (.375), all singles, while posting a 1.000 fielding percentage, proving that he could – and should – be on next year’s Opening Day roster.

Another impressive infielder is Gavin Lux, who played in 23 games during the regular season as a September call-up. In those 23 games, Lux had 18 hits, including four doubles, a triple, and two home runs. Lux drove in nine runs and scored 12, hitting .240 before being added to the postseason roster. Over four games in the NLDS, Lux went 2-9 with a home run; one of only nine total home runs hit by the Dodgers over the five-game Division Series.

Lux is listed as a second baseman, which is one position the Dodgers have had a hard time filling permanently. He appears to be the leading candidate to become the Dodgers everyday second baseman next season, which would put some fans at ease, to say the least.

The first pitcher on the list is right-hander Dustin May, who made four starts during the regular season and 10 outings from the bullpen. As a starter, May went 1-2 over 22.1 innings, giving up 21 hits and 10 runs while striking out 17. In relief, he had a 1-1 record over 12.1 innings, giving up seven runs on 12 hits and striking out 15. He finished the regular season with a 3.63 ERA and earned himself a spot on the postseason roster. May appeared in two games during the NLDS – both in relief – and gave up one run on three hits over 3.1 innings. He certainly made his case for being back on the roster in 2020, but whether he will be in the starting rotation or come out of the pen is still a mystery.

The second and final pitcher is right-hander Tony Gonsolin, who started six games for the boys in blue and made five relief appearances out of the pen. Over his 11 games, Gonsolin picked up four wins and maintained a 2.93 ERA, while taking two losses. As a starter, Gonsolin went 2-2 over 28 innings. He struck out 24 while allowing 11 runs (nine earned) on 20 hits. In relief, he earned two more wins and gave up four runs over 12 innings on six hits, striking out 13. At the plate, Gonsolin was a force to be reckoned with, going 4-for-13 (.308), with a run batted in.

Gonsolin, like May, would definitely be a great option for the Dodgers starting rotation next season, but could also be a great asset out of the pen. Either way, Gonsolin should make the opening day roster.

The last player is Alex Verdugo, who ended up missing the final two months of the season due to a back injury. However, he showed great promise before the injury, so having him back at 100 percent next season could potentially be the missing link the Dodgers desperately needed in the 2019 playoffs.

Over 106 games, Verdugo had 101 hits and drove in 44 runs, while scoring 43 of his own. He hit 22 doubles, two triples, and 12 home runs, showing a knack for extra-base hits He was also a part of the rookie walk-off three-peat, as he hit the second of the three home runs on back-to-back-to-back days on June 22 against the Rockies. He ended the season with a .294 batting average, but there’s no telling what he might have done in September and into October for the playoffs.

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