August 27th, 2022 at 9:00 am 
by 0799291000348 MLB fans are a curious lot. They debate to ad nauseam which player is the GOAT, best/worst trades, woulda-coulda-shoulda on multiple issues, rule changes, free agency disparity, replay rules, electronic strike zones, et al.
But there are two areas where there is no debate: the Los Angeles Dodgers dominance of the NL West Division for the last decade, and the consistent superiority of the team’s prospect developmental pipeline since Andrew Friedman took over as the team’s President of Baseball Operations on October 14, 2014.
The Dodgers win-loss record speaks for itself over the period 2013 – 2022. Only the San Francisco Giants fluke 2021 season prevented the Dodgers from winning the NL West for ten consecutive seasons. And, the Dodgers defeated the Giants three games to two in the 2021 NLDS. Dodgers fans have watched the team evolve and mature over the years into the current juggernaut, using a combination of home-grown talent, key free agent signings, and block buster trades to achieve excellence.
Fans of other MLB teams may attempt to minimize the Dodgers accomplishments over the last decade of games, but that is a futile exercise which comes across as jealous whining rather than logical debate. The consensus of objective baseball pundits recognize the team’s sustained dominance over the last ten seasons as an accomplishment that validates the Dodgers long-term strategy and excellence of implementation.
While fans are focused on a World Championship in 2022, Friedman and his staff never lose sight of the short and long term future of the organization. Over the last few years the Dodgers promoted prospects like Tony Gonsolin, Victor Gonzalez, Brusdar Graterol, Gavin Lux, Dustin May, and Will Smith to the active roster, and traded top prospect pitcher Josiah Gray and catcher Keibert Ruiz to acquire Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. Those roster transactions resulted in the Dodgers minor league system falling to a surprising 16th in the MLB mid-2021 assessment.
Fast-forward twelve months.
MLB and Baseball America recently released their respective mid-season evaluations of prospects and moved the Dodgers up to second overall (behind the Baltimore Orioles). How did the team so quickly regain its prominence in prospect status? The pipeline is constantly reloading through excellent drafts (2020, 2021, and 2022); aggressive Latin American scouting and signings, and the ongoing development process that rapidly enhances the talents of young players.
Currently, seven Dodgers prospects are ranked in the top 100 of MLB by Baseball America: 20-year-old catcher Diego Cartaya (number nine), 23-year-old pitcher Bobby Miller (number 22), 22-year-old infielder/outfielder Miguel Vargas (number 25), 24-year-old infielder/outfielder Michael Busch (number 47), 25-year-old pitcher Ryan Pepiot (number 51), 23-year-old pitcher Gavin Stone (number 53), and 20-year-old outfielder Andy Pages (number 75).
By this time in 2023, Dodgers fans may see other fast-rising prospects pushing their way into top 100 consideration: James Outman (outfielder), Dalton Rushing (catcher), Nick Nastrini (pitcher), Jose Ramos (outfielder), and River Ryan (pitcher). And there are more coming behind that group.
The Dodgers’ fine-tuned scouting and development program assures their fans that the Beat indeed Goes On.
While 2022 is a Dodgers fan’s delight, there is no contentment for the forward thinking baseball operations staff. Their goal is to assure decades of continued, dominating performance.
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Your timing is incredible, Jesse! You submitted this piece to me on the very day that the Dodgers named their 2022 MiLB Player and Pitcher of the Year, and James Outman hit a walk-off home run to complete the cycle for OKC. How do you always seem to DO this?!
Great stuff (again). Thanks!
There has never been an adequate explanation as to why James Outman is always ranked so low on prospect lists. Be it his performance in spring training – his spectacular debut week in MLB at the beginning of August or his lauded play in OKC, he certainly looks like a top prosect. He isn’t even in the Dodger’s top 10 prospects list not to mention the MLB top 100…
Good question — I have wondered the same thing. My guess — a combination of his age (26 next May) and his high strike out rate. That being said, I think there is a reasonable chance that Outman’s performance this season makes Cody Bellinger a trade or release candidate before Dec. 2022.
Cody has to go. I’d probably use CT and Trayce (never thought I’d say that!) in CF and outman in LF.
although i don’t understand the arb rules, i do believe that if tendered, Cody cant be offered less than $13.4M. if released, he could be offered a MiLB contract or a MLB contract of any value including the league min from another team. that being said, i don’t see him having any trade value at all. it’s a shame. did you guys see the ZiPS projection numbers on him? I’m sure every front office that might consider him has reviewed them. he could have been one of the greats but as his hitting coach succinctly says “he’s his own man”