Top Early Standouts in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Farm System

As we approach the dog days of summer, much of the baseball world is fixated on how teams are doing at the major league level. 

With much of the season now set in stone, the weight of individual and team performances solidifying, there is much to analyze. However, just as important as the MLB performances are those in the minor leagues.

The Los Angeles Dodgers already have a solid future to look forward to. Players like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Will Smith, and Mookie Betts are locked down for the long haul. However, part of what has made the Dodgers so successful over the past decade is their ability to draft and develop new stars to join them.

Now that their prospects have gotten a chance to build a larger sample, it is worth taking a look at how some of their rising talent has performed thus far. While not necessarily predictive of major league success, the early success of some of the Dodgers’ young prospects suggests a bright future ahead.

All stats current as of June 11.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

OF James Tibbs III

Tibbs has had a remarkable year. Last year, he began the season in the San Francisco Giants’ minor league system. Then, after their blockbuster trade for infielder Rafael Devers, Tibbs was sent to the Boston Red Sox in return. Finally, at the trade deadline, the Dodgers acquired his services in exchange for Dustin May. 

Since then, Tibbs has been on fire. Through 62 games with the Comets, Tibbs is hitting .313/.424/.621 with 18 home runs, 16 doubles, and 45 walks. He has put his power potential on full display this year, totaling three multi-homer games on the season so far.

Tibbs’ underlying metrics show that he has been tearing the cover off the ball with regularity. They also show that he could even continue to improve his power output, as he has only pulled the ball in the air 13.3% of the time. Instead, he winds up hitting to the opposite field (22.3%) and center field (27.7%) far more often on non-ground balls.

There is slight room for concern with regards to Tibbs’ tendency to swing and miss, especially on pitches in the strike zone. His 73.1% zone-contact rate ranks in the 11th percentile among Triple-A hitters, and his 34.2% whiff rate grades out in the 18th percentile. 

However, his patient approach and heavy-handed power should allow him to reach the majors regardless – and potentially this season. With the Dodgers’ outfield thinned out by the absence of Teoscar Hernández and Tommy Edman, he could easily play himself into a cup of coffee with the big-league squad this summer.

RHP River Ryan (JB No. 41)

Drafted by the San Diego Padres out of the 11th round of the 2021 MLB Draft, Ryan was originally a two-way player. While he is now a well-regarded pitching prospect, he hit .343/.417/.509 in college. Ryan also got off to a strong start in the Arizona Complex League, hitting .308/.349/.436 over a small 12-game sample in 2021.

In March 2022, the Padres moved to pick up utility man Matt Beaty from the Dodgers after he was designated for assignment. In return, they sent Ryan over to the Dodgers’ farm system, where they would convert him into a full-time pitcher.

This move has panned out swimmingly for the Dodgers. While Beaty only went on to play 20 games for the Padres, Ryan began to quickly ascend through the minor leagues. This culminated in an electric early debut, where Ryan pitched to a 1.33 ERA over four major league starts. Unfortunately for Ryan, the excitement did not last long. 

Ryan wound up needing Tommy John surgery after tearing the UCL in his right arm during his fourth start. While certainly deflated by the news, Ryan did not give up. Instead, he put on roughly 30 pounds of muscle during his recovery, tinkered with his arsenal, and is finally back in action.

In Triple-A this year, Ryan owns a 2.81 ERA, and has struck out 40 batters over his first 32 innings while walking just seven batters. He has yet to give up a home run, and his velocity has continued to reach triple-digits.

Ryan is very well-regarded in the Dodgers organization. Given his performance, it can be assumed that Ryan will join the big-league club later this season either as a bullpen arm or spot starter.

Double-A Tulsa

OF Josue De Paula (JB No. 18)

One of the most pervasive narratives around minor league ball this season has been the strength of the Dodgers’ outfield prospects. Five such outfielders are currently ranked among Just Baseball’s Top 100 Prospects, with four of them ranking 40th or higher.

De Paula is currently ranked second-highest among this group (No. 18 overall), and is widely regarded as a potential star in the making. He first signed with the Dodgers out of the Dominican Republic in 2022, and has quickly established himself within the organization.

While De Paula’s numbers have not been particularly eye-popping over the past few years, he has shown flashes of his potential often. In 2026, something seems to have clicked, as De Paula has played phenomenally to start the season.

Through 56 games, De Paula is hitting .315/.418/.545 with 10 home runs and 21 doubles. He has also recorded more walks (39) than strikeouts (34), demonstrating a patient approach and advanced feel for the strike zone. 

This has been a huge step forward for De Paula. He has long been projected to grow into his power tool, and has definitely found it this year. After hitting just 22 homers over his previous 210 games, De Paula has 10 already this season. If he continues to improve in his ability to elevate the ball, he will quickly knock on the door to the majors.

At just 21 years old, De Paula could hit himself into the Triple-A lineup by year’s end at this pace. Regardless of where he ends this season, De Paula’s impressive start bodes well for his future with the Dodgers’ big-league club. 

OF Mike Sirota (JB No. 14)

Sirota is a relatively recent addition to the Dodgers’ minor league system. The Dodgers had previously selected Sirota in the 16th round of the 2021 Draft, but he opted to play college ball at Northeastern University instead.

After a few strong years there, Sirota was scooped up by the Cincinnati Reds in the third round of the 2024 Draft. However, as fate would have it, the Dodgers brought him into the organization via trade in 2025, sending Gavin Lux to Cincinnati in exchange.

Now, Sirota finds himself as one of the aforementioned top outfield prospects in baseball. Just Baseball ranks him as the Dodgers’ No. 1 prospect and the 14th-best prospect in all of baseball.

Sirota had a great year overall in 2025, hitting .333/.452/.616 with 13 home runs across Single-A and High-A. He’s followed up this strong professional debut with a .340/.484/.598 line so far in 2026 across High-A and Double-A. Sirota has been particularly excellent since his debut in Double-A, hitting .366/.494/.592 through his first 19 games with the Tulsa Drillers.

While Sirota’s journey to this season has been tumultuous at times, he has been firing on all cylinders to begin this year. The five-tool player has demonstrated a strong, disciplined approach to begin his pro career, and projects to be above average both at the plate and in the field. 

Despite the heavy competition he will face among the Dodgers’ outfield prospects, Sirota seems to be paving his road to the majors in a hurry. Sirota is also still just 23 years old, with plenty of time to continue maturing and developing as he paves his way to the majors. Expect to see him in the mix for his Dodgers debut sometime next season.

High-A Great Lakes

LHP Zach Root

Root was selected by the Dodgers with the 40th-overall pick in last year’s draft. The 6-foot-2 southpaw was coveted for his unorthodox delivery and his ability to generate ground balls, and he helped lead Arkansas to a third-place finish in the 2025 College World Series.

The Dodgers have since opted to push Root to develop his four-seam fastball, which tops out in the upper 90s. Paired with plus offerings in his changeup and curveball, as well as a cutter, Root already has a solid pitch mix to work with. Root also possesses solid command, and limited home runs well in college.

Since making his pro debut, Root has already taken a sizable step forward. Over nine starts and 29 innings, Root owns a 1.55 ERA with 45 strikeouts and 15 walks. He’s striking out a whopping 13.9 batters per nine innings while allowing only 4.3 hits per nine innings.

Root’s walk rate has ticked up a bit. Though, this is likely due to a shift in his approach on the mound. In opting to rely more on his four-seamer rather than the sinker he employed in college, he is able to live around the edges a bit more and chase more strikeouts.

In doing so, Root has translated his talent from the high-offense environment of the NCAA to professional ball with incredible efficiency. He currently sports a 1.00 WHIP to boot, preventing baserunners at an elite rate.

Root is still far off from any kind of major league action. Still, it has been a very pleasant surprise for the Dodgers to see him settle into pro ball this quickly. Assuming he can keep this train rolling, fans can expect to see him within the next few years.

OF Charles Davalan (JB No. 67)

The Dodgers selected Davalan with the 41st-overall pick in last year’s draft – taken one pick after Root. The pair had been teammates at Arkansas during their run in the college playoffs the year prior and now find themselves teammates once again in High-A.

Similar to Root, Davalan has also made the most of his pro debut. So far, he is hitting .279/.407/.457 with 21 extra base hits (seven home runs) in his first 53 games. He has also stolen 12 bases, and has been caught stealing just once.

The most impressive part of Davalan’s offensive performance has been his immensely disciplined approach. Davalan already has 35 walks on the year, and has struck out just 27 times.

His performance has been remarkable even without his contact tool playing to its full potential thus far. The 22-year old started off hot, but has cooled off a bit over the past few weeks. Davalan hit .346/.433/.561 during his 2025 season with Arkansas, so his previous performance suggests he will only continue to improve his batting average.

Even without the same batted-ball results, Davalan’s feel for the strike zone is very advanced for his age. His discipline should help carry him forward over the next few years, with the potential for him to grow into a bit more power as well. The young outfielder is still far out from a debut, but is likely to see the rest of his tools mature over the next few years of development. 

Single-A Ontario

3B Chase Harlan

The Dodgers’ former third-round pick has been astoundingly good so far this year. Harlan, a third baseman, was drafted out of high school in 2024, and received a massive $1.75M signing bonus for his slot. This was despite the fact that Harlan was in need of a procedure to fix up the labrum in his right hip.

Clearly, the Dodgers were high on Harlan from the get-go. The 19-year old sits 6-foot-3 at 205 pounds, boasting impressive power potential and a cannon of an arm. Still, high school draft picks are often more volatile than their college counterparts, so the risk is still a consideration.

Harlan has smashed any concerns that could be had regarding his potential thus far. Over 49 games in Ontario this season, Harlan is hitting .339/.452/.570 with eight home runs and 13 doubles, all while walking nearly as much as he’s striking out.

This performance follows a short stint with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes last year, where he hit .240/.358/.356. While his early numbers were nothing to write home about, giving Harlan the chance to struggle and adjust early has clearly paid off.

Harlan still has several aspects of his game that will need polishing. His fielding work and ability to hit non-fastballs will definitely factor into the success of his development over the next few years. However, Harlan is still a teenager, and will get plenty of runway with the Dodgers to develop into the third baseman they hope him to be.

If Harlan is unable to stick at the hot corner, he could move to first base or a corner outfield spot over the next few years. Regardless, Harlan has shown immense potential to begin his pro career.

1B/RF/3B Easton Shelton

Shelton’s performance has been outright fascinating to watch this year. Unlike his peers on this list, Shelton is not among the Dodgers’ top prospects. In fact, he joined the team as an undrafted free agent in 2023.

His first few seasons of pro ball left much to be desired. Though he hit to a 100 wRC+ over a limited sample in 2024, he regressed in 2025. The glaring issue with his game thus far has been a high strikeout rate. Shelton’s lowest mark was 35.7% in 2024.

This year, however, Shelton has exploded onto the scene in Ontario. Through 52 games, Shelton is hitting .273/.360/.606 with a whopping 17 home runs and 13 doubles. He is still striking out at a 36.0% clip, but he has also nearly doubled his walk rate and is hitting for power among the best in the minors.

For Shelton to jump from a .739 OPS to a .966 OPS in one offseason is astounding. Not to mention, Shelton is still just 20 years old. Even so, he currently stands at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds and could build on his already powerful frame.

Shelton’s path to the major leagues is fairly narrow. It would be an incredible feat for him to make his way to the major leagues after going undrafted to begin his career.

Still, it is certainly not impossible. If Shelton can work on his strikeout rate and build his case over the next few years, he could enter the conversation. No matter what happens, Shelton’s powerful start to the 2026 season has been an incredible story to follow in its own right.

Honorable Mentions

OF Zyhir Hope (JB No. 40)

Hope has arguably had a good enough season to warrant a place on this list. His omission is solely due to the fact that his Tulsa teammates — De Paula and Sirota — have been on an insane run to start the 2026 season.

However, Hope has had a very impressive start as well. Through 56 games, he is hitting .293/.352/.524 with 13 home runs and 11 doubles. The 21-year old outfielder had a bit of a slow start to the year. Fortunately, Hope has picked it up as of late, hitting four home runs over his past eight games.

The Dodgers acquired Hope from the Chicago Cubs in 2024. Alongside him, the Dodgers got lefty pitcher Jackson Ferris in exchange for Michael Busch and reliever Yency Almonte. Since then, Ferris wound up being named the Dodgers’ Branch Rickey Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2024, and Hope has skyrocketed up prospect rankings with his performance.

This year, Hope has seemingly found his power stroke. He has already matched his home run total from the year prior in less than half the plate appearances. Hope has also dramatically increased his batting average, up from .266 to .293 this year, demonstrating an improved contact tool.

Hope has dealt with some injury woes here and there, but he has added significant muscle over the past few years. As a result, Hope’s power tool is blossoming in a big way. Paired with his plus speed and fielding tools, Hope seemingly has a bright future ahead as a corner outfielder.

Hope has worked his way from an 11th-round pick to one of the top outfield prospects in baseball. If all goes to plan, he could make an early debut at some point over the next few years.

SS/3B Emil Morales

Last, but not least, Morales has developed quickly since going pro. The 19-year old infielder signed with the Dodgers out of the Dominican Republic in 2024. He then earned DSL MVP honors over the summer, and wrapped up the year batting .339/.420/.548 with the Quakes over 30 games. 

This year, Morales has demonstrated more of the same talent. Over 36 games in Ontario, Morales hit .323/.385/.570 with six home runs, three triples, and 15 doubles. His strong play earned him an early promotion to High-A in Great Lakes, though his performance has slowed dramatically at the next level.

Morales is hitting .208/.275/.403 over his first 17 games in High-A. Despite the growing pains, there is still much to be excited about for Dodgers fans. Morales is strong and athletic for his age. He could wind up developing into a substantial power threat with a few more years of pro ball under his belt.

Similar to Harlan, it will likely be several years before Morales is in conversations to make the majors. His game will need some polishing over the next few years, but his raw power and athleticism form an excellent foundation to build upon.

Morales signed with the Dodgers as a shortstop originally, but he could find himself moving over to third base. It will largely depend on his ability to develop as a defender, and his strong throwing arm may better lend itself to the hot corner anyways.

It will take a few years to see how Morales pans out long-term. For the time being, Morales will look to turn things around in High-A to finish out the year.