The Dodgers have a familiar offseason problem on their hands: four prospects need 40-man roster spots, and if they don’t get them, they’re exposed to the Rule 5 draft.
The deadline pressure centers on Christian Zazueta, Jackson Ferris, Adam Serwinowski, and Jake Gelof. Depending on when a player signed, clubs have four or five professional seasons before they have to be protected on the 40-man roster. Players signed at 18 or younger get five seasons; those who signed at 19 or older get four.
Zazueta looks like the safest bet to stay in the organization’s plans. He’s the Dodgers’ top pitching prospect, already reached Double-A, and even got there after opening the year in High-A.
The right-hander posted a 3.44 ERA at Double-A, and his mix of a strong fastball and changeup, along with a developing slider, gives him real upside. With only one level left and the Dodgers showing a willingness to move prospects quickly, Zazueta should get protected, and a 2027 cameo is not out of the question if he keeps producing.
Ferris is another arm the Dodgers are likely to shield. MLB.com has him ranked as the No.
5 Dodgers pitching prospect, and he’s the most major-league ready of this group because he’s already at Triple-A. His 2026 season there wasn’t clean - he finished with a 5.12 ERA - but he brings starter upside and enough versatility to work in relief if needed.
Ferris leans on a slider, fastball, changeup, and curveball, and even if the pitch mix still needs refinement, he profiles as an innings eater with a decent floor.
Serwinowski gives the Dodgers another left-handed option to consider. He’s a southpaw with a fastball that has climbed into the upper 90s and a slider that plays well off it.
His splitter hasn’t come along the same way, which could cap him as a starter, but the bullpen path looks real. With Kris Bubic, Eric Lauer, and Alex Vesia headed to free agency, the Dodgers have room for another lefty, and Serwinowski could be ready to fit into that relief mix next year.
He ranks No. 14 in the organization and sits above Ferris.
Gelof is the toughest call. He’s the only position player in the group and the least likely to get a 40-man spot.
The Dodgers don’t appear to have him in their top 30 prospects for 2025 or 2026, even after a strong Double-A year that included 34 home runs and a .271/.385/.565 line with a .950 OPS. Production like that stands out, but as a non-top prospect, he may not get the attention needed to earn protection.
In Other News...
Dodgers Fans Will Have Strong Feelings About This Massive Trade Idea
Jim Bowdens latest trade proposal is the kind of idea that gets Dodgers fans talking for all the right and wrong reasons. In his scenario, Los Angeles would send prized prospect Josue De Paula and additional pieces to Washington in exchange for outfielder James Wood and shortstop CJ Abrams, a swap built around two young Nationals stars who both earned All-Star nods last season and still come with multiple years of team control.
It is easy to see why the concept has some appeal on paper, especially with Los Angeles always looking for ways to strengthen a roster already built to contend. But it also feels like the sort of package the Dodgers would be reluctant to part with, and the articles larger point is hard to miss: even if the Nationals would be getting a significant return, this is the kind of blockbuster idea that seems more useful as debate material than as a realistic path for either side. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Could Lose Another Familiar Front Office Voice Soon
The Mariners search for a new manager has taken them well beyond their own dugout, and it could soon reach into the Dodgers front office. Seattle is casting a wide net after Dan Wilsons departure, with former big-league skipper Rocco Baldelli among the names drawing interest while he serves as a special assistant in Los Angeles. Baldellis background makes him a natural fit for a club looking for a manager with experience, especially after spending several seasons running the Twins.
Joe Espada has already interviewed for the opening, and the Mariners had previously looked into Carlos Mendoza before he landed with the Phillies. For the Dodgers, the larger issue is familiar: Baldelli has already been linked to other managerial vacancies since arriving in Los Angeles in 2025, and another successful search elsewhere would only add to the list of voices the organization could lose from its staff. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Fans Will Have Mixed Feelings About This World Series
Even with the World Series now featuring teams far from Chavez Ravine, there is still a familiar Dodgers thread running through it. Jonny DeLuca is with the Rays, Dustin May is on the Brewers, and former Dodgers such as Ryan Pepiot, Gavin Lux and Michael Grove are part of the wider picture too, which means this matchup carries a little extra intrigue for fans who have watched so many of those names come through Los Angeles.
For Dodgers supporters, it is the kind of postseason that can prompt a split reaction. There is obvious pride in seeing former players in the Fall Classic and the possibility that some of them could end up with championship rings, but there is also the strange reality of tracking ex-Dodgers on clubs that stand between Los Angeles and another title run. Mays season with Milwaukee has been uneven across the regular season and into October, adding another layer to a World Series that already feels unusually tied to the Dodgers recent past. [Read more 🡒]