The Dodgers have turned prospect depth into one of their biggest advantages, and the timing could hardly be better. With the MLB Draft in the rearview and new rankings rolling out across the industry, Los Angeles keeps showing up with a farm system that isn’t just strong - it’s getting stronger.
That matters because the Dodgers now have nine prospects in MLB’s top 100, the most of any team in baseball. For Andrew Friedman, that’s trade leverage other clubs simply can’t match.
The two-time defending World Series champions already have one of the best big-league rosters around, and now they also have the deepest minor-league system to draw from. Even Dave Roberts has said the club is in a position where it could act as buyers or sellers depending on what the roster needs.
That kind of flexibility only exists when the system is this loaded.
At the top of the list, though, there are two names that appear to be off limits: Josué De Paula, MLB No. 4, and Mike Sirota, MLB No. 11.
Multiple insiders have confirmed both are essentially untouchable. After that, the conversation opens up fast.
Eduardo Quintero is the name that keeps rising. MLB.com has him at No.
19, The Athletic’s post-draft top-70 update put him at No. 15, and Baseball America’s latest ranking has him at No. 17.
That puts him in the consensus top-20 range nationally, and the Dodgers can afford to move him from a position of outfield surplus without dipping into their most protected talent. Quintero, 20, is hitting .292 with an .885 OPS and 36 steals at High-A, and he brings premium athleticism, plus speed and projectable right-handed power.
If Los Angeles goes big, he’s the kind of prospect who could headline the deal.
Emil Morales stands out for a different reason. He’s not an outfielder, and that makes him especially valuable in this system.
He’s the only premium infield prospect in this group, which gives him a different kind of weight in a farm heavy on outfield talent. Morales is 19 and handling High-A pitching, with real power projection and the chance to stay at shortstop or settle in as a long-term third baseman.
His bat should play anywhere, which is exactly why he looks more like a building block than a trade chip.
Zyhir Hope has forced his way into the discussion too. He’s already cleared 20 home runs, has 80-plus RBIs and 17 stolen bases at Double-A, making him one of the most productive Dodgers prospects in the system.
The concern is the frame - he’s 5-foot-10, which raises the same ceiling questions that tend to follow undersized players when compared with more projectable peers. With the Dodgers’ big-league outfield spoken for and some of the other outfielders off the table, multiple outlets have said Hope is likely to be shopped.
James Tibbs III looks like another logical candidate to move. His breakout year has been real, but the fit in Los Angeles is not.
Kyle Tucker, Andy Pages and Kiké Hernández are under contract, and Tibbs is MLB-ready, which leaves him without a clean path to the majors with the Dodgers. Multiple beat writers have confirmed he’s among the most likely names to go, and that makes sense: a 24-year-old former first-round pick acquired in a trade is at peak value right now.
If the Dodgers are going to cash him in, this is the time.
River Ryan is the pitching name to watch. He debuted in the majors in 2024 and posted a 1.33 ERA over four starts before Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2025 season.
Back at Triple-A, he has 43 strikeouts in 36 innings across eight starts, working with a mid-to-upper-90s fastball and a five-pitch mix. In a system where the rotation is already seven deep, there’s no obvious opening for him.
ESPN’s McDaniel listed him as one of the arms likely to move if the Dodgers want to land a frontline piece.
So who actually makes the most sense to go? Hope, Tibbs and Ryan look like the most realistic names.
Hope is blocked in the outfield and carries enough uncertainty to make now a smart time to sell. Tibbs has the kind of value that can peak quickly, especially with no role waiting for him in the majors.
Ryan, meanwhile, has the kind of sell-high profile teams love: a brief MLB look, a strong Triple-A rebound and no starting job available in Los Angeles.
De Paula, Sirota and a few others still feel like names the Dodgers should keep out of any serious talks. But this front office has built a system with so much depth that almost nothing feels impossible. Friedman has plenty to work with, and if Los Angeles wants to upgrade somewhere else, it has the prospect capital to do it.
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