In the opening series of 2026 at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers continued to showcase the talent of their young players, a trend that began last season and carried them all the way to the World Series. Alex Freeland, who debuted last season, made the opening day roster by outperforming Hyeseong Kim for a spot at second base. Freeland didn’t waste any time making an impact against the Arizona Diamondbacks, hitting a home run, contributing a crucial double that led to the winning run, and executing two key relay plays to throw out runners at home plate and third base.
Freeland sports the number 76, a detail that hasn't gone unnoticed by fans curious about the high numbers worn by young Dodgers. When asked about potentially changing his number, Freeland expressed a desire to switch it up after gaining more experience, though he admitted he wasn’t sure how to make that change.
The Dodgers have a history of young players switching to lower numbers after establishing themselves. In May 2024, Andy Pages, Gavin Stone, and Michael Grove all made such changes.
Despite this trend, some players, like pitcher Ben Casparius, have embraced their initial high numbers. Casparius, wearing number 78, joked about his attachment to the number, noting that it adds up to 15, which includes his favorite digit, five.
Jack Dreyer, another young pitcher, debuted last season and has stuck with number 86, a number previously worn by current Marlins manager Clayton McCullough during his coaching stint with the Dodgers. Dreyer has a personal connection to the number 24, which his father, Steve Dreyer, wore during his MLB career, but he’s grown fond of 86, particularly because he’s the first Dodger player to wear it.
The trend of higher numbers is relatively new in baseball, with no Dodger wearing a number over 77 until Manny Ramirez’s iconic number 99 in 2008. Emmet Sheehan, who wears number 80, is one of the few major leaguers to sport such a high number since 2019. Sheehan appreciates the uniqueness of his number, noting the practical side of not changing it to save his family from buying new jerseys.
Justin Wrobleski, donning number 70, embraces baseball superstition, suggesting he wouldn’t change his number after winning two World Series with it. He’s committed to building a legacy with 70, unless fan demand dictates otherwise.
These young Dodgers are not only making their mark on the field but also redefining what it means to wear a number, proving that sometimes it’s not the number that makes the player, but the player that makes the number.