The Los Angeles Dodgers have one of the top-ranked catching prospects in all of baseball, but the team continues to keep its options open.
MLB Pipeline has Dalton Rushing ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the Dodgers’ farm system, excluding Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki. He is ranked No. 2 among catchers and No. 30 overall across the prospect list.
The soon-to-be 24-year-old earned a non-roster invitation to Los Angeles’ major league spring training camp in January. Along with the rest of the organization’s pitchers and catchers, Rushing reported to Camelback Ranch in Arizona last week.
Rushing took ground balls at first base following workouts on Sunday, though, per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya.
The Dodgers gave Rushing some looks in left field in Triple-A in 2024, trotting him out for 27 starts at the position. However, manager Dave Roberts said earlier in the week that it remains to be seen how many reps Rushing will get in the outfield.
Rushing made 23 starts at first base with High-A Great Lakes in 2023.
According to Ardaya, the Dodgers still want Rushing to continue developing as a catcher, in spite of the experimentation at other positions.
The Dodgers have Will Smith in place as their everyday catcher, and he isn’t going anywhere soon. The 29-year-old two-time All-Star inked a 10-year, $140 million contract ahead of last season, keeping him under team control through 2033.
Smith won’t be moving to designated hitter, either, with Shohei Ohtani set to fill that role for another nine seasons. Freddie Freeman is fresh off winning World Series MVP at first base, too, so his job is secure.
For as star-studded as their lineup already is, the Dodgers surely would love to have Rushing’s bat in the lineup once he is deemed big-league ready. Through 233 minor league games, Rushing is a .273 hitter with 49 home runs, 50 doubles, 168 RBIs and a .930 OPS.
Having Rushing available as a catcher-first baseman-left fielder hybrid could prove valuable to Los Angeles’ lineup versatility moving forward, but there is plenty of work to be done regardless of where he plays.
