The Los Angeles Dodgers already came into the 2025 season with an excess of arms. Following post-seasons that featured backup options and Lance Lynn starting a pivotal Game 5 in 2023, Dodgers’ GM Andrew Friedman made it a point to add on more than might seem necessary.
But there are always intriguing options in any big-league Spring Training camp when games start up. Guys that may have lost their swing or are looking to find their way tag on to a MLB club as a non-roster invite, with the hopes that they can wow the front office enough to hang around.
Mar 9, 2025; Los Angeles Dodgers infielder David Bote (12) comes in to score as Oakland Athletics catcher Willie MacIver (65) awaits the throw home.
Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images
This Spring, that guy is David Bote. The Dodgers scooped him up on a minor league contract with an invite to Spring Training back in December. At the time, there were too many other moving pieces for fans to take notice of. Bote famously hit one of the most electric walk-off grand slams of all time, but his resume doesn’t exactly jump out at you.
But maybe it should, because he’s on a different level this Spring.
Across his first 12 games with the Dodgers, Bote is slashing .428/.484/.750 with nine runs driven in. What’s even more interesting is that he’s doing all of that while presumed starting second baseman Hyeseong Kim struggles to adjust early to Major League pitching.
It’s not often that non-roster guys find a way to make the Opening Day roster, and it’s even less common to end up as the starter. But the Dodgers might have found a resurgence in David Bote that is too good to pass up.
