That said, patience remains the Dodgers’ greatest weapon. All four of those elite outfield prospects are 22 or younger, and for a team attempting a historic three-peat with a roster loaded top to bottom, there is little incentive to rush anyone. There is a very real chance none of Los Angeles’ top four prospects see meaningful MLB time in 2026.
What makes the Dodgers dangerous is that they have depth beyond the top 100, with legitimate big-league contributors who could debut and impact games next season without disrupting the long-term plan.
With a projected lineup featuring Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Kyle Tucker, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Max Muncy and Teoscar Hernandez, and a pitching staff anchored by Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, and Edwin Diaz, opportunities will be scarce. But injuries and attrition always open doors.
Here are six Dodgers prospects who could realistically contribute at the MLB level at some point during the 2026 season.
Zyhir Hope is a headliner, even if his ETA technically points to 2027. Acquired from the Cubs in the Michael Busch trade, Hope has exploded faster than nearly anyone expected. Recently turned 21, he already reached Double-A late last season and continues to showcase some of the loudest raw power in the minor leagues. Between High-A and Double-A, Hope slashed .266/.376/.428 with 13 homers, 29 doubles and 80 RBIs.
Hope is toolsy with exceptional athletic twitch and bat speed. He’s already launching balls north of 470 feet and has produced exit velocities over 113 mph, boasting a 90th-percentile exit velocity in 2025.
There are whiff concerns, especially against velocity at the top of the zone, but the patience and swing discipline are real. Hope consistently runs low chase rates and pairs his plus power with plus speed, swiping 27 bags last season.
If Hope absolutely demolishes the upper minors or if the Dodgers find themselves thin in the outfield, it’s not impossible he forces his way into the picture late in 2026. Still, the likelier scenario is continued development without urgency.