To observe the needle the Dodgers aim to thread between the present and future, look no further than their clubhouse at Camelback Ranch this spring. The group of position players boasts future Hall of Famers. It also includes three of Keith Law’s top 100 prospects in the sport and others who surely could be big leaguers before long.
Much as was stressed with the pitchers in camp, you’ll never know who winds up playing a pivotal role. Little was expected out of Justin Dean last year before he suddenly found himself amid the World Series’ biggest moments. The group welcomes new faces such as Kyle Tucker, but still very much has the championship core that has defined the reigning back-to-back champs.
No. 5, Freddie Freeman, 1B: The Dodgers spent some of the winter floating the idea that the 36-year-old Freeman might get more days off to preserve his leg. Freeman’s response? “No,” Freeman joked, for good reason. The veteran has said he’d like to reach 20 years in the majors, giving him four more seasons to collect the 569 hits he needs to reach 3,000 for his career.
No. 6, Hyeseong Kim, INF: The major question for Kim’s big-league viability is this: Can he adjust his swing enough to catch up to big-league pitching? The surface numbers last year — .280 with a .699 OPS — were inflated by a hot start in a small sample. The organization showed its feelings about Kim when he hardly played in September. They’d like him to chase less below the zone and be less susceptible to off-speed pitches, both of which are exacerbated against left-handed pitching.
No. 8, Kiké Hernández, UTIL (in pencil): All expectations are that Kiké Hernández and the Dodgers will come to an agreement at some point after the Dodgers get access to the 60-day injured list this week. The utility man has said he won’t be ready for Opening Day after undergoing offseason elbow surgery. His presence on the roster is with October in mind, anyway.
With the Dodgers’ stacked roster, players such as Alex Call must maximize their limited opportunities. (Daniel Shirey / Getty Images)
No. 12, Alex Call, OF: Call has just 100 plate appearances since the Dodgers picked him up at the deadline last season. He’s got a specialized role on paper as the club’s fourth outfielder and key right-handed bat off the bench. But if the Dodgers need to run Call out there more due to injury, he’s got a steady approach and track record against left-handed pitching to at least be a capable short end of a platoon.
No. 13, Max Muncy, 3B: He’s now the longest-tenured player on the roster, which feels jarring considering Muncy was out of baseball when the Dodgers offered him a minor-league contract in 2017. Muncy has stated that he’d like to retire in Los Angeles. The big question after the last couple of seasons is health, as rib/oblique issues have cost him time each of the last two seasons. Muncy said this spring he’s worked on “decompression stuff, trying to lengthen the spine … trying to take weight off of it as much as possible.”
No. 16, Will Smith, C: The Dodgers rested Smith more regularly last season to ensure he’d be at his best in October. He had a great postseason, including the game-winning home run in Game 7 of the World Series. Was that because he was more rested during the season? Or did he just benefit from a month of rest in September after breaking his hand? It’ll be interesting to find out.
No. 17, Shohei Ohtani, P/DH: He’s got another milestone to chase as a hitter. Only two players, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire, have slugged 50 or more home runs in three or more straight seasons. One more dominant season, and Ohtani can join them. (Of course, he’s also on our pitchers list.)
No. 23, Kyle Tucker, OF: The Dodgers led the National League in scoring and added a middle-of-the-order bat in Tucker. Manager Dave Roberts said Tucker will likely hit second or third while playing right field. It is rare to sign somewhere at the figure Tucker did only for him to be a secondary figure in the team’s ensuing spring, but that might just be how Tucker likes it.
No. 25, Tommy Edman, UTIL: Edman showed up to DodgerFest without a walking boot, an encouraging sign after he underwent offseason surgery to address a torn ligament and bone spurs in his right ankle. It’s still going to be a slow go for him this spring — he’s just now about to start baseball activities. His status for Opening Day remains to be determined.
No. 37, Teoscar Hernández, OF: Hernández is already an early “best shape of his life” candidate. He opted not to represent the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic to focus on bouncing back from the worst offensive season of his career (.738 OPS). The Dodgers listened on Hernández in trade talks this winter, but he will stick with the club and shift back to left field, where he played in 2024.
No. 44, Andy Pages, OF: Pages had a miserable postseason, but it’s hard to ignore his regular-season success. Pages’ 4.1 FanGraphs WAR ranked 11th among outfielders last season, capably playing center field while adding some slug in the bottom of the order. He’s the team’s primary center fielder again next season and, for all the gripes about his lack of walks, remains incredibly productive.
No. 50, Mookie Betts, SS: So much of Betts’ 2025 was surprising. He became not just good, but great at shortstop and produced the worst offensive season of his career. That’s what makes his 2026 so intriguing. Betts set out to “rewire” his swing to get better results, saying that the stomach bug he came down with last March proved more harmful than anyone initially realized.
No. 56, Ryan Ward, OF: Ward’s been a bit stuck in the organization, despite his best efforts. He made strides with his approach during his third stint in Triple A, but the Dodgers’ desire to see their investment through with Michael Conforto blocked him from debuting. The Dodgers added Ward to the 40-man roster this winter to keep him in the organization, but the Tucker signing likely leaves him blocked again. It’ll be interesting to see if another club swoops in to pluck him for a big-league shot.
No. 68, Dalton Rushing, C: Rushing is expected to fill the same role he finished with last season – one he now acknowledges snuck up on him. At FanFest last month, Rushing said he struggled with not being in the lineup every day. Getting his swing to a more consistent place will help him earn some more playing time, but it’s going to be a big spring for the organization’s former top position player prospect.
No. 72, Miguel Rojas, INF: The final season of Rojas’ career has some old and new. He’s in a familiar role as valuable depth off the bench, and could be asked to play more than originally expected if Tommy Edman’s injury means he isn’t ready for Opening Day. What’s new: He’s a World Series hero, and the clips of his home run and defense in Game 7 will certainly be played throughout Camelback Ranch.
No. 76, Alex Freeland, INF: Freeland’s big-league cameo last year showed a few things. One, the Dodgers appeared to trust him against right-handed pitching. And two, he can capably fill multiple infield spots, something he’ll be asked to do when the Dodgers call on him again this year.
No. 47, Ben Rortvedt, C: If Dalton Rushing isn’t ready to assume the mantle of backup catcher, the Dodgers have a familiar face. The team waived Rortvedt at the start of the offseason, but brought him back last week after the Cincinnati Reds cut him. Rortvedt doesn’t have minor-league options and got $1.25 million to avoid arbitration, so he might have a shot at opening the season on the roster.
Mike Siani, OF: What an offseason for Siani, who went from the Cardinals to the Braves to the Dodgers to the Yankees to the Dodgers and currently resides on the team’s 40-man roster. Siani is effectively the organization’s replacement for Justin Dean, a glove-first player who shores up the team’s center-field depth behind Pages and Edman.
Non-roster invitees
Chuckie Robinson, C: One of four Dodgers to appear in exactly one big-league game last year for the eventual World Series champions. Robinson made his way to the organization as insurance for Smith after his fractured hand.
Seby Zavala, C: He’s another former White Sox catcher, along with Robinson, giving the Dodgers five different catchers with big-league time (Smith, Rushing, Rortvedt, Robinson) with big league time. You don’t expect to expend that kind of catching depth, but the Dodgers just went through this a year ago.
Nelson Quiroz, C: The Dodgers’ catching pipeline is not as rich as it once was, a byproduct of trades (Keibert Ruiz, Thayron Liranzo) or graduating guys like Rushing to the big leagues. Quiroz, signed out of Mexico in 2019, is instead largely in camp to give the group an extra body when pitchers and catchers arrive.
Griffin Lockwood-Powell, C: The former undrafted free agent returns for another big league camp with the Dodgers, providing them with catching depth early in camp and potentially getting some more run with Smith participating in the WBC with the United States. One thing he’s always done is get on base, running a .350 on-base percentage a year ago in Double A with a 15.9 percent walk rate.
Eliezer Alfonzo, C: The Dodgers signed Alfonzo to a minor-league deal to provide catching depth in camp, with the 26-year-old switch-hitter coming over after spending his entire pro career in the Tigers organization.
Matt Gorski, 1B: You may remember Gorski from the mammoth home run he slugged in his first big-league at-bat at age 27 last season while with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Power has never seemed to be his issue. The Dodgers signed Gorski to a minor-league deal last year after the Pirates designated him for assignment, though he never appeared in a game due to injury. Now, he’s back and hoping the Dodgers can unlock something else in his swing.
Noah Miller, INF: The return in the memorable Manuel Margot trade in spring 2024 has been exactly as advertised when he arrived — a glove-first option at shortstop for an organization that, at the time, was looking to shore up its depth at the position. The bat (73 wRC+ in Triple A in 2025) needs to take strides.
Nick Senzel, INF: The second pick in the 2016 draft, Senzel hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since 2014. The Dodgers picked him up as third-base insurance on a minor-league deal last season, and he produced a .252/.341/.408 line in 411 plate appearances for Oklahoma City.
Ryan Fitzgerald, INF: The Dodgers shuffled depth pieces throughout the winter, claiming Fitzgerald off waivers in January before designating him for assignment days later. Fitzgerald successfully got through waivers this time around, allowing the 31-year-old to remain in the organization. He spent time with a few organizations before debuting with Minnesota last May. Fitzgerald gives the Dodgers a left-handed bat in the infield, should injuries arise.
James Tibbs III, OF: There are two competing things here with Tibbs. On one hand, he’s a former first-round pick with a high prospect pedigree. On the other hand, he got dealt twice in a matter of months. The Dodgers see him as a guy who could debut this season as one of several intriguing outfield prospects in the organization.
Josue De Paula, OF: The reigning Futures Game MVP has made enough strides to stave off the idea that he can’t handle an outfield corner. But even if he doesn’t, the offensive tools still pop off the page. De Paula ended last season with a Double A cameo, but no one is ruling out a rapid rise.
Zyhir Hope, OF: Another one of the prized outfield prospects, Hope is an example of the Dodgers trying to keep their championship window perpetually open. Hope and Jackson Ferris arrived in the Michael Busch trade, as the Dodgers parlayed a blocked prospect into two more potential top guys. Hope, like De Paula, just arrived at Double A. If he can access his power more regularly, he could move quickly.
Zach Ehrhard, OF: The Dodgers acquired two players – Tibbs and Ehrhard – in the Dustin May trade who could be big leaguers. Not a bad haul for a rental. The Dodgers are high on Ehrhard’s chances of breaking through to the majors. He’s also spent some of this offseason working with former big-league outfielder Kevin Kiermaier.
Kendall George, OF: Only four minor league players since 2005 have stolen 100 or more bases in a season: Billy Hamilton, Delino DeShields Jr., Chandler Simpson and George, who stole 100 bases in 111 games last season. He’s made adjustments to make himself a viable prospect, walking more often (84) than he struck out (78). It’ll be an interesting year for him.
Chris Newell, OF: Newell has slugged 21, 25 and 20 home runs over the past three minor-league seasons while largely manning center field. That provides some floor, should he continue to flash that power and rise up the Dodgers’ system. That floor, of course, hinges heavily on a strikeout rate that’s borderline workable — he struck out 30.6 percent of the time last year in Double A.