The defending World Sequence champion Dodgers personal the very best document within the Nationwide League (27-15) and appear like a lock for his or her thirteenth consecutive playoff look. However that does not imply they can not get higher.
Los Angeles has gotten little manufacturing out of backup catcher Austin Barnes or their at the moment wholesome outfielders exterior of Andy Pages. And it occurs to have the very best catching prospect in baseball, who additionally occurs to be able to enjoying the outfield.
So the Dodgers promoted Dalton Speeding on Wednesday, designating Barnes for task to make room. Ranked No. 15 on MLB Pipeline’s lately up to date Prime 10 Prospects record, he was the membership’s prime choose (second spherical, No. 40 general) within the 2022 Draft and has regarded like a steal nearly ever since.
Speeding performed sparingly behind 2021 No. 1 general choose Henry Davis throughout his first two school seasons at Louisville, then broke out with a powerful summer time within the Cape Cod League and hasn’t stopped hitting. He smashed 23 homers as a junior, slashed .404/.522/.740 in his professional debut and has batted .277/.412/.519 throughout his Minor League profession.
Speeding’s most blatant offensive trait is his means to get probably the most out of his uncooked energy and drive the ball out of the park to all fields, however he is additionally one of many extra well-rounded hitting prospects within the recreation. A left-handed hitter, the Dodgers’ No. 1 prospect has a mature strategy and lets his pop come naturally, making repeated laborious contact and launching balls within the air to his pull facet with out promoting out. He attracts a wholesome quantity of walks and enhances his on-base means by getting hit by greater than his share of pitches.
The remainder of Speeding’s recreation will get overshadowed by his offensive prowess. He has extra athleticism and quickness than could be anticipated from a 5-foot-11, 220-pound catcher. Whereas he is not a basestealing menace, he can flash stable pace below means.
There have been some questions on Speeding’s means to remain behind the plate after he caught simply 46 video games in three school seasons, however he has answered these. He has made vital progress along with his receiving, framing and blocking within the Minors and grades as not less than common in all of these areas. He additionally options stable arm energy and has erased 25 p.c of basestealers as a professional.
In comparison with fellow Louisville product Will Smith, whom he’ll again up behind the plate in Los Angeles, Speeding is a extra superior hitter and lesser defender on the similar stage of their careers. He profiles as a beginning catcher and potential All-Star, although he will not get common at-bats straight away within the Majors.
The Dodgers started enjoying Speeding in left discipline extra typically as soon as he bought to Triple-A final season, on the lookout for extra methods to get his bat into their lineup, and he is an sufficient defender there. He additionally has seen time at first base, although he is rougher at that place in addition to blocked by Freddie Freeman, whereas Shohei Ohtani monopolizes the DH at-bats.
