Dodgers News: GM Addresses Tough Year for Top Prospect Diego Cartaya
The Dodgers have put together one of the better farm systems in baseball, all while also having one of the better teams in the game. They have done a great job at tip-toeing the fine line between prioritizing winning now, while also making sure that they are set up for the future.
It’s been their recipe for success over the years, and it has worked out very well for them. LA has drafted extremely efficiently, and it has allowed them to build a ton of home-grown talent.
One of which is catcher Diego Cartaya, who is the team’s top prospect in the minor leagues. Cartaya has the look of a future big-league player, but he did struggle in 2023 for Double-A Tulsa.
He hit only .189 on the season, with 18 home runs and 57 runs batted in. Cartaya also put up an OPS of .656 in 403 plate appearances throughout the season as well.
It was a disappointing year all around for the young prospect, but the team remains high on his skill set. General Manager Brandon Gomes spoke about this at the GM Meetings and said that they will be working with him this offseason.
“I think it does get a little bit lost how young he is, especially for (the) level,” Gomes said. “I know his offensive year wasn’t where he would’ve hoped. He took major strides in game planning and receiving and throwing and leading pitchers’ meetings and understanding how to lead a staff, which are all incredibly important and some intangibles that you want to see out of catchers. We did see growth in a lot of areas even though the offensive performance wasn’t where we would’ve wanted it.”
Per Brandon Gomes via The Athletic
The 22-year-old showed that he has a good power bat, but also showed that he tends to strike out a lot as well. This can be typical for a young player, but it’s something that the Dodgers want to work on moving forward.
They also want to help him tweak his swing a bit, to give him more freedom at the plate. This is something that the team will use the winter to go over with him, and hopefully, it can make a difference in 2024.
The future is still very bright for this young man, and he remains in the Dodgers plans. The team will be watching closely to see if he can improve, and if there is a belief that he will bounce back.
Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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