Los Angeles Dodgers No. 8 prospect Christian Zazueta only just moved up to Double-A, but has been brilliant in his two starts so far.
The Dodgers called Zazueta up to Double-A Tulsa on June 23, after a stellar showing with the High-A Great Lakes Loons early in the season. Through his 11 appearances in High-A, he posted a deceptively high 3.88 ERA with 66 strikeouts through 48.2 innings pitched.
Zazueta’s first start in Double-A came two days after his call up, and he immediately lived up to the hype. He threw five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and hitting two batsmen while striking out eight batters. The right-hander made another start Wednesday, allowing just one run through four innings while reaching eight strikeouts once again.
After MLB’s most recent prospect update, Zazueta currently ranks as MLB’s No. 91 prospect, and is one of nine Dodgers players to rank in the Top 100.
How Has Christian Zazueta Performed Since Becoming a Dodger?
The Dodgers acquired Zazueta in a 2024 trade with the New York Yankees, in which the Dodgers sent Caleb Ferguson the opposite direction.
After arriving in the Arizona Complex League, Zazueta immediately made an impact with a 1.93 ERA through 18.2 innings across five appearances. He moved up to Single-A afterwards, but struggled—posting a 6.36 ERA throughout the remainder of the season.
His struggles disappeared in 2025, though, as he posted a 2.44 ERA at the same level through 66.1 innings pitched. He moved up to High-A for one appearance before the end of the season, and threw a scoreless inning in his sole outing with Great Lakes.
Zazueta has an electric fastball and changeup, both grading well above average on MLB’s 20-80 scale.
“Zazueta carved up California League hitters with his plus fastball and changeup,” MLB’s scouting report reads. “His heater operates at 92-95 mph and touches 97 with a flat approach angle and plenty of carry and armside run, while his cambio arrives at 83-85 mph with fade and sink. He’ll use different versions of a mid-80s slider, varying from tight to sweepier to one with more depth, and shows the ability to land them for strikes as well as get some chases.”
The Dodgers will hope the right-hander can continue to develop well as he becomes one of the most intriguing prospects in the system.
Do you think Christian Zazueta can get a shot in MLB next season?
