Andrew Friedman and the Los Angeles Dodgers front office have proven themselves to be resourceful, flexible, shrewd, and highly effective.
Friedman leads the charge in aiming to improve the roster year after year. There are many different ways to achieve this goal, and Friedman’s group has mastered essentially every single one in some shape or form.
This year’s group of free agents isn’t overly strong whether it be high-end talent or depth. The grouping of relievers coincidentally enough may be the best of the bunch, and that is an area the team figures to address with free agent signings.
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However, when it involves getting an impact outfield bat, the trade market waters seems like a far surer bet to wade into for the Dodgers.
The farm system is one of the best in baseball. Cultivating talent and acquiring it in other trades is exactly what Friedman sets out to do. It’s far easier and conventional to trade for talent rather than overpaying for free agents that may not be the ideal fit.
In this exercise, we’ll look at three prospects the Dodgers could flip in order to get an impact player during this current offseason.
Zyhir Hope
Hope is the biggest name within this list. Depending on the publication, he ranks as a top 2-3 prospect within the system, and a top 30 prospect across the league.
Powerfully built with a smaller, compact frame, Hope has fast-twitch athleticism and a suddenness rarely seen with baseball players. In essence, he’s built more so like a running back. Though he actually has a background as a left-handed power pitcher, the 5-foot-10 athlete can play every outfield spot. Most expect him to end up in one of the corner positions given expected physical maturity and a slowing in his speed.
It’s a numbers game at this point for the Dodgers. According to MLB.com, six of the team’s top-10 prospects are outfielders. Josue De Paula profiles as the best bat of the bunch, Mike Sirota is the best defender/athlete, and Eduardo Quintero is likely the best all-around outfield prospect with perhaps the highest ceiling.
There’s also James Tibbs III (acquired from Boston in the Dustin May trade) that was spectacular once coming over to the Dodgers organization. Charles Davalan, Kendall George, Zach Ehrhard, and Ching-Hsien Ko also possess intriguing qualities as outfielders.
That’s not to say Hope isn’t a very good prospect in his own right. The 20-year-old has some real pop from the left side and the upside of an All-Star. However, he also struck out 139 times in 439 at-bats this season in High-A. Hope will have some real trade value, and likely would be the centerpiece of a trade that nets the Dodgers an MLB-ready player such as Steven Kwon or someone of a similar ilk.
Jackson Ferris
The Dodgers are terrific at replenishing their farm system. Builing depth and stockpiling said depth is something we’ve seen time and time again.
Ferris was acquired (along with Hope) in the Michael Busch trade with the Chicago Cubs. The lefty immediately became the team’s top pitching prospect, nestled safely within the top 100 prospects list of virtually any publication.
A long and lengthy athlete with a difficult delivery to read, Ferris has performed quite well within the team’s system. In Double-A this past year, Ferris notched 135 strikeouts and a 3.86 ERA in 126.0 innings.
The 21-year-old still remains as the team’s top pitching prospect — though he’s not what anyone would call an untouchable player. There are some concerns his somewhat unconventional delivery could lead to arm troubles down the line.
The organization has been cultivating several arms looking to jump into the Ferris-echelon. These include fellow lefty Adam Serwinowski, recent draft pick Zachary Root, and emerging star Patrick Copen.
With depth in the organization and in the farm system, Ferris could be on the move similarly to Hope as a centerpiece for a potential package.
Noah Miller
In 2024, the Dodgers traded Manuel Margot to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for Miller. A former first-round pick out of Wisconsin, Miller has developed into objectively one of the best fielding shortstops in the minor leagues.
That part of his game is objectively elite. With quick hands and a very strong arm, Miller could play the position in the Major Leagues right now with real effectiveness. It’s the bat which has been delayed, and there are worries whether he can even become an average hitter at the next level.
There’s most certainly a world where he becomes a career utility man/light-hitting fielder strictly in games for his glove. Given the uncertainty around Miguel Rojas and the age of Mookie Betts, Miller could even get called up this season as a stopgap option.
At only 23 years of age, a team could talk themselves into Miller with the goal of revamping his swing. He hit .260 across three levels with the Dodgers organization in 2025. He won’t singularly net the return that Ferris or Hope would, but there’s some value here.
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Photo Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
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One Response
Let Zyhir Hope and Noah Miller go. Jackson Ferris might still be developed, but I don’t think the Dodgers can wait on Hope to develop a more patient bat as his value is very high right now and packaged with Wrobleski, Sheehan, Bobby Miller might get us a Duran or a Buxton or maybe even Kwan, all whom could improve the Dodger Outfield NOW.