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LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers have had more regular-season success in the past decade than any other team in MLB. Over the past two seasons alone, Los Angeles has won 217 regular-season games.
Of course, the Dodgers now need to find a way to be successful in the postseason, an area they’ve struggled outside of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. But everyone in the organization is quick to say they believe the best brand of Dodgers baseball is ahead of them and not behind.
That remains to be seen. Finding success isn’t as easy as the Dodgers have made it seem over the past decade, but that belief within the organization is fueled by the talent coming up through the Minor League system, which was highlighted again on Thursday with seven players in the Top 100 of MLB Pipeline’s latest prospect rankings.
The Dodgers had just two players on the list two seasons ago. That number increased to five last season. Now, only the Orioles (eight) have more players in the Top 100.
Of the group, perhaps the most impressive player is catcher Diego Cartaya, the 14th-best prospect on the list. As a 20-year-old, Cartaya hit 22 homers and posted a .892 OPS between Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and High-A Great Lakes.
Cartaya spent time at Dodger Stadium this offseason and is already on the team’s 40-man roster. While he’s still a couple of seasons away from his Major League debut, most evaluators say he has the potential to be a perennial All-Star at the big league level.
Vargas and Pepiot are expected to contribute the most in 2023. Vargas ended the season with the Dodgers and was on the team’s postseason roster for the National League Division Series against the Padres. The Cuban infielder projects to be an above-average bat at the big league level, and his potential played a role in the Dodgers’ confidence in letting Justin Turner walk in free agency.
Los Angeles is still figuring out which defensive position best suits Vargas, but he’s expected to get the majority of playing time at second and third base. If he develops as expected though, his best position will be inside the batter’s box.
Stone and Miller could also impact the Dodgers this season. Stone has dominated every level in the Minors and will begin the season at Triple-A Oklahoma City. While ranked lower than Miller in the Top 100, some evaluators believe Stone is the best pitcher in the organization. Miller’s stuff is evident, but he still needs results in the upper levels of the Minors. Stone, on the other hand, is fresh off a season for which he earned the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year award.