Dodgers’ Dalton Rushing & Diego Cartaya Among Top-10 Catcher Prospects By MLB Pipeline

The Los Angeles Dodgers once again boast some of Major League Baseball’s top prospect talent, and two of their prized young catchers, Dalton Rushing and Diego Cartaya, rank among the best at their respective position.

The pair have seen their stock flip in the Dodgers’ system after a power-filled year for Rushing propelled him into a different light. The left-handed product out of Louisville, drafted in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft, has shined thus far.

In 89 games with the Great Lakes Loons, Rushing totaled an .856 on-base plus slugging with 18 doubles, one triple, 15 home runs, 53 RBI and 72 walks. Even with swing and miss in his game, he makes up for it with his ability to walk, which boosted his .404 on-base percentage.

The 22-year-old has the potential to be a big league catcher, also being named within the top-10 catchers according to MLB Pipeline for the upcoming season:

Though Rushing stands out most for his well-above-average raw power, he’s far from a one-dimensional player at the plate. He has a quick, compact left-handed swing and consistently drives the ball in air to his pull side without selling out for home runs. Strikeouts are part of his game, but he makes a lot of hard contact, draws plenty of walks and further enhances his on-base ability by getting hit by more than his share of pitches.

Rushing is reasonably athletic for a 6-foot-1, 220-pound catcher and can flash close to average speed once he gets going on the bases. Because he’s relatively inexperienced behind the plate, his receiving and blocking skills are works in progress, though he has the hands and agility to get the job done. He has the solid arm strength to deter the running game and still is learning to call games and run a pitching staff.

Cartaya, is a big-bodied 22-year-old, whom the Dodgers signed out of Venezuela in the 2018 international class. Although he endured his most difficult year in professional baseball in 2023, he still has the respect among evaluators as one of the best young backstops:

Cartaya has plenty of strength and leverage in his 6-foot-3 frame, as well as a quick right-handed stroke, so he still managed to slam 19 homers in 93 Double-A games. But his swing got way too long as he tried to launch every pitch he saw to his pull side, leading to disastrous results. He repeatedly chased pitches out the zone and was easily fooled by breaking balls and changeups, leading to concerns about his hitting ability if he doesn’t overhaul his approach.

On the positive side, Cartaya did improve defensively last season. Handling one of the best pitching staffs in the Minors, he made progress with his receiving, framing and blocking, and he should become an average or better defender. He features at least plus arm strength, though he needs to improve his accuracy, and he earns praise for his game-planning, leadership skills and overall makeup.

Rushing was slotted in at No. 6 with Cartaya rounding out the group at No. 10 on MLB Pipeline’s list.

Heading the strong catching group is Ethan Salas (San Diego Padres), Samuel Basallo (Baltimore Orioles), Jeferson Quero (Milwaukee Brewers), Harry Ford (Seattle Mariners) and Kyle Teel (Boston Red Sox).

Following Rushing is Blake Mitchell (Kansas City Royals), Moises Ballesteros (Chicago Cubs) and Edgar Quero (Chicago White Sox).

Cartaya was previously mentioned as high as No. 6 in 2023, with his best ranking coming in at No. 5 in 2022. His rough season in 2023 has pushed him down various boards, including his status as one of the Dodgers top prospects.

Dalton Rushing named to Baseball America’s Top 100

The Dodgers had four prospects featured on Baseball America’s top 100 list for the 2024 season, headed by Rushing (No. 50) and Gavin Stone (No. 82).

Andy Pages (No. 96) and Nick Frasso (No. 97) also made the list, indicating another strong endorsement of their new, top catching farmhand within the organization.