Dodgers make surprising roster decision after Hyeseong Kim signing

The Los Angeles Dodgers needed to clear a roster spot once KBO star Hyeseong Kim signed his three-year contract. Their roster casualty came as a bit of a surprise.

Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported that former top prospect Diego Cartaya was designated for assignment once Kim's signing became official. The Dodgers have five days to trade the once highly regarded catcher or place him on waivers.

Cartaya had been the Dodgers' top prospect heading into the 2023 season and was ranked as high as the 14th-best prospect in baseball by MLB.com. His power potential, strong arm and leadership abilities drew comparisons to Royals catcher Salvador Perez. 

Cartaya has not lived up to his former prospect stature thus far. He has struggled offensively in the upper minors, posting a .204/.303/.379 batting line with 24 homers and 18 doubles in his 595 Double-A plate appearances. Those struggles continued in his first look at Triple-A as Cartaya posted a meager .208/.293/.350 batting line in 208 plate appearances.

His future with the Dodgers had been in question heading into the offseason. Fellow catcher Will Smith signed a 10-year, $140 million extension ahead of the 2024 season, locking him behind the plate into the next decade. Catching prospect Dalton Rushing not only surpassed Cartaya in the prospect rankings but is also learning how to play in the outfield to get his bat to Los Angeles as quickly as possible. Cartaya did not have a future in the organization.

At 23 years old and with his former top prospect pedigree, Cartaya will likely be scooped up by another organization. He has an option remaining, letting whichever team he lands on send him to the minors. There is still a chance that Cartaya can be a solid major leaguer and live up to his previous hype. It just might end up being somewhere else.