Top Dodgers Prospects Who Could Contribute in 2026

I feel like I sound like a broken record, but I reiterate: I get it, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the easiest organization in baseball to resent. They spend more than anyone right now, they win more than anyone right now, and when cracks do appear, they seem to patch them instantly, whether it be with money or developmental timing. 

The back-to-back defending champions are projected to carry a staggering $387 million payroll in 2026, ahead of the Mets, Yankees and everyone else. Coming off an offseason that included adding Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz, sympathy appears nonexistent.

Still, focusing solely on payroll misses the bigger picture. What truly separates the Dodgers is not just how much they spend, but how relentlessly well they develop talent. Once again, Los Angeles enters 2026 with one of the top-ranked farm systems in baseball, even after consistently graduating prospects to the big leagues or using them as currency in major trades.

Last season, Dalton Rushing and Roki Sasaki, the organization’s top two prospects entering 2025, both broke their rookie seals and contributed meaningfully. The next wave is already lining up. In Just Baseball’s most recent top 100 prospects update, the Dodgers boast six prospects inside the top 80, with the top four all being outfielders. That is notable given that outfield depth was arguably the lone soft spot on the 2025 roster.

That said, patience remains the Dodgers’ greatest weapon. All four of those elite outfield prospects are 22 or younger, and for a team attempting a historic three-peat with a roster loaded top to bottom, there is little incentive to rush anyone. There is a very real chance none of Los Angeles’ top four prospects see meaningful MLB time in 2026.

What makes the Dodgers dangerous is that they have depth beyond the top 100, with legitimate big-league contributors who could debut and impact games next season without disrupting the long-term plan.

With a projected lineup featuring Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Kyle Tucker, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Max Muncy and Teoscar Hernandez, and a pitching staff anchored by Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, and Edwin Diaz, opportunities will be scarce. But injuries and attrition always open doors.

Here are six Dodgers prospects who could realistically contribute at the MLB level at some point during the 2026 season.

Zyhir Hope, OF

Zyhir Hope is a headliner, even if his ETA technically points to 2027. Acquired from the Cubs in the Michael Busch trade, Hope has exploded faster than nearly anyone expected. Recently turned 21, he already reached Double-A late last season and continues to showcase some of the loudest raw power in the minor leagues. Between High-A and Double-A, Hope slashed .266/.376/.428 with 13 homers, 29 doubles and 80 RBIs.

Hope is toolsy with exceptional athletic twitch and bat speed. He’s already launching balls north of 470 feet and has produced exit velocities over 113 mph, boasting a 90th-percentile exit velocity in 2025.

There are whiff concerns, especially against velocity at the top of the zone,  but the patience and swing discipline are real. Hope consistently runs low chase rates and pairs his plus power with plus speed, swiping 27 bags last season.

If Hope absolutely demolishes the upper minors or if the Dodgers find themselves thin in the outfield, it’s not impossible he forces his way into the picture late in 2026. Still, the likelier scenario is continued development without urgency.

Josue De Paula, OF

If there’s one Dodgers prospect whose bat looks the most MLB-ready, it’s Josue De Paula. Still just 20 years old, De Paula is one of the most polished young hitters the organization has developed in years.

Last season, De Paula struck out just five more times than he walked (86 strikeouts to 81 walks) across High-A and Double-A, slashing .250/.391/.400 with 12 homers, 44 RBIs and 32 stolen bases.

While his game power hasn’t fully arrived yet, the raw juice is undeniable, grading out 60/80 on pop. He’s already posted exit velocities above 114 mph, and as his frame fills out, more of that power should translate into games.

De Paula isn’t flashy defensively and will likely settle into a corner-outfield role, but the bat could play anywhere. Like Hope, he carries a 2027 ETA, but his advanced feel to hit gives him an outside chance to knock on the door sooner if the Dodgers need an offensive spark.

The people are eager to see the nephew of former NBA star Stephon Marbury’s in action.

Alex Freeland, INF

Unlike most on this list, Alex Freeland has already tasted the big leagues. A switch-hitter with no glaring weaknesses, Freeland profiles as exactly the type of player the Dodgers value: versatile, athletic, disciplined and fundamentally sound.

Freeland made a significant offensive leap in 2024, improving his contact rate, trimming his chase rate to around 15 percent and showing legitimate power growth. He’s better from the left side, but there’s enough thump overall to envision 15-20 home runs annually.

Defensively, he can handle shortstop, second or third base, giving Los Angeles valuable flexibility.

With a roster that prioritizes depth and matchup advantages, Freeland feels like a near-lock to play a meaningful role at some point this season.

River Ryan, RHP

After a dominant MLB debut in 2024 where he pitched to a 1.33 ERA in 20+ innings, right-handed flamethrower River Ryan’s season was cut short by Tommy John surgery. Now fully recovered, the 27-year-old enters 2026 as one of the most intriguing depth arms in baseball.

A former two-way player, Ryan brings elite athleticism to the mound along with a deep arsenal. His mid-to-upper 90s fastball plays at the top of the zone, while his slider is a legitimate plus pitch that misses bats and generates ground balls. Even if the rotation is crowded, Ryan’s stuff gives him a clear path as either a starter or a high-leverage reliever.

Given the Dodgers’ workload management philosophy, it’s hard to imagine Ryan not contributing innings in 2026.

Jackson Ferris, LHP

Acquired alongside Hope in the Busch trade, Ferris has produced elite results, including being named the organization’s Pitcher of the Year in 2024 and posting a 2.03 ERA over his final 10 starts (53.1 IP) last season in Double-A Tulsa.

He is likely to begin this year in Triple-A and could feasibly find himself making his MLB debut as a starter or reliever, especially if seemingly inevitable injuries pile up.

Ferris leans heavily on a fastball-slider combination, and while both are quality offerings, neither is dominant enough to completely mask the lack of a consistent third pitch. His command has improved, which translated to better production, but the curveball and changeup remain underdeveloped.

That said, Ferris just turned 22, stands 6-foot-4, and could see his fastball tick up in velocity. At minimum, Ferris could serve as a bulk-innings option or depth starter in 2026, with upside still on the table.

James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard, OF

James Tibbs III, a first-round pick two years ago, found his footing after being traded twice in 2025, from the Giants to the Red Sox in the Rafael Devers deal, then from the Red Sox to the Dodgers in the Dustin May deal.

Once Tibbs landed with the Dodgers, he slugged his way through Double-A, posting a .900 OPS in his 36 games with Double-A Tulsa, reminding everyone why he was so highly regarded coming out of Florida State.

Tibbs is a polished hitter with power and patience. If he starts 2026 in Double-A or Triple-A and carries that momentum forward, he could absolutely factor into the big-league outfield mix late in the year.

Zach Ehrhard is the sleeper. Overshadowed by bigger names, Ehrhard does everything pretty well. His Double-A performance with the Dodgers was excellent. In 34 games in Double-A Tulsa, he slashed .282/.391/.466. Ehrhard finished the year with 14 homers, 37 stolen bases, and a .272 batting average.

Ehrhard is not super toolsy but he has good all-around makeup and looks the part of someone who could overachieve at every level.