2 non-top 10 prospects who could crash the Dodgers' MLB roster next season

Even for a star-studded team like the Los Angeles Dodgers, dipping into the minor leagues here and there is a necessity. Sometimes that's to fill in for injuries. Other times, it's simply to shake things up at the end of the bench or the bullpen.

Normally the attention falls on the top guys in the system. The ones who shine bright like diamonds on top-10 lists and have fans salivating. But sometimes it's the youngsters further down the rankings who are ripe for the picking, ready to prove that they are an unearthed gem just waiting to be polished off.

Two examples stand out as prospects outside of LA's top-10 who could emerge at some point in 2026 and steal a role. It might not happen right away, and it might not be the most prominent job on the club, but that doesn't mean that they can't crash the party and make an impact.

Which underrated Dodgers prospects can make a big-league impact in 2026?

Right-handed pitcher Peter Heubeck (MLB.com rank No. 23)

The Dodgers selected Peter Heubeck in the third round as a high schooler out of Maryland back in 2021, giving him an over-slot bonus of $1,272,000, which should tell you about his potential. If there's one thing all scouts agree on, it's his ability to spin the baseball.

That has made his fastball play up despite velocity that is simply good but not great, and has made his curveball devastating. The issue that Heubeck faces is spotty command. Those struggles came to a head in 2024 when he posted a 6.41 BB/9 at High-A Great Lakes. He was promoted to Double-A Tulsa to begin 2025, where he improved a bit, bringing that mark down to 4.61, which was more in line with his career averages.

Heubeck's been a starter his entire minor league career, but potentially pitching out of the bullpen could help alleviate the control issues while making his plus stuff play up even more. There's also the potential of him being a spot starter in the back half of 2026.

Given the struggles to stay healthy and productive from the last wave of pitching prospects like River Ryan, Gavin Stone, and the now-departed Dustin May, it might make sense for Heubeck to get the call should the rotation need a fill-in. He'll likely have to show some growth at Triple-A Oklahoma City first. But if he does, he deserves to be on your radar.

Shortstop Noah Miller (MLB.com rank No. 25)

There will be some questions about the infield depth that Los Angeles must answer this offseason. Miguel Rojas will be retiring after 2026, but as an impending free agent it's no guarantee that his final year comes with the Dodgers. There are also questions with Kiké Hernandez, who continues to hit in the playoffs, but hasn't been a reliable contributor in the regular season for a while now.

The Dodgers do also have Hyeseong Kim, who is expected to see a bigger role, but depth is important and even more so with an veteran-laden roster that has been prone to injury.

Alex Freeland is much more highly-regarded, but he struggled with a .192/.292/.310 line in his big league opportunity in 2025. Either supplanting Freeland (or playing alongside him), Noah Miller could become a factor.

The 36th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Miller made his way to LA's system in the Manuel Margot trade ahead of the 2024 season. If there's one thing scouts agree on, it's that Miller can really pick it at short. MLB.com thinks that he could win a Gold Glove right now based on his ability to make both the routine and spectacular plays with ease.

The issue with Miller, and the reason he's not ranked higher, is his bat. He has a contact-first approach, but saw his numbers dip from .291/.336/.391 in 27 games at Tulsa to .238./.269/.344 in 59 contests at Oklahoma City.

He'll need some more seasoning to not be a complete black hole at the dish, but as a late-game defensive replacement, he could find a role down the stretch. The aging legs in the Dodgers' infield are going to need some breathers during the dog days of August, and when every game matters down the stretch, some late-inning defensive magic can make all the difference.

If the 22-year-old can ever figure out how to approach at least average with the bat, he could prove to be a really nice piece in the future. But for now, his glove alone could land him a big league job at some point next season.