Dodgers: Top Three Prospects to Keep an Eye on in 2019

The Dodgers farm system is loaded yet again. From top prospects like Keibert Ruiz to lower level studs like Matt Beaty, the Dodger future is shining brighter than ever.

Some managerial shifting has happened over the offseason in the minor leagues and a massive number of minor league signings were made. But, for this article I will be pushing through the masses and focusing in on three minor leaguers I think you should keep an eye on.

Something to make clear though. This list of players is not my top prospects in the system. As a matter of fact, not one of them cracks my top three. This is a list of the three players that I think can make a minor league splash in 2019 and do a lot for their journey to Dodger Stadium.

Without further ado, let’s get into the list of minor leaguers you should watch closely in this upcoming season.

Tony Gonsolin is undoubtedly the most exciting prospect to watch in 2019 because I think there is a legitimate chance the 2018 Dodger Minor League Pitcher of the Year can work his way to the big leagues this season.

Gonsolin came into 2018 with a low-90’s fastball and a repertoire that kept him in the bullpen. After spring training the Dodgers opted to move the big righty to the starting rotation and watched as the prospects who once threw in the low-90’s upped his velocity to the upper-90’s and topped out at 100 miles per hour.

The now flamethrowing Gonsolin struck out an organization leading 155 batters in 2018 and impressed his way up to Double-A to finish the season. With a strong spring, I would not be surprised to see him make three to five starts with the Drillers and subsequently move up to Triple-A OKC.

Should he make his debut in 2019, I would guess that Gonsolin will play a Ross Stripling-type role in that he will both start and pitch from the bullpen. The difference between Stripling and Gonsolin, however, is Tony will have had bullpen experience before and he will re-enter the pen with a fastball that can reach triple digits.

For my third and final prospect, I wanted to shed some light on a player that not many people have heard of. For this pick, we’ll look at 17-year-old catcher, Diego Cartaya.

Cartaya was signed in last year’s international signing period and was looked at as the highest ranked international prospect of 2018.

Cartaya is a 6’2 catcher weighing in around 200 pounds but despite the overwhelming size, his defense is highly proficient. Cartaya is known for a good arm with defensive capabilities far beyond his years. MLB Pipeline wrote on Cartaya that he, “draws a strong Salvador Perez comparison” and added that he, “moves well for a tall guy behind the plate and demonstrates advanced receiving skills for his age. ”

Offensively, Cartaya is a contact hitter with amazing awareness for the strike zone. He is fairly powerless at the moment but, with the United States hitting coaching and some more physical maturity, Cartaya can easily develop his power game.

Cartaya excites me personally for a few reasons. One, he is not even 18-years-old and he is already in the United States. Most players his age are not strong enough to make the move but Cartaya is and he is here. The last catcher to make the move to the US this quickly and at this age was… Keibert Ruiz.

Two, Cartaya is quietly waiting in the middle of the Dodgers top-30 prospects before making his American debut. Give him some time to impress in the States and he could very quickly rise to the top of the system making either Ruiz or Will Smith available in the trade market.

Cartaya will be very interesting to watch now that he is in the Dodgers’ States system.

Beyond these three players, there is so much talent to keep an eye on 2019. These three players are just my favorites at the moment and I’m sure that will change as the season progresses. For now, Will Smith, Tony Gonsolin and Diego Cartaya are my big three.