Dodgers Prospects: Three rookies that could make debut in 2020

The Los Angeles Dodgers could see another trio of prospects make their way to Chavez Ravine for their MLB debut in 2020.

The graduation of top prospects has been a huge piece of the puzzle for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The club has seen a revolving door of young talent moving up through the system and making significant contributions to the big club over the past several seasons.

In 2019, the Dodgers saw meaningful games played by the likes of Dustin May, Will Smith, Gavin Lux, Tony Gonsolin, Matt Beaty, and Edwin Rios. And that doesn’t count the arrival of Brusdar Graterol, who will make his Dodgers debut after receiving a late-season call-up from the Minnesota Twins a year ago. Most of those players are expected to play larger roles in 2020, with the baseball world watching May and Lux in particular as they are considered among the top prospects in all of baseball.

If and when the 2020 season gets underway, the team could see another group of solid rookies make their debuts as well. However, the potential of a shortened season may mean that the Dodgers are a little less liberal in terms of who they call-up this season. Unless a player is already on the 40-man roster, the team may not wish to start the service-time clock on a season where there may be a lower overall need for fresh players.

So which players will and will not get the call in 2020?

One top prospect not on the list

As mentioned, it is likely easy to eliminate any players that haven’t already been given a 40-man roster spot heading into the season. With the shortened season and the new rule limiting the expansion of the team roster in September, the likelihood of the Dodgers starting the clock on the next wave of prospects is limited.

Unfortunately for Dodgers fans, that means that we are not going to see the debut of Josiah Gray this season.

Gray came to the Dodgers in late 2018, via the trade that sent Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig to Cincinnati, and also brought back Homer Bailey and prospect Jeter Downs (who was later flipped to the Red Sox in the Mookie Betts deal). After only pitching in rookie ball with Cincinnati, Gray vaulted through three levels of the system before finishing the season at Double-A Tulsa.

Gray looked outstanding in his 26 games (25 starts – 130 innings), posting a combined record of 11-2 with a 2.28 ERA, a 0.992 WHIP, and a 10.2 K/9 rate. However, he has only pitched 39.1 innings in the upper minors and likely needs another year of seasoning. Asking him to be ready during a shortened season without having pitched at Triple-A is likely a tall order.