Dodgers: 5 players that prove LAD already has its next championship team in the works

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the model franchise in Major League Baseball.

They spend money. They make trades. They scout tremendously. They’re always looking to win now while also building for the future.

It helps that the organization is armed with endless resources, but nobody’s come close to knocking it out of the park like they have.

Though we’re only 10 games into the 2021 season, fans can’t help but notice that the current roster is already showing signs of maintaining supremacy across the league for years to come.

Los Angeles does have a collection of some of the game’s best veterans — Mookie Betts, Corey Seager, Justin Turner, Clayton Kershaw, and others — but what about their young talent taking the league by storm? A number of guys have already made an impression this year, while a few others have been doing so for a little while now.

The most important takeaway from these studs performing when they hear their names called is that it’s helping the Dodgers lay the foundation for their next World Series contending roster — you know, once the veterans you know and love hang up their cleats or leave in free agency.

So who will be part of the Dodgers’ next great core? It really feels like these five guys will be in town for quite a while. You’ll notice one omission here (Cody Bellinger) because he’s obviously the front and center future of the franchise, while all of these other guys have had much more limited experience.

5 Dodgers who will lead the way for LA’s next World Series team.

5. Walker Buehler

Why don’t we start with the obvious and make this short and sweet?

Walker Buehler is this team’s ace. It is no longer Clayton Kershaw, and it won’t be Trevor Bauer until he takes that title from the young right-hander.

And can you believe he still has two years of team control left before free agency? The Dodgers will be quick to make him one of the highest-paid starting pitchers when the time comes. You better believe that.

At just 26 years old, Buehler already has a resume other players dream of. Across 72 games (63 starts), he owns a 3.10 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 428 strikeouts in 377.2 innings of work. And that’s not even the best part! In 11 career postseason starts, he’s 3-1 with a 2.35 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 83 strikeouts in 61.1 innings. He’s already made two World Series starts and four NLCS starts, and if not for his debut playoff outing against the Braves in Atlanta a few years ago which saw him allow five earned runs in five innings, these numbers would truly be blowing your mind.

Buehler’s got a ton of his prime left and he’ll be leading this staff for quite a while.

3. Will Smith

It feels like the Dodgers have been generous with platooning their catchers, but Will Smith has emerged so aggressively that he’ll be owning all the reps not too long from now.

He splits time with Austin Barnes, who already has 20 plate appearances in 2021, but Smith’s electrifying offense and improving defense will continue to force the issue.

Though he’s seen just 98 total career MLB games, he already has 25 homers and 71 RBI to go along with a .270/.371/.586 slash line. And he’s already come through in clutch moments in the postseason for the Dodgers despite his unsightly slash line in October. You’d take 13 RBI in 22 career playoff games from a 26-year-old, wouldn’t you?

Smith is already off to a hot start in 2021 and this will be his first 162-game slate since debuting in 2019. From a power-hitting standpoint, Smith is already comparable to JT Realmuto and Gary Sanchez. He obviously has a long way to go to maintain such a distinction among those sluggers, but his introduction to MLB has been highly recognized.

Catcher is one of the toughest positions to solidify on a roster, but Smith has shown he’s ready to take over as the franchise’s backstop after limited time on the field.

2. Zach McKinstry

Remember all that talk about who was going to take over for Kiké Hernández after he departed for the Boston Red Sox? OK, everyone knew that’d be Chris Taylor, but he’s a free agent after 2021 and the Dodgers have a number of other players who take priority.

The one constant on these great Dodgers teams in recent years was the presence of a do-it-all utility man. Hernández filled that void playing all over the infield and outfield while wielding a bat capable of hitting for power and delivering in clutch situations.

After an impressive spring training and the start of the 2021 season, Zack McKinstry looks like he’ll be able to fill that role on a full-time basis once it’s needed. Following injuries to Taylor, Betts and Bellinger, McKinstry has gotten more playing time from the jump than anyone could’ve imagined. And in typical Dodger fashion, he’s delivered with his versatility on his defense and lefty bat.

In nine games, he’s already slashing .321/.355/.679 with five runs scored, two home runs and 10 RBI in 31 plate appearances. He’s reiterated he wants to take over for Hernández, and so far, so good.

1. Gavin Lux

Lux still has to prove himself a bit with his bat, but his torrid spring training helped quell those concerns for the time being. He’s not off to the most head-turning of starts, but he’s yet to make an error in his 80 innings on defense (mostly at second base and a full game at shortstop). And he’s shown his bat can play at the big league level.

The fact of the matter is Lux is the youngest of this crew at 23 years old and certainly looks like he’s capable of playing the part. Fans certainly don’t want to see Corey Seager go, nor would they like to see Lux replace him at this juncture, but the Dodgers are using the 2021 season to see if that’s at all possible.

Seager’s return is far from set in stone and if his demands are too high for the Dodgers’ liking, the team will evaluate Lux’s performance from this year and determine if he’s able to slot in as the starting shortstop. At the very least, he appears to be capable of playing second base for quite a while if the team were to explore other shortstop options.

Regardless, Lux’s youth and potential have him slated to be a member of this middle infield for years to come. Hopefully it’s with Seager, but we can’t make any guarantees. If Lux delivers the goods this year, though, fans might be more comfortable if the middle infield torch is passed to him in the event their World Series MVP is serious about testing the open market.

Dodgers: Zach McKinstry allowing LAD to rest Mookie Betts

The Los Angeles Dodgers have plugged Zach McKinstry right in for Mookie Betts (and Cody Bellinger). This team is amazing in every way.