Dodgers: 3 top prospects most likely to be traded this year

2. Clayton Beeter, RHP

In 2020, the Dodgers managed to draft three consecutive big arms at the top in Louisville’s Bobby Miller, East Tennessee State University’s Landon Knack, and Texas Tech’s Clayton Beeter. All three could be starters, or all three could be ‘pen reinforcements. After a lost year following their selection, we still don’t have the data we need to determine if these collegiate flamethrowers have viable enough secondary stuff to see a lineup three times.

Therefore, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Dodgers dangled whichever one they’re least confident in during this summer’s trade talks.

Beeter has progressed more slowly than Miller thus far (and Knack has barely shown anything, throwing just two innings in his one appearance of the season). Though every pitcher’s development has taken a backseat to conditioning this spring and summer, considering nobody hit their innings quota in 2020, Miller has made five “starts” totaling 14.1 innings pitched, sporting 17 Ks and a 1.26 ERA/0.91 WHIP.

Beeter has been pushed far less thus far; in eight appearances (seven starts), he’s thrown a remarkably low 7.1 innings, striking out 13 with an elevated 1.23 WHIP. Suffice to say, Beeter’s been handled with the special-edition kid gloves, even more so than Miller. It’s hard to glean much from their usage at this point, but Miller outranks Beeter in prospect pedigree, though both have somewhat comparable profiles. While Knack hasn’t shown much, and isn’t quite as clearly on the radar as the rest of his draft class, it seems like the Dodgers are being more careful in deciding when to expose Beeter than when to push Miller.

1. Keibert Ruiz

No matter how you arrive at the conclusion, it’s hard to chart a path for Keibert Ruiz to contribute meaningfully to the Dodgers in the coming year or two, meaning the team will either have to perch on his value or deal him while his potential is still sky high.

Will it be at the trade deadline? Doubtful. But with Smith poised to make his first of many All-Star teams and Cartaya pushing to be taken extremely seriously, doesn’t Ruiz have more value to the Dodgers in trade than he does slugging at Double- and Triple-A and vexing the team’s higher-ups?

The only trade we could see potentially including Ruiz at the deadline is a … (drumroll, please) … Aroldis Chapman swap with the Yankees, which would allow the Bombers to install the catcher firmly behind the vulnerable Gary Sánchez in the pecking order, as well as examine 2020 first-rounder Austin Wells at different positions.

Hopefully, we didn’t think of this before the Yanks did. Come on, guys. You should be on this.

Sometimes, the prospect road map is extremely simple to discern. Player A ages out, reaches the limits of his rookie deal, and Prospect A is directly behind him, ready to contribute. Occasionally, one team collects more talent than they know what to do with. The Dodgers have an obscene amount of catching at every level of the minors and majors, and basically no other big-league team does. At a certain point, you need to parlay your riches into helping fortify another area of weakness.

We’re still surprised Ruiz didn’t head to Boston instead of Jeter Downs in the Mookie Betts trade, honestly. If this isn’t the winter where he departs, when will it be? Or will Will Smith be available instead? Someone’s got to go.

Dodgers: 3 LAD players who’ve earned first All-Star nods

These Los Angeles Dodgers players have earned a shot at their first All-Star appearances during the 2021 MLB season. Congrats!