Dodgers’ 2022 International Free Agent class is stunningly large

In case you forgot, the Los Angeles Dodgers are a player development monster, and they just used the International Signing period mid-MLB lockout to add the largest bulk talent pool you’ve ever seen.

With the International Draft likely on the horizon, which will give baseball’s best less and less of a chance to gain access to the biggest stars from around the globe (congrats, Orioles and Diamondbacks!), this might be the Dodgers’ last chance to get greedy.

This time around, instead of using their bonus pool on one or two well-known, high-pedigreed studs, the Dodgers floated their money around, picking up an absolute ton of prospects to inject into their minor-league system.

And we really do mean a ton. Not sure you’re all prepared for this.

Though the Dodgers didn’t go top-heavy in their IFA class like the Yankees, they still managed to pull together an extremely large and varied class, highlighted by a few of the top names. Not bad at all, and you have to trust this administration with their International budgets, especially when the number they have to work with is a bit smaller than normal.

Dodgers’ International Free Agent haul is massive in 2022

Yup. That’s a lot of bites at the stardom apple for sure.

Leading the pack by a wide margin, in terms of pedigree, is Dominican outfielder Samuel Muñoz, ranked seventh overall by MLB Pipeline.

Muñoz is one of two top-50 prospects secured by LA’s braintrust, the other being Venezuelan right-hander Accimia Morales, clocking in at No. 37 in the same assessment.

With LA’s bonus pool limited by the loss of $500,000, taken as a penalty for the Trevor Bauer signing, the portrait Andrew Friedman’s decision-makers were able to paint is still very impressive.

Muñoz is the Dodgers’ crown jewel, a lefty-swinging infielder with above-average barrel ability (already), as well as plenty of power projection moving forward. MLB Pipeline’s experts also want to make sure fans keep an eye on shortstop Mairo Martinus out of Curacao, reportedly the top infield prospect the island has produced since joyful Braves star Ozzie Albies.

Is this a typical, overwhelming Dodgers IFA class? In terms of an initial talent burst, maybe not. But the numbers don’t lie, and despite serious financial constraints, Los Angeles managed to import a mega-sized amount of options (highlighted by a top-10 talent, of course).

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