3 top prospects (and 1 young star) who will take steps forward for 2026 Dodgers

While the Los Angeles Dodgers are best known for their veteran-laden, star-studded roster, there is also a lot of promising young talent present throughout the organization. In addition to the ridiculous financial resources they possess, this wealth of young talent is yet another reason why they are the envy of the league.

There is certainly some smoke and mirrors involved with how certain Dodgers prospects are hyped up, but at the same time, there are some lesser-known talents who seem to be in line for serious breakouts in 2026.

At the same time, on the big league front, a certain youngster stands out as having a chance to flip the script and prove that his hype was warranted once the bright lights of the regular season get turned on.

This collection of Dodgers youngsters could be in line for breakout seasons in 2026

Roki Sasaki is the young star who we can expect more from in 2026

The panic meter is once again rising with Roki Sasaki. His inability to consistently find the strike zone last year and the stunning way in which hitters not only kept up with, but crushed, his vaunted arsenal was a huge red flag last season. But zooming out to a 10,000-foot view, can we really draw that many conclusions from a disjointed 36 1/3 inning sample?

The truth of the matter is a lot when wrong for the 24-year-old, and things began to snowball. It wasn't all of his fault, though. First, the expectations placed on him were wholly unreasonable when you actually think about it. Not meeting those initially caused him to press, and coming over to a different country at such a young age, where there are stark cultural differences, was already a lot to put on the youngster.

On top of that, there was the feeling of what can go wrong will, which can be so psychologically draining for an athlete, especially one who had never faced such adversity before. Throw in the shoulder impingement that cost him a huge chunk of the season, and it's a perfect storm of terrible outcomes.

But Sasaki fought back, healed up, and became vital in the playoffs while closing games. There isn't a much better recipe for one to get their swagger back than that. So while others are debating whether or not to be worried by his slow start this spring, just keep in mind how green he was last year and how that experience will serve him well in 2026. Opinions on him were unanimous, and while that doesn't necessarily prove anything, it's hard to imagine pretty much every single scout in the league being wrong.

River Ryan could finally have his long-awaited breakthrough if he stays healthy

It feels silly to call a player who will turn 28 in January a prospect, but for all intents and purposes, that's what River Ryan is. Like far too many Dodgers hurlers, injury derailed Ryan before he could truly spread his wings.

But we have that impressive 1.33 ERA to hang our hats on, plus a clean bill of health that has him poised to fight for a rotation spot. Los Angeles's desire to run a six-man rotation and its never-ending need for healthy arms will give him every opportunity to succeed.

The right-hander looked to be on the way to a breakout before he got hurt, and during his rehab, he added 30 pounds of muscle to help with his durability. He seems like a man on a mission, trying to find his big league niche, and 2026 could finally be the year he's able to put it together.

Outfielder James Tibbs III could prove that his uptick upon being traded to the Dodgers was only the beginning

The Dodgers are loaded with outfield depth in the minors, making it hard for anyone but the most glitzy prospects to stand out. That goes double for James Tibbs III, who had quite the journey last year.

A 2024 first-round pick of the rival San Francisco Giants, Tibbs played sparingly, making his pro debut after the draft. Just as he was beginning to find his footing last year, he was traded in June in a package for Rafael Devers. Having begun the year in High-A, Boston immediately assigned the 23-year-old to Double-A, where he struggled. His strikeouts skyrocketed while his power disappeared, managing just one homer with Boston.

Tibbs was dealt again, landing in Los Angeles in exchange for Dustin May. The Dodgers agreed with the Red Sox that he belonged in Double-A and sent him to Tulsa, where everything seemed to click again. The Florida State product hit seven homers in his final 36 games, posting an impressive .224 ISO. His walks returned to the tune of an elite 17.3%, helping him post a .269/.407/.493 line down the stretch.

Tibbs was one of the power bats we were most excited to see this spring, and so far the results have mostly been good. He is slashing .263/.333/.526 through eight spring games, though his strikeout rate is a concerning 38.1%. If he can keep up the power while reining in the strikeouts, we could see him quickly shoot up the prospect rankings.

Christian Zazueta could put himself on the map as he prepares to move to the upper minors

Christian Zazueta could end up being a huge steal for the Dodgers. Acquired in February of 2024 from the New York Yankees in exchange for Caleb Ferguson, Zazueta was a young, Mexican-born righty who hadn't yet advanced past the Dominican Summer League.

That year, he finally came stateside but struggled. With a 5.20 ERA between a brief stint in the Arizona Complex League and a much longer stretch at Rancho Cucamonga, he looked like the typical lottery-ticket type of arm that quickly flames out.

However, the opposite happened last season. Zazueta repeated at Rancho Cucamonga, but this time posted a 2.44 ERA while cutting his walks and keeping his strikeouts high. Now he's set for Great Lakes, but if he continues to harness his live arm there, he could quickly shoot through the system.

With better-than-average command for his age, a fastball that can reach the upper-90s, a fantastic changeup, and a good slider, he has all the tools to succeed.