Dodgers could punish AL contender for their mistake and claim former top-100 prospect

Ahead of Tuesday's 3:00 PM PST deadline to protect prospects from the Rule 5 draft, the Dodgers chose to add just one player to the 40-man roster: lefty pitcher Jack Dreyer, an unranked reliever who was signed in 2021 as an undrafted free agent. LA's roster had three open spaces before Dreyer was added, so they didn't have to do any shuffling to accommodate him.

Almost every team added at least one prospect, and many had to make cuts as a result. The Guardians chose to protect four: top prospects Doug Nikhazy, Petey Halpin, and Franco Aleman, as well as unranked pitcher Nic Enright. In the corresponding roster moves, they DFA'd pitchers Peter Strzelecki and Connor Gillispie and outfielder George Valera, their No. 20 prospect in 2024.

Valera signed with the Guardians as an international free agent in 2017 and became their No. 11 prospect in 2018. He continued to ascend through the pipeline and peaked at No. 1 in 2022, after he hit .260 with a .910 OPS the season prior in High-A and Triple-A. However, he started getting hit with injuries through 2023 and 2024 (including a diagnosis of Hodgkin's Lymphoma ahead of the 2023 season), and his production at the plate dipped this year to a .248 average and .789 OPS before he underwent surgery to repair a ruptured patellar tendon this September.

As a former top prospect who has never been able to get a fair shake at the majors, it's almost a given that Valera will be snapped up as he goes through waivers. However, if he does manage to reach the Dodgers before that happens, they should consider making the move.

Dodgers should consider adding former Guardians top prospect George Valera after DFA

Valera's knee surgery might keep him out of commission for a large swath of 2025, but it wouldn't hurt the Dodgers to claim him off of waivers, put him on the IL to start next season, and see what he can do when he's ready to return. Although he tumbled down the Guardians' rankings from No. 3 in 2023 to No. 20 this year, he remained ranked and clearly still has a lot of potential that injuries have kept him from fully realizing.

Despite the drop in rankings and the fact that Valera is 24 and still in Double-A, he's still rated highly for his power, arm, and speed, and almost all of the Dodgers' top outfield prospects are still years away from the majors.

Again, it's more than likely that Valera will be claimed before he can clear waivers, but if he lands on the Dodgers' desk, it might be worthwhile to give him a chance. Who knows? 40-man space is precious, and some teams may not be as willing to bite. The Dodgers, on the other hand, have room.