Dodgers GM's ringing endorsement of struggling pitching prospect will give fans hope

The 2025 season has been a frustrating one for Los Angeles Dodgers top pitching prospect Jackson Ferris.

The 21-year-old left-hander was acquired from the Chicago Cubs in a deal that send infielder Michael Busch and reliever Yency Almonte to Chicago, with Ferris and outfielder Zyhir Hope coming back to L.A.

Both Ferris and Hope had strong seasons in 2024, landing them spots among the Top 5 prospects in the Dodgers organization and ranking in the Top 100 prospects in all of baseball. Hope has kept up his production in 2025, but Ferris has struggled mightily.

In 10 appearances and 45.2 innings with the Double-A Tulsa Drillers, Ferris has a 5.52 ERA and a WHIP of 1.58. He's been giving up some loud contact, but has shown occasional flashes of being the pitcher he was in 2024.

Dodgers GM endorses Jackson Ferris

When the Dodgers first dealt Busch to the Cubs, it seemed like Los Angeles got the better end of the deal. Busch is talented, but he was expendable for the Dodgers in 2024 and they were able to land two prospects in return with a ton of upside.

After the 2024 season, the deal looked even better. Both Ferris and Hope were Top 100 prospects, and while Busch had a good season with the Cubs, he still didn't have the ceiling of either player the Dodgers got back in the trade.

Glancing at the numbers this season, it's natural to be a little bit more skeptical about the deal that GM Brandon Gomes made. Busch has 10 home runs and n .869 OPS while making the league minimum in Chicago and the Cubs still have him under club control for 4.5 more seasons. Ferris is getting lit up in the minor leagues.

But there is still hope. Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes gave a ringing endorsement of Ferris a few weeks back. Gomes does not believe the numbers tell the full story when it comes to the pitches Ferris is throwing.

"I think Jackson has been far better than his surface level numbers," said Gomes. "Watching all his outings, the fastball/slider combination’s been really strong. He’s continuing to find spots to mix in the curveball, which is a nice front-to-back option, and the changeup."

"He’s incredibly advanced," Gomes said of the 21-year-old southpaw. "The makeup is outstanding. he’s an 80-grade competitor. There’s a lot to like about Jackson. We’ll just keep getting him in, getting his reps in, getting that number of innings down so he’s ready when we need him. The big picture’s really bright for Jackson.”

The Dodgers do not seemed fazed by the hiccups in the minor leagues. There is still a chance that Ferris makes his Major League debut at some point this season.

Pitching coach Mark Prior has said that Ferris is someone Los Angeles is looking to have step up next season, but that if "he continues to progress and takes off this year, we could probably see him" in the Major Leagues.

It's far too early to be out on Jackson Ferris or judge his MLB future by one 10 games to start a baseball season. If the Dodgers still have hope for him, Dodger fans should too.