Dodgers might finally get to see the fruits of their Michael Busch trade in 2027

The Michael Busch trade is already a massive win for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers took part of the fruits of that trade, Zyhir Hope, and managed to swap him as one of the centerpieces to land Tarik Skubal. Not too shabby a return for a player who was completely blocked in Los Angeles.

Hope wasn't the only prospect the Dodgers received for Busch, who became a good-but-not-great first baseman. Los Angeles also received young left-handed pitcher Jackson Ferris. Rising to Oklahoma City in 2026, the 22-year-old was named by Sonja Chen of MLB.com as one of three Dodgers prospects who could have an impact in 2027.

With the uncertainty surrounding Skubal's future and LA's ability to retain him, there will be even more importance placed on Ferris to succeed in order to keep the benefits of the trade going.

Jackson Ferris might give the Dodgers more help than many believe in 2027

Ferris looked like a future star in the lower levels of the minors. He made his pro debut with the Cubs in 2023 in Single-A, posting a 3.38 ERA over 56 innings as a 19-year-old. He'd come into the Dodgers' system the following year, excelling at Great Lakes with a 3.39 ERA, and then supercharged his performance with a seven-start stint in Tulsa, where he recorded a 2.54 ERA.

However, his strikeouts diminished, and his walks rose against Double-A competition, and when he repeated the level for a full season in 2025, he looked a bit more average, posting a 3.86 ERA. Then, this year in Oklahoma City, he struggled mightily to the tune of a 5.12 ERA.

As Chen noted, though, he righted the ship with a 1.00 ERA over his final six starts and 36 innings pitched. That could bode well for 2027.

The early career success had Ferris topping out at No. 82 on Baseball America's top 100 prospect list in 2025. He was also LA's No. 5 overall prospect per BA entering 2026, though he's now fallen to No. 16.

His scouting report highlights an enticing six-pitch repertoire that includes both two-and-four-seam fastballs, a cutter, a slider, a curveball, and a changeup. The arsenal screams rotation-caliber starter, but stamina and command issues could force him to the bullpen.

The 'pen is likely where he can contribute in 2027. In the short stints as a reliever, his stuff will play up even more, and theoretically his command will improve as he can shelve his least effective offering and only focus on his bread-and-butter offerings like his changeup. In turn, that could give him the confidence he needs to move to the rotation full-time in the future.

There's a lot ot like about Ferris, and he can provide some real value to the Dodgers in 2027. If he's an impact reliever, it will be a huge boost to a Los Angeles bullpen that often finds itself needing reinforcements down the stretch. If he can springboard from that to a starter with improved control in 2028 and moving forward. Ferris's pedigree and past success make it so that he shouldn't be overlooked.

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