Dodgers must get creative with 'prospect to watch' for 2025

The Dodgers rounded out their outfield last week, when they treated fans to a late Christmas present by finally settling on a deal with Teoscar Hernández. He and Michael Conforto will occupy the corners, while Tommy Edman takes center and Mookie Betts shifts back to the infield. Apart from Conforto, Hernández's three-year deal will leave not only the Dodgers' 2025 lineup, but their 2026 lineup looking almost identical to 2024.

There are still some question marks around Gavin Lux's future as an everyday player, but otherwise the rest of the lineup will stay where they are until Max Muncy becomes a free agent after 2026 (or the Dodgers decline their club option for him before the start of that season).

With that much gridlock, it's almost impossible for prospects to get any breathing room in the majors. Andy Pages stepped up in 2024, but is likely to be relegated to the bench in 2025, and James Outman now seems far outside of the Dodgers' field of vision.

They have even more of a puzzle to solve with their No. 1 prospect, Dalton Rushing, who was named LA's 'prospect to watch' in 2025 by MLB.com, but has no clear path to a debut.

Dodgers' No. 1 prospect Dalton Rushing's future uncertain after Teoscar Hernández re-signing

Rushing ascended through the lower levels of the minors as a catcher and first baseman, but was moved to left field just before his promotion to Triple-A in early August, and he stayed there throughout the rest of Oklahoma City's season. However, Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes said at the Winter Meetings that the team expected Rushing to return to the backstop in 2025.

There are roadblocks everywhere Rushing turns. His move from catcher to the outfield seemed to be because of Will Smith's 10-year extension, but Hernández's three-year deal also creates problems in outfield corners. Michael Conforto is only in LA on a one-year deal, but Rushing is widely expected to land in the majors in 2025.

The team has yet to re-sign Kiké Hernández or add another bench player, so they could be leaving it open to see how Rushing does in spring training. Still, he'd have to split time with Pages, and LA still has Chris Taylor perched on the bench through the year (with a club option for 2026 that they definitely won't exercise if he plays like he did in 2024).

Injuries are always a possibility; they're what gave Pages so many opportunities last season. Still, the Dodgers shouldn't hope for on bank on them to give Rushing his major league debut. If they don't end up trading him at some point in 2025, it's hard to tell how they plan to fit him into the picture going forward, or how we can "watch" him.