Dodgers' non-roster spring training invites signals their desire to build trade value

Shohei Ohtani showed up to Dodgers spring training in Glendale well ahead of the official pitchers and catchers report date, but his organization was slower to get with the program. While the rest of the league were putting out official lists of non-roster invitees, the Dodgers took their time.

Maybe it's because the list they were putting together was absolutely monstrous. On Monday, they announced 32 NRIs, which includes nine top prospects, a couple of former top prospects (Nick Frasso), and a handful of guys with major league experience hoping to make their way back (Nick Senzel, Cole Irvin).

The headliners are, of course, the top prospects: Nos. 1 and 2 at the end of 2025, outfielders Zyhir Hope and Josue De Paula, will both be in attendance. Trade pieces Adam Serwinowski (lefty pitcher from the Ben Rortvedt deal at the 2025 deadline), James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard (outfielders from the Dustin May trade) will also be in Glendale with the big league club.

A lot of these prospects are still a few years away from the majors, and their presence in camp is largely a way for them to get some real face time with how the major league team operates.

But it's also an opportunity for the Dodgers to give them low-stakes reps against major leaguers and other minor leaguers alike, which could send their trade value skyrocketing.

Dodgers invite 32 players to spring training as non-roster invitees, including nine top prospects

Hope, De Paula, No. 3 prospect Eduardo Quintero and No. 5 prospect Mike Sirota are all outfielders. Tibbs, Ehrhard, and Kendall George — all outfielders. With Teoscar Hernández in left, Andy Pages in center, and Kyle Tucker in right for the forseeable future, there's no battle that any of the prospects can hope to win with any of them.

But there is one with each other.

Only two of the players who are projected to be in the Dodgers' Opening Day starting lineup are homegrown: Pages and Will Smith. Hope, De Paula, and Co. must know that there is very little hope they debut with this organization unless they truly stand out. The rest, even if they are very good, will be perfect trade fodder.

The Dodgers can posture all they want about trying to get their prospects playing time, but we know the deal. The top prospects we'll see in spring training are the ones that we might see shipped to Minnesota or Detroit for Joe Ryan or Tarik Skubal down the line. That's how the Dodgers do business, but they still need their (oftentimes overhyped) developing talent to prove their worth in those trades during spring training.