3 Dodgers players most likely to have a breakout season in 2023

The Los Angeles Dodgers, like most other MLB teams, have had their fair share of breakout performers over the years.

2023 figures to be another season in which one (or more!) player(s) explode onto the scene in a big way. There are a handful of young studs who are right on the cusp of greatness for this club.

32-year-old Trayce Thompson is off to a hot start, but he's going to just barely miss out on this list. He had an OPS+ of 136 last season in 80 games for the Padres/Dodgers, so one could argue that his breakout came then. Plus, he is not projected to be a part of the team's everyday lineup.

Shelby Miller is another attractive option, but he is a former All-Star and has experienced success with both the Braves and Cardinals what feels like a lifetime ago.

Let's dive in. Here are the Dodgers' top 3 breakout candidates for the 2023 season.

James Outman

James Outman's big league career is only just beginning, but he's off to an incredible start for the Dodgers. He debuted for the club last year, hitting his first home run and posting a .462 average in four games, then performed well enough in spring to warrant his inclusion on the 2023 Opening Day roster.

10 games into the season, Outman had appeared in every Dodgers contest. He has emerged as a crucial piece to this offense, and even has his teammates ranting about how great he is.

Through those 10 games, the 25-year-old outfielder went 8-for-27 (.296 average) with two triples, three home runs and nine RBI. He'd also drawn seven walks while striking out 11 times, adding some impressive patience at the plate into his repertoire.

After the massive season he had in the minor leagues last year, Outman's success is not that much of a surprise for the Dodgers. He hit 31 doubles and home runs last year, with seven triples, 13 steals and a whopping 106 runs batted in. There was no way he could be kept down any longer, and the big league team is already reaping the benefits of his promotion to everyday major leaguer.

Dustin May

There are few words to describe how nice it is to see a healthy Dustin May to start the 2023 campaign. After breaking into the league at just 21 years old back in 2019, he has struggled to stay on the field, making just 37 appearances over the course of four years.

What makes his absences hurt so much more is the fact that he's been absolutely filthy virtually every time he's taken the mound for the Dodgers. After he finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2020, the expectations and hype were sky-high for him, and rightfully so.

After making just 11 outings in the next two seasons after that showing, he is finally at full health, and was able to crack the Dodgers' Opening Day starting rotation. True to form, his first two starts were nearly unhittable. In 13 innings, he posted an 0.69 ERA with nine strikeouts and just three walks. Ignore his third slight blemish against the San Francisco Giants; May's true talent has shined thus far.

While May is already in his mid-20s, there's still a strong sense that he's capable of greatness for this team. If he can manage to stay healthy for a long period of time, he could give the Dodgers another top-of-the-rotation talent that they've seemed to grow on trees in recent years.