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3 Dodgers prospects who will become household names in 2023
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been able to have such a long run of success because of the team's ability to spend big on marquee players while also consistently having one of the best farm systems in baseball. That's no different in 2023, as the Dodgers have several top prospects ready to make an impact.
That doesn't even include catcher Diego Cartaya, who is the organization's top prospect and could become the top prospect in the entire sport by the time he makes his eventual MLB debut. That likely won't come until 2024 for the 21-year-old.
Cartaya is a household name for Dodgers fans, but some others will achieve such status in the not-too-distant future. Like Gavin Stone in 2022, there are some strong candidates to be quick risers in the Dodgers' farm system, thus making them more well known.
3 Dodgers prospects that will become household names in 2023:
3. Nick Nastrini
The Dodgers selected Nick Nastrini in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft and instantly threw him into pro ball with the low-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. The former UCLA Bruin thrived in a short stint with Rancho, proving why the Dodgers drafted him with his electric fastball that misses barrels.
Nastrini has one of those fastballs that you write home about; the type with an extreme spin rate and elevated velocity that gets by hitters. In 2022, Nastrini continued to develop his repertoire, and he now perhaps has the nastiest pitch mix in the entire Dodgers organization.
Where Nastrini needs work is with his command. He walked 4.24 batters per nine innings last season and had a tendency to miss spots, allowing 1.31 home runs per nine innings. However, he also struck out 169 batters in 116.2 innings (13.0 K/9) while holding opposing hitters to a .180 average.
As the Dodgers continue to work with Nastrini, his stuff will naturally make him a fast riser in the farm system. Nastrini will be 23 before the start of the 2023 season and he could be a strong candidate to be on the 2024 Opening Day staff, whether it be in the rotation or bullpen.
2. Jonny DeLuca
Jonny DeLuca wasn't even among the Dodgers' top 30 prospects in MLB Pipeline's year-end rankings last season. That could change once the 2023 rankings are revealed, but either way, DeLuca is not a highly-touted prospect that fans are clamoring about.
That being said, DeLuca is someone who has consistently performed at every level he has played. Nothing really jumps off the page when it comes to him and his game, but his production at the plate is legitimate.
DeLuca was taken in the 25th round of the 2019 MLB Draft and has had to fight for every opportunity he has gotten. He finally got a full minor league season in 2021 and put together a very solid year. In 101 games split between Low-A and High-A, DeLuca slashed .264/.348/.519 with 22 home runs and 64 RBI.
In 2022, DeLuca saw more of the same success. In 98 games split between High-A and AA, he slashed .260/.347/.541 with 25 home runs and 71 RBI. He's also stolen 37 bags in 199 games over the last two years.
His home run numbers may not translate all the way to the majors, but DeLuca has gap-to-gap power with speed that makes him a valuable defensive player in the outfield. His walk rate is also promising (10.4% over the last two years).
Despite not being a high draft pick or a top prospect the Dodgers obviously, believe in DeLuca in some capacity as the team added him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft in November. Don't be shocked if DeLuca gets a chance in a thin outfield this season and makes the most of it.
1. Ronan Kopp
Like Nastrini, Ronan Kopp is another exciting arm that Dodgers fans should be monitoring closely during the 2023 season. Kopp is already a big name for those who deeply follow the Dodgers farm system. But for the casual fan, Kopp might be a bit of a revelation.
Kopp is not your ordinary left-handed pitcher. The 2021 12th-round pick stands in at six-foot-seven and uses all of that frame to his advantage. Kopp has a really solid fastball that sits in the mid-to-high 90s with his tight slider being his best secondary pitch.
Those two pitches alone could get Kopp to the major leagues as a bullpen arm. Then again, he already has a four-pitch mix with a curveball and changeup. The more he develops those pitches, the more likely he has a chance to be a big-league starter.
Kopp thrived in 2022 in what was his first full minor league season. In 62.1 innings split between Low-A and High-A, he recorded a 2.74 ERA with 108 strikeouts. Like Nastrini, Kopp has similar struggles in his game. His command can be a bit iffy at times, and that led to a high walk rate over the course of the 2022 season.
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If the Dodgers can limit the walks from Kopp and have him trust his stuff, then he's going to have a high ceiling as a pitching prospect. He's still only 20 years old and doesn't turn 21 until midway through the 2023 season. It might be some time until we see Kopp, but 2023 could be a breakout year that puts him on the map among the best left-handed pitching prospects in the sport.