3 surprising prospects who will shine at Dodgers spring training

Spring training is just a month away. The Dodgers have given fans plenty of reasons to be excited about it with their slew of offseason additions to the big league club, but games at Camelback will also gives us a glimpse at rising stars within the minors who are on their way to making an impact at the major league level. The roster is more than stacked, but LA is also in a good position with their depth down in the minors; three of their top five prospects (per MLB Pipeline) could be MLB-ready if they can impress in spring training.

However, there are also those further down the list who are approaching the major league level or might already be there as well, lurking in the shadows. There are a few who could make that jump this year, or at the very least make themselves more known to the organization as potential change makers on various fronts. Here are three unexpected prospects who could show up in a big way at spring training.

3 surprising prospects who could make an impact at Dodgers spring training

Andy Pages, OF

MLB Pipeline ranked Pages as the Dodgers' No. 6 prospect in 2023 after he mashed his way from Rookie Ball through Double-A from 2018 to 2022. They estimated his big league arrival in 2023, but the Dodgers were mostly set in the outfield last year and Pages began the season at Double-A. Unfortunately, he only ended up getting three at-bats in Triple-A to end his campaign before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, thrusting him further under the radar.

This year, however, with David Peralta gone in free agency and Mookie Betts moving to second, there are more opportunities for Pages to come in and maybe get a few starts around expected starters Jason Heyward, James Outman, and Teoscar Hernández.

Pages' power and arm grades are outrageous: 60 and 70, respectively. His power hitting numbers through the minors have been a testament to that; he one-dotted at the rookie level and slugged .539 in High-A. Those numbers have dipped a little at the higher levels, but never below .450, and he has 89 home runs and 97 doubles across his minor-league career. With Heyward only on a one-year contract, the Dodgers could eye Pages, their highest-ranked outfield prospect, when looking toward the future. If he gives a good showing in spring training and can continue to hit the ball well in Triple-A, he could get some starts in the outfield throughout the season and fight for a more full time position after 2024.

Trey Sweeney

Sweeney, the Yankees' No. 1 draft pick in 2021, was traded to the Dodgers in December in exchange for Victor González and Jorbit Vivas. He was the Yankees' No. 5 prospect in 2022 (per MLB Pipeline), but it didn't seem like there was much of a future for him with the Yankees, who also had shortstops/infielders Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza at Nos. 1 and 2 that year. With the Dodgers, Sweeney slotted in at No. 18 in 2023, the second shortstop behind Joendry Vargas, who's still in Rookie Ball, at No. 12. The Dodgers seem excited to have Gavin Lux back at shortstop full-time, and could eventually use him in a package for long-coveted trade candidate Willy Adames, but there's still room for Sweeney to make an impression on the organization this year.

Lux performed well before he got hurt, but he didn't play at all in 2023 and it wouldn't be surprising if the Dodgers handled him with kid gloves a bit at the beginning of the season while they wait to see how he does after a torn ACL. Last year, the Dodgers were hurting for shortstops/middle infielders and even brought back Kiké Hernández for a short stint as a temporary remedy, but for now they're left with Lux, Miguel Rojas, and Chris Taylor. If Sweeney can show out at spring training, there may be an opening for him to come in on a few of Lux's off days.