Dodgers top prospect's promotion hints at potential position change, MLB debut

The Dodgers look like they've found a new way forward for their No. 1 prospect. Dalton Rushing. Their second-round pick (first selection for LA) in 2022 spent the entirety of his college career as a catcher and first baseman at the University of Louisville. He made two appearances at the outfield corners in the summer of 2021 as part of the Cape Cod Baseball League, but after being drafted by the Dodgers, he made his way up through the minors exclusively as a catcher, first baseman, and occasional DH.

However, it raised a few eyebrows when the Double-A Drillers quietly reassigned Rushing to left field in late July, even more so when the Dodgers promoted him to Triple-A on Tuesday with the intention of having him play primarily in left.

The ultimate goal for the switch seems clear. His way to the majors as a catcher or first baseman is blocked by Will Smith and Freddie Freeman, leaving him no real room to grow in the organization at either position. That could make him a valuable trade asset, but he (sort of surprisingly) stayed put at the deadline.

This could be the next step towards the Dodgers giving Rushing his MLB debut with the team he was drafted by. LA is running low on outfielders, so who better to call up than their No. 1 prospect?

No. 1 Dodgers prospect Dalton Rushing might be on the way to his MLB debut after promotion and position change

In his first game with Oklahoma City on Tuesday night, Rushing got his first Triple-A hit in his first at-bat, leaving Tulsa with a two-homer night in a 5-3 win for the Drillers. Of the position switch, Rushing told The Oklahoman, "The move has been really good. When I got here, they told me that the move to the outfield would not only better myself, but also the teams I will play for in the future. I have done my growth at the plate, so now my mindset is to go out there and help the team where I can right now.”

Moving Rushing to the outfield not only makes sense for the Dodgers in the long-term, but it also makes sense for OKC now. They have three catchers on the roster, including No. 7 prospect Diego Cartaya, and if they want to prioritize Rushing's offensive development and give him as much playing time as possible, a position switch will facilitate that.

The big league team has Teoscar Hernández solidly in left field this year, but he, Jason Heyward, Kiké Hernández, and Kevin Kiermaier will all hit free agency at the end of the season, and James Outman's future in the majors is very much up in the air. If we don't see a debut for Rushing in 2024 and he can perform well in Triple-A, we could be looking out for a major league debut early in 2025.