This forgotten slugging prospect could make serious noise at Dodgers spring training

It's a bad time to be a good outfield prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers' farm system. Forget the major league depth that the team has already accrued (hard as that may be to do with a group led by Kyle Tucker, Teoscar Hernández, and Andy Pages). The organizational depth chart is a who's who of top prospects: Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, Eduardo Quintero, Mike Sirota, Kendall George, Ryan Ward, and so many more.

Hence, it's easy to get lost in the shuffle, even if you're bordering on some top-100 hype. Such is the life of James Tibbs III, who has even started to fall behind Zach Ehrhard, the former Boston Red Sox teammate he was traded with, according to some prospect evaluators.

That's not exactly a fair narrative, though. Tibbs remains a top-10 prospect (according to most) in one of baseball's best farm systems, though that only means he's the fifth-best outfield prospect, at best, among such a loaded group. With a non-roster invite to spring training in hand, can the 23-year-old emerge as something more in March?

James Tibbs III shouldn't get lost among Dodgers' outfield prospect shuffle

It's hard to stand out against players like George (100 steals in 2025) or Quintero (.508 slugging percentage) who are known for their blue-chip skills. Tibbs may not have any 70-grade tools in his back pocket, but he does own an advanced plate approach that offers him as high a floor as anyone in the system.

After arriving alongside Ehrhard in exchange for Dustin May at the trade deadline (talk about a lopsided deal), Tibbs hit .269/.407/.493 (155 wRC+) in Double-A Tulsa. Between the Giants, Red Sox, and Dodgers, the left-handed hitting outfielder ended the season with 20 home runs and a 127 wRC+.

While that hot streak was a tantalizing showcase of his ceiling, it's what he did in Boston that really stands out as impressive. Even as he struggled to adjust to the Red Sox's swing changes, he still walked in 13.8% of his plate appearances. He ended the year with dueling 16% and 21.4% walk and strikeout rates, respectively.

While playing time will be sparse in spring training with so many outfield prospects vying for playing time, Dodgers fans should get used to the sight of Tibbs methodically working deep into counts while hunting for his pitch. Already a massive slugging threat against right-handed pitchers, the unsung outfielder will likely exit the exhibition slate among the team's leaders in OBP, no matter how hot or cold he is at the plate.