Unknown prospect heralded as ‘Dodgers’ next sleeper pitcher’ by Baseball America

There is no shortage of people that think that all the Los Angeles Dodgers do is throw a bunch of money at their roster to win games. Sure, the Dodgers do spend a lot and sign a lot of high profile players, but they are also one of the best teams in baseball when it comes to player development and fourth-round pick Jakob Wright could be their latest success story.

Wright looked like a pretty unassuming pick in the 2024 draft at the time. Cal Poly isnt exactly known as a hot bed of MLB talent, and Wright was a day two pick that signed for a fairly standard bonus pool amount. His 2.97 ERA and decent strikeout rate in college were nice, but certainly not earth-shattering.

However, Baseball America, an outlet that has Wright as the Dodgers' No. 23 prospect, seems to think that the Dodgers may have gotten a steal and that Wright could be a sleeper pitching prospect ($) that could rise up the rankings, and the minor leagues, in a hurry.

Jakob Wright is turning heads down in the Dodgers' farm system

After not pitching in 2024 after being drafted and working with the Dodgers' player development staff, Wright now has a really intriguing pitch mix. His fastball now reliably hits the mid-90s, in addition to a cutter that he can really spin, on top of a slider and changeup that should be big-league offerings. He can throw any of his pitches in any count and generally knows the strike zone.

Wright's first appearance in the minor leagues this season went very well and got him some attention. However, it also put the spotlight on the fact that he hasn't made an appearance in the minors since then. Until we get word as to why he hasn't played, including an update on his health, there are going to be questions - especially given how cursed the Dodgers are when it comes to injuries right now.

Assuming he is healthy, it is certainly fun that it seems like LA may have gotten a really good pitching prospect in the fourth round. However, anyone that has been following the Dodgers shouldn't be surprised. This is still the same organization that developed Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, and Will Smith, among others. They may have money to burn, but they also know what talent looks like and aren't afraid to go out and get it.

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