The only issue with building Major League Baseball’s most talented roster is that occasionally, you run out of spots in the lineup for worthy young players.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB’s first back-to-back champions since the New York Yankees in 2000, have a star-studded lineup that includes the somehow underrated Will Smith, who consistently ranks among the best offensive catchers in the sport and hit the game-winning home run in extra innings of Game 7 of the World Series. And Smith’s presence is keeping a former No. 1 prospect out of the equation.
Dalton Rushing, who was Los Angeles’ top farmhand in MLB Pipeline’s rankings at the end of last season, is a 24-year-old primary catcher who debuted in the majors with a 53-game stint this year. He’ll get a World Series ring, but in the Dodgers’ 17-game playoff run, he got all of one plate appearance.

So perhaps not all that surprisingly, given that context, it appears a trade involving Rushing is very much on the table for the Dodgers this winter.
On Monday, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times named Rushing as one of the team’s most likely trade chips, while noting that trades were probably a more viable path to the Dodgers to add stars to the roster this winter than free agency.
“All offseason, the trade market has looked like the Dodgers’ most logical path to upgrading their roster — the place they could most easily shore up their needs in the bullpen and outfield, while still avoiding having to add another long-term contract to their expensive and aging core,” wrote Harris.
“The team’s most obvious trade bait, of course, remains their collection of young talent. …They have a former top prospect in Dalton Rushing, who struggled through his rookie year but still possesses promising raw tools.”
Harris named a list of stars galore for the Dodgers to explore trading for, from St. Louis Cardinals All-Star Brendan Donovan to Boston Red Sox spark plug Jarren Duran to even four-time Gold Glover Steven Kwan. Oh, and some lefty who happens to have a couple of Cy Young Awards in Tarik Skubal.
We just saw the Seattle Mariners trade a top catching prospect in Harry Ford, because he was blocked by All-Star backstop Cal Raleigh. Will the Dodgers soon follow a similar blueprint?
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