The Dodgers have selected catcher Diego Cartaya, infielder Michael Busch and outfielders Andy Pages and Jonny DeLuca to the 40-man roster, per a team announcement. That quartet is now protected from being taken in next month’s Rule 5 Draft.
It’s a notable group to join the 40-man roster. Cartaya, Busch and Pages, in particular, all rank among Baseball America’s top 100 prospects in the game, with Cartaya drawing a particularly impressive placement at No. 9 overall.
The 21-year-old Cartaya split his 2022 season between Class-A and High-A, where he was notably younger than the league average at both levels. The age gap didn’t deter him, however, as he turned in a combined .254/.389/.503 batting line with 22 home runs and doubles alike. Cartaya is considered a work in progress with the glove but boasts huge raw power and a keen eye at the plate, evidenced by a walk rate north of 14% in 2022.
Busch, meanwhile, is a second baseman who slugged 32 home runs, walked at an 11.5% clip and struck out in 26% of his plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A in 2022. His combined .274/.365/.516 batting line shows plenty of promise, even though scouting reports question his overall defensive value. BA lists him 46th on its top 100.
Pages, ranked 72nd by BA, hit .236/.336/.468 in 132 games as a 21-year-old in Double-A, more than holding his own against more advanced pitching. He also fared well in the Arizona Fall League, batting .296/.398/.506 in his 98 plate appearances there. He swatted 26 home runs in Double-A this year and 31 in High-A a year ago, and BA notes that Pages has some of the best raw power of any prospect in baseball.
As for DeLuca, the 24-year-old doesn’t draw the same fanfare as today’s other three additions, but his .260/.347/.541 batting line, 25 homers, 22 doubles, five triples and 17 stolen bases were convincing enough for the Dodgers to protect him. DeLuca fanned in just 14.3% of his 119 plate appearances in Double-A this year, and while that’s a small sample from a late-in-the-year promotion, it likely tickets him for a return effort there to begin the 2023 season. With a strong showing, he could be in Triple-A before long, and a look in the Majors next season is certainly plausible now that he’s in the upper minors and on the 40-man.
YES PAGES!
Brandon Marsh would be a good fit for the Dodgers if Belli goes bye bye. They could send a prospect and cash.
Hello, TrumboJumbo. I think the Phillies keep Marsh versus exchanging him for a prospect and cash.
A good prospect. And 5-7 mil.
Plus 2 players to be named later…Deal?
Personally I do not think so for either side. Phillies will be competing once again next year and Marsh is their center fielder along with the prospects and money going to the Phillies, I do not think the Dodgers would offer that. Just not a match there for either side in my humble opinion but sure fun to talk about.
Probably just better to keep o’l Bellinger?
Easier then better but not for 18 million. Dodgers will figure it out 🙂 Could you imagine if the Dodgers signed Nimmo for center field?
No.
Where do you have Nimmo going, GM Hunter Alan? Or is it DJ Hunter Alan? 🙂 Or are you an anywhere but the Dodgers man?
Trumbo
Trade to Guardians for one year rental of Ahmed Rosario who can play shortstop or centerfield.
Money saved for Verlander, Rodin or deGrom
Cool. Who do we trade? Dodgers won’t give up Lux. They love the man apparently..
Dodgers are not going to want a center fielder that only has 18 games played there in his career.
Mookie and CT3 are more than capable Center Fielders if need be.
Goodness no, not a Lux or another starter. For a one year rental, it would cost maybe a team too dozen prospect and a second team top 30 prospect.
Ct3 is barely a LF and with a bum hip, no, Mookie is not a long term CF option
I think more likely outcome is Dodgers finding a trade partner for CF. Bellinger at a lower $ amount is a lesser option but probably still an option given lack of options internally.
Dodgers pipeline continues biggest reason why they have sustainable success don’t buy into the incorrect narrative spending equals winning that ain’t why they win
Pipeline and $250M
Dodgers had an insane amount of the top hr leaders in the minors. Many hit 20+ when there wasn’t to many do so.
Ye approves
What happen with Kody Hoese? Guy posted great stat in college, drafted earlier than Michael Busch, produced good number in rookie season (2019), but kinda lost after that
Hoese is a complete bust. But Busch salvaged the first round of that draft for them.
I’m still mad they chose Ginn over McClanahan in 2018. But failing to sign Ginn meant they got Busch as the 31st overall pick in 2019, so it all works out in the end… Come to think of it, I’m still mad! Should have stuck with McClanahan way back in ’18, Friedman lol!
Imagine they did sign Ginn in 2018 and draft Kody Hoese in 2019. That’s will be a hattrick of 1st round pick fail counting from 2017 (Drafted Jaren Kendall)
Joe Beimel still making a comeback?
Joe Beimel had the coolest robe. One year when the Dodgers won the division or a playoff round he was celebrating in the clubhouse with it on.
They’ve still got James Outman in the wings.
I’m surprised they didn’t select José Ramos. He has similar, if slightly lesser tools than Andy Pages. I thought for sure he’d be selected, at least to use as servicable trade bait. But , obviously, Dodgers know their players better than anyone and they usually get this right more often than not. Hope it works out
Reason dodgers didn’t add more is these four brought their 40 man up to 37. They need space to sign free agents until they can move Buehler and Treinen to the 60 day.
It would be helpful if these articles said which players if any were left exposed to the draft.
Based on article on MLB.com here
mlb.com/news/rule-5-draft-prospects-protected-on-4…
The players were left exposed to the draft are Jose Ramos (No.8), Carlos Duran (No.19) and Ryan Ward (No.30)
Good info, thanks!
But I think BlueSkies point still stands.
The article you cite is good, but rather than focus on the various team’s top-30, how about a list of the top-200 prospects in BB that remain unprotected? That might generate a little more interest.
We probably will get that kind of article in a couple days before the Rule 5 draft that will held in December 7th in San Diego.