The Los Angeles Dodgers have referred to as up catcher prospect Dalton Speeding, the staff introduced Wednesday. The Dodgers will open up an lively roster spot for Speeding by designating backup catcher Austin Barnes for project. Barnes, the longest-tendured Dodger place participant, has been with the staff since 2015.
Speeding, 24, has so far spent the 2025 season at Triple-A Oklahoma Metropolis, the place he is batted .308/.424/.514 with 5 dwelling runs and 21 walks in 31 video games. For his minor-league profession, the previous second-rounder out of the College of Louisville has slashed .277/.412/.519 throughout elements of 4 minor-league seasons.
Coming into the present season, CBS Sports activities ranked Speeding because the No. 22 general prospect and the highest prospect in a still-strong Dodgers system. This is a part of R.J. Anderson’s write-up of Speeding:
“Speeding has primarily served as a backstop throughout his skilled profession, making it notable that the Dodgers shifted him to left area on an almost unique foundation after selling him to Triple-A. (Los Angeles, you will have heard, has a superb catcher in place for the subsequent 9 years.) Speeding is the uncommon catching prospect with the bat to play far down the defensive spectrum. He is an on-base machine who seldom expands his strike zone to chase dangerous pitches. He has greater than sufficient juice to maintain pitchers trustworthy, too, having averaged a 90 mph exit velocity throughout his time in Triple-A. Speeding even had a minimal platoon cut up, posting an nearly similar OPS towards lefties and righties alike. He is all however sure to play a job within the majors in 2025. Keep tuned to seek out out with which staff and at what place.”
Anderson certainly projected Speeding to reach within the majors this spring.
The Dodgers in fact have the stalwart Will Smith as their main catcher, however Speeding in his minor-league profession has additionally seen vital time at first base and left area. Supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned earlier than Wednesday’s sport that Speeding is predicted to start out behind the plate twice every week and get pinch-hitting alternatives, however is not going to play the outfield for now.
As for the reigning-champion Dodgers, they enter Wednesday’s slate of video games at 27-15 and with a slim half-game lead over the San Diego Padres for first place within the robust Nationwide League West.
