The Los Angeles Dodgers always seem to get richer. Amid a fantastic start — the team is 27-15 — the club will call up top prospect Dalton Rushing, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.
Rushing, 24, entered the 2025 season as the Dodgers’ No. 1 prospect. He was a consensus top-30 overall prospect on most lists. Rushing, who was drafted by the Dodgers in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft, is hitting .308/.424/.514 with five home runs over 132 plate appearances in Triple-A this season.
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While Rushing primarily played catcher during his first season as a pro, he has expanded his defensive game in recent years, also playing first base and outfield in the minors. He has spent time at each position in 2025, though the bulk of his playing time has come at catcher.
That could be where the Dodgers intend to use Rushing in the majors. To make room on the major-league roster, the team reportedly designated Austin Barnes for assignment. Barnes was the team’s longest-rostered position player prior to Wednesday’s news. The team put out a farewell message to Barnes on social media.
Finding Rushing consistent playing time in the majors could be a challenge. The Dodgers’ starting catcher, Will Smith, is off to a blazing start, hitting .330/.429/.486 over 133 plate appearances. That said, Smith gets more rest days than other elite catchers, so Rushing should work his way into the lineup a few times a week behind the plate.
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He could also fill in for Freddie Freeman at first on days when Freeman needs a rest or work into the team’s outfield rotation. While the Dodgers are plenty talented, the team finds a way to mix and match with the roster. Rushing likely won’t be an every-day starter, but he should see semi-regular playing time.
Rushing, a left-handed hitter, is known for above-average power and patience at the plate, per MLB.com’s scouting report.
Rushing is a well-rounded hitter with a short, quick left-handed stroke and a patient approach. He makes consistent hard contact and naturally launches balls in the air to his pull side without swinging for the fences. He can drive the ball out of the park to the opposite field as well and pairs his solid power with on-base ability to match, showing a knack for drawing walks and getting hit by pitches.
Rushing is considered an athletically gifted catcher, which is why he has been able to play the outfield in the minors. That athleticism hasn’t translated to stolen bases, though he does run better than most catchers.
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Given how well the Dodgers have played to open the season, they don’t need Rushing to be a star immediately. That should take pressure off Rushing as he adjusts to the majors.
If he can find his stride at the plate, Rushing could be yet another excellent, young weapon for the team in the postseason. That’s a scary thought considering the rest of the talent on the roster.
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