Dodgers' phenom suggested as main piece in blockbuster trade

Billy Heyen

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Dodgers' phenom suggested as main piece in blockbuster trade image

The Los Angeles Dodgers are loaded.

That isn't surprising. They've won the last two World Series. Everyone in MLB knows that they're probably the favorite to three-peat.

But they've got one spot on their roster in particular that has an odd vibe to it: catcher.

Will Smith is signed through 2033.

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But the Dodgers' top prospect entering the 2025 season was also a catcher, Dalton Rushing.

Rushing made it to the majors and struggled a bit with inconsistent playing time and varying positional usage.

That could, if the Dodgers want, make him a trade candidate. That's what MLB.com's Mark Feinsand suggested in a new article.

"Rushing was the Dodgers’ No. 1 prospect in 2024, and while he underwhelmed at the plate in a backup role in 2025 (four home runs, 24 RBIs and a.582 OPS in 53 games), he remains one of the top catching prospects in the game," Feinsand writes. "With Will Smith locked up through 2033, Rushing’s long-term fit on the roster remains unknown. The Dodgers don’t have another catcher on their 40-man roster, so while they’re not itching to move Rushing, using him as the centerpiece for a big trade wouldn’t be a shock."

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On the one hand, Rushing feels exactly like the guy the Dodgers could keep and just have an abundance of riches rather than trying to downsize from one spot only to load up at another.

On the other hand, Rushing could probably fetch a really good return if he was the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade.

His name will come up frequently, including at next season's trade deadline, if his role doesn't become more defined in the meantime.

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Senior Editor