Andrew Friedman Has Blunt Answer Regarding Dodgers' Top Prospects Blocked From MLB Playing Time
Over the years, the Dodgers have put together one of the best farm systems in the game while still managing to rack up wins in the present.
At some point, a front office must decide if their team's best prospects fit on their major league roster. Not every prospect reaches the majors. Some who do must find a different way up than with the team that drafted them.
One reason the Dodgers' front office was not as active on the trade market a year ago was to give some of its better prospects playing time in 2023. The front office wanted to see what exactly they had, and needed time to see whether their most major-league ready prospects deserved consistent playing time in the big leagues.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman was recently asked how his top prospects — especially those with some major league experience already, like Michael Busch and Miguel Vargas — fit in to his plans. He was not ambiguous in his response.
“One move we might make opens up something, or closes off another opportunity (for them),” Friedman said. “So it’s fluid. But I think it’s important to either figure out how to make them a part of what we’re doing up here or trade once they’ve gotten to that point of going through the minor leagues and having nothing left to prove.”
It's not often you hear Friedman publicly acknowledge he could potentially trade a player, but the Dodgers can only enhance their reputation around the league by helping their best players reach the majors – whether that's in Los Angeles or elsewhere.
Busch is entering his age-26 season and got all of 72 at-bats in 2023. He is coming off a Triple-A season in which he was named Pacific Coast League MVP.
The Dodgers' front office typically has been hesitant to hand out large free agent contracts — especially to pitchers — so with their need for starting pitching help, an off-season trade makes sense.
Los Angeles has been cited as a destination for multiple impact players reported to be available via trade. The Dodgers ought to have the prospect capital to make a deal or two come to fruition.
Fans love to see top prospects become homegrown stars but, as Friedman acknowledged, that shouldn't come at the cost of giving young players a well-earned opportunity to succeed elsewhere at the MLB level.
