What will the Dodgers do with their limited number of Draft picks?

LOS ANGELES -- When the back-to-back champion Dodgers set out to address their biggest weaknesses this past offseason, they knew that signing the top names on the market could compromise their future.

They were more than willing to absorb some calculated risks with a three-peat bid on the line, so they went ahead and signed closer Edwin Díaz (three years, $69 million) and right fielder Kyle Tucker (four years, $240 million), who both had qualifying offers attached.

With the 2026 MLB Draft coming up this weekend, the Dodgers will see the lagging effects of their offseason spending play out. They lost their second-, third-, fifth- and sixth-highest picks as a penalty for signing two players who had rejected qualifying offers. Their first pick was also dropped down 10 spots because they exceeded the second surcharge threshold of the Competitive Balance Tax.

"It was a real cost," president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said just after the Tucker signing. "I don’t think we’ve ever done this before. But I think the depth of our system put us in a position where, while the cost is still meaningful, it wasn’t as significant just because of the position we’re in.

"We have a very strong system up top, but even more than that, I think the depth of our system just allows us this one year to have our food budget for the Draft meetings exceed our signing bonuses -- which I think might happen this year."

• Day 1 picks: 40, 132
• Bonus pool allotment: $3,951,900
• Last year’s top pick: Zach Root, LHP, pick 40 … Root, the Dodgers' No. 12 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was the first of two Arkansas teammates selected with back-to-back picks from L.A. in 2025 (also No. 7 prospect Charles Davalan). Root did not make his professional debut until this year's Spring Breakout, when he struck out eight of the 10 batters he faced across three innings. The southpaw has carried that momentum into the regular season, recording a 2.37 ERA across his first 13 starts with High-A Great Lakes.
• Breakout 2025 pick: Davalan, OF, pick 41 … In a Dodgers system stacked with outfield talent, Davalan has already established himself as one of the names to watch. After a strong eight-game stint with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga in which he hit 17-for-34 last year, Davalan began this season at High-A and has posted an .839 OPS through his first 71 games.

It's a steep price to pay, but the Dodgers have mastered the balance of doing all they can to win now while simultaneously building for the future. Despite operating under similar penalties in previous years, they have a thriving farm system to go along with the best record in the Majors, recently landing an MLB-leading nine prospects in MLB Pipeline's updated Top 100 list.

It just means that L.A. will need to get creative with its picks in this year's Draft.

In all likelihood, the most highly-regarded Draft prospects will not be available by the time the Dodgers make their first selection on Saturday. L.A. will not necessarily target specific position groups with its early picks, but the organization will pursue what it believes to be the top available talent at premium defensive positions.

Last year, that meant that the Dodgers selected pitchers with 14 of their 21 selections. They have generally gone heavy on arms in recent years.

For most Major League organizations, the Draft is a prime opportunity to restock their systems. The Dodgers have a knack for finding top talent despite their penalties in the event, but the Draft is far from their only method of acquiring prospect talent.

Of the Dodgers' nine Top 100 prospects, five originated from outside the organization: Mike Sirota (No. 11), Zyhir Hope (No. 19), River Ryan (No. 70), Christian Zazueta (No. 89) and James Tibbs III (No. 95). Whether they're trading prospects for prospects or buying and selling at the Trade Deadline, the Dodgers continuously find ways to infuse new talent into their farm system, all while keeping their competitive window open as long as possible.

Identifying and developing talent is a strength for L.A., whether that process begins on Draft day or in the seasons that follow.