Based on shortstop Corey Seager and left-hander Julio Urias alone, the Dodgers might claim a spot in MLBPipeline.com's top 10 farm-system evaluations. But their talent extends well beyond baseball's top prospect and second-best pitching prospect, and that's why they rank No. 1.
Los Angeles had a number of players boost their stock significantly in 2015, headlined by right-hander Jose De Leon and first baseman Cody Bellinger. De Leon led the Minors with 12.8 strikeouts per nine innings in his first full year in full-season ball, while Bellinger exploded for 30 homers as a 19-year-old in Class A Advanced, after totaling four in his first two pro seasons. The club's top two picks in the 2014 Draft, righty Grant Holmes and outfielder Alex Verdugo, had fine years in Class A and look like burgeoning stars.
• Dodgers' 2016 Top 30 Prospects list
The system has much more depth than a year ago, too. The Dodgers went on an international spending spree in 2015, committing more than $150 million in bonuses, guaranteed salaries and tax penalties to land right-hander Yadier Alvarez and outfielders Yusniel Diaz and Starling Heredia, among many others (including some who don't qualify as prospects). Their Draft didn't unfold exactly as planned, with one first-round righty (Walker Buehler) needing Tommy John surgery and another (Kyle Funkhouser) not signing, but Los Angeles remains bullish on Buehler and has high hopes for potential future double-play combination Willie Calhoun and Brendon Davis.
• MLB's Top 10 farm systems
Biggest jump/fall
Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the 2015 preseason list to the 2016 preseason list.
Jump: Jharel Cotton, RHP (2015: 27 | 2016: 9)
Fall: Julian Leon, C (2015: 13 | 2016: NR)
Team Top 30 Prospects lists
Best tools
Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average.
Hit: Seager (70)
Power: Seager (60)
Run: Micah Johnson (75)
Arm: Alex Verdugo (65)
Defense: Ronny Brito (60)
Fast ball: Jacob Rhame (70)
Curve ball: Urias (60)
Slider: Frankie Montas (55)
Changeup: Urias (60)
Control: Zach Lee (55)
Top 10 Farm Systems
How they were built
Draft: 17
International: 8
Trade: 5
Breakdown by ETA
2016: 11
2017: 2
2018: 8
2019: 6
2020: 3
Breakdown by position
C: 2
1B: 1
2B: 3
3B: 0
SS: 3
OF: 6
RHP: 14
LHP: 1