The Dodgers designated former top catching prospect Diego Cartaya for assignment. The move opens a 40-man roster spot for Hyeseong Kim, whose three-year deal is official.
Cartaya has yet to play in the major leagues, but he’s a bigger name than most players who find themselves in DFA limbo. The Venezuela native was one of the best talents in his amateur signing class and inked a $2.5MM bonus in 2018. He performed well in the low minors and shot to the top of the Dodger system. Baseball America ranked him as L.A.’s #1 prospect entering both the 2022 and ’23 campaigns. He was among BA’s 25 best minor league talents in both years.
The Dodgers added Cartaya to their 40-man roster after the 2022 season. There was no chance they’d leave him unprotected in the Rule 5 draft. Cartaya’s long-term future on a team that already rostered Will Smith was debatable, but he at least seemed like a potential key trade chip. That he has been DFA just over two years later demonstrates how far his stock has fallen.
Cartaya’s bat has stalled in the upper minors. He hit .189 with a 29% strikeout rate over 93 Double-A games in 2023. While that knocked him off Top 100 lists, he still ranked eighth among Dodger prospects at Baseball America going into last season. Cartaya improved offensively in his second shot at Double-A, where he hit .236/.354/.379 over 45 contests. He couldn’t maintain that after being promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City in the middle of June.
The 23-year-old hit .208/.293/.350 while striking out at a 27.4% clip across 49 games in the Pacific Coast League. He had the second-lowest batting average and fifth-lowest OBP among PCL hitters with at least 200 plate appearances. Cartaya had been surpassed by Dalton Rushing as the top catching prospect in the system, while Smith signed a contract extension that’ll keep him in Los Angeles through 2033.
After Cartaya struggled through consecutive down seasons, the Dodgers are willing to move on. They’ll have five days to trade him or place him on waivers. Another team will almost certainly roll the dice, likely via trade that’d allow them to jump the waiver order.
Cartaya draws praise for his defensive acumen and has drawn plenty of walks even as his numbers have fallen in the high minors. While the swing-and-miss means he’s unlikely to become a franchise catcher, there are probably teams that feel he’ll be a capable backup or a potential low-end regular. Cartaya still has a minor league option remaining. An acquiring team would be able to send him to Triple-A for another season.
Dang… embarrassment of riches.
LFGSD
A cursory glance at his Baseball Reference seems to indicate hia bat fell off a cliff once he started the climb to AA/AAA.
That said, might as well kick the tires if he makes it down the waiver wire to AJ. Still only 23.
That’s not true. They only say that to save face. He wasn’t any good in the first place. Just the next super overhyped prospect who gets mad love bc he is the dodgers organization!
Since dodgers and Yankees have the most fans – there prospects get extra love by these ranking associations in attempt to draw more readers to their site. It’s called click bait
ok bro
do you think De Vries and Salas are overhyped too?
I doubt lil wiffa knows who they are, Bruin…
Joey Bart was overhyped and overmatched until he wasn’t. Catchers generally take longer to develop. Bart didn’t break out until he was 27.
As much as I’d like to see SD pick him up off waivers, I’m guessing some team will trade for him.. There should be interest from multiple teams.
Then bart was never a top prospect. Yet spent two years in the top 25. All hype and completely over rated
He mad bro
Wonder if his name is Boomer
Salas is obviously way overhyped, he went from top 10 to 19 and may completely drop out of top 100 when new rankings come out. Imo, catchers should have their own rankings, their fail rate as elite prospects is greater than 90%. Only two that lived up to hype is posey and rutschman
De Vries is not ranked, so how can he be overhyped ? He may sneak into top 100 when new rankings come out and he hit well enough to deserve that
Forgot more about prospects then you’ll ever know friend <3
The padres are the ones who forced the international signing cap. Remember that ? The year they spent like 70-80 mil and that changed the landscape of minor league baseball forbever. Also know that SD scouting department is best in baseball. They are the only team in the sport that can rationalize trading away future stars on a regular basis bc of how excellent they are at scouting and drafting
And Diego was an absolute overhyped bust who had no chance living up to the hype of a top 10 prospect. Click bait to appease the masses
Surely I jest, you’ve always known your stuff whiffa! That was a fun International spree, although “not much” came out of it. Morejon is kinda the last remnant, i think? Cheers
That’s total nonsense. You can’t have it both ways. Two years in the top 25, and drafted #2 overall, is a top prospect.
Too soon to tell, but 9th overall among catchers in OPS last season (higher than Will Smith, J.T. Realmuto, and Cal Raleigh, and others), and a 120 OPS+ last season, suggests not overrated.
We are only talking prospects. Not what a player accomplishes in the prime of their career after they hit waivers. He was an overhyped prospect not worthy of a second pick and his inability to make it at the next level proved that.
If you forget so much, maybe you should cut back on day drinking
I thought pitino was gonna be the man once the rays got a hold of him and then through Morjone was a late bloomer. International prospects are sooo hit or miss. Rarely do the top guys ever pan out unless they are already mlb ready like Vlad or Ohtani
And man I hope the Pads get sasaki ! It’ll be terrible for baseball if he ends up a dodger
I did ! 30 months sober. Now my minds like a steel trap lol
How can you call a guy overrated who eventually becomes a solid MLB player? And Bart was not waived, he was acquired via trade.
The rank of overall picks aren’t absolutes. They are relative to the talent depth of any particular draft. The 2018 draft wasn’t very good, but if it was that bad, Bart would not have been a 14th overall ranked prospect in 2020.
So again, he was a top prospect, and has proven himself, so far, to not be overrated.
Sals is very over hyped. Shouldn’t be even ranked as a prospect.
Have you heard of Tampa Bay? They scout other teams prospects better than the team they are currently with.
Congrats on sobriety, whiffa!
Bc it’s an asset and a commodity to your company that you acquired with the hopes it performs. Barts price to acquire was close to 10 million. Then his value to the organization while he was a top 25 prospect was greater than what they paid in a signing bonus – meaning the giants could have traded him as a headliner in a trade package like the Red Sox wisely did with the white sox this offseason.
Instead they held onto until his value deminished and disappeared to the point where he wasn’t even with a roster spot. That’s what makes him an absolute complete over hyped bust. He was a waiver wire claim. He can still go onto have a productive mlb career but that’ll never change is draft or prospect status.
Big whiffa
Then bart was never a top prospect. Yet spent two years in the top 25.
=========================
It makes me wonder just how good the raters are. In 2021,at the fairly advanced age of 24, he had an 82/21 K/W in 252 ABs in the PCL. That’s really weak. But BA and BP rated him #71 and #53 going into 2022.
@gwynning
Embarrassing to get rid of dead weight. Yes. Have you seen this guy play?
I’ve been known to throw a stone around the California League and stuff… I surely have seen him play Doral Hershiser. I’ll just remind you that this is a League of “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”- especially when it’s a rich man’s trash. He’ll get traded for or, at worst, Claimed.
That doesn’t mean he’s actually any good in relation to other prospects.
Also, name one prospect the Dodgers have screwed the pooch on this last decade by trading them and now “really could use them”?
I’ve got Yordan Alvarez. I can’t think of another one in a decade. Don’t get me started on once a week I’m a superstar O’neil Cruz either.
Huh?
In related news, there is the Pads new back-up catcher!
Not hating a minor league deal with invite
He isn’t a free agent. He would have to be claimed so he will be on the 40 man. No invite needed.
Uhhh…
You mean starting catcher.
Ah gee Wally, when ya put it that way… I wish you weren’t correct! Haha
Padres trading with the Dodgers? I see him possibly with the Reds.
Matt Beatty for river ryan
The Reds would be a good choice, they have an empty 40 man spot (so they don’t need to get rid of anyone – plus 2 more slated for the 60-day DL in about a month). There current backup catcher is a free agent come November, and they have nothing in the high minors. Cartaya has one final option year to prove he can hit minor league pitching…if not then DFA him again next winter.
They have no real catching prospects on the system above A ball so worth a chance.
Nice minor league deal add for any team
He’s probably not passing through waivers, which means he’s taking someone’s 40 man spot somewhere.
And even if he passes through waivers the Dodgers could then outright him off the 40 man and keep him for nothing. It’s almost impossible for him to become a free agent.
Overrated Dodger prospect..
I have to agree.
Do it Tampa
How they gonna DFA Manny Machado lil brother ?
They have a week to trade him first…
He’s been a prospect that everyone thought would make a difference. Hope he does in another uniform
they’ll trade Cartaya before week’s end
More than likely, and get a low-level off-the-40 Man prospect in return for a guy youre giving up on because, well…
Savvy move.
*hat tip*
This dude fell off fast. 3 years ago he was expected to be an impact bat. Someone will claim him if he isn’t traded.
There’s the Cardinals,Reds,Marlins future Catcher
Reds have a solid catcher dawg..
They can always slide Stephenson over to 1st
And platoon Maile and Cartaya
After Tyler thought they have nothing that is remotely ready….Duno is years away. Would make sense for the Reds to make a deal for him. I would give them one of their Callahan’s for him.
@em650or. – Maile was cut. And Reds acquired Jose Trevino from Yankees as the backup to Stephenson.
Why would Cartaya platoon with anyone above Double A? He’s not ready for the majors.
At all.
Cardinals have Harrera and Pages at MLB level, Crooks at AAA, and Bernal at AA. They won’t make a move for a C.
I understand Herrera and the depth being listed as deterrents, but idk if I would name Pages–a 26 year old backup with 68 games played and 218 PA at the MLB level, not to mention having practically no success in AAA–as a reason to not claim Cartaya.
Always was solid with the bat in the minors and they love his defense. Exactly what they want with a back up C.
He has sucked the last 2 years with the bat…close to the Mendoza line and well below .700 OPS
Nope. We have options
White Sox are always open to adding another catcher.
He was for sure getting traded before this move since his path is blocked and doesn’t play another position a la Rushing. Dodgers need his roster spot
He was DH’ing almost as much as he caught last year
AA on line one……
This is a solid take… Braves got D’Arnaud from LAD the same way…
Braves fans celebrating their team being waiver wire hunters instead of actual players in FA despite ostensibly being major contenders is so funny. You guys know you don’t profit share with ownership, right?
Sure we do. I own a stock in the Braves.
Teams should want to be waiver wire hunters in addition to being actual FA players. The two aren’t mutually exclusive.
Exactly. Tyler Holton says hi!
Except the Braves have done nothing this offseason and are shopping at the discount aisle. If this was the Mets or the Phillies their fan bases would be all over the FO and ownership. Only Braves fans smugly take joy in their team trying to maximize revenue instead of spending big like the other NL contenders. The Braves had one period where they spent a bunch on long term extensions for their core and have since done nothing significant to supplement that core. They’ve lost a lot of ground on the Mets and the Dodgers and I don’t know why that fanbase isn’t big mad about their offseason.
In an article about a player being dfa’d, what were you expecting the conversation to be about? D’Arnaud helped win a WS, after being picked up after being waived. WS are worth celebrating.
One of many hitting prospects that tears it up in the offense-friendly California League, but then their bat disappears in a more normal altitude/humidity…
All the best A league pitchers throw in the Florida State League…
It wasn’t so much the Cal league as the fact that he had physically matured at an extremely young age and was essentially a man playing against boys. His power is still off the charts. His issue is that he has way too many holes in his swing.
The one thing going for him is that he’s because a solid defensive catcher so catching on as a backup for some team isn’t impossible.
Seems like a Red Sox. They could use a better catcher
He might never be a major league player.
Should he be traded or picked up on waivers any informed person know whether he must remain on their 40 man roster?
Don’t think his new team would have that restriction
Yes. But he can be optioned for one more year as far as I can see. An acquiring team can try to find a time to try to pass him through waivers if they want the 40 man spot and think he’ll go unclaimed. But as a C with some prospect pedigree and an option remaining, I doubt he’ll be outrighted by anyone. Someone would give him a 40 man spot.
Did you doubt he’d be DFA’d?
Not sure if you are asking me Stymee, but I didn’t put much thought into the corresponding roster moves of the Dodgers. I was just answering the question that yes, if you pick him up through trade or waivers, he stays on the new team’s 40 man. If they want to remove him from the 40 they DFA him and go through this process all over again. Often times an out of options player (usually an interesting reliever) will be claimed and put on waivers several times with teams hoping to be the one to pass them through waivers and outright them as minor league depth. I don’t think that’ll be Cartaya’s path because he does have an option so a team interested in working with him as minors depth will probably just acquire him and option him.
Sorry Kam, I just gave much the same answer before seeing your new post. Good stuff bro!
Yes, I was. Just saying if he’s now a DFA’d candidate, and soon out of options, being outrighted isn’t out of the realm of possibilities. Unless he ups his offensive game.
This is his last option year.
Yes he must. He can be optioned to the minors by his new team but would remain on the 40 man. This is his last option year though so next year it would be major leagues or DFA. Why he might not be as popular a trade target as people think. Dodgers might end up keeping him.
Yes Psychguy, upon Claim or Trade Cartaya must be placed on the new team’s 40 Man. The new team can choose to DFA him too, in the hopes of him clearing Waivers, and then Cartaya would then be eligible to be removed from the 40. Revocable Waivers don’t exist anymore, so once a player is placed on Waivers, they can’t be pulled back.
Don’t know why they held on to him for so long. Especially after they drafted Rushing….
Rushing isn’t really a good catcher defensively. His ticket to the majors is his bat.
He’s just turned 23 and had a .900 OPS two seasons ago.
He’ll easily be traded for a non-40 man roster prospect since he’s still a young catcher…
I just said the same thing, haha! Jinx!
The Dodgers should at least be able to get as good of a prospect as the Phillies got for Tyler Gilbert, probably better…
Concur.
someone will take a chance on him, he had a horrible season but was highly thought of before
Dodgers always have the top farm system and yet it seems like almost none of these guys pan out. I’m so sick of LA
none pan out? i mean, not many are all-stars, but many are major leaguers. Busch? DeLuca? Pepiot? Pages? Stone? Ryan? Miller? Knack? Wrobleski? Sheehan? Casparius? those are guys who have graduated in just the past two years.
None pan out????? Bellinger, Seager, Pederson, Lux, Busch, not to mention a dozen pitchers currently pitching in MLB. I could go on but it’s pretty apparent you’re incorrect in your assessment of their farm system.
On the hitting side, don’t forget Smith as well.
Good, let the hate flow through you!
@amazing larry I laughed so hard when I read this.
Yes I’m sure it’s just a conspiracy to give the Dodgers easier trades because MLB GMs evaluate based on prospect lists
No one claimed teams front offices used these lists. The hype comes from media and fans, who do use these lists. Teams with larger markets by defn have more fans, so these sites cater to them for clicks. Its called marketing.
Maybe go see a therapist?
Most prospects never take the next step beyond being prospects.
All prospects are suspects until proven at The Bigs.
Dude hit the wall once he got to AA. Went from putting up all kindsa stats to barely batting .200. Don’t believe his defense matured like they expected either. Thing about Friedman is he’ll get some type of value in return even though he really shouldn’t. A player a few yrs younger n w/some lottery upside, almost always do. Dodgers FO is best in game @evaluating a players hidden value.
Have you not heard of Tampa Bay? You know, that team the Dodgers are always poaching front office people from?
You’re right Rays do incredible job w/their resources. And it’s Friedman’s ol stomping ground. Not just Dodgers acquiring their FO talent.
Heck, I got released in the 90s hitting only .250, .260 in AA as a catcher. Now they would probably move me up the ladder.
Could a lux & cartaya package be happening soon ?
Could… to say StL for closer
Not happening. Cards don’t need an infielder-especially a ML infielder-or a catching “prospect”.
Tigers should be sniffing at that.
Sure, Harris likes adding 2B.
Lux can play SS too. My dog is better than Baez right now.
Dodgers would need to throw in a pitcher like Wrobleski or Caspurius as well.
He’ll be traded within 7 days…
I wouldn’t mind the Guardians giving him a shot, if the price is right. They have a serious lack of catching depth in the upper minors and Bo Naylor has yet to put it all together.
There will be a spot for him somewhere. Austin Hedges has to retire sometime, right?
Minnesota Twins Calling on line ONE !!
Being a Dodger MiLB player must feel pretty hopeless these days
Rays need to be in the phone immediately
Prospects have a shelf life. This guy had significant trade value a couple of years ago. Lesson for the Orioles should they care to learn it.
You’re bang on. Prospects can supplement a team but they are also capital to acquire proven players. More teams should go the route that Preller does.
18 months ago, top 10 prospect
now DFAd
Things change quickly in this gm
Scouts over rated another prospect
The Tigers need depth at catcher. Catchers take longer to develop, Tigers incumbent Jake Rogers being a perfect example Jump the line and bring him on board to pair with Liranzo at AAA. Can’t hurt to take a flier. The Tigers have had decent luck with LA prospects.
The Twins would be a good match here. He could spend the entire year at AAA, none of their AAA catchers last year did much of anything. If his hitting improves, he becomes a backup to Jeffers. If not, not much lost.
Wouldn’t mind seeing the Red Sox take a chance on him considering that in trading Teel they kind of obliterated their future behind the dish. Connor Wong’s okay, but there’s nobody beyond that who inspires much faith.
Good catchers are cheap as free agents. Teams like the Red Sox should add them last, or at least after they have the pitching and offense part figured out. The Red Sox need Teel as a prospect significantly less than most teams.
The media likes to help the Dodgers pump and dump their prospects in trades. Luckily, no one bought into this fraud.
But, the media!
Attention shoppers! In aisle 37 we have a large selection of tin foil hats, many emblazoned with “Pump & Dump” and others with “The Media is Not Your Friend”
Oh have a group of people pinned the media as “the enemy of the people”…. Unless it’s convenient for them or what they want to hear. They’re just good little fascist sheep getting in line. Who’d a thunk we’d be here in 2025, but it’s here.
It is what it’s always been. Whether the earth is round or flat is irrelevant. Whether you can logically debate or shout the loudest is what counts.
White Sox love collecting catchers. Maybe they can get a package deal with Lux.
Blue Jays. They have zero C prospects. Give him a season on buffalo
I wouldn’t mind seeing the Yankees take a chance on Cartaya. They have a couple of Cs with lower ceilings already taking up spots on the 40 man so why not give Cartaya a look
White Sox will sign him tomorrow-
No. He’s been DFA’d, not placed on waivers. You may be right that the W Sox sign him, but if they do, it won’t be until next week.
The Marlins could grab him, they love light hitting players especially those with little to no power.
His value is in his defensive ability at the position. The possibility that he may eventually correct his swing is just an added hope. Even if just a back up, he will have value. See Maldonado, Hedges,
There is the Mets new backup catcher
This is the jackpot for a team like the Marlins who have 0 depth and have t had a catcher since JT….Pudge 1 season…. Charles Johnson…. But they do absolutely nothing, don’t claim any reclamation project (but will soon guys like Segura and Tom Anderson, make it make sense), they put in no claims, they make no meaningful signing or trades? They can’t draft, etc. I said this offseason “they’re rebuilding, claim Baddoo, claim Estrada, now Cartaya”. Bupkiss. It’ll be the usual suspects ala Orioles, Dodgers (knowing their luck he’ll go unclaimed),Yankees who claim in. Look at Joey Bart. Diego is way too raw to give up on already.
Think this dudes IG handle is Cartman?
Um red Sox what are you waiting for???????
I hope all catcher prospects entirely ignore media and internet prospect evaluators. If any catcher has a good offensive season or even just a good offensive profile then they are immediately held to that standard of offensive production and/or projection despite maybe 4-5 MLB catchers having above average bats in any given year. As this relates to Cartaya, I think his floor is a Jacob Stallings type catcher who can be a reliable if unimpressive starter on bad teams or a solid backup on good teams. That’s still a really good baseball player. His ceiling is cutting down on the strikeouts and getting on base with decent but not huge power numbers so maybe a Gary Carter or Sandy Alomar profile at his best. But because he popped off for a year or two as a 20 year old he’s going to be labeled a bust if he isn’t in the Ivan Rodriguez and Yadier Molina realm.
This kind of supports my idea that there is no such thing as catching prospects.
Cartaya will probably cost intl pool money (for Sasaki) rather than prospects.
The Jays should certainly take a look as catcher is one of their many, many holes. Of course, they’ll likely play him in left field.
Phillies need to put him in AAA for a year.
Change of scenery could really make a difference for him. Guarantee somebody picks him up.
Yeah the scenery stinks in OKC. All you can see is Oklahoma.
Teams can only trade $600k in intl pool money per trade. Maybe a 3-way or a second “agreed upon” trade to get 1.2 mil more for Sasaki.