February 13, 2025

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing has hit and hit some more since being drafted by the Dodgers in the second round of the 2022 draft. After spending his first two seasons behind Henry Davis at Louisville, Rushing broke out during his junior year, hitting 23 home runs with a .314/.401/.542 slash. He continued to hit at every stop, with the 2024 season arguably his best performance yet. Splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A in 2024, Rushing mashed 24 home runs and had 48 extra-base hits while posting an impressive .271/.385/.512 slash. That all led to a 142 wRC+, one of the top marks of any full-season minor leaguer. He did all this at the plate while showing improvements behind the plate, throwing out 30 percent of runners that attempted to steal and learning a new position in the outfield. It is the combination of skills that makes Rushing one of the most well-rounded hitting prospects in baseball. He makes contact, rarely chases, hits the ball hard, and hits it at ideal angles. The barrel rates are elite for Rushing, thanks to a 90th percentile exit velocity of 106 mph, which already puts him in the plus territory of MLB hitters. Considering the low ground ball rates, Rushing put the ball in the air over 63 percent of the time, leading to ideal launch angles and many barrels. The biggest issue is finding playing time. Will Smith is locked in at catcher, and the Dodgers have a glut of outfielders. If he finds the field, he will make an impact.--Chris Clegg