LA’s Top Farm Prospect wants to get better at this thing behind the plate
The Los Angeles Dodgers have one of the best farm systems in the league.
Keith Law of The Atheltic ranks them at number one, and it’s hard to argue. Many of the Dodgers best players came from their draft selections and farm system that helped them become the big leaguers they are today.
Currently, the Dodgers have seven prospects on the Top 100 from 2022, and their number one guy in the top ten of 100 is catcher Diego Cartaya.
Cartaya is the number one Dodgers prospect, according to MLB.com, and has all the tools to be a successful big-league player.
LA’s top prospect sat down with DodgersNation’s Doug McKain and discussed what he wants to improve on going forward.
“My blocking. I want to get better at it, and definitely keep working with the pitchers, like know how to use true media and game planning and all that stuff. It’s a lot of info, you have to know how to use it. And I would say that and the defense, basically like blocking and framing.”
MLB.com did mention this flaw in his scouting report as they said, “… though he needs more polish after committing 11 passed balls and throwing out just 20 percent of basestealers last year.”
Cartaya recognizes that and is willing to get better, and that’s all you can ask for from a ball player.
The 21-year-old was also asked what he wants to improve as a hitter going into 2023, and he had this to say.
“I want to have quality at-bats. I want to strikeout less, just put the ball in play. I don’t have numbers in mind, I just want to go there and have a good at-bat every time I go to the plate.”
The Venezuelan struck out nearly 33% of the time in 2022, with 119 strikeouts in 362 ABs. The slugging and power are there for the young righty, making him a top-10 prospect.
It’s great to see Diego having that willingness to get better at every facet of his game, and it’s exciting to hear for Dodger fans.
It’s unclear whether we’ll get to see him with the parent club in 2023, but if worse comes to worst in the catching position, we might get a glimpse of the 2018 international signee.
