Dodgers outfield prospect James Outman could have an unexpectedly huge impact on the 2023 Los Angeles team, says Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report.
Dodgers prospect James Outman got a four-game cup of coffee in the big leagues last year, posting a ridiculous 1.409 OPS in 16 plate appearances to go along with his .978 OPS and 31 homers in the minor leagues. This spring, Outman is battling for a spot in the Los Angeles outfield.
At least one writer is expecting big things from Outman. Over at Bleacher Report, Zachary D. Rymer wrote an article about one player from each team who will unexpectedly be a big contributor this year. For the Dodgers, that player was Outman.
There’s a lot about the Dodgers offense that just doesn’t look right following the departures of Trea Turner, Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger, but there’s hope to be found in all the talented young hitters the club has lying around.
James Outman is one of them, and perhaps the best bet to eventually join fellow prospect Miguel Vargas as a regular in the Dodgers lineup. He’s an athletic 6’3″, 215-pounder who put up a .978 OPS and 31 home runs in 125 games at Double-A and Triple-A in 2022.
Outman is on the outside looking in at the major league roster for now. But with David Peralta and Trayce Thompson holding seemingly tenuous grips on left and center field, he has at least two avenues to an everyday gig.
Unfortunately, Outman might have gained another avenue to playing time on Monday, when Gavin Lux went down with a knee injury. Lux will be out for the season with a torn ACL, which will push Chris Taylor back to the infield and make room for one more outfielder on the roster.
Outman is extremely athletic and has a lot of the tools necessary for big-league success. The only real question at this point is his ability to put the bat on the ball, but unfortunately that question mark is big enough that it puts his future somewhat in doubt. With his power and speed, if he can make contact consistently enough, he could become an impact player for Los Angeles, as Rymer says.
