Dodgers, Rays World Series Rosters Have Strong Prospect Pedigree

The reason prospects matter is they become major leaguers. If everything goes well, they become major leaguers who help a team win a World Series.

The 2020 World Series between the Dodgers and Rays features many, many players who were once top prospects, including Game 1 starters Clayton Kershaw and Tyler Glasnow, Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts, Corey Seager, Walker Buehler, Blake Snell, Willy Adames, Austin Meadows and Brandon Lowe, all of whom ranked as a Top 100 Prospect at some point.

In all, just over 41% (23 of 56) of players on the Dodgers and Rays World Series rosters were Top 100 Prospects at one time. Overall, 48 of the 56 players on the 2020 World Series rosters ranked in at least one Baseball America Prospect Handbook.

That’s in line with recent trends. Here are the number of players on World Series rosters the last four seasons who ranked in at least one Prospect Handbook.

2017: 47 of 50

2018: 48 of 50

2019: 47 of 50

2020: 48 of 56

The Dodgers have more players with prospect pedigree on their roster than the Rays. Overall 26 of the 28 players on the Dodgers World Series roster ranked in at least one Prospect Handbook, compared to 22 of 28 players on the Rays World Series roster.

Here is a look at each player on World Series rosters this year and when they ranked in a Prospect Handbook, including what teams they ranked for.

Note that Yoshitomo Tsutsugo ranked in the 2020 Prospect Handbook as a top international prospect and signed with the Rays after the book’s publishing date.

DODGERS

Player	Team	Years Ranked
RHP Pedro Baéz	Dodgers	2008-11, 2014-15
RHP Walker Buehler	Dodgers	2016-18
RHP Dylan Floro	Rays	2016
RHP Tony Gonsolin	Dodgers	2019-20
LHP Victor González	Dodgers	2014, 2020
RHP Brusdar Graterol	Twins, Dodgers	2018-20
RHP Kenley Jansen	Dodgers	2010-11
RHP Joe Kelly	Cardinals	2010-12
LHP Clayton Kershaw	Dodgers	2007-08
LHP Adam Kolarek	N/A
RHP Dustin May	Dodgers	2017-20
LHP Jake McGee	Rays	2005-11
RHP Blake Treinen	A’s, Nationals	2012, 2014
LHP Julio Urías	Dodgers	2014-16
LHP Alex Wood	Braves	2013
C Austin Barnes	Marlins, Dodgers	2013-17
IF Matt Beaty (L)	Dodgers	2018-19
OF Cody Bellinger (L)	Dodgers	2014-17
OF Mookie Betts	Red Sox	2013-14
IF/OF Enrique Hernández	N/A
IF Max Muncy (L)	Athletics	2013-16
OF Joc Pederson (L)	Dodgers	2011-15
OF AJ Pollock	D-backs	2010-13
IF Edwin Ríos (L)	Dodgers	2018-20
SS Corey Seager (L)	Dodgers	2013-16
C Will Smith	Dodgers	2017-19
IF/OF Chris Taylor	Mariners	2013-14
3B Justin Turner	Reds, Orioles	2008, 2009

RAYS

Player	Team	Years Ranked
RHP Nick Anderson	N/A
RHP Diego Castillo	Rays	2018
RHP John Curtiss	Twins	2018-19
RHP Pete Fairbanks	Rays	2020
LHP Josh Fleming	N/A
RHP Tyler Glasnow	Pirates	2013-17
LHP Aaron Loup	N/A
LHP Shane McClanahan	Rays	2019-20
RHP Charlie Morton	Braves	2004-05
LHP Ryan Sherriff	N/A
LHP Blake Snell	Rays	2012-16
RHP Ryan Thompson	N/A
LHP Ryan Yarbrough	Rays	2015-18
C Michael Perez	D-backs	2012-14, 2018
C Mike Zunino	Mariners	2013
SS Willy Adames	Tigers, Rays	2014-18
1B/3B Mike Brosseau	N/A
1B Ji-Man Choi	Mariners	2014-15
1B Yandy Díaz	Indians	2016-17
2B Brandon Lowe	Rays	2018-19
2B Joey Wendle	Indians, A’s	2014-17
OF Randy Arozarena	Cardinals, Rays	2017-20
OF Kevin Kiermaier	Rays	2011, 2014
OF Manuel Margot	Red Sox, Padres	2013-17
OF Austin Meadows	Pirates	2014-18
OF Brett Phillips	Astros/Brewers	2013-18
OF Hunter Renfroe	Padres	2014-17
OF Yoshi Tsutsugo	Int’l*	2020