How The Dodgers, Yankees Built Their World Series Rosters
Image credit: Shohei Ohtani (left) and Mookie Betts (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
When you get the Dodgers vs. the Yankees in the World Series, as you might expect, it comes with rosters filled with stars.
The Dodgers’ NLCS roster had a combined 30 all-star appearances and four MVP awards. New York’s ALCS roster also had 30 all-star appearances. And while Yankees had only two MVPs, they also had a Cy Young award winner.
Many of these stars’ bright futures were foretold.
For the Yankees, 16 of the 26 players on their postseason roster ranked as Top 100 prospects back when they were in the minors, while the Dodgers have 11 such players. When Gerrit Cole or Carlos Rodon starts, the Yankees could actually field a complete starting lineup of former Top 100 prospects.
Neither team, however, is particularly homegrown or especially young. The average age of the Dodgers’ postseason roster is 31. The Yankees’ average age is 30.
With first pitch scheduled for Friday night in LA, let’s take a look at how each team constructed its roster en route to making it back to the World Series.
| How Acquired | Dodgers | Yankees |
| Draft | 6 | 5 |
| Free Agents | 9 | 7 |
| International | 3 | 2 |
| Trade | 8 | 12 |
Note that those free agent acquisitions feature a mix of high-priced additions like Cole, Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani and lower-cost, astute additions, especially in the bullpens. The Yankees, for example, are getting contributions from two relievers in Jake Cousins and Tim Hill who were jettisoned by the White Sox this year. The Dodgers similarly acquired Anthony Banda from the Guardians this year for cash considerations.
Yankees
| Pitchers | Age | How Acquired | Highest Top 100 Rank | Highest Top 30 Rank |
| Cole, Gerrit | 34 | 2019 MLB free agent | 7 (2013) | Pirates #1 (2012/2013) |
| Cousins, Jake | 30 | 2024 trade with White Sox for cash considerations | NR | NR |
| Gil, Luis | 26 | 2018 trade with Twins for OF Jake Cave | NR | Yankees #4 (2020/2021/2022) |
| Hill, Tim | 35 | 2024 free agent after White Sox release | NR | NR |
| Holmes, Clay | 32 | 2021 trade with Pirates for SSs Hoy Park and Diego Castillo | NR | Pirates #10 (2013) |
| Kahnle, Tommy | 35 | Drafted fifth round in 2010 out of Lynn (Mass.) | NR | Yankees #28 (2011) |
| Leiter Jr., Mark | 34 | 2024 trade with Cubs for SS Ben Cowles and RHP Jack Neely | NR | NR |
| Mayza, Tim | 33 | 2024 free agent after Blue Jays release | NR | NR |
| Rodón, Carlos | 32 | 2022 MLB free agent | 15 (2015) | White Sox #1 (2015) |
| Schmidt, Clarke | 29 | Drafted first round in 2017 out of South Carolina | 64 (2021) | Yankees #2 (2020) |
| Stroman, Marcus | 33 | 2024 MLB free agent | 55 (2014) | Blue Jays #2 (2014) |
| Weaver, Luke | 31 | 2024 MLB free agent | 50 (2017) | Cardinals #2 (2017) |
| Catchers | Age | How Acquired | Highest Top 100 Rank | Highest Top 30 Rank |
| Trevino, Jose | 32 | 2022 trade with Rangers for RHP Albert Abreu and LHP Rob Ahlstrom | NR | Rangers #12 (2017) |
| Wells, Austin | 25 | Drafted first round in 2020 out of Arizona | 73 (2023) | Yankees #5 (2021/2022/2023/2024) |
| Infielders | Age | How Acquired | Highest Top 100 Rank | Highest Top 30 Rank |
| Berti, Jon | 35 | 2024 trade with Marlins for OF John Cruz | NR | NR |
| Cabrera, Oswaldo | 26 | 2015 international signing out of Venezuela | NR | Yankees #8 (2022) |
| Chisholm Jr., Jazz | 27 | 2024 trade with Marlins for C Augustin Ramirez, 2B Jared Serna and SS Abrahan Ramirez | 59 (2019) | D’backs #1 (2019) |
| Rizzo, Anthony | 35 | 2022 MLB free agent | 47 (2012) | Padres #1 (2012) |
| Torres, Gleyber | 28 | 2016 trade with Cubs for LHP Aroldis Chapman | 5 (2017) | Yankees #1 (2017/2018) |
| Volpe, Anthony | 23 | Drafted first round in 2019 out of Delbarton HS, Morristown, N.J. | 10 (2022) | Yankees #1 (2022/2023) |
| Outfielders | Age | How Acquired | Highest Top 100 Rank | Highest Top 30 Rank |
| Domínguez, Jasson | 22 | 2019 international signing out of Dominican Republic | 5 (2024) | Yankees #1 (2024) |
| Grisham, Trent | 28 | 2023 trade with Padres with OF Juan Soto for RHP Michael King, C Kyle Higashioka, RHP Randy Vasquez, RHP Jhony Brito and RHP Drew Thorpe. | 49 (2016) | Brewers #3 (2016) |
| Judge, Aaron | 32 | Drafted first round 2013 out of Fresno State | 53 (2015) | Yankees #2 (2015) |
| Soto, Juan | 26 | 2023 trade with Padres with OF Trent Grisham for RHP Michael King, C Kyle Higashioka, RHP Randy Vasquez, RHP Jhony Brito and RHP Drew Thorpe. | 56 (2018) | Nationals #2 (2018) |
| Verdugo, Alex | 28 | 2024 trade with Red Sox for RHP Greg Weissert, RHP Richard Fitts and RHP Nick Judice. | 35 (2019) | Dodgers #2 (2018/2019) |
| Designated Hitters | Age | How Acquired | Highest Top 100 Rank | Highest Top 30 Rank |
| Stanton, Giancarlo | 35 | 2017 trade with Marlins for 2B Starling Castro, RHP Jorge Guzman and SS Jose Devers | 3 (2010) | Marlins #1 (2010) |
Dodgers
| Pitchers | Age | How Acquired | Highest Top 100 Rank | Highest Top 30 Rank |
| Banda, Anthony | 31 | 2024 trade from Guardians for cash considerations | 88 (2017) | D’backs #1 (2017) |
| Brasier, Ryan | 37 | 2023 free agent after Red Sox release | NR | Angels #11 (2014) |
| Buehler, Walker | 30 | Drafted in first round in 2015 from Vanderbilt | 13 (2018) | Dodgers #1 (2018) |
| Casparius, Ben | 26 | Drafted in fifth round in 2021 from UConn | NR | Dodgers #23 (2024) |
| Flaherty, Jack | 29 | 2024 trade from Tigers for SS Trey Sweeney and C Thayron Liranzo | 53 (2018) | Cardinals #2 (2018) |
| Henriquez, Edgardo | 22 | 2018 international signing out of Venezuela | NR | Dodgers #11 (2024) |
| Honeywell, Brent | 30 | Claimed off waivers from Pirates in 2024 | 14 (2018) | Rays #1 (2018) |
| Hudson, Daniel | 38 | 2021 MLB free agent | 66 (2010) | White Sox #3 (2010) |
| Knack, Landon | 27 | Drafted in second round in 2020 from East Tennessee State | NR | Dodger #7 (2022) |
| Kopech, Michael | 28 | Drafted in first round in 2014 from Mount Pleasant (Texas) HS | 11 (2018) | White Sox #2 (2018/2019/2021) |
| Phillips, Evan | 30 | Claimed off waivers from Rays in 2021 | NR | NR |
| Treinen, Blake | 36 | 2019 MLB free agent | NR | A’s #19 (2012) |
| Yamamoto, Yoshinobu | 26 | 2024 MLB free agent | Not eligible | Not eligible |
| Catchers | Age | How Acquired | Highest Top 100 Rank | Highest Top 30 Rank |
| Barnes, Austin | 35 | 2014 trade from Marlins with SS Enrique Hernandez, LHP Andrew Heaney and RHP Chris Hatcher for 2B Dee Gordon, RHP Miguel Rojas and RHP Dan Haren. | NR | Dodgers #8 (2016) |
| Smith, Will | 30 | Drafted in first round in 2016 from Louisville | 95 (2019) | Dodgers #5 (2019) |
| Infielders | Age | How Acquired | Highest Top 100 Rank | Highest Top 30 Rank |
| Betts, Mookie | 32 | 2020 trade from Red Sox with LHP David Price for OF Alex Verdugo, C Connor Wong and SS Jeter Downs. | 75 (2014) | Red Sox #7 (2014) |
| Freeman, Freddie | 35 | 2022 MLB free agent | 17 (2011) | Braves #2 (2010/2011) |
| Hernández, Enrique | 33 | 2014 trade from Marlins with C Austin Barnes, LHP Andrew Heaney and RHP Chris Hatcher for 2B Dee Gordon, RHP Miguel Rojas and RHP Dan Haren. | NR | NR |
| Lux, Gavin | 27 | Drafted in first round in 2016 from Indian Trail HS, Keonsha, Wisc. | 4 (2020) | Dodgers #1 (2020) |
| Muncy, Max | 34 | 2017 MiLB free agent | NR | A’s #7 (2014) |
| Outfielders | Age | How Acquired | Highest Top 100 Rank | Highest Top 30 Rank |
| Edman, Tommy | 29 | 2024 trade in which Dodgers traded 3B Miguel Vargas, SS Alexander Albertus, SS Jeral Perez and a player to be named later or cash considerations to the White Sox for RHP Michael Kopech; Chicago White Sox traded RHP Erick Fedde, OF Tommy Pham and cash considerations to theCardinals; Cardinals traded Edman and RHP Oliver Gonzalez to the Dodgers | NR | Cardinals #12 (2019) |
| Hernández, Teoscar | 32 | 2024 MLB free agent | NR | Astros #7 (2017) |
| Kiermaier, Kevin | 35 | 2024 trade from Blue Jays for LHP Ryan Yarbrough | NR | Rays #10 (2014) |
| Pages, Andy | 24 | 2018 international signing from Cuba | NR | Dodgers #3 (2014) |
| Taylor, Chris | 34 | 2016 trade with Mariners for RHP Zach Lee | NR | Mariners #9 (2014) |
| Designated Hitter | Age | How Acquired | Highest Top 100 Rank | Highest Top 30 Rank |
| Ohtani, Shohei | 30 | 2018 international signing out of Japan | 2 (2018) | Angels #1 (2018) |
