The Los Angeles Dodgers are making waves, calling up top prospect catcher Dalton Rushing. Perhaps more shocking, however, is they are designating catcher Austin Barnes for assignment. The team announced both moves on Wednesday afternoon.
The Dodgers selected the contract of catcher Dalton Rushing and designated catcher Austin Barnes for assignment.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 14, 2025
Dodgers Call Up Top Prospect Dalton Rushing
Rushing to Judgement
Rushing is the 15th-ranked prospect in all of baseball (per MLB Pipeline), and the top prospect in a deep Dodgers minor league system. He has been tearing the cover off the ball the last two seasons down on the farm. The 24-year-old catcher has a batting average of .308 and has five home runs and 17 runs batted in so far this season. Since the offensive stats could not be ignored, Rushing has spent time playing third base and left field, in hopes of a quicker major league debut. However, this season, the versatile star has been primarily a catcher.
Austin “Powers” Barnes
Until today, Austin Barnes was the longest-tenured position player on the roster. Out of Arizona State University, Barnes made his major league debut for the Dodgers in 2015. He has been very good at handling the pitching staff, and is popular with his teammates. Barnes has been Clayton Kershaw‘s personal catcher in recent years. However, he has struggled to throw out runners behind the plate. In addition, the veteran backstop has struggled at the plate, hitting for only a .214 average with a high strikeout rate and only one walk.
The Time is Now
The bottom of the Dodgers order has struggled to produce consistency with Tommy Edman and Teoscar Hernández on the injured list. In addition, the left-handed bats of Max Muncy and Michael Conforto have struggled mightily thus far this season. It was apparent to the Dodgers that the lineup needed a shot of adrenaline.
Whether Dalton Rushing can provide it is another question. Now, he has the chance to try.
Photo Credit: © NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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