Within weeks of the 2024 World Series ending, many fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers were already wondering how the player roster would shake out for the beginning of the 2025 season. Several key players became free agents, the pitching staff was already decimated, and Mookie Betts once again planned to relocate to the middle infield, leaving a big hole out in right.
However, front-office boss Andrew Friedman and his crew made one of the biggest splashes in hot stove history, snatching up players left and right while leaving many of the league’s contending clubs sitting in the dust.
The Current State of the Los Angeles Outfield
Early in the winter — particularly when Teoscar Hernandez was being courted by several teams across the MLB — it appeared as if the outfield options were down to Tommy Edman, Andy Pages and James Outman, plus anyone else the Dodgers would bring in from the outside or promote from the farm system.
As things played out, the club snatched lefty-hitting journeyman Michael Conforto on a one year deal and eventually brought back Hernandez on a three-year contract with a club option for 2028. If everyone’s healthy, the 2025 outfield will probably set up with Edman in center, Conforto in left and Hernandez in right, supported by Chris Taylor and Andy Pages on the bench.
While it doesn’t make an overwhelming amount of sense having the 24-year-old Pages as a bench player at this stage of his career, there may be enough flexibility in the daily lineup for skipper Dave Roberts to give Pages some reasonable playing time by moving other players around.
Notable Non-Roster Invitees to 2025 Spring Training
The Dodgers announced their non-roster invitees to 2025 spring training late in January. There were a whopping 24 players this year, headlined by players like catcher Dalton Rushing, pitcher Jared Karros — the son of Dodger great Eric Karros — and pitching phenom Roki Sasaki, who had to sign a minor league contract since he was technically an international amateur.
Another big name that many fans recognized was 19-year-old Josue De Paula, a lefty-hitting and lefty-throwing outfielder. Other outfielders on this year’s NRI list include the righty-hitting 28-year-old Justin Dean, the lefty-hitting 27-year-old Ryan Ward and 20-year-old lefty hitter Zyhir Hope.
De Paula stands out because he might be in a position to climb the ladder quickly, particularly because he will be Rule 5 eligible at the end of this year and will likely be transferred to the organizational 40-man roster early next winter, if not before.
What Makes De Paula Special?
Los Angeles coaches often describe De Paula as the most advanced young hitter their organization has seen in years. The second cousin of former NBA guards Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair, De Paula was born in Brooklyn before moving to the Dominican Republic and signing with the Dodgers as an international free agent in 2022.
In low-A and High-A ball in 2024, De Paula slashed .268/.404/.405 with 10 homers, 27 steals and an impressive 84 walks alongside just 95 punchouts in nearly 500 plate appearances. He led the Los Angeles farm system in on-base percentage and posted a 136 wRC+ as the second-youngest regular in the High-A Midwest League.
According to MLB Pipeline, “Few teenagers can match De Paula’s combination of swing decisions and exit velocities. He smoked balls harder than ever in 2024 as he began to fill out his 6-foot-3 frame during offseason workouts with Elly De La Cruz and Juan Soto. De Paula recognizes pitches well and has a sweet left-handed stroke, enabling him to control the strike zone and make hard contact to all fields.”
MLB Pipeline continues, “He made progress with his ability to pull and lift pitches last season and could grow into at least 30-homer power as he continues to improve and get stronger. De Paula could become a slightly smaller version of Yordan Alvarez, but the Dodgers hope he’ll provide some baserunning and defensive value.”
Looking Ahead
It’s hard to see De Paula being promoted to the majors anytime soon, but his numbers last year certainly appear that he’s on the right path. Although he hasn’t played center field since 2023, he spent equal time on both corners last year. Still, the idea that he’ll start 2025 on the big league side of spring training should make him hungrier and want to climb the organizational ladder faster.