TEAM TO BEAT
LOS ANGELES DODGERS
The Dodgers have won nine of the last 10 division titles and are coming off a 111-win season, but the gap between them and the rest of the division is narrowing. The archrival Giants won the division in 2021, and the Padres upset the Dodgers in the NL Division Series last year. The Dodgers have significant talent to replace after Trea Turner, Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner and Tyler Anderson departed and Gavin Lux was lost for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Still, the Dodgers' organizational depth remains the best in MLB, and they have a long track record of seamlessly replacing injured or departed stars. The Dodgers boast the division's best rotation by a wide margin and their lineup remains potent with Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Max Muncy and offseason signee J.D. Martinez. A rookie class led by Miguel Vargas, Bobby Miller, James Outman, Ryan Pepiot and Gavin Stone could be baseball's best.
TOP PLAYER
MANNY MACHADO, 3B, PADRES
Machado has blossomed into one of MLB's top players and the Padres' clubhouse leader over the last three seasons. He hit .298/.366/.531 with 32 home runs, 107 RBIs and 100 runs scored last year while playing standout defense at third base and finished second in NL MVP voting. He was rewarded with an 11-year, $350 million extension in February, the fourth-largest contract in MLB history. The division is loaded with stars, including fellow Padres Fernando Tatis Jr. and Juan Soto and Dodgers standouts Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, but Machado is playing at the highest level of them all right now.
TOP PITCHER
JULIO URIAS, LHP, DODGERS
Urias has quietly developed into the ace predicted since he was a teenager. He starred in the 2020 World Series, became a 20-game winner in 2021 and led the National League with a 2.16 ERA in 2022. His 37 wins are the most of any pitcher the last two seasons and his 2.57 ERA ranks third behind only future Hall of Famers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. Fellow Dodgers lefthander Clayton Kershaw, Padres trio Yu Darvish, Blake Snell and Joe Musgrove, D-backs ace Zac Gallen and rising Giants standout Logan Webb are all top pitchers in their own right and make the NL West one of the best divisions for starting pitching.
TOP ROOKIE
CORBIN CARROLL, OF, D-BACKS
The 5-foot-10 Carroll has played bigger than his stature throughout his career and brings an electrifying skill set to the D-backs' lineup. He's one of the fastest players in baseball, has excellent pure contact skills from the left side and has sneaky power. He gave a preview of his ability last season by batting .260/.330/.500 with four home runs, 14 RBIs and 13 runs in 32 games in his MLB debut and has already staked his claim to a starting spot on Opening Day. He is the odds-on favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year. Arizona reinforced its faith in Carroll by signing him to an $111 million deal before the season.
TOP 10 PROSPECTS
By Top 100 Prospects ranking
2. Corbin Carroll, OF, D-backs
12. Gabriel Moreno, C, D-backs
13. Jordan Lawlar, SS, D-backs
17. Ezequiel Tovar, RHP, Rockies
18. Diego Cartaya, C, Dodgers
21. Bobby Mille...
LOS ANGELES DODGERS
The Dodgers have won nine of the last 10 division titles and are coming off a 111-win season, but the gap between them and the rest of the division is narrowing. The archrival Giants won the division in 2021, and the Padres upset the Dodgers in the NL Division Series last year. The Dodgers have significant talent to replace after Trea Turner, Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner and Tyler Anderson departed and Gavin Lux was lost for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Still, the Dodgers' organizational depth remains the best in MLB, and they have a long track record of seamlessly replacing injured or departed stars. The Dodgers boast the division's best rotation by a wide margin and their lineup remains potent with Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Max Muncy and offseason signee J.D. Martinez. A rookie class led by Miguel Vargas, Bobby Miller, James Outman, Ryan Pepiot and Gavin Stone could be baseball's best.
TOP PLAYER
MANNY MACHADO, 3B, PADRES
Machado has blossomed into one of MLB's top players and the Padres' clubhouse leader over the last three seasons. He hit .298/.366/.531 with 32 home runs, 107 RBIs and 100 runs scored last year while playing standout defense at third base and finished second in NL MVP voting. He was rewarded with an 11-year, $350 million extension in February, the fourth-largest contract in MLB history. The division is loaded with stars, including fellow Padres Fernando Tatis Jr. and Juan Soto and Dodgers standouts Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, but Machado is playing at the highest level of them all right now.
TOP PITCHER
JULIO URIAS, LHP, DODGERS
Urias has quietly developed into the ace predicted since he was a teenager. He starred in the 2020 World Series, became a 20-game winner in 2021 and led the National League with a 2.16 ERA in 2022. His 37 wins are the most of any pitcher the last two seasons and his 2.57 ERA ranks third behind only future Hall of Famers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. Fellow Dodgers lefthander Clayton Kershaw, Padres trio Yu Darvish, Blake Snell and Joe Musgrove, D-backs ace Zac Gallen and rising Giants standout Logan Webb are all top pitchers in their own right and make the NL West one of the best divisions for starting pitching.
TOP ROOKIE
CORBIN CARROLL, OF, D-BACKS
The 5-foot-10 Carroll has played bigger than his stature throughout his career and brings an electrifying skill set to the D-backs' lineup. He's one of the fastest players in baseball, has excellent pure contact skills from the left side and has sneaky power. He gave a preview of his ability last season by batting .260/.330/.500 with four home runs, 14 RBIs and 13 runs in 32 games in his MLB debut and has already staked his claim to a starting spot on Opening Day. He is the odds-on favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year. Arizona reinforced its faith in Carroll by signing him to an $111 million deal before the season.
TOP 10 PROSPECTS
By Top 100 Prospects ranking
2. Corbin Carroll, OF, D-backs
12. Gabriel Moreno, C, D-backs
13. Jordan Lawlar, SS, D-backs
17. Ezequiel Tovar, RHP, Rockies
18. Diego Cartaya, C, Dodgers
21. Bobby Mille...
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Baseball America (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2023