Top prospect Dalton Rushing joins the Dodgers and adds power and versatility to an already loaded roster in a postseason-bound season.
Already in a gold plated season with promises, the Los Angeles Dodgers added another page to their constant story of excellence. Already whispered in the air on Wednesday, Wednesday in May, amid a 27-15 start and postseason aspirations, they transformed the page into a new chapter.
You can quickly step into the spotlight as one of the club’s top prospects and one of the most sophisticated young batters in baseball. Rather than carrying loads, learn, grow, and perhaps add another spark to an already bright and burning team.
Dalton Rushing was called by the Dodger @fabianardaya.
2025 (AAA): 132 PA, .308/.424/.515, 5 2B, 5 HR, 15.9% BB, 22%K
Rush is one of the best prospect bats in the game, but his PT situation is cloudy.#LetsGododgers pic.twitter.com/esqdsbmrkb
– Eric Cross (@ericcrossmlb) May 14, 2025
From prospects to presence: rising rush
There is something quiet about the greatness that has been created. Dalton’s rushing didn’t plunge into the scene – he climbed towards it. Drafted in the second round of 2022, rushing is doing what every Dodgers lead is being taught.
At Triple-A this season, he did more than win a call – he requested it. Hitting .308 with 132 plate appearances with .424 OBP and five home runs proved he’s not just a future work. He was ready now.
Dalton Rushing said his future role with the Dodgers in the spring would be to back up Smith.
“From a catching perspective, my job is to intervene and make Will’s job easier. Give him a little time. Make him become his player and push the Hall of Fame.” pic.twitter.com/4txacr4b7n
– Doug McCain (@DMAC_LA) May 14, 2025
Rushing, a catcher by trade, shows incredible versatility, recording innings in the base and outfield. But his bat is a calling card. It’s a left-handed stroke with compact power, natural lifts and patience on the plates that exceed his age. He’s not just shaking. He calculates, waits, and he punishes.
His arrival comes not as a need, but as a luxury. And in Los Angeles they tend to turn into legend.
Breakup, welcome, balanced acts
Every time baseball starts, there is an ending. The Dodgers designated long-time veteran Austin Burns for their assignments to create space to rush. This move was more than a transaction – it was emotional. Burns was the longest decorated position player on the roster and a quiet cornerstone of the Octobers of the past.
The Dodgers said goodbye with a message that felt like a letter of thanks.
Austin Burns received a DFA by the Dodgers after the team and 11 seasons.
Dalton Rushing is called in his place.
Thank you very much, Burns
Via David Vassegh pic.twitter.com/uvmbjyewkc
– Dodger Snation (@dodgernation) May 14, 2025
Now the baton rushes through, and the opportunity erupts. Will Smith was one of the best catchers in the game, hitting .330 with a north base percentage of .420. However, Smith also takes more rest than most elite backstops and rushes down the runway and works behind the plate.
Even on Freddie Freeman’s day off, or on the left field where the Dodgers shuffle the stacked lineup, he expects him on a base. In a roster defined by its flexibility, lashing becomes another tool in the toolbox. A hammer when necessary, and gloves when not.
The Dodgers didn’t have to hurry. But it never stopped them before making a good team even better.
There’s no pressure, just a promise
The beauty of the moment means that there is no rush. Not in a hurry.
The Dodgers don’t need him to hit a cleanup. They don’t need him to save the season. They need him to become what he already has: preparation, patient, and poised. That’s how the Dodgers are built – not on the hype, but on the foundations.
It brings you more than a refined bat in a hurry. He brings energy, athletic ability, and beyond his numbers. He’s faster than most catchers. Smarter than most rookies. And already he’s seasoned from minor league crushes.
If he finds his rhythm early, he could become another weapon that comes in October – a reliable bat from the bench, a steady presence behind the plate, or maybe even more. But even if that doesn’t happen soon, the Dodgers can wait. They are built into.
Dalton Rushing’s story doesn’t have to be written in an instant. It just has to start. And now in Los Angeles, under the light of the Chavez Valley, that’s right.