High prospect Dalton Speeding joins the Dodgers, including energy and flexibility to an already loaded roster in a postseason-bound season.
In a season already gilded with promise, the Los Angeles Dodgers have added one other web page to their ever-growing story of excellence. On a sun-washed Wednesday in Could, amid a 27-15 begin and postseason aspirations already whispering within the air, they turned the web page to a brand new chapter — one named Dalton Speeding.
The membership’s high prospect and one in all baseball’s most polished younger hitters, Speeding will now step into the highlight. To not carry the load, however to study, to develop, and perhaps, so as to add one other spark to a crew already burning shiny.
Dalton Speeding has been referred to as up by the Dodger per @FabianArdaya.
2025 (AAA): 132 PA, .308/.424/.515, 5 2B, 5 HR, 15.9% BB, 22% Okay
Speeding is among the finest prospect bats within the recreation, however his PT state of affairs is cloudy.#LetsGoDodgers pic.twitter.com/EsqDSbmRkb
— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) Could 14, 2025
From Prospect to Presence: Speeding’s Ascent
There’s one thing quiet about greatness within the making. Dalton Speeding didn’t burst onto the scene — he climbed towards it. Drafted within the second spherical in 2022, Speeding has completed what all Dodgers prospects are taught to do: keep regular, keep humble, keep ready.
At Triple-A this season, he has completed greater than earn a call-up — he demanded it. Hitting .308 with a .424 OBP and 5 dwelling runs in 132 plate appearances, Speeding proved he wasn’t only a future piece. He was prepared now.
Dalton Speeding mentioned again in Spring that his future position for the Dodgers was to again up Smith.
“From a catching perspective, my job is to step in and make Will’s job simpler. Give him a little bit little bit of time. Let him be the participant that he’s and make a push for the Corridor of Fame.” pic.twitter.com/4TXaCR4b7n
— Doug McKain (@DMAC_LA) Could 14, 2025
A catcher by commerce, Speeding has proven outstanding versatility, logging innings at first base and within the outfield. However his bat is the calling card — a left-handed stroke with compact energy, pure raise, and a endurance on the plate past his years. He doesn’t simply swing; he calculates, he waits, after which he punishes.
His arrival comes not as a necessity however as a luxurious. And in Los Angeles, these have a tendency to show into legends.
A Farewell, A Welcome, and a Balancing Act
With each starting in baseball, there’s an ending. To make room for Speeding, the Dodgers designated longtime veteran Austin Barnes for project. The transfer was greater than transactional — it was emotional. Barnes was the longest-tenured place participant on the roster, a quiet cornerstone of previous Octobers.
The Dodgers, with grace, mentioned goodbye with a message that felt like a thank-you letter — from a corporation to a professional who by no means requested for the highlight, however all the time wore the jersey with objective.
Austin Barnes has been DFA’d by the Dodgers after 11 seasons with the crew.
Dalton Speeding has been referred to as up his place.
Barnes, thanks a lot for all the things 🙏
Through David Vassegh pic.twitter.com/uVMbJYEwKc
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) Could 14, 2025
Now, the baton passes to Speeding, whose alternative will are available in spurts. Will Smith is among the finest catchers within the recreation, hitting .330 with an on-base share north of .420. However Smith additionally will get extra relaxation than most elite backstops, giving Speeding the runway to work behind the plate.
Count on him additionally at first base on Freddie Freeman’s off days, or in left subject when the Dodgers shuffle their stacked lineup. In a roster outlined by its flexibility, Speeding turns into one other device within the toolbox — a hammer after they want one, a glove after they don’t.
The Dodgers didn’t want Speeding. However that’s by no means stopped them earlier than from making a great crew even higher.
No Stress, Solely Promise
The great thing about the second is that there isn’t any rush. Not for Speeding.
The Dodgers don’t want him to hit cleanup. They don’t want him to save lots of a season. They want him to be what he already is: ready, affected person, and poised. That’s how the Dodgers construct — not on hype, however on basis.
Speeding brings greater than a sophisticated bat. He brings power, athleticism, and a presence past the numbers. He’s faster than most catchers. Smarter than most rookies. And already, he’s seasoned from the grind of the minor leagues.
If he finds his rhythm early, he could possibly be one other weapon come October — a trusted bat off the bench, a gentle presence behind the plate, or perhaps extra. However even when that doesn’t occur immediately, the Dodgers can wait. They’re constructed to.
Dalton Speeding’s story doesn’t need to be written in a flash. It simply has to start. And now, in Los Angeles, underneath the lights of Chavez Ravine, it does.
