The Los Angeles Dodgers are off to a great start this season, which is no surprise. The Dodgers are 37-25, and they lead the National League West division by one game. The division is not going to be as easy to win this year as it has been in the past. Los Angeles is going to have to make some trades to beef up their roster before the MLB trade deadline if they are going to keep winning.
The deadline is not until the end of July, so there is still plenty of time before anything truly has to happen. However, the Dodgers have already been pretty active. After making a trade in the offseason with the Cincinnati Reds involving Gavin Lux, Los Angeles made another deal with Cincinnati recently. The team acquired Alexis Diaz for a minor leaguer, and that could end up being a great trade for the Dodgers.
Los Angeles is going to make some more moves as the trade deadline continues to inch closer. Pitching is a positional need for every team, no matter who they have in the rotation or bullpen. This is especially true for the Dodgers, though. Los Angeles always seems to have some pitchers get hurt during the summer months, so acquiring depth is never a bad thing. Shohei Ohtani is expected to return to the mound at some point this summer, as well.
With more trades on the way, there are undoubtedly some players who are completely untouchable. This is not as easy as Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, or Mookie Betts. The Dodgers are going to be giving up prospects for Major League-ready talent. With that in mind, there are some prospects the Dodgers should refuse to give up.
Below is one prospect that Los Angeles should deem untouchable.
What do the Dodgers need?
When it comes to trades this year, the Dodgers do not need anything drastic. But, there are some positional upgrades the Dodgers need to make if they are going to repeat as World Series champions. The team could use a shutdown closer as Tanner Scott has continued to struggle. They could also use a better full-time second baseman, and another outfielder with Michael Conforto having a very disappointing season.
Players that Los Angeles should keep an eye on include Washington Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan, Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks, or even Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman. In the field, trade targets might include Baltimore Orioles outfielder/DH Ryan O'Hearn, Chicago White Sox second baseman Lenyn Sosa, or even power hitting outfielder Taylor Ward from the Los Angeles Angels.
If the Dodgers decide to get more aggressive and go after players in the last year of their deal like Cedric Mullins (BAL), Kyle Tucker (CHC), Bo Bichette (TOR), or Dylan Cease (SD), the price tags are going to increase just because of the quality of player.
It is worth noting that none of these players have been rumored or tied to the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are just players that could be dealt at the deadline.
Article Continues Below
With that being said, Los Angeles has high-value prospects that will help them get a deal done for an impact player. Still, there are a few that should be deemed untradeable by the organization.
Left-handed pitcher Jackson Ferris is one of those players.
Untouchable – LHP, Jackson Ferris
Jackson Ferris is the No. 5 prospect in the Dodgers organization. Los Angeles acquired Ferris, along with Zyhir Hope from the Chicago Cubs in the trade that sent Michael Busch to Wrigley Field. It ended up being a great trade for the Dodgers as hope is the No. 3 prospect in the organization.
Ferris is someone Los Angeles should not think about trading, though. He is a high-upside starting pitcher with potential to be good for a long time. In 2024, Ferris won the Dodgers minor league pitcher of the year award. He has big-time swing-and-miss stuff in his arsenal of pitches, and he is only getting better.
The Dodgers have helped him tighten up his slider and throw some more strikes on the mound. This season in Double-A, Ferris has been a little bit more hittable. That is going to come with the promotions, though. He is a pitcher that is very hard to find a barrel against, and that is going to start showing again soon.
With his high ceiling, the Dodgers should consider Ferris untouchable at the trade deadline.
