Kendall

George

Anytime you see prospects scratched around the deadline — aka Hug Watch 2026 — you have to wonder what’s going on. Hope is considered one of the best outfield prospects in baseball, and George is a 2023 first-round pick that offers some upside with the bat as well. The Dodgers are expected to make a blockbuster move before the deadline, and Hope is certainly the type of prospect who could headline a deal for one of those better players, with George more of a secondary — but valuable — piece.

Ardaya adds that there’s optimism based on initial imaging that George didn’t suffer any ligament damage when he injured while avoiding a collision with the team’s bat dog near the dugout during a game for Double-A Tulsa earlier this week. Yes, you read that last sentence correctly. The 21-year-old former first-round pick was having a strong season overall, hitting .333/.427/.397 with 26 steals in 200 plate appearances over 43 games. He stole 100 bases exactly in 111 games for High-A Great Lakes last year.

DePaula is a top-20 prospect in dynasty formats and ranks alongside fellow outfielders Eduardo Quintero, Zyhir Hope and Mike Sirota at the top of Los Angeles’ farm system. The 20-year-old phenom has a chance to make his big-league debut later this season after hitting .250/.391/.400 with 12 homers and 32 steals in 445 plate appearances between Double-A Tulsa and High-A Great Lakes last year. It’s a tough break for Ward, who has been marooned at the Triple-A level for several years now and seemingly has nothing left to prove in the Pacific Coast League. He’ll have to wait a bit longer for his chance.