The Los Angeles Dodgers announced three big moves on Friday.
The Dodgers officially announced the three-year, $66 million signing of Teoscar Hernandez, bringing back the All-Star who was instrumental in the team’s championship run. In his first season with Los Angeles, Hernandez hit 33 home runs with 99 RBI and 84 runs scored. He posted an .840 OPS and 137 OPS+ (meaning he was 37% better than the league-average hitter) while accumulating a 4.2 WAR.
Los Angeles also made a surprise signing, bringing in Korean star Hyeseong Kim. The 25-year-old joins the Dodgers on a three-year, $12.5 million deal after eight seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization. Known more for his defense than his bat, Kim earned three consecutive KBO Fielding Awards (2021-2023) while playing four different positions for the Kiwoom Heroes.
To accommodate Kim’s signing, the Dodgers made the shocking move of designating their former top prospect for assignment.
Los Angeles Dodgers DFA former catching prospect
To make room for Kim on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers designated 23-year-old Diego Cartaya for assignment.
Cartaya emerged as the gem of the Dodgers’ minor league system after signing out of Venezuela for $2.5 million in 2018. He ranked as the team’s top prospect in 2022 and 2023, according to Baseball America, and consistently appeared on Top 100 prospect lists.
However, his offensive development stalled. After posting an .892 OPS with 22 home runs across Single-A and High-A in 2022, his numbers declined significantly over the next two seasons.
In 2023, Cartaya hit just .189 with a .656 OPS and 19 home runs in Double-A. His struggles continued in 2024, when he batted .221 with a .686 OPS and 11 home runs while splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A.
At just 23 years old, Cartaya should draw interest from teams willing to aid his development. The Dodgers now have five days to trade him or put him on waivers.
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