Dodgers players with minor-league options on the 40-man roster

With everyone on the Dodger’s 40-man roster, plus 20 non-roster invitees, reporting to spring training on Wednesday, it’s time for LA to do some trimming. They’ll need to whittle 40 down to 26 by Opening Day. The Dodgers’ rotation and lineup are both stacked, so there are at least 14 players who aren’t using spring camp as an audition. That being said, there are still some questions in terms of who will be able to perform best straight out of the bullpen or off the bench.

There are 22 players on the Dodgers’ 40-man who have at least one minor league option left, which means that the team can send them straight back down to the minors without putting them through waivers and risking getting good-but-not-quite-MLB-ready players taken by other teams. Every player gets three minor-league options at the start of their career, to be used at the club’s discretion.

There are a few players who still have MiLB options who are locks for the Opening Day roster, but there are even more whose futures remain uncertain, especially with some potentially intimidating NRIs in the picture.

Dodgers players with minor-league options on the 40-man roster

Which Dodgers players have 3 minor-league options remaining?

• Nick Frasso, RHP
• Kyle Hurt, RHP
• Landon Knack, RHP
• Dustin May, RHP
• Bobby Miller, RHP
• Gus Varland, RHP
• Hunter Feduccia, C

Frasso, Knack, and Feduccia are all holdovers from the Rule 5 draft, when the Dodgers moved them to the major league roster to protect them from being taken. Earlier this month, the Dodgers announced that Frasso would undergo labrum surgery that will likely keep him out until 2025, so it’s likely that he’ll be moved to the 60-day IL when that window opens, along with Dustin May.

Knack, Hurt, Feduccia, and Varland’s futures are all a little more nebulous. Knack is expected to make his MLB debut this season, but when exactly that happens will depend on how he can perform in camp. Feduccia could also be knocking on Austin Barnes’ door as a real threat to take the backup catcher role behind Will Smith.

Miller is expected to be a middle- or back-of-the-rotation piece this year, so there shouldn’t be any surprises with him making it to the 26-man.

Which Dodgers players have 2 minor-league options remaining?

• JP Feyereisen, RHP
• Brusdar Graterol, RHP
• Michael Grove, RHP
• Emmet Sheehan, RHP
• Gavin Stone, RHP
• Diego Cartaya, C
• Will Smith, C
• Gavin Lux, INF
• James Outman, OF
• Andy Pages, OF

Graterol, Sheehan, Smith, Lux, and Outman are also all pretty much locked into the 26-man, though Lux will likely be watched very closely at Camelback after coming off of a major surgery. The Dodgers don’t exactly have many better options at shortstop, but there are a few NRIs, including new minor-league signing Chris Owings, that could earn a bench spot if Lux doesn’t seem to be at 100%.

Feyereisen, Grove, and Stone are all at some level of risk. Feyereisen was brilliant for the Rays in 2022 before being traded to the Dodgers, but he didn’t pitch in 2023 after undergoing surgery while he was still in Tampa. Grove and Stone had rocky seasons last year, with a 6.13 ERA and 9.00 ERA respectively. Stone was the Dodgers’ No. 4 prospect last year, but he still might need more time to develop in the minors before they give him the ball again in the big leagues.

Which Dodgers players have 1 minor-league option remaining?

• Matt Gage, LHP
• Tony Gonsolin, RHP
• Ricky Vanasco, RHP
• Alex Vesia, LHP
• Miguel Vargas, INF

Gonsolin is another player destined for the 60-day IL after undergoing Tommy John in August last year, so the Dodgers won’t need to make any tough decisions there. Gage will be looking to impress after being traded to LA in the return for Caleb Ferguson. He hasn’t gotten the ball very much over two seasons in the major leagues (19 2/3 innings between Toronto and Houston), but he’s looked good during those innings.

Vesia agreed to a $1 million salary in 2024 to avoid arbitration, so it’s likely that there’s a spot waiting for him on the active roster. Vanasco also signed a major league deal for $900,000 with the Dodgers in November. Vargas hasn’t quite lived up to expectations as a top Dodgers prospect (he batted .195/.305/.367 over 81 games last year), so his bench spot could be in jeopardy depending on how other players look at Camelback.

This article was originally published on dodgersway.com as Dodgers players with minor-league options on the 40-man roster.