Dodgers notes: Will Smith, Max Muncy, prospect rankings

[ASFN Admin]

You must be registered for see images

May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16) in the dugout prior to game against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Will Smith’s framing numbers decline precipitously to well below average in each of the last two seasons, but now he’s back to average in framing. The Dodgers catcher talked with Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times about the importance of framing, even now in the age of the automatic ball-strike challenge system:

“It’s important because you only get two challenges a game, offensively and defensively,” Smith said. “The whole team only gets those two. So the harder I can make it on the other team to challenge pitches, the better. The more strikes I can get and not have to challenge, the better. I think overall, it almost makes it more important, in a way.”

---

Max Muncy is having an excellent season not only at the plate but defensively at third base. Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest argued that Muncy this year is the best third baseman in baseball.

---

A week ago we looked at various Dodgers prospects who rose or fell in updated in-season rankings. Today, we have Keith Law at The Athletic, whose midseason top-50 prospects update includes a whopping six Dodgers in the top 30:

• Eduardo Quintero: now 11th, down from ninth in January
• Josue De Paula: 13th, up from 20th
• Mike Sirota: 18th, up from 51st
• River Ryan: 19th, up from 55th
• James Tibbs III: 24th, from outside the top 111
• Zyhir Hope: 28th, up from 36th

Of Ryan, who struck out eight and walked none in six innings with one unearned run allowed on Thursday, Law wrote, “He should be pitching in someone’s rotation by the start of July, and I don’t mean Oklahoma City’s.”

Continue reading...