Dodgers’ Dalton Rushing Will Play a New Position At Triple-A

With his promotion to Triple-A Oklahoma City, Dalton Rushing will now exclusively play left field, according to manager Travis Babary. This is a major switch for Rushing, who until recently has mostly been a catcher.

Well, this is interesting. Per manager Travis Babary, Dalton Rushing will exclusively play left field to start his time in OKC. #Dodgers

Rushing doesn’t have a ton of experience in the outfield so his progress in left field will be something to monitor. It’s clear the Dodgers have been paying attention to Rushing’s progress in the minors, hence the promotion, so it’s likely the organization will also be keeping a close eye on this development.

“In all my years of playing baseball, I played just one inning in the outfield before this year,” Rushing told The Oklahoman’s Gracie Rawlings before his first game with OKC. “This has been a quick turnaround and a little bit of an adjustment, but that is just kind of the lifestyle.”

“The move has been really good,” Rushing said. “When I got here, they told me that the move to the outfield would not only better myself, but also the teams I will play for in the future. I have done my growth at the plate, so now my mindset is to go out there and help the team where I can right now.”

Oklahoma City has a number of catchers on its roster including, Diego Cartaya, Chris Okey, and Hunter Feduccia. The Louisville alum faced a similar situation in college when he played behind Henry Davis, the No. 1 overall pick in 2021.

Rushing was the Dodgers’ first pick in the 2022 MLB draft and is considered the franchise’s top prospect. There is a possibility that he will make his Dodgers debut in late 2024. The brief major league stint would only be possible if Rushing continues to perform well at the plate. Not only will he have to continue putting up numbers, but he will now have to adjust to a brand new position.

Barbary hopes this position change will make Rushing more versatile when he gets to the majors. The prospect has a solid bat but lacked experience defending the plate.

“We already have three catchers here, and Dalton makes four,” Barbary said. “I think it is just one of those things where we’re trying to make him more versatile. That way when he does go to the big leagues, whenever that may be, it gives him and the manager more options.”

The switch to left field is a hurdle for Rushing but if he can embrace the change, it could result in yet another promotion for the 23-year-old.