The Los Angeles Dodgers added top prospect Diego Cartaya to the 40-man roster, protecting him from the Rule 5 Draft, per the Dodgers Twitter account. LA also added infielder Michael Busch and outfielders Andy Pages and Johnny LeDuca to the 40-man roster.

Cartaya, a catcher, stands out for a number of reasons. He and pitcher Bobby Miller are the Dodgers' top two prospects in a loaded farm system. Diego Cartaya slashed .254/.389/503 with an .892 OPS to go along with 22 home runs. Cartaya is still extremely young and the Dodgers have Will Smith as their starting catcher. However, his addition to the 40-man roster could also lead to a Spring Training invite.

Will Cartaya make the big league roster in 2023? Most likely not, but he will have a chance to impress and earn a call-up sooner rather than later.

The Dodgers believe in his ability without question. In fact, he would have been the key to landing Juan Soto. The Washington Nationals reportedly were interested in a trade package including Diego Cartaya, Bobby Miller, and Miguel Vargas. If the Dodgers did not believe in Cartaya, one would imagine they would have pulled the trigger to land Soto. Instead, LA opted to let the San Diego Padres acquire the outfielder.

It is not clear when he will make his Dodgers' regular season debut. But this move by LA will excite fans. With Will Smith under team control through 2025, it will be interesting to see how they manage the big league catching situation down the road.