The Los Angeles Dodgers have one of the best rosters in Major League Baseball. The team also runs one of the most successful farm systems in the league. Catcher Diego Cartaya was one of their best prospects before the Dodgers traded him away to the Minnesota Twins. After struggling in the minor leagues all season, Minnesota cut him in favor of Jhonny Pereda.

Cartaya's hype grew and grew as he worked his way through the minor leagues after he was drafted. Unfortunately for him, his talent did not translate. He never touched Los Angeles' major league roster before they traded him to the Twins in January. In Triple-A, though, he never got on track, striking out 40 times in 59 at-bats, according to Star Tribune's Bobby Nightengale.

The catcher finished his time with the Twins on Wednesday. In the 2025 season, he tallied just five hits and nine walks across his 59 at-bats. Cartaya's hype went from overwhelming to non-existent in just a few months. Now, Pereda will get his chance to prove his worth to the Twins. For Cartaya, the catcher has a long road to the major leagues, likely with a new team.

While Cartaya will remain in the minor leagues for now, his team has bigger goals in mind. The Twins are trying to figure out how they should attack the trade deadline. For a team stuck in the middle of the standings, Minnesota faces a tough choice between buying and selling. Regardless of what their plans are, they no longer include Cartaya.

It appears that the Dodgers moved off of Cartaya at just the right time. Now, Los Angeles enters a trade market looking to make the final tweaks to their championship run. The championship hangover has not affected the Dodgers yet, and the right deal could help them secure back-to-back titles.

Cartaya is another warning to teams around the league that just because a player is a top prospect, it does not always mean that they are capable of dominating at the highest level.

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