Road to The Show™: Dodgers’ Rushing

Each week, MiLB.com profiles an elite prospect by chronicling the steps he's taken toward achieving his Major League dream. Here's a look at top Dodgers prospect Dalton Rushing. For more stories about players on The Road to The Show, click here.

Dalton Rushing is the product of two very successful player development systems.

MLB Pipeline’s No. 50 overall prospect is batting .277/.402/.503 with eight homers, 10 doubles and 35 RBIs through his first 45 games at Double-A Tulsa. Although Rushing made a name for himself with his plus raw power, he’s showing that he can be a more well-rounded hitter while sticking at a premium position behind the plate.

His development points to the systemic success that the Dodgers have maintained in recent years. In the MLB Pipeline executive poll conducted in January, the Dodgers were voted as the best team in four categories: developing hitters, developing pitchers, making best use of the Draft and uncovering and developing "sleeper" prospects.

Although he certainly wasn’t an “unknown” prospect following a terrific junior season at Louisville, Rushing, the Dodgers’ top prospect following a slew of graduations the past two seasons, could fit into three of those categories.

He was blocked for playing time by Henry Davis, the eventual No. 1 overall pick in 2021, and limited to just 93 at-bats in his first two seasons with the Cardinals. If Rushing reaches the Majors, he’ll be the third backstop from the program to reach The Show since All-Star Will Smith debuted for the Dodgers in 2019.

"It puts me into a little more of a competitive mode," Rushing told MLB.com last month. “Being in an organization like the Dodgers, there's not always an open spot … You kind of got to trickle your way in as well as you can and do whatever you got to do to get there."

The Memphis native played both football and baseball at Brighton High School in Tennessee and was a finalist for the state's Gatorade Player of the Year honors in 2019 following a senior season in which he hit .491 with 11 homers, 10 doubles, six triples and 46 RBIs.

He began his career at Louisville at an inopportune time. Not only was he in line behind Davis for playing time, but the pandemic also cut the college season short and limited him to just 26 at-bats.

Rushing saw some more opportunities during the 2021 season, during which he batted .254 with an .805 OPS and six extra-base hits, including four homers. But he really forced his name into early-round Draft consideration that summer in the Cape Cod League.

Over 34 games with the Bourne Braves, Rushing batted .314/.401/.542 with six homers, nine doubles and 24 RBIs.

Rushing made the most of his opportunities and carried his momentum from the Cape into his junior season. He played in all but one game, serving as the Cardinals’ primary backstop while continuing to see playing time at first base. Rushing batted .310 with a 1.156 OPS. He recorded 23 homers, 16 doubles, 62 RBIs and 68 runs scored.

MLB Pipeline ranked Rushing as the No. 50 overall Draft prospect in 2022. He was selected by the Dodgers in the second round – the club’s first pick in that Draft – at No. 40 overall and eventually signed with the club for a $1,956,890 bonus.

Rushing made his pro debut in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League and was quickly promoted to Single-A Rancho Cucamonga after two games. He tore the cover off the ball in 28 contests with the Quakes, batting .424/.539/.778 with eight homers, 11 doubles and 30 RBIs. He also had as many walks as strikeouts. Following his success in the California League, the Dodgers promoted Rushing for his High-A debut in the Midwest League playoffs for Great Lakes.

He returned to the Loons in 2023 but didn’t really perform consistently throughout the year. He was hit on the head with a back swing in June and missed only eight games. But he batted .167 over his next 37 games after coming off the injured list. He did appear in the Futures Game and eventually finished the season strong, batting .333 with five homers and 12 RBIs over his final 12 games, including the Loons’ run to the Midwest League championship.

As he continues to hit the ball well with Tulsa during his first fully healthy season, Rushing seems to inevitably be approaching another backstop logjam with the Dodgers who signed Smith to a 10-year extension in March. But as long as Rushing, who has played a lot first base throughout his amateur and professional career, can produce at the plate, there will be opportunities for him.