The Los Angeles Dodgers must add four prospects to the 40-man roster or risk losing them in the Rule 5 draft.
What is the Rule 5 Draft?
The Rule 5 Draft spreads talent out and prevents any one team from hoarding too much.
Depending on when they signed, players must join the 40-man roster within four or five seasons.
Players signed at 18 or younger must make the roster within five seasons, while those signed at 19 or older must be added after four professional seasons.
The Dodgers have four players who meet these requirements: pitchers Christian Zazueta, Jackson Ferris, and Adam Serwinowski, and position player Jake Gelof, the only position player eligible for the Rule 5 Draft.
Here is a rundown of their status and how likely they are to make the 40-man roster:
Christian Zazueta
Zazueta is essentially a lock for the 40-man roster, as he’s the team’s top pitching prospect and has already jumped to Double-A.
He started the year in High-A, but he was so good the team promoted him to Double-A.
The righty had a 3.44 ERA in Double-A. He has a strong fastball and changeup, with a developing slider.
With just one more level to go and the Dodgers’ willingness to push up their prospect as they did with Josue De Paula, Zazueta should make the 40-man roster, and a 2027 cameo is not out of the question if he keeps delivering.
Jackson Ferris
The No. 5 on MLB.com’s list of Dodgers pitching prospects, Ferris is the most ready to pitch in the major leagues out of the four. He currently pitches in Triple-A with a 5.12 ERA.
He is a starter by trade, but he can also pitch in relief. As a versatile pitcher, he could continue in 2027 if the team adds him to the 40-man roster.
While he had a rough 2026 in Triple-A, he is still at the closest level to the big leagues, and his slider, fastball, changeup, and curveball give him an arsenal to eat innings.
He needs to figure out his pitch mix, but at the very least, as an innings eater, Ferris offers upside and a decent floor, making it likely he’ll be protected from the Rule 5.
Adam Serwinoski
Another lefty, Serwinoski could end up pitching in relief innings in the big leagues. He has a good fastball that has added velocity, now in the upper 90s, and a slider that complements it well.
His third pitch, a splitter, hasn’t developed as well, which may limit his potential as a starter, but as the Dodgers lose lefties like Kris Bubic, Eric Lauer, and Alex Vesia to free agency, their department has room for Serwinowski.
He ranks as the No. 14 prospect in the Dodgers organization and sits above Ferris.
The Dodgers always need southpaw relievers, and Serwinowski might be ready to step into the bullpen next year.
Jake Gelof
Gelof is the least likely to be added to the 40-man roster, as he won’t rank among the Dodgers’ top 30 prospects in 2025 or 2026.
He had a strong Double-A season, hitting 34 home runs and posting a .271/.385/.565 with a .950 OPS.
However, as a non-top prospect, Gelof may not draw the attention needed to earn a 40-man roster spot.