Dodgers notes: Chris Woodward (reportedly) returns, more praise for Dalton Rushing

The Dodgers are reportedly bringing back Chris Woodward as a special assistant in the front office, per both Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times and Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic.

Woodward was fired as Rangers manager last August 15, in his fourth year on the job. Prior to that, he was third base coach for the Dodgers from 2016-18, and also coached infielders while with Los Angeles.

Per both Harris and Ardaya, among Woodward’s duties with the Dodgers will be as a roving infield instructor throughout the organization. Woodward also worked with infielders during his three years in the Mariners organization, including 2013 in the minors and from 2014-15 in Seattle with the big league squad.

More prospect talk

Catcher Dalton Rushing, the Dodgers’ second-round draft pick in 2022 who hit .424/.539/.778 in 28 games with Low-A Rancho Cucamonga last season, was one of 15 players profiled by Baseball America who just missed making their top 100 prospect list.

“Few players increased their prospect standing post-draft the way Rushing did,” Geoff Pontes wrote. “He fits onto the just missed list and will likely jump on to the Top 100 as soon as a few prospects graduate in the opening weeks of the season.”

The Dodgers had six prospects on the Baseball America top 100, and Rushing was ranked as the No. 8 prospect in the system by BA. In between was outfielder Andy Pages at No. 7. The discrepancy can be explained in just how Baseball America compiles its top 100 list.

“Each offseason the prospect team at Baseball America engages in an exhaustive reporting process, polling front office personnel, scouts and analysts throughout the game to provide the most accurate possible prospect rankings,” Pontes explained. “What emerges is a wide spectrum of evaluations. Our team whittles down a list of over 200 players to form our Preseason Top 100.”

Also in the piece, Pontes listed every prospect to receive a top-150 vote from either the BA team or other sources. In that group were Rushing, Pages, and Josue DePaula, the outfielder who doesn’t turn 18 until May and who was ranked the team’s No. 7 prospect by Eric Longenhagen at FanGraphs.