An opportunity for Diego Cartaya in Dodgers camp

The advantage of being in major league camp for 21-year-old Diego Cartaya — the Dodgers’ top prospect — is getting to work with the big league coaching staff and also catch major league pitchers. It’s invaluable experience for the catcher who has played only 62 games at High-A, his highest minor league level to date.

But this year with the World Baseball Classic, Cartaya will also get a fair amount of playing time in big league spring games, too. Will Smith is catching for Team USA and Austin Barnes will catch for Mexico, with both likely gone for about a week and a half at least with their respective countries, first in training and then in pool play. That leaves plenty of time for Cartaya in Dodgers games, along with non-roster catchers Hunter Feduccia, Patrick Mazeika, and David Freitas.

“He’s impressed me. He’s a good hitter, obviously, you see the numbers, you see his batting practice. But he’s pretty smart, he knows what he’s doing. His workouts are really good. There’s a lot of thought behind what he’s doing, what he’s practicing,” Smith told Kirsten Watson on SportsNet LA in the dugout during Saturday’s game. “I have high expectations for him. I really like him. He’ll be a good player.”

Before he was added to the 40-man roster in November, Cartaya came over from minor league camp only once to play in a major league spring game. He caught the final two innings last March 29, and struck out swinging against A’s right-hander Jacob Lemoine.