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The 2026 MLB Draft kicks off Saturday, July 11, at 10 a.m. PT, and per DodgerBlue.com, it’s going to be a much quieter affair than usual for the Dodgers. Teams start with a base of 20 picks, but between trades, free-agent signings, and the luxury tax penalties that come with running one of baseball’s highest payrolls, the Dodgers have seen their draft capital significantly reduced heading into this year’s event.

This is the trade-off, and it’s one Andrew Friedman’s front office has made deliberately for years now. When you sign players like Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani, when you push chips to the center of the table at trade deadlines, picks are part of the currency. The Dodgers have forfeited selections tied to competitive balance penalties and qualifying offer compensation in recent cycles. It’s the cost of doing business at this level, and so far the results on the field have justified the approach.

That said, the Dodgers’ scouting and player development infrastructure has historically done excellent work maximizing later-round picks and international signings. Guys like Andy Pages — who just earned his first All-Star nod — are proof that this organization doesn’t need top-10 picks to produce impact talent. The amateur scouting department, led by some of the sharpest evaluators in the game, has consistently found value where other teams don’t bother looking.

Still, a thin draft class means the pipeline needs to be fed through other channels — international free agency, trade acquisitions of prospects, and shrewd later-round finds. The Dodgers have been aggressive on all three fronts, and guys like Dalton Rushing (acquired and developed internally) and other farmhands have kept the system ranked among baseball’s best even as picks have been surrendered.

For this weekend, don’t expect fireworks from our war room. The real action for the Dodgers this July is going to come at the trade deadline, where the front office is clearly gearing up to make moves. The draft is a long game, and this organization plays it as well as anyone — even when the hand they’re dealt is smaller than most.

Source(s): Staff (DodgerBlue.com) | First reported: July 10, 2026 7:17 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers