Over the past several years the Los Angeles Dodgers have made a concerted effort to keeping certain prospects out of trades as they anticipated the players making an impact at the Major League level.
That group includes Walker Buehler, the Dodgers’ first-round selection from the 2015 MLB Draft. The start of his professional career was delayed as Buehler underwent Tommy John surgery soon after being taken with the No. 24 overall pick.
Buehler’s MLB debut came in 2017, when he appeared in eight games out of the bullpen. He was a member of the Dodgers’ starting rotation the following year and placed third in National League Rookie of the Year voting, and assumed a full-time role this past season.