Most of the attention surrounding the Dodgers’ offseason will naturally focus on free agency.
Which players will return? Who could Los Angeles sign? How will the rotation and bullpen be rebuilt?
But Andrew Friedman and Brandon Gomes also have important decisions to make about players who have not reached the majors.
Right-hander Christian Zazueta and left-handers Jackson Ferris and Adam Serwinowski are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. If the Dodgers want to guarantee that another organization cannot select them, they must add each pitcher to the 40-man roster.
All three have legitimate upside. They also occupy different points in their development, making these decisions more complicated than simply protecting the three most recognizable names.
Why Rule 5 Protection Matters
The Rule 5 Draft prevents organizations from keeping eligible players in their minor-league systems indefinitely without giving them a major-league opportunity.
Any eligible player left off the 40-man roster can be selected by another organization. The selecting team must generally keep that player on its active roster throughout the following season or place him on waivers and potentially offer him back to his original club. MLB.com
That requirement makes it harder to carry a developing starting pitcher who may not be ready for the majors.
It does not make it impossible.
A rebuilding team could select a talented arm and use him in a protected bullpen role while allowing him to develop against major-league hitters. That possibility is why the Dodgers must evaluate more than whether these pitchers are ready to contribute immediately.
They must also consider whether another organization believes it can afford to carry them.
Christian Zazueta Has Made The Strongest Case
Zazueta appears to be the clearest protection candidate of the group.
The 22-year-old finished his breakout season with a 3.65 ERA, 144 strikeouts and only 20 walks across 103⅔ innings between High-A Great Lakes and Double-A Tulsa. He allowed 81 hits and recorded a 0.97 WHIP.
The Dodgers named Zazueta their 2026 Branch Rickey Minor League Pitcher of the Year after he established himself as the organization’s top pitching prospect. MLB Pipeline currently ranks him as the Dodgers’ No. 5 prospect and the No. 33 prospect in baseball. MiLB.com
His appeal goes beyond the strikeout total.
Zazueta combines a fastball that can reach the upper 90s with an advanced changeup and multiple versions of his slider. His control separates him from many young pitchers with comparable swing-and-miss potential.
The Dodgers acquired Zazueta from the Yankees in the February 2024 trade that sent Caleb Ferguson to New York. Two years later, leaving him exposed would create a genuine risk of losing one of the fastest-rising pitchers in their system.
Protecting him would not mean he is guaranteed to debut in 2027. It would simply keep his development in the Dodgers’ hands while making a future call-up possible.
Jackson Ferris Finished An Uneven Season On A High Note
Ferris presents a different evaluation.
The 22-year-old left-hander posted a 5.12 ERA with 119 strikeouts across 109 innings in 2026. His 1.48 WHIP reflects the inconsistency he experienced throughout the season.
But his best performances showed why the Dodgers may hesitate to expose him.
Ferris reached Triple-A Oklahoma City and delivered the best outing of his professional career in September, striking out 13 over 7⅔ scoreless innings while allowing only one infield single and one walk.
That performance helped Oklahoma City clinch the second-half Pacific Coast League title and offered a glimpse of the starter the Dodgers still believe Ferris can become. MiLB.com
Ferris was acquired from the Cubs with Zyhir Hope in the 2024 trade involving Michael Busch and Yency Almonte. His mid-90s fastball and slider give him the foundation of a major-league arsenal, but improving his command and developing dependable secondary options remain important.
Unlike Zazueta and Serwinowski, Ferris has already pitched at Triple-A. That proximity to the majors could make him more attractive to a club considering a Rule 5 selection.
His 2026 ERA does not guarantee protection, but his handedness, strikeout ability and late-season progress provide a strong argument for keeping him.
Adam Serwinowski Offers Upside And Risk
Serwinowski may be the most difficult decision of the three.
The 6-foot-5 left-hander recorded 150 strikeouts in 127 innings for Double-A Tulsa, demonstrating the ability to miss bats at an impressive rate.
He also finished with a 5.31 ERA, 69 walks and a 1.43 WHIP.
Those numbers capture both sides of his profile.
Serwinowski possesses a fastball that generally sits in the low-to-mid 90s and can reach higher, along with a sweeping slider capable of generating swings and misses. His splitter remains less consistent, while his control and command are still developing.
MLB Pipeline ranks him as the Dodgers’ No. 14 prospect and views his fastball and slider as above-average offerings. That combination could eventually support a starting role, but it could also make him appealing as a power left-handed reliever. MiLB.com
The Dodgers acquired Serwinowski from Cincinnati as part of the three-team trade that also brought Paul Gervase and Ben Rortvedt to Los Angeles.
He has not pitched above Double-A, which could discourage other organizations from selecting him. However, a team may decide his two best pitches are already strong enough to survive in a major-league bullpen.
That is the risk Los Angeles must weigh.
Three Decisions With Larger Roster Consequences
Adding all three pitchers would protect valuable organizational depth, but every 40-man spot carries an opportunity cost.
The Dodgers must account for injured players returning to the roster, possible re-signings, outside acquisitions and other prospects who need protection. Once a player is placed on the 40-man roster, he also becomes part of the club’s option and roster-management calculations moving forward.
Zazueta appears closest to a clear decision because of his prospect status, performance and advanced control.
Ferris has Triple-A experience and the type of left-handed arsenal another club might be willing to carry.
Serwinowski is less polished, but his strikeout ability and potential relief fit make leaving him exposed uncomfortable.
None of them would be guaranteed a place on the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster if protected. A 40-man spot would not mean the organization believes a pitcher has completed his development.
It would mean the Dodgers believe that development is valuable enough to protect.
While the biggest offseason headlines will center on established major leaguers, these quieter decisions can shape the organization’s pitching depth for years.
Which of the three pitchers should the Dodgers protect: Zazueta, Ferris, Serwinowski—or all three?