Dodgers Bring Back Prospect Traded in Blockbuster Deal

Valentina Martinez | Aug 8, 2024

Rochester outfielder Donovan Casey. / Jamie Germano / USA TODAY NETWORK

York Revolution outfielder Donovan Casey has returned to the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.

Looks like the Dodgers resigned OF Donovan Casey, their 20th round pick in 2017, who was traded to the Nationals as part of the Scherzer/Turner trade.

Casey was assigned to Tulsa, taking the roster spot of former A's first rounder Austin Beck, who retired.

— Future Dodgers (@FutureDodgers) August 7, 2024

Casey's contract with the York Revolution of the independent Atlantic League was officially purchased by Los Angeles on Tuesday. The outfielder batted .348 with 16 home runs, 21 doubles, two triples, and 96 RBIs in 79 games with the Revs this season. The 28-year-old leads the Atlantic League in RBIs by a whopping 10 runs. His batting average also ranked second in the league.

The outfielder was pivotal in helping the Revs to their best record thus far in franchise history.

Casey signed with York before the start of spring training after six professional seasons, spending time with both the Dodgers and Washington Nationals organizations.

Casey was the Dodgers' 20th-round pick in 2017 and was the Dodgers' No.17 prospect at his peak. The outfielder was traded to the Nationals in 2021 as part of the blockbuster deal that sent ace Max Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner to Los Angeles.

The outfielder was part of the Dodgers' prospect-filled return package to Washington, including catcher Keibert Ruiz, right-hander Josiah Gray, and right-hander Gerardo Carillo. Ruiz was the No. 41 overall prospect in MLB at the time, according to MLB Pipeline.

That year, Casey was hitting .296 and was tied for sixth in all the minors with 89 hits. He also had 36 RBIs, 11 home runs, 15 doubles, 51 runs and 15 stolen bases in 2021.

Casey earned various accolades for the Revs this year. His 96 RBIs are the fifth-most in Revs history, making it the most since 2019 and 2011. He was one run short of a single season club record.  

Additionally, Casey is also third in the league in runs scored, trailing only teammates Matt McDermott and Rudy Martin, Jr. 

Casey is second in the Atlantic League in hits, trailing only his teammate McDermott. Casey is also in the top ten in the league in the following categories: slugging percentage (.575), stolen bases (33), and sacrifice flies (9).

On the defensive side, Casey posted a .984 fielding percentage in 73 starts in the outfield, swtiching between right and center field. The outfielder also led the league with 10 outfield assists.

In a unanimous selection, Casey was named to the mid-season Atlantic League All-Star team — no surprise seeing the monster of a season he's had.

Now, Casey finds himself back within the Dodgers organization on assignment to the Tulsa Drillers. The retirement of minor league outfielder Austin Beck, a former Oakland Athletics first-round pick whose career was beset by injuries, left a spot open for Casey.

Based on his numbers, it's no surprise that Casey was picked up at midseason with the Dodgers. The only question is how those numbers from the Atlantic League will translate to Double-A Tulsa, where he becomes the oldest player on the roster of the Dodgers' Texas League affiliate.