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Dodgers Draft Arkansas Duo With Back-to-Back Top-50 Selections

They will enter minor league camp as cornerstone prospects in a farm system shaped by luxury tax constraints.

Arkansas pitcher Zach Root, shown pitching against Washington State in February in Fayetteville, Ark. was selected 40th overall by the Dodgers in the MLB draft on Sunday. “I couldn’t be happier. This was my favorite team growing up, and I’m happy to be a Dodger,” Root said. (AP Photo/Michael Woods)
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Overview

  • With the 40th and 41st overall picks in the 2025 MLB Draft, Los Angeles selected University of Arkansas teammates Zach Root and Charles Davalan.
  • Root recorded a 3.62 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 99⅓ innings as a junior while emulating Clayton Kershaw’s pitching style.
  • Davalan hit .346 with 14 home runs, 60 RBIs and boasted more walks than strikeouts to earn a reputation as a disciplined contact hitter.
  • The No. 41 pick was acquired in the trade that sent Gavin Lux to Cincinnati, marking the Dodgers’ first pair of top-50 selections since 2019.
  • Their consecutive selections underscore the franchise’s reliance on SEC talent and its emphasis on organizational fit in rebuilding a tax-restricted farm system.