The Dodgers have made a strategic move by re-signing right-hander Nick Frasso to a minor league contract, as reported by Aram Leighton of Just Baseball. This decision comes with a twist: Frasso, a 27-year-old prospect, was non-tendered by the club in November, only to return on a new deal. But here's where it gets interesting. Despite his potential, Frasso's journey has been riddled with injuries and inconsistent performance.
Nick Frasso, a fourth-round draft pick by the Blue Jays in 2020, has yet to make his big-league debut. He was traded to the Dodgers in August 2022 and quickly rose through the ranks, pitching in Double-A for the end of that season and most of 2023. His performance in 2023 was impressive, with a 3.77 ERA in 93 innings across two levels, striking out 26.8% of hitters and allowing just 0.38 home runs per nine innings. This earned him a spot on the 40-man roster in November 2023, and he was ranked as the Dodgers' No. 2 prospect entering 2024.
However, Frasso's promising start was cut short by a labrum surgery on his shoulder and a clean-up procedure on his right hip in the same month. This led to him missing the entire 2024 season. Returning to Triple-A in 2025, Frasso's performance took a turn for the worse. In 77 innings across 43 appearances (five starts), he posted a 5.49 ERA, struck out 19.7% of hitters, and walked 12.1%. He also allowed 10 home runs, a significant increase from his previous seasons. His average exit velocity allowed was 88.3 mph, down from 85.0 mph in 2023.
Frasso's injury history is a concern. Before the surgeries in 2024, he underwent an internal brace procedure in 2021 to fix a partially torn UCL. In 2025, he ended the year on the major league 60-day injured list with an undisclosed injury. The Dodgers non-tendered him on November 21, highlighting the challenges he faces.
Despite these setbacks, Frasso's prospect pedigree and solid pitching skills make him a valuable, low-cost depth option. He averaged 94.6 mph on his four-seamer this year, using it 53.5% of the time. He mixed in his changeup and upper-80s slider 26.2% and 19.5% of the time, respectively. Both pitches have been graded as plus in the past. In total, Frasso has a 3.81 ERA in 229 career minor-league innings, with a 26.5% strikeout rate and 0.6 HR/9 allowed. He has just two days of big-league service time and one option year remaining.
Frasso's story is a reminder that the path to the major leagues is rarely straightforward. His resilience and potential make him a player to watch, but the Dodgers must carefully manage his health and performance to unlock his full potential.
