Dodgers Insider Reveals When James Tibbs Could Get Called Up
The Los Angeles Dodgers have arguably the best roster in baseball at the major league level.
But the organization is so highly-esteemed because it flourishes from the top all the way to the bottom. That is why manager Dave Roberts calls the narrative that the Dodgers are ruining baseball a lazy one.
"My honest opinion is the majority of takes about the Dodgers couldn't be more lazy that it's just about the payroll," Roberts told USA TODAY Sports earlier this month. "It's about the draft. It's about layering on where we pick in the draft annually. The player development. How we acquire international talent. How we perform consistently at the major-league level."
While the back-to-back champions have a roster full of All-Stars and MVPs, the Dodgers also have up and coming talent developing in the minors.
One of the most popular prospects in the Dodgers' farm system is outfielder James Tibbs III.
Tibbs was acquired last summer in a trade with the Boston Red Sox that sent longtime Dodgers pitcher Dustin May to the east ahead of the deadline. The Dodgers already had a plethora of starting pitching, and in return, acquired someone who could very well be the team's next power hitter.
The excitement surrounding Tibbs has been palpable among Dodgers fans, and his performance thus far has lived up to the hype.
In 2026, the 23-year-old is hitting .305 with 19 home runs, 59 runs batted in and a OPS of 1.032 at Triple-A Oklahoma City.
But the Dodgers don't seem in a rush to call up Tibbs this season, despite injuries to the outfield group in MLB.
Sonja Chen of MLB.com explained why the team appears set on keeping Tibbs in the minors so he can receive regular at-bats throughout the season.
"The way I see it, the Dodgers wouldn't call up Tibbs unless they were certain they could give him some extended runway at the big league level. When Teoscar Hernández went on the IL with a strained left hamstring, I noticed that many fans wanted to see Tibbs promoted to replace him. The fact that Ryan Ward (who was already on the 40-man roster) got the call instead was indicative of the fact that the Dodgers didn't necessarily feel they had everyday opportunities for Tibbs just yet," Chen wrote.
"Tibbs, who's ranked as the Dodgers' No. 10 prospect by MLB Pipeline, has raked at Triple-A Oklahoma City. If there's a point where the big league club feels that its offense needs a spark, then he would be a great option to provide that. But as he continues to develop, playing every day would be best for Tibbs."
Unlike many other teams, the Dodgers have the luxury of taking their time in promoting prospects. While Tibbs is obviously flourishing, the team won't call him up earlier than they need to.
Ward had seniority over Tibbs as he has been waiting patiently for his turn in the big leagues. There will be a time where the Dodgers need Tibbs, but it doesn't look like that'll be anytime in the near future barring another major injury.
Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on X/Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/onsi as Dodgers Insider Reveals When James Tibbs Could Get Called Up.
Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.
This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 10:30 AM.