Dodgers' 2021 MLB Draft Guide and Top Prospects to Target

The defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers hold the No. 29 overall pick in the 2021 draft after posting an MLB-best 43-17 record last season.

They picked in the same spot last year, selecting hard-throwing Louisville right-hander Bobby Miller, who has quickly emerged as one of the top arms in a deep farm system.

"The Dodgers likely will take the best bat on the board, be it college or high school," wrote Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com on June 30.

Which bat will the Dodgers ultimately end up targeting?

Ahead, we've broken down three prospects who should be on their radar when their pick comes up in the 2021 MLB draft.

The 2021 MLB draft will kick off on Sunday, July 11, with the event coinciding with All-Star Weekend in Colorado and spanning three days and 20 rounds.

Collegiate middle infielders tend to climb up draft boards late in the predraft process, and Eastern Illinois shortstop Trey Sweeney is one name that has been steadily rising.

The Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year hit .382/.522/.712 with 10 doubles, 14 home runs and 58 RBI in 48 games, and he made the most of limited opportunities against high-level competition playing in a small conference and absent Cape Cod League action.

"Scouts have wondered what he might do against tougher competition on a consistent basis, but he continued to show up when he did come across tough arms," wrote Baseball America.

With a 6'4", 200-pound frame, he lacks the quickness teams traditionally look for in a shortstop, but he could potentially stick as a bat-first player at the position. Otherwise, there's enough offensive upside in his profile to handle a move to third base or a corner outfield spot.

Recent Dodgers picks Willie Calhoun and Michael Busch fit a similar offensive-minded profile.

Not many players had a louder 2021 season than Florida State catcher Matheu Nelson, who hit .330/.436/.773 while tying for the NCAA lead with 23 home runs in 237 plate appearances.

There is some swing-and-miss to his game with a 24.5 percent strikeout rate this spring. But with a walk rate north of 10 percent, there is enough meat on the bone offensively for him to make up for a potentially high strikeout rate and low batting average.

He has a strong arm with solid receiving skills despite his limited athleticism, and he should have no problem sticking behind the plate.

The Dodgers already have Keibert Ruiz and Diego Cartaya in the pipeline behind rising star Will Smith, but catching talent is always in demand, and that depth won't stop them from taking Nelson if they think he's the best bat on the board.

Peyton Stovall sent his draft stock soaring this spring when he hit .505/.664/1.031 with 14 home runs, 23 steals and 42 walks in his senior season at Haughton High School in Louisiana.

A case can be made that he's the best pure hitter in this draft class, with a smooth, efficient swing from the left side of the plate that generates consistent hard contact and more power than his 6'0", 185-pound frame might lead you to believe.

His limited defensive profile is the reason he could still be on the board when the Dodgers pick.

A shortstop for his high school team, Stovall does not have the arm strength to stick there in the pros, and he will likely have to shift to second base. That places more pressure on his bat to carry his future value, but there's a lot to like about that bat.

If the Dodgers are strictly focused on offensive potential, Stovall could be the pick.

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference.