LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers have selected the contract of outfielder Justin Dean from Triple-A Oklahoma City and have optioned outfielder Esteury Ruiz to the minors. To clear space on the 40-man roster, the club has designated Luken Baker for assignment.
Dean, 28, earns his first call-up to the Major Leagues after a strong campaign in Triple-A, where he posted a .274 batting average with six home runs, 31 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases. A non-roster invitee to Spring Training, he slashed .250/.500/.333 across 13 Cactus League appearances. Over seven minor league seasons, Dean has played in 680 games, compiling a .249 average with 39 home runs and 237 stolen bases. He was originally selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 17th round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Lenoir-Rhyne University.
Ruiz, 26, appeared in 19 games for the Dodgers this season, collecting four hits and going a perfect 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts. He played 29 games for the Oakland Athletics in 2024, hitting .200 with five stolen bases and two home runs. Ruiz led MLB in stolen bases during his 2023 rookie season, swiping 67 bags while batting .254 with 24 doubles and five homers. Across four Major League seasons with the Padres (2022), Brewers (2022), Athletics (2023–24), and Dodgers (2025), Ruiz owns a .241 career average and is 77-for-96 in stolen base attempts. He was originally signed by the Kansas City Royals on July 3, 2015, out of Azua, Dominican Republic.
