Dodgers Sign Keston Hiura to Minor‑League Deal With Spring Invite

Keston Hiura has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers that includes a non-roster invitation to major-league spring training, bringing a former top prospect back to Southern California and into one of baseball’s most proactive player-development systems. The move adds experienced depth at first base and second base, plus occasional outfield and designated hitter options, while giving Hiura a chance to reset after recent struggles.

Hiura, listed as 29 years old by most outlets (one source lists 28), grew up in Santa Clarita, starred at Valencia High School and played collegiately at UC Irvine. The Brewers selected Hiura ninth overall in the 2017 draft and he burst onto the scene with a 2019 rookie campaign that produced a .303/.368/.570 slash line, 19 home runs, 139 wRC+ and National League Rookie of the Month honors in July. That early promise, plus stints in Triple-A, led to high prospect rankings entering 2018.

The arc since has been uneven. From 2020 through 2022 Hiura’s strikeout rate ballooned: 2020 saw a jump to a 34.6 percent K rate when he led the league in punchouts while still hitting 13 home runs, 2021 produced a 39.1 percent K rate and a .168 average as he shuttled between the majors and Triple-A, and 2022 featured a 41.7 percent K rate even as he posted a 115 wRC+ and 14 homers in 80 games. Across the three seasons after his rookie burst he hit .205/.293/.394 with 31 home runs over 200 games. Injuries further complicated Hiura’s path: a 2023 left knee strain sidelined him six weeks and a right elbow bone spur surfaced that September.

Hiura has remained active on the minor-league circuit. He produced a rebound in Triple-A Albuquerque in 2025, batting .272 with 21 home runs in roughly 100 games and showing an improved on-base presence with a reported .369 OBP and .507 slugging in some accounts. His major-league comeback attempts have been brief: an Angels callup in 2024 produced a 4-for-27 line across 10 games, while a short Rockies stint in 2025 began May 31 and ended with a designation for assignment on June 16; most reports list a 3-for-18 line in Colorado, though one outlet recorded 4-for-18.

The Dodgers view Hiura primarily as organizational depth but also as a plausible bench or utility option given his ability to play first base, second base and the outfield. That versatility matters as Tommy Edman recovers from right ankle surgery and is not guaranteed to be ready by Opening Day. Los Angeles has a track record of working with hitters to improve approach and contact, making this a logical landing spot for a player whose swing-and-miss has been the chief obstacle.

Hiura is represented by CAA Sports. The immediate storyline for fans is clear: he will be in camp and must show improved contact and plate discipline to force roster consideration. For Dodgers followers, Hiura’s return is a local-interest subplot with roster implications; for Hiura, it’s a chance to convert a strong Triple-A finish into a sustained major-league opportunity. Expect evaluation to come fast in spring training, with his swing metrics and strikeout rate the key measures to watch.