Ward earned All-American accolades in both his seasons as a regular at Bryant, slashing a combined .395/.449/.625 before becoming an eighth-round pick in 2019. He has slammed 146 homers in five full pro seasons, including 91 in the last three years in Triple-A, but has yet to make his big league debut. He won Triple-A Pacific Coast League MVP honors and led the Minors in homers (36), extra-base hits (73), total bases (315) and RBIs (122) in 2025, after which the Dodgers added him to their 40-man roster.
Though Ward is 28 years old, his left-handed power makes him a prospect and he would have been a better left-field option for Los Angeles than Michael Conforto last season. He consistently hits balls hard and drives them in the air, giving him solid pop that plays from foul pole to foul pole. He toned down what had been an overly aggressive approach last year, setting personal bests for walk (13 percent) and strikeout (19 percent) rates, though he continued to flail against southpaws and isn't more than a platoon player.
Though Ward has fringy speed, he'll swipe an occasional bag and will take extra bases. He's more limited defensively, with a lack of range and a below-average arm relegating him to left field or first base. He does have sure hands at first base, though his lack of size (5-foot-10) is less than ideal for the position.
Bryant's best hitter since the program moved to NCAA Division I in 2009, Ward earned All-America honors in both his seasons as a regular while batting a combined .395/.449/.625. An eighth-round pick in 2019, he topped Los Angeles farmhands with 27 homers during his first full pro season in 2021 and has contended for the Minor League lead this year. He's similar to fellow Dodgers small-school find Matt Beaty, albeit with more pop and less pure hitting ability.
Ward came out of college with a long left-handed stroke that included a bat wrap, and the Dodgers helped him adopt a more vertical setup and improved bat path. Those modifications allow him to tap into his plus raw power more easily. He looks to launch balls with an aggressive approach, but his hand-eye coordination enables him to make consistent contact and do damage.
Ward looked like a platoon player at best when he scuffled against left-handers in his first two pro seasons, but he's shedding that tag by rocking southpaws in 2022. Most of his value will come from his bat because his athleticism, speed and arm strength all grade as fringy. He's a below-average defender in left field and would be short for a first baseman at 5-foot-11.
