A Prospect on the Rise
Zyhir Antonio Hope entered the world on January 19, 2005, in Chesapeake, Virginia, where his athletic talent quickly became apparent.
He starred at Colonial Forge High School in Stafford, Virginia, earning attention as a left‑handed outfielder with a powerful bat and a mid‑90s fastball on the mound.
The 2023 MLB draft saw him slip past the first two days, but the Chicago Cubs selected him in the 11th round with the 326th overall pick, rewarding him with a $400,000 signing bonus.
After a brief stint in the Cubs system, the organization traded him in January 2024 to the Los Angeles Dodgers, sending prospects Michael Busch and Yency Almonte to Chicago in exchange.
Ranked as the Dodgers’ No. 5 prospect and MLB’s No. 25 overall by MLB Pipeline, Hope began 2025 at High‑A Great Lakes, where he posted a .264/.377/.428 line with 13 home runs, 75 RBI and 26 stolen bases, earning a Futures Game nod.
Dominating Double‑A
In 2026 he opened the season at Double‑A Tulsa, batting .293/.369/.530 with 23 homers, 87 RBI and 18 stolen bases in 21 attempts. His power surge included back‑to‑back homers on a Friday night just hours before a trade that sent him to Detroit.
The move, reported by Jeff Passan, brings the left‑handed slugger into a new environment where he will join a roster that also receives right‑handed pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith in return.
At 5‑foot‑10 and 193 pounds, Hope’s build resembles a running back, and his off‑season work includes squatting 850 pounds, a feat that underscores his exceptional strength.
Despite a rib stress fracture that delayed his full professional debut, Hope recovered in the Arizona Fall League and continues to be viewed as a cornerstone for Detroit’s rebuilding plans.