Dodgers use their deep pockets to buy a pair of Toronto prospects

Money can’t buy you love, but it comes in pretty handy when you’re trying to stockpile a baseball farm system.

Shortly after the Dodgers blew out their international signing pool money Thursday with several high-priced deals, they essentially bought a pair of prospects from the Toronto Blue Jays.

A successful team has to not only recognize its weaknesses but its strengths, and the Dodgers are playing to theirs.

The Dodgers traded three international signing slots worth approximately $1.1 million to the Blue Jays for two decent prospects, right-handed pitcher Chase DeJong and infielder Tim Locastro. Both were assigned to Class A Rancho Cucamonga.

DeJong, 21, is from Long Beach Wilson High, where he was originally selected by Toronto in the 2012 draft’s second round. He is 7-4 with a 3.13 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 14 starts for Class A Lansing. Locastro, 22, has a .310/.409/.421 slash line this year with Lansing.

The Dodgers already flew past their $2-million international signing limit just by agreeing to sign right-hander Yadiel Alvarez for $16 million and outfielder Starling Heredia for another $2.6 million. And they have reportedly signed three more prospects on the first day of international signings.

Now for the $1 million they’ll have to pay for Toronto to use the three slots, they get two still-young prospects. Say this for Andrew Friedman and the rest of the new management team: They’re not afraid to get creative in using their assets.