On November 18, 2000, Gutiérrez was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent. On April 3, 2004, Gutiérrez was traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers with a player to be named later (Andrew Brown) to the Cleveland Indians for Milton Bradley and was assigned to Double-A Akron. He entered the season ranked by "Baseball America" as the No. 3 prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization and the top position prospect, possessing five-tool ability. Previously, Los Angeles refused to include Gutiérrez in a deal over the winter that would have landed the Dodgers first baseman Richie Sexson.