The Dodgers have announced that Zach Lee has been promoted and will make his big-league debut tonight in a start against the Mets. The Dodgers will announce a corresponding move later today. The 23-year-old Lee, a first-round pick in 2010, was a top prospect list staple before a rough season with Triple-A Albuquerque in 2014. He’s bounced back nicely with the Dodgers’ new Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City this season, though, posting a 2.36 ERA, 6.6 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 in 68 2/3 innings. He’ll become the 14th pitcher to start for the Dodgers in a season that’s featured tons of rotation injuries. Here are a couple more notes on pitching prospects, both of them former first-rounders.
- Mariners pitcher Danny Hultzen, the second overall pick in the 2011 draft, has been shut down with shoulder fatigue and is unlikely to pitch the rest of the season, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports (Twitter links). The Mariners hope he’ll be able to pitch in the Arizona Fall League or in instructs. It’s been a very rough ride for the 25-year-old Hultzen, who has missed most of the last three seasons due to shoulder troubles, including a torn rotator cuff and labrum.
- The Nationals have promoted top prospect Lucas Giolito to Double-A Harrisburg, James Wagner of the Washington Post tweets. Giolito, who turned 21 earlier this month, dominated at Class A+ Potomac, posting a 2.71 ERA, 11.1 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 69 2/3 innings there, displaying excellent velocity and a great curveball. MLB.com, Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus and ESPN’s Keith Law all ranked Giolito among baseball’s top ten prospects heading into the season, and he’s done nothing to diminish that status since then. Law (Insider-only) ranked Giolito the third-best prospect in baseball, behind only the Dodgers’ Corey Seager and the Phillies’ J.P. Crawford, in a recent update to his list.
Lee has some thin skin.. I heckled him to no end at a Rainiers game last year and I had to stop because he looked like he was about to bust out crying..
Yeah, there’s nothing better than making fun of minor league players!*
*Wish there was a sarcasm font
Atleast he has a couple of millions more than your ever going to have lol.
Wow your mom would be so proud.
I smell bs. Losers like this coffinnail clown see what they want to see, it is the only way they can get by. It is sad that he needs to tell himself his heckling has an effect on anyone in order to feel a sense of self-importance.
Lee is being showcased for a Trade.
I’m sure one start against the Mets is going to override the years of data and scouting reports teams already have on Lee.
He does need to show an ability to play at this level, but you are right, that is not why the Dodgers promoted him today. In fact as of last night Mattingley wan’t even going to talk about who would start today, only that he was certain it would not be Greinke.
Sure he would have more value if he had proven himself worthy of a rotation spot in the majors, but one start before the deadline isn’t going to prove anything. If the Dodgers really believed he could slot in a rotation right now, we wouldn’t be talking about who they are going to trade him for.
I am not actually disagreeing with you, except to say that if the Dodgers believe Lee is a good option for the rotation they probably would not be talking about trading him. One mystery surrounding Lee at this point is why they did not promote him earlier. Considering the dire need he looked like a natural to get at least an audition earlier in the season. Nothing obvious in his performance in Triple-A this season suggests that he is not ready to take the next step.
The Dodgers need yet another spot starter and Lee is next up.
I am happy to see them give Lee a shot. People always talk about his stats last year being horrible as a pitcher but then say the hitters stats are as good as they are because they play in Albuquerque/Vegas/Salt lake and others.
The corresponding move will no doubt be optioning Ian Thomas back to triple-A. Nice job, thank you very much, and goodbye.
No a Trade.