You remember Jose Dominguez, don’t you? The kid that seemingly came out of nowhere last season and threw pure heat for about three weeks or so? And then just as quickly, he all but fell off the radar with a bizarre quad injury he suffered while trying to run down a pop foul.

Opposing players were often seen shaking their heads in the dugout while watching Dominguez pitch. (Ron Cervenka – ThinkBlueLA.com)

Dominguez, a 23-year-old San Pedro de Maroris, Dominican Republic native, was drafted by the Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 2007 and spent the next six seasons making his way up through the Dodgers farm system. He made his MLB debut with the Dodgers on June 30, 2013. Dominguez appeared in nine games for the Dodgers during which time he went 0-0 with a sizzling 2.16 ERA, allowing three walks while striking out four in 8.1 innings pitched. In a flash, he captured the hearts of Dodger fans everywhere with his 100+ MPH fastball.

This is an actual photograph of the Dodger Stadium radar gun taken on June 30, 2013.
(Ron Cervenka – ThinkBlueLA.com)

Dominguez also made an immediate impression on his teammates, coaches and manager as well. “There’s my little Pedro,” said Dodger bullpen coach Chuck Crim the very first time he saw Dominguez. Crim’s observation is not without merit either. It takes but a second to see the striking similarities in pitching styles between Dominguez and the future first ballot Hall of Famer.

The similarities between Pedro Martinez and Jose Dominguez are remarkable.
(Photo credit – SIKids.com & Ron Cervenka – ThinkBlueLA.com)

But Dominguez’s rise from poverty to the penthouse was not without struggles. At the end of the 2009 season he tested positive for Stanozolol, a banned substance, which resulted in a 50-game suspension in 2010. He failed a second drug test in 2012  receiving a 25-game suspension which he served at the beginning of the 2013 season. Ironically, had Dominguez not suffered his two suspensions, he probably would have been taken in the Rule 5 Draft last December.

Having been twice suspended, Dominguez knew that a third failed test would end his professional career. As such, he returned with a renewed attitude and vigor. He put his past behind him and put his nose to the grindstone working extremely hard to prove to Dodger management the their faith and trust in him would be rewarded. Three months later he fulfilled a lifelong dream when he walked onto the field at Dodger Stadium in front of 42,405 cheering Dodger fans and promptly retired the Phillies in order while hitting 101 on the stadium radar gun.

Fate reared it’s ugly head three weeks later when Dominguez strained his left quadriceps during a game against the Blue Jays on July 22 in Toronto. The following day he was placed on the 15-day DL but was eventually moved to the 60-day DL to clear a roster spot for the Dodgers stretch run into the postseason.

It was reported on Twitter on Wednesday night that Dominguez, who is participating in the Dominican Winter League with the Tigres del Licey, had a 1-2-3 inning in which his fastball was in the 96-97 MPH range. Dominguez has appeared in seven games for the Tigres and is 0-0 with a 2.35 ERA. He has walked four while striking out five in 8.2 innings of work, suggesting that he is struggling a bit with his control. One has to believe that if he were to back off a bit on his velocity his control might improve.

Dominguez threw a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout on Wednesday night for Tigres del Lacey of the Dominican Winter League.
(Photo courtesy of Carlos Jose Lugo @carlosjlugo)

So where does all of this leave the young, hard-throwing right-hander with the Dodgers in 2014? The answer of course is ‘who knows.’ But one has to believe that Dominguez will continue his hard work while trying to earn a spot on the Dodgers 2014 opening day roster. And even if he does not, it’s safe to say that ‘Little Pedro’ will return to the Show at some point during the 2014 season – and you can take that to the bank.