Dominican Summer League Dodgers

Miguel Urena: Urena, 19, is from Licey, Dominican Republic. He is in his second year with the DSL Dodgers and although not a true strikeout pitcher, he had an exceptional year in 2014. In August he made four starts, pitched 19 innings in which he gave up 16 hits. He struck out nine and walked three resulting in a 0.47 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP.

Arizona League Dodgers

Jairo Pacheco: Kevin Guzman received serious consideration and may have been the front runner earlier in the month. Carlos Felix likewise had a very good month of August. However, Pacheco capped off his August with six innings of no hit ball as part of the AZL Dodgers four man no-hitter on August 28th. During the month his ERA was 0.90 and his WHIP was also the same minuscule 0.90. He struck out 36 in 30 innings and walked 9. The lefty, from Cabimas, Zulia, Venezuela, turned 18 in July.

Jairo Pacheco (second from right) threw six no-hit innings to begin what would be a combined no-hitter for the AZL Dodgers on August 28. L to R: Yeuri Gonzalez, Harlan Richter, Brant Whiting (catcher), Pacheco and Kameron Uter.
(Photo courtesy of DodgerInsider.com)

Ogden Raptors

Jeff Brigham: Jose De Leon’s promotion to the Great Lakes Loons removed him from the Raptor’s competition. John Richy may well have been next in line for the TBLA award but had received a much deserved promotion to the Great Lakes Loons earlier in the month. Jeff Brigham, the Dodgers 4th round draft selection in 2014, had five good starts in August. He was limited to three or four innings a game as his innings were being monitored. In 17 innings during the month he had an ERA of 3.18 while striking out 20 and walking seven. He posted a 2.80 ERA in the second half.

 Great Lakes Loons

Jose De Leon: Was there any other choice? De Leon in four starts with the Loons in August pitched 22.2 innings yielding only 14 hits. He struck out an amazing 42 and walked an even more amazing two opponents. On August 19th he set a new Loons record by striking out 14 hitters in six innings. In his final appearance in August he struck out 12 again tying the old Loons record which had been shared by Clayton Kershaw. Oddly enough his one walk in that game caused manager Bill Hasselman to remove him from the game after 5.2 innings although he had given up only two hits. De Leon was selected by the Dodgers in the 24th round of the 2013 First Year Player Draft.

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

Jharel Cotton: This choice was difficult only in that Julio Urias could be the choice every month. In August Cotton posted numbers that were relatively close to Urias’ statistics A 20th round draft selection in 2012 he followed a bit of a disappointing first half of the season with an excellent second half. He posted an ERA of 1.65 and a WHIP of 0.92 in August. In 32.2 innings he struck out 35 and walked seven. Unfortunately his last start was on August 24th in which he pitched 5.2 scoreless innings. Following that start he went on the DL and was lost to the Quakes in their play-off drive.

 Chattanooga Lookouts

Andreas Santiago: Was there any other choice? Actually there was as Steve Smith had the best month of his 2014 year during the playoff drive by the Lookouts. However, Andreas Santiago takes the cake with his no-hitter on July 28th. He lost a perfect game with a walk in the eighth. A double play following the walk allowed him to pitch to a minimum of 27 hitters in the game. During August Santiago had an ERA of 3.10 and a WHIP of 1.00. He won three games and held opponents to a .188 batting average against him. Santiago was a 16th round selection by the Dodgers in 2007.

On August 28, 2014 Lookouts right-hander Andres Santiago tossed a no-hitter against the Tennessee Smokies. An eighth-inning walk is the only thing that prevented it from being a perfect game.
(Photo credit – Tim Evearitt)

Albuquerque Isotopes

Jeff Bennett: He is a bit of a workhouse in a stable of starting pitchers that have not fared very well this year with the Isotopes. A repeat winner, in August Bennett posted a very respectable 3.79 ERA. He went 3-1 in six starts over 35.2 innings along with 26 strikeouts and 10 walks. On the season he had a 3.83 ERA. He was signed by the Dodgers as a minor league free agent in May.