Dodgers Top-10 pitching prospect Jose De Leon is expected to be reactivated from the 7-day disabled list and is scheduled to make his third start of the season on Friday, April 24 when the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes take on the Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) at The Diamond in Lake Elsinore.

De Leon, who suffered what was called a very very minor groin strain during his last start on April 14 against the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels), threw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday and came out of it “Fantastic,” as he put it.

Through his first two starts De Leon is 0-0 with a 2.00 ERA and an incredible WHIP of 0.778. He was the opening day starter for the Quakes on April 9 against the Bakersfield Blaze (Mariners) – a game in which he stuck out 10 and walked one in five innings of work. He had a similar outing through the first three innings of his second start against the 66ers but gave up two runs on four hits in the fourth inning after noticing the discomfort in his groin.

“I didn’t feel a pop or anything like that, it just felt a little tight,” De Leon said. “And then [Quakes pitching coach] Bill Simas noticed that my velocity had dropped from 92-93 to 88-89 and they decided to take me out [after the fourth inning].”

De Leon took a perfect game into the fifth inning in the season opener against the Bakersfield Blaze. He did not figure in the decision in the Quakes eventual 3-2 win.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Simas and Quakes manager Bill Haselman decided to take the precautionary route placing De Leon on the 7-day DL last Thursday (retroactive to April 14) forcing the 22-year-old Isabela, Puerto Rico native to miss his third scheduled on Sunday, April 19 at LoanMart Field. But despite missing a start, the hard-throwing right-hander is second on the team with his 13 strikeouts, three behind fellow right-hander Zack Bird.