Dodgers top pitching prospect Jose De Leon has started exactly six games for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes thus far this season. He has struck out 10 or more batters in three of them. Any way you slice it, that is absolutely phenomenal.

De Leon, ranked as the number six Dodgers prospect by Baseball America, struck out 12 High Desert Mavericks batters on Sunday – just as he did in his previous start against the Visalia Rawhide on May 5. The 22-year-old Isabel, Puerto Rico native also struck out 10 Bakersfield Blaze batters in the season opener back on April 9 – in five innings.

Jose De Leon has struck out 50 thus far this season while walking only six.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

The Dodgers selected De Leon in the 24th round of the 2013 First Year Player Draft out of Southern University (Baton Rouge, LA) and he immediately found success in professional baseball. In fact, last season De Leon posted a 7-0 record and a 2.22 ERA splitting time between Rookie League Ogden and Low Single-A Great Lakes. He then pitched this past off-season in the Puerto Rican Winter League where he went 2-1 with an outstanding 1.12 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 16.0 innings pitched.

Strikeouts are nothing new to the hard-throwing right-hander. In a game with the Great Lake Loons on August 19, 2014, De Leon struck out 14 Fort Wayne TinCaps batters to set a new Loons franchise record, breaking the previous record of 12 set by Clayton Kershaw in 2007. In his last two (consecutive) outings he struck out 12 – just two shy of the Quakes franchise record of 14 set by Jon Michael Redding in 2011.

“He has a really good idea how to pitch,” said Quakes manager Bill Haselman. “He can command the fastball and can command both sides of the plate with it and can pitch in. When you’re able to do that, you’re going to be pretty good. When you’re able to locate your fastball that’s the whole key. His change-up is unbelievable and when you can locate your fastball it’s going to make the off-speed look even better than it is.”

On Sunday afternoon De Leon once again commanded his fastball allowing only one run on five hits while striking out 12 and walking none. And although he hit two batters, this confirms that he is not afraid to pitch in, as noted by Haselman.

But there’s more to Jose De Leon than just his incredible talent, he is also very grounded and has tremendous mound presence – something that has not gone unnoticed by the Dodgers brass.

“Sure, the Ks @J_DeLeon18 racked up [are] impressive. The poise & strong body language maybe more so,” tweeted Dodgers Director of Player Development Gabe Kapler after De Leon’s great outing on May 5.

Kapler has been very active in his role as the Dodgers new Director of Player Development.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

De Leon missed one start earlier this season with a minor left groin strain but has made up for it big time. He has “racked up” (as Kapler put it) 50 strikeouts in 32.0 innings pitched which ranks first in the California League – nine more than Inland Empire’s Christopher Ellis with 41. His 1.69 ERA ranks fourth in the Cal League and his remarkable 0.84 WHIP second. De Leon’s 3-1 record has him tied with Scott Barlo and John Richy for the team lead in wins.

The good news for Dodger fans is that they don’t have to drive very far to watch Jose De Leon pitch in person at Rancho Cucamonga.

The bad news is that they better hurry because there is zero doubt that he will be promoted to Double-A Tulsa in the very near future – and you can take that to the bank.