On Thursday, July 2, the Dodgers jumped into the international signing pool with both feet. There was no testing the water. They just plunged in head first. Some say they caused waves on the international scene. However I expect for MLB teams that were not as aggressive as the Dodgers nor as willing to spend at will it must have seemed that the storied franchise caused, not waves, but a tsunami on the first international signing day.

The Dodgers signed nine players exceeding their bonus pool allotment many times over. The consequence of the spending spree means the team will not be allowed to sign a player for more than $300,000 during the next two signing periods in addition to paying a 100 percent tax on the pool overage.

At the same time as they were wrapping up talented young players from Latin America the Dodgers were trading away some of their bonus pool slots. The theory seemed to be that a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush or in baseball terms a young player a year or two away from major league baseball is worth more than the uncertainty that comes with bonus slot signings.

One of their creative moves was to trade their 87th slot to the Atlanta Braves for outfielder Jordan Paroubeck and right-handed pitcher Caleb Dirks.

Dirks was born in Arcadia, California which is about 33 miles from LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga and attended Woodcrest Christian School in Riverside which is even closer.

Following his graduation from high school Dirks attended California Baptist University majoring in Criminal Justice. He played baseball with the Lancers for three years capping off his college career in 2014 with a 4-1 record along with a 2.85 ERA and was named to the PacWest Academic All-Conference team.

California Baptist has a history of players being selected in the First year Player Draft so the expectation was that Dirks would be drafted along with teammate Trevor Oaks who was selected by the Dodgers in in the seventh round of the 2014 draft. One can only surmise that Dirks was hoping he too would be be selected by the Dodgers but that was not to be – yet. The Atlanta Braves claimed him the fifteenth round.

The 22-year-old right-hander began his professional career with the Danville Braves of the rookie level Appalachian League. Over seven relief appearances he posted a 0.96 ERA and a WHIP of 1.18 along with 16 strikeouts in 9.1 innings. He walked but three hitters.

His early success quickly earned Dirks a promotion to the Rome Braves of the Class A South Atlantic League. Continuing to work solely in relief he pitched 23 innings over 14 appearances with a 2.74 ERA and 21 strikeouts. His control suffered a bit at the higher levels as he issued 10 free passes.

Dirks returned to the Rome Braves to begin the 2015 season. In six games he pitched 10 innings with an ERA of 1.80 while striking out 11 and walking only two earning him a speedy promotion to the Advanced A Carolina Mudcats of the Carolina League.

Dirks continued to prosper as he moved through the Braves farm system. With the Mudcats he pitched 16.2 innings over 11 appearances giving up only eight hits and no runs. He struck out 18 while his control again seemed to slip resulting in 12 walks.

Then came the trade on Friday, July 3rd. The 6’3” 225 lb Dirks was immediately assigned to the High A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League which pretty much amounts to coming home.

Arcadia-born Caleb Dirks made his Quakes debut on Sunday evening, allowing no runs on two hits in his two innings or work. He struck out four of the eight batters he faced.
(Photo credit – NIKOLAUS/Carolina Mudcats)

Trevor Oaks, Dirk’s former teammate at California Baptist University and a seventh-round draft pick by the Dodgers in 2014, is pitching well enough with the Class A Great Lakes Loons that Dirks may have another homecoming of sorts this season. It is very conceivable that Oaks will be promoted to the Quakes and again team up with Caleb Dirks.