During the last three days the Dodgers have been playing musical chairs down on the farm with a number of young players moving on up. Several quickly made their debuts at the next level.
To the Loons …
Right-hander Colin Hering moved from the Ogden Raptors of the rookie level Pioneer league to the Loons of the Class-A Midwest League on Wednesday. He was in his second year with the Raptors having been selected by the Dodgers as an outfielder in the 10th round of the 2014 First Year Player Draft. As a position player in 2014 he hit .293 with the Raptors along with 10 doubles, three home runs and 20 runs batted in. Although he had not pitched in college the decision to convert him to pitching was made following the 2014 season.
In his debut with the Loons yesterday Hering entered the game with the bases loaded and two outs. He faced league MVP Ryan McBroom of the Lansing Lugnuts and succeeded in getting the big DH to fly out to right fielder Jimmy Allen. Hering picked up the win as he worked two innings giving up one hit and one base on balls while striking out two.
Reyes – also a right-hander – out of San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico, accompanied Hering from the Raptors to the Loons. He too was in his second year as a Raptor. The 20-year-old Reyes has posted a 2.45 ERA in his last 10 relief appearances in Ogden and made his debut with the Loons on Wednesday.
The first hitter he faced in Wednesday’s game was the aforementioned Ryan McBroom of the Lansing Lugnuts. McBroom grounded out to third baseman Matt Beaty. Reyes pitched two innings giving up no hits while walking one and striking out two. He was credited with a win as the Loons scored seven runs in the ninth inning to secure a 7-4 victory.
On Thursday Green was promoted from the Ogden Raptors to the Loons. He did not play in yesterday’s game most likely not arriving in time for the game. He was drafted in the 35th round of 2015 First Year Player Draft out of Oklahoma State University.
To say Green was on fire in Ogden is a bit of an understatement. In his last ten games in the Pioneer League he hit .558 with 24 hits in 43 at bats while scoring 11 runs, driving in 14 along with three home runs and an OBP of .651.
To the Quakes …
On Thursday right-hander James Campbell was promoted to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the High-A California League joining former Loons pitching teammates David Reid-Foley and Jose Alberto Molina who were recently promoted to the Quakes. Campbell was selected by the Dodgers in the 12th round of the 2012 June Draft out of Stony Brook University and spent the past two seasons with the Great Lakes Loons of the Midwest League. During the 2015 season with the Loons he pitched exclusively in relief.
In his first game with the Quakes Campbell was pressed into service as a starter on Thursday against the Lake Elsinore Storm. He took the loss giving up two runs in the first inning. However, he settled down nicely and finished his four innings of work giving up four hits, striking out five and issuing no walks.
To the Drillers…
Right-hander Rob Rogers was selected by the Dodgers in the 32nd round of the 2013 First Year Player Draft out of Keystone College. Among his 46 appearances with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in 2015 he had made only one start. On September 2nd he was promoted to the Tulsa Drillers of the AA
Texas league.
Rogers started in his first game as a Driller on Wednesday against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals coming away with a win. He pitched five innings giving up four hits, one run while striking out five and walked only one. He threw 66 pitches, 45 for strikes, and induced eight ground balls.
Scott Griggs has spent his entire career with the Great Lakes Loons after having been drafted by the Dodgers in the 8th round of the 2012 June Draft out of ULCA. A strikeout specialist, Griggs missed the entire 2014 season due to injury. In 100.2 minor league innings he has struck out 153 batters while giving up only 64 base hits.
On September 2nd the 24-year-old Griggs made the jump from the Loons to the Drillers and immediately followed newly arrived starter Rob Rogers. He pitched two innings, his third consecutive multiple inning appearance, giving up one run on two hits while striking out three and walking none. He was credited with a hold.
To the OKC Dodgers…
Cash is the cousin of Ethan Martin a former Dodger first round draft selection who is now in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. Martin was selected in 2008 while Cash was a second round selection by the Dodgers in 2010. He missed the entire 2011 season with a pelvic bone injury that threatened his career. On Wednesday Cash was promoted to the AAA Oklahoma City Dodgers.
He pitched the ninth inning of an 11-3 victory by the Dodgers over the Iowa Cubs. It was a bit of a shaky debut as Cash gave up two hits and a walk in his inning but he allowed no runs as he struck out third baseman Christian Villanueva to end the game.
Gage Green leading off and playing center field for the loons tonight.