February 9th, 2016 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka Zach Lee has been in the Dodgers organization for six years. And even though he is still only 24 years old, spring training 2016 will be the most important of his professional career. It may also be his last with the Dodgers.
For those who may not remember, Lee was selected by the Dodgers in the first round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of McKinney High School in McKinney, Texas. The then 18-year-old right-hander had already signed a letter of intent to attend Louisiana State University on a football scholarship – supposedly with a guarantee that he would immediately become the Tigers’ starting quarterback. As a result, every one of the 27 MLB teams that drafted ahead of the Dodgers passed on the extremely talented dual-sport superstar.
This left former Dodgers drafting genius Logan White and former Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti with a huge decision. Do they take a gamble on drafting Zach Lee hoping that he signs, or do they settle on someone else with their less-than-ideal second-to-last pick in the first round? They took the gamble and it paid off – especially for Zach Lee. One day before the signing deadline, Lee signed a five-year deal with the Dodgers that included a $5.25 million signing bonus – that largest in franchise history (excluding international signings) and their last high-dollar signing bonus before MLB imposed its signing bonus pool restrictions in 2011.
Although Lee was highly touted and thought by many that he would replace oft-injured Chad Billingsley as the right-handed half of the Dodgers righty-lefty one-two punch combination along with Clayton Kershaw, he was still very much a work in progress. In fact, his development was coming along much slower that (then) Dodgers director of player development De Jon Watson had hoped for. Lee also suffered a series of minor injuries that slowed his development.
Lee made his much-anticipated MLB debut on July 25, 2015 against the Mets at Citi Field. It did not go well. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
Having been drafted as an 18-year-old out of high school and having spent five seasons in the minors, the Dodgers were forced to add Lee to their 40-man roster or risk losing him in the upcoming December 2014 Rule 5 Draft. And although hopeful Dodger fans embraced and applauded the move, it was clear that the Dodgers were still not convinced that Lee was MLB-ready and assigned him to Triple-A Oklahoma City to began the 2015 season.
It was during his time at OKC they Lee finally found himself and once again gave the Dodgers brass hope that he was closing in on being MLB-ready. In his 19 starts at OKC, Lee posted a team-leading 11-6 record with an outstanding 2.70 ERA. However, in spite of his success, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi continued to hold Lee back, opting to promote six other starters ahead of him: Mike Bolsinger, David Huff, Carlos Frias, Joe Wieland, Scott Baker and Brandon Beachy. But on July 25 and with the uncertainty that Dodgers co-ace Zack Greinke would make it back to New York in time following the birth of he and wife Emily’s son Bode, the Dodgers finally called up Zach Lee.
To say that Lee’s MLB debut against the Mets at Citi Field did not go well would be an understatement – it was a disaster. In his 4.2 innings of work, Lee allowed seven runs on 11 hits (including a home run) while walking one and striking out three. He exited his first – and thus far only – MLB game with a horrendous ERA of 13.50 and was on a flight back to Oklahoma City two days later. To his credit, Lee didn’t allow his poor showing against the Mets interfere with his excellent season at Triple-A, where he won four of his final seven starts. In those seven games, Lee allowed 16 runs through 44.2 innings of work and, as noted above, finished the season with a stellar 2.70 ERA.
With the Super Bowl now behind us and only 11 days before pitchers and catchers report to Camelback Ranch for spring training, Lee remains on the Dodgers 40-man roster and will undoubtedly see quite a bit of action. Where things get a bit uncomfortable for the still extremely popular right-hander is that he must now compete against Julio Urias and Jose De Leon (who are ranked as the Dodgers top two pitching prospects) along with Ross Stripling, Jharel Cotton, Frankie Montas, Alex Wood, Bolsinger, Frias and Beachy for a possible Opening Day roster spot – and this doesn’t include rehabbing starters Hyun-jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy, who are both expected to return to the Dodgers rotation at some point during the 2016 season.
While his future with the teams is unknown, Zach Lee remains a huge favorite among Dodger fans.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
One way or another, 2016 will be a turning point for Zach Lee. As long as he remains on the Dodgers 40-man roster – even in the minors – he remains under team control. However, should the Dodgers need to free up a spot on their 40-man roster and elect to designate him for assignment, Lee will become a minor league free agent at the end of the 2016 season – if he hasn’t already been traded by then.
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I actually forgot that Lee pitched against the Mets last year. I was wondering what happen to him. I have nothing but good wishes for him and hope he finally makes the team.
$5 million did it. I said back then if it were me I probably would have taken the money too, but a strong argument could have been made that the starting QB job at LSU, as well as pitching there, would have been the move. If he was any good he could be playing in the NFL now, and 2-3 years of BMOC rather than 2-3 years in the minors? We do everything for the money, and the Dodgers coughed up way too much. Should have drafted Syndergaard. Hindsight. 20/10.
This is his make or break year (IMHO). If he makes it back to the Show (and sticks), it will have been a great decision to pass on LSU. If he does not, I’ll buy into your LSU theory.
Then again, if he gets traded (which is a very real possibility) and makes it to the bigs with another team, it will also have been a good decision.
His hurdle is his lack of MLB service time. He will still has to put in three years before he is eligible for free agency (unless he signs with a team that waives his arbitration years – but who would?). But here again, he’s only 24 right now.
I do not see any chance for Zach making the 25 man. It makes no sense for him to back to AAA. He has been successful there, and another trip back would diminish any potential trade value. If I were to advise Lee, I would have him attach himself to Greg Maddux, and learn how to pitch rather than just throw. How to hit spots. How to set up hitters, not only in the current AB, but also for the 3rd and 4th AB that game. His biggest goal is to pitch well in ST and turn some heads. If he pitches well, I would agree that he would and should be traded. There is a huge glut of ML ready 4th and 5th rotation RHSP in the organization. Some will make the transition to relief, something I do not see for Zach Lee.
Zach has been a mystery. He had a much better year with the OKC Dodgers than Joe Weiland did. He had a very good WHIP of 1.112 and a 4/1- K/BB ratio.
He has been healthy during his career. However he probably should be striking out more hitters to get more notice. As mentioned, he might be a great Greg Maddux project as he already has good control.
Agree that is a pivotal year for Zach. If the plan is not to use him at the MLB in a time of need then I hope he does get traded. He is ahead of Daniel Coloumbe but not Mike Bolsinger.
The Dodgers DFA’d Coulombe on September 6. He was subsequently picked up by Oakland.
Yup – meant Jharel Cotton. Cotton is a big strikeout guy so this is even more of a pivotal year for Lee.
If not traded I predict Lee will be one of the 12+ pitchers who get a start this year. If he gets traded, I predict not much will come back in return. And if he’s traded he will get more starts wherever he goes than he does here. Lee looks like at best an inning eating back of the oration starter with 4+ ERA potential.