April 24th, 2016 at 10:00 pm 
by Ron Cervenka ThinkBlueLA has learned that 24-year-old Cuban right-hander Yaisel Sierra is being reassigned from extended spring training in Arizona to the Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.
Although there has been no official confirmation on the move from the Dodgers or Quakes, a source close to the Quakes said that the move will most likely happen before Thursday. The reason for this is that we have also learned that 23-year-old right-hander Trevor Oaks is being promoted to Double-A Tulsa and Oaks was scheduled to start for Rancho on Thursday evening against the Inland Empire 66ers in San Bernardino. That being said, it is uncertain if Sierra will begin his professional U.S. career as a starter or a reliever.
The Dodgers signed Sierra to a lofty six-year / $30 million deal in mid-January but he did not arrive at major league spring training camp until late March due to issues with his visa. When he finally did arrive, he pitched in several minor league games and threw one inning in relief in a major league game with the Dodgers on March 31 (the Vin Scully game against the Giants), but if you blinked you probably missed it. Sierra retired the three Giants batters he faced on five pitches.
Sierra’s assignment to the Quakes shouldn’t come as a surprise. With his five years of experience in Cuba’s highest league and being almost 25 years of age, he figures to move quickly through the Dodgers minor league system. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
“That guy can throw!” said Dodgers top pitching prospect Jose De Leon of Sierra, while watching him pitch on the backfields at Camelback Ranch this spring.
Throw indeed. According to several scouts watching Sierra, the 6′ 1″- 170-pound right-hander hit 100 MPH on the radar gun several times and was consistently in the 95 to 97-MPH range.
Although considered a prospect, Sierra has five years of experience pitching in the La Serie Nacional – Cuba’s highest league. During that time he posted an ERA of 4.23 ERA with 221 strikeouts and 166 walks in 300 innings pitched with Holguin and Sancti Spiritus. He appeared in a total of 131 games, starting 25 of them; however, during the 2014-2015 season he made 36 appearances, all in relief.
In his four starts with the Quakes this season, Trevor Oaks has been nothing short of outstanding He is 1-1 on the young season with a very impressive 3.60 ERA. In his 25.0 innings of work, Oaks struck out 22 while walking only three. He was the only starting pitcher from the 2015 Cal League Champion Quakes rotation to begin the 2016 season back at Rancho. He will now join his former teammates and close friends Chase De Jong and Scott Barlow in the Tulsa Drillers rotation.
Oaks (center) will soon be joining his close friends Chase De Jong (left) and Scott Barlow at Double-A Tulsa.
(Photo courtesy of @ChaseDeJong )
UPDATE: Sierra’s assignment to the Rancho Cucamonga has been officially confirmed from by the Dodgers and Quakes.
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Glad to see Oaks promoted. Brock Stewart, who promoted earlier, yesterday pitched his second good game for Drillers. I really like both of these young strike throwers. Hopefully Sierra can fast track and be added to Dodgers pitching by All Star break — if Ryu returns 100% in June, then Sierra seems destined for this year’s BP.
Hopefully all goes well. Time for Sierra to make his move.
Sierra was initially assigned to Triple-A OKC out of spring training but to the best of my knowledge he never left extended spring training in Arizona before being placed on the 7-Day DL.
Although the Dodgers tend to keep things like this under a shroud of secrecy, it is my guess that going to Rancho is more of a rehab assignment before he lands in Oklahoma City. As such, his time with the Quakes may be short-lived (but I certainly plan to watch him pitch there).
Keep in mind that this is pure speculation on my part.
That would seem to be just about right. He is still listed on the OKC roster on the 7-day DL.
I am aware of that.
I’m sure you were. Just confirming your suspicion.