The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the High-A California League are currently in first place in the Southern Division of the league with a half-game lead over the High Desert Mavericks. They also have the second best winning percentage at .615 in the entire league.

Supported by arguably the best offense in the league, the pitching staff under pitching coach and former major leaguer Kip Wells has perhaps been stronger than might have been expected – or maybe not. Starters Joshua Sborz, Grant Holmes and Andrew Sopko have been leading the way while Trevor Oaks and Brock Stewart, who were promoted from the Quakes to the AA Tulsa Drillers earlier this season, are now both performing well in the Texas League.

Not to be forgotten is the relief corps which is carving out its own niche as the season progresses. Right-handers Scott Griggs and Joe Broussard were also recently promoted to the Tulsa Drillers to join former teammates Oaks and Stewart. Back at Rancho Cucamonga Bubby Rossman, Kyle Hooper, Karch Kowalczyk and Philip Pfeifer have been providing strong support for the starting staff. Among them in their last ten appearances they have combined for 5 wins and 4 saves while losing only one game.

Meanwhile, there is another Quakes reliever that might not be familiar to Dodger minor league enthusiasts – left-hander Jeff Malm – who was signed as a minor league free agent by the Dodgers on November 20, 2015.

Jeff Malm
(Photo courtesy of – Orem Owlz)

Malm was initially selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the fifth round of the 2009 First Year Player Draft out of Bishop Gorman High School in Enterprise, Nevada.

In his final year with the Gaels he hit .564 with 17 home runs and 69 RBIs on the season. As a pitcher the he also starred going 11-1 with a 1.50 ERA helping lead his team to a 40-4 record and their fourth straight state title.

Malm was ranked as the top high school first baseman and 59th overall prospect by Baseball America in the 2009 Draft and was selected as the Louisville Slugger National Player of the Year and the Review-Journal’s State Player of the Year.

Going into the 2009 draft Malm was uncertain about where or if he would be drafted. He had committed to Southern California so he felt he had two good options.

“Playing professional baseball has always been my dream since I was little. If we can’t work out a deal, USC is definitely a good option for me. Either one is a great choice,” Malm said. “I feel it’s a win-win situation. It’s a good spot for me to be in to have this problem.”

The 6′ 3” – 225 lb native of Las Vegas did sign with the Rays and reported to the rookie level Rays of the Gulf Coast League on August 21, 2009. Over the next five seasons he made stops with five of the Rays minor league teams advancing as far as the Montgomery Biscuits of the AA Southern League. In his 484 games within the Rays organization he hit .250 with an OBP of .334.

Following his 2014 season with the Biscuits, Malm was released by the Rays and signed by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim where he was converted to pitching. With the Orem Owlz in the rookie level Pioneer League, he posted a 5.09 ERA with 47 strikeouts and 17 walks in 53 innings pitched.

Hoping to return to his goal of being a position player and perhaps not as content in a pitching role, Malm chose free agency following his 2015 season and signed with the Dodgers as a minor league free agent. Malm explained his conundrum:

“It was definitely difficult for me, more so because I’ve been a hitter my whole life and was used to playing everyday. The transition to pitching was a completely new world and a different perspective to the game,” Malm said. “It was a challenge physically as well, dealing with some of the soreness and arm issues that I hadn’t felt in such a long time.

“I missed having the opportunity to play the game as a position player. As soon as the season ended, I knew that I wanted to make the transition back to hitting. That was my mind set,” Malm added. “I took a week off when the season ended and went right to work to get my swing and everything going. I am grateful and beyond excited for the opportunity the Dodgers have given me.”

Upon signing Malm, Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi indicated the Dodgers might use Malm as both a pitcher and an outfielder in the minors. That would indeed be unusual, but Malm’s desire to return to offensive play was quite clear.

Thus far in 2016 Malm has appeared only as a relief pitcher, so it appears his path in the Dodgers organization is now set, most likely cast in stone. However, he may have found an unexpected path to his ultimate goal – to play major league baseball.

Over 11.2 innings through eight appearances with the Quakes he has posted a 0.77 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP. He has struck out 11 and walked three while allowing only one earned run.

Malm turned 25 last Halloween and the clock is ticking for him while he is still at High-A ball. However, he has a live arm and a determination to succeed at this impossible game and there are precedents. Over the years a fairly large number of players have made it to MLB at age 27 or older. Oklahoma City Dodgers pitching coach Matt Herges made his debut with the Dodgers in 1991 when he 29 years old, as did reliever Jim Hughes who debuted with the Dodgers in 1952. Present Dodger Adam Liberatore made his first appearance in MLB with the Dodgers in 2015 as a 28-year old.

A most significant time for Malm will be from now through the mid-season all-star break, at which time with continued progress he will most likely be assigned to the AA Tulsa Drillers.