Oklahoma City Dodgers right-hander Trevor Oaks was named the Pitcher of the Week in the Pacific Coast League for the week of May 29-June 4. It was his third such award. Interestingly enough, Oaks pitched only once during that week but it was a memorable game for him. He tossed seven scoreless innings against the New Orleans Baby Cakes allowing just two singles while striking out seven and walking none. He induced nine ground ball outs and retired the last 17 batters he faced. In the game, he made 85 pitches with 59 of them strikes.

The icing on the cake for Oaks was an eighth inning three-run homer against former Dodger Javy Guerra. It was his only hit of the season in 14 at bats and the only home run of his professional career.

In addition to being named the PCL’s Pitcher of the Week for the third time, top Dodgers pitching prospect Trevor Oaks also slugged his first professional home run.
(Photo credit – Bryan Terry)

Oaks had first been awarded Pitcher of the Week honors on June 15, 2016 as a member of the Texas League Tulsa Drillers. He made one start during the week pitching seven scoreless innings while allowing only one hit in a 1-0 win over Northwest Arkansas Naturals. He struck out four and walked but one.

The second Pitcher of the Week honors were won by the Riverside, California native, also in 2016, but this time as a member of the AAA Oklahoma City Dodgers. He was honored for the period of August 15-21 after a complete nine-inning game and an 11-strikeout performance against the visiting El Paso Chihuahuas. He allowed three hits, one run and no walks in an 8-1 win.

The 24-year-old Oaks was selected by the Dodgers in the seventh round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of California Baptist University. He has risen quickly through the Dodger system reaching the Pacific Coast League in just his third season of professional baseball.

The 6’-3” / 220-pound right-hander is in his first full season at Minor League Baseball’s highest level. Through 10 starts, he has gone 2-1 with a 3.46 ERA over 54.2 innings. His ERA ranks 10th in the Pacific Coast League, just ahead of former Dodger prospect Matt Magill, while his WHIP of 1.21 is good for eighth place in the league. He has a 5.2/1 ratio of strikeouts to walks and has allowed only 1.65 walks-per-nine innings, the second lowest total among Pacific Coast League starters.

Oaks last pitched on May 29 so perhaps there is something in the works. Perhaps there is an unknown injury, although he is not on the 7-day DL, or are his innings being limited? Perhaps he is being lined up for a spot start with the parent Dodgers.