For those who have been fortunate enough to personally watch Dodgers top right-handed pitching prospect Walker Buehler in action, Wednesday’s announcement that he had been named as the Texas League Pitcher of the Week for the period of June 29 – July 2 comes as absolutely no surprise. After all, the 22-year-old Lexington, Kentucky native and Dodgers 2015 first round draft pick is only 2-2 with an outstanding 2.85 ERA in his combined 14 starts between the Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (five starts) and Double-A Tulsa Drillers (nine starts) this season. He also has a combined 78 strikeouts this season while issuing only 15 walks.

Buehler received the prestigious award for his brilliant performance on June 30, during which he struck out seven Frisco RoughRiders (Rangers) in his 5.1 stellar innings of work while allowing only one hit (a single). He joins fellow Drillers Jose Miguel Fernandez, Edwin Rios, Kyle Farmer and Scott Barlow, who have also received Texas League Pitcher or Player of the Week honors this season.

Texas League Pitcher of the Week Walker Buehler
(Photo credit – Jeremy Davis – Th3TruthPhotos)

A big part of Buehler’s success stems from his remarkable control and his ability to repeat his delivery, this while hovering around the 100-MPH mark with his plus-plus fastball and an absolutely devastating slider. In fact, some scouts are comparing the 6-2 / 175-pound former Vanderbilt University Commodore as a right-handed version of Clayton Kershaw – high praise by any standard.

Although there are many who feel that Buehler is still at least one and perhaps even two years away from being MLB-ready, this primarily because he is only two years removed from his April 8, 2015 Tommy John surgery a mere four weeks after be drafted by the Dodgers, there are others (such as yours truly) who expect to see him under the lights at Dodger Stadium this September and in major league spring training camp in 2018. In fact, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see the flame-throwing right-hander in the Dodgers starting rotation next season.

But regardless of where Buehler ends up – this season or next – the entire staff at ThinkBlueLA sends our heartiest congratulations to Walker Buehler.

Well done young man.