Those of us who follow the Dodgers minor league farm system quickly find young players that intrigue us when they are acquired by the Dodgers. One such player for me has been left-handed pitcher Caleb Ferguson as he was perhaps considered to be a very long shot to be selected in the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft.

Ferguson was selected by the Dodgers in the 38th round of that draft making him the 1,149th overall pick with only 66 players being drafted following his selection. He was selected out of West Jefferson High School in West Jefferson, Ohio – a community with a population of less than 5,000.

To complicate his draft prospects as a high school senior in a small town, he had the now almost obligatory Tommy John surgery merely one month before the draft. However, the Dodgers looked far beyond the surgery and are now reaping the rewards from the good work completed by their scouting department.

Ferguson began his professional career as an 18-year-old, perhaps more quickly than expected, with the AZL Dodgers on June 20, 2015. As might be expected, his innings were limited to 14.2 over 14 games and he experienced control problems walking more than a batter an inning. The encouraging news was that he also struck out a hitter an inning.

During the 2016 baseball season Ferguson made brief stops with the Arizona League Dodgers and the Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer League on his way to the Great Lakes Loons of the Midwest League.

Along with helping the Loons win the 2016 Midwest League championship, Ferguson posted a 2.31 ERA along with a 0.93 WHIP and 63 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched. Oh yes, he walked five hitters in his 14 appearances with the Loons. That is not a typo – five walks in 66.1 innings.

As expected, the 6′-3″ / 215-pound Ferguson began the 2017 season with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the High-A California League.

To date he has made 22 starts with the Quakes posting an ERA of 2.78 which ranks as the second-best ERA in the league behind only right-hander Nick Neidert of the Modesto Nuts with his 2.76 ERA. They are, in fact, the only two pitchers in the California League with the necessary qualifying innings who have posted an ERA during the current season below 3.51.

Ferguson has struck out 10 or more batters in three of his last four starts. On Saturday night he struck out seven in his 4.2 innings of work. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Ferguson, who ranks third in the league with 127 strikeouts, has been on a bit of a strikeout tear in his past seven games recording 59 punch outs in 42.2 innings. His high-water mark was back on August 1 when he stuck out 11 Modesto Nuts in seven innings. That start was sandwiched in between two 10-strikeout appearances in which he went six innings on both occasions.

Ferguson’s latest appearance on August 11 was a bit atypical for him this season as he pitched only 4.2 innings giving up an earned run while striking out seven. He walked five Inland Empire 66ers, including three in the fifth inning, and left the game in the hands of left-hander Jason Richmond who induced an inning ending ground out.

The Quakes lost the game 3-2 when the 66ers scored a run in the bottom of the ninth inning off Quakes right-hander Andrew Istler.

Ferguson has done an impressive job of keeping the ball in the park in the hitter friendly California League giving up only five home runs during the current campaign. In two games, he gave up two dingers each and but one in his other 20 starts. In 19 of his starts he has allowed two or fewer runs on every occasion.

Ferguson has struggled somewhat with his control during the 2017 season. He has walked 53 hitters in his 113.1 innings pitched. Although he has done a good job of working around those walks, last night was not one of those occasions when he had his shortest outing in his last 11 starts.

Ferguson explained his approach when he does gets into the inevitable trouble, as all pitchers do.

“I was in that situation in San Jose two starts ago,” he said. “It’s just staying calm and executing your pitch. I try to stay calm in every situation I’m put into and just keep executing, keep competing, and try to get everybody out.”

He also gives credit to his defense as a more famous left hander has always done. That is a significant lesson learned by the just turned 21-year-old Ferguson as it was for perennial Cy Young contender Clayton Kershaw several years ago.

“It just all kind of goes back to executing the pitches and competing and trusting the guys behind you to make the plays that need to be made,” Ferguson said. “We’ve got a great defense out here, and I support a lot of those guys. I just know if the ball is put in play, they’re going to give it their all to make that out for me.”

Caleb Ferguson was an unlikely candidate to become a pitching staff leader when he was drafted by the Dodgers in 2014, yet he now stands on top of the Quakes leader board in most pitching categories as well as within the entire California League.