If Dodger fans living in the southern California area want to get a look at Dodgers right-hander Lindsey Caughel, they better head on down to Rancho Cucamonga – and soon.

What’s the big rush, you ask? The big rush is that Caughel may not be with the Quakes much longer.

Caughel was called upon several times during spring training to pitch to rehabbing Dodgers Matt Kemp and Carl Crawford, among others. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

When ThinkBlueLA broke the news on March 27 that the Quakes starting rotation would include Dodgers 2013 first and second round draft picks Chris Anderson and Tom Windle and 17-year Mexican phenom Julio Urias, many Dodgers and Quakes fans looked no further. But as was noted in the article, 23-year old right-hander Lindsey Caughel was also in this extremely talented rotation.

Even though Caughel might not carry all of the hype and hoopla associated with Anderson, Windle and Urias, he is clearly the most experienced member of the Quakes rotation and figures to be the first Quakes starter to be promoted to Double-A Chattanooga.

“I definitely think that Caughel would be the front-runner [to be the first promoted to Double-A Chattanooga] just because of what he did last year and how he pitched in this league last year,” said Quakes pitching coach and former Dodger pitcher Matt Herges. “I expect him to pitch even better this year. He was a late send-down (to the Advanced Single-A level) in spring training, so I’ve got to believe that he’d probably be the first guy [to be promoted].”

If Caughel’s performance on Saturday night in his 2014 debut with the Quakes in front of 3,628 at LoanMart Field is any indication of what Quakes fans can expect from the hard-throwing right-hander, it’s going to be a fun season in Rancho Cucamonga.

There’s no argument that many in attendance at the Quakes first Saturday night home game of the new season came to see Dodgers right-hander Brian Wilson make his first of what will probable be three or four rehab appearances with the Quakes. And even though Wilson set down the powerful San Jose Giants 1-2-3 in the first inning on only 12 pitches with one strikeout, it was Caughel who absolutely stole the show. Replacing Wilson in the second inning, Caughel pitched six shutout innings allowing only six hits while striking out eight. Known for his exceptional control, the Orlando, Florida native did not walk a batter.

The Quakes won Saturday night’s exciting game 1-0 on a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 9th inning by second year Quakes catcher Pratt Maynard after top Dodgers prospect Corey Seager doubled off the wall in right field and took third on a throwing error. And though Quakes closer Owen Jones picked up the win after pitching a 1-2-3 top of the 9th, it was Caughel who made the Quakes first win of the young season possible with his outstanding performance.

Although Caughel had hoped to begin the 2014 season in Chattanooga, he realizes that there is quite a logjam ahead of him within the Dodgers organization. He is also aware that he doesn’t bring all of the excitement and flair that Urias, Anderson and Windle do.

“A twenty-third round draft pick doesn’t get a lot of attention,” Caughel said. “But I believe that I’m durable and can give you a lot of innings. If I continue to pitch well, hopefully [the Dodgers] will notice or one of the scouts from another MLB team will notice. I think I have what it takes to pitch in the major leagues and I’m going to continue working hard to get there.”

If Saturday night is any indication of how Caughel’s 2014 season will go, it’s safe to say that he probably won’t be spending much time in Rancho Cucamonga – which should make Chattanooga Lookouts fans very happy.