The Los Angeles Dodgers received countless amounts of contributions from their talented farm system last season en route to a seventh consecutive National League West title and franchise-record 106 wins.
Among the standouts included Dustin May, who split time with Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City before earning his first big league promotion in August.
The right-hander garnered looks in both the starting rotation and bullpen, closing out the year as a reliever and earning a spot on the Dodgers’ National League Division Series roster.
Having turned plenty of heads in his debut campaign, May was ranked among the top-10 right-handed pitching prospects for the 2020 season by MLB Pipeline.
The 22-year-old placed sixth on the list, ahead of the Detroit Tigers’ Matt Manning, San Diego Padres’ Luis Patino, Philadelphia Phillies’ Spencer Howard and Baltimore Orioles’ Grayson Rodriguez.
Tigers prospect Casey Mize topped the rankings, followed by the Toronto Blue Jays’ Nate Pearson, Houston Astros’ Forrest Whitley, Chicago White Sox’s Michael Kopech and Miami Marlins’ Sixto Sanchez, in that order.
In 14 games (four starts) for the Dodgers last season, May went 2-3 with a 3.63 ERA, 2.90 FIP and 1.10 WHIP across 34.2 innings pitched. He struck out 32 batters, walked only five and was successful at keeping the ball in the park, allowing just two home runs on the year.
He continued pitching at a high level in the postseason, yielding just one run in 3.1 innings of work against the Washington Nationals (two appearances).
Looking ahead to the 2020 season, May will have an opportunity to earn a permanent spot in the starting rotation during Spring Training. The fifth spot is up for grabs, with Tony Gonsolin, Jimmy Nelson, Ross Stripling and Alex Wood also in the mix.
Should May miss out, the Dodgers could again utilize him out of the bullpen to begin the year. He impressed as a reliever last season, receiving votes from executives for “best future closer” in a recent poll by MLB Pipeline.
Another possibility for May is beginning the year with Oklahoma City, where he can receive consistent work as a starter and potentially make an impact at the Major League level later in the season.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events and more!
