The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate Oklahoma City Dodgers clinched a second consecutive Pacific Coast League American Northern Division title Sunday night as top pitching prospect Jose De Leon tossed 7.2 shutout innings, striking out 13.
De Leon leads a pitching staff that ranks second in the PCL with a 3.69 ERA. Behind De Leon in the rotation is 23-year-old Trevor Oaks, who Los Angeles selected in the seventh round of the 2014 draft out of Cal Baptist University.
Oaks, who is in his first season with Oklahoma City, has made 10 starts with the team, going 5-1 with a 3.00 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. In 63 innings of work he has struck out 48 and walked nine.
In his start on Saturday against Colorado Spring he faced just three batters before being removed with a groin strain. According to Jacob Unruh of News OK, OKC manager Bill Haselman said Oaks may not return this season:
“I doubt he’ll be back, but that’s speculation,” Haselman said. “They’re taking it day by day until they find out more. At this point in the season, I don’t expect a prospect to return. If he did, that would be awesome.”
The Riverside native began the season with High-A Rancho Cucamonga, where he went 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA in four starts. Oaks was then promoted to Double-A Tulsa where he made 10 starts, going 8-1 with a 2.14 ERA.
Across the three Minor League levels, Oaks is a combined 14-3 with a 2.74 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 108 strikeouts across 151 innings pitched. He was named PCL Pitcher of the Week from Aug. 15-21 when he pitched a complete game, allowing up just one run and striking out 11 against El Paso.
Losing Oaks would be a significant blow for Oklahoma City as they look for postseason success after being swept out of the first round in 2015.
