Five years ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers took a chance on a shortstop from the Dominican, whom the club signed for $170,000. Now, right-handed pitcher Dennis Santana is at his last stop before reaching the Majors.
The 22-year-old has logged just 16 starts above A-ball, but seems sure to join the Dodgers active roster at some point this year. After being placed on the 40-man roster this past offseason, Santana is one stop away from reaching his ultimate goal.
After playing shortstop in 2013, he converted to pitching the following season and allowed a minuscule 1.05 ERA in 20 games for the Dominican Summer League Dodgers. Since then, Santana has steadily climbed the organizational ladder, making a stop at each level over the past three seasons.
Last season was something of a breakout for the righty. In 17 games with High-A Rancho Cucamonga, he posted a 3.57 ERA with 92 strikeouts and just 22 walks in 85.2 innings. He then earned a late-season promotion to Double-A Tulsa, where he struggled. In seven starts, Santana produced a 5.51 ERA and walked 23 batters in 32.2 innings.
Returning to Tulsa this year, Santana was a completely different pitcher. He breezed through the Texas League in eight starts, posting a league-leading 51 strikeouts in 38.2 innings and a 2.56 ERA.
That earned him a promotion to Triple-A Oklahoma City, where Santana made his debut on Saturday. In six scoreless innings, he allowed just three hits, no walks and struck out a career-high 11 batters for the second time in his last three starts.
Armed with a mid-90s sinker, a hard slider and a developing changeup, Santana’s allayed concerns about his ability to start with the advancements he’s made to his change. If the Dodgers need a starter, Santana is definitely an option.
However, the Dodgers may opt to use Santana in the same capacity that they used Walker Buehler last season: in relief. He has some experience coming out of the bullpen, with 35 of his 91 career appearances coming as a reliever. It could also serve to limit his innings, as Santana went just 118.1 frames last season.
Whether the Dodgers rebound and make a run at another World Series appearances or completely tank the rest of the season, it seems sure that Santana will make his MLB debut this year. The smart money is him coming up late in the year as a reliever, but don’t rule out the possibility of him joining the rotation if he keeps pitching the way he has been.
