The Los Angeles Dodgers have one of MLB’s deepest farm systems, which is highlighted by their stable of position players led by Diego Cartaya, Miguel Vargas, Andy Pages and Michael Busch.
However, the organization also has multiple quality pitching prospects, headlined by Bobby Miller and Ryan Pepiot, along with pitchers having breakout seasons, including Gavin Stone and Nick Nastrini, and other high-upside arms, such as Landon Knack and Maddux Bruns.
Miller is Dodgers’ No. 1 pitching prospect, and just behind Cartaya overall. Stone and Nastrini have been making a name for themselves throughout the 2022 Minor League season and rapidly rising through the system.
All three of the right-handers were rewarded for their success with a promotion, with Miller and Stone heading for Triple-A Oklahoma City, and Nastrini moving up to Double-A Tulsa, according to Kyle Glaser of Baseball America:
The Dodgers have promoted RHPs Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone to Triple-A Oklahoma City and RHP Nick Nastrini to Double-A Tulsa, according to team front office officials.
Miller and Stone are the Nos. 24 and 55 prospects on the BA Top 100, respectively. Nastrini is a big riser.
— Kyle Glaser (@KyleAGlaser) August 15, 2022
Miller was selected by the Dodgers in the first round, 29th overall, of the 2020 MLB Draft. He has since risen to being recognized as a top-100 prospect in the sport thanks to his triple-digits fastball and plus-slider.
The 23-year-old has thrown 91 innings with Tulsa this season with a 4.45 ERA. While his run prevention numbers aren’t ideal, his 3.44 FIP suggests he has been far better than the ERA shows and he has also struck out 30.5% of hitters while walking 8.1%.
Stone was another pick by the Dodgers in the 2020 Draft, selected in the fifth round (159th overall). The 23-year-old has been dominant at two levels this season, which makes this his third promotion of the year after starting with the High-A Great Lakes Loons.
Stone has thrown 73.1 innings for the Drillers, posting a 1.60 ERA and 2.23 FIP while striking out 35.3% of hitters and walking 9.9%. With the Loons, Stone pitched 25 innings with a 1.44 ERA, 2.62 FIP and a 28% strikeout rate with a 6% walk rate.
Nastrini was selected in the fourth round, 131st overall, of the 2021 Draft, but he was limited to just 14 innings last season. This year, Nastrini has thrown 86.1 innings for the Loons while pitching to a 3.86 ERA and 3.89 FIP.
The 22-year-old has been rising through the system thanks to his three plus-pitches — a fastball, slider and curveball — which he uses to post a high strikeout rate of 34.9%. However, he has struggled somewhat with his control, walking 10.7% of hitters.
Dodgers lose Walker Buehler to season-ending surgery
The Dodgers announced Walker Buehler will undergo season-ending elbow surgery on Tuesday, Aug. 23. Dr. Neal ElAttrache will perform the operation, but no other details have been made available.
Buehler was placed on the 15-day injured list June 11 due to a right flexor tendon strain. Facing a prolonged recovery, he then underwent surgery to remove bone spurs from his right elbow. The operation was not expected to impact Buehler’s timeline.
Both he and the Dodgers maintained optimism a return in September was feasible, but Buehler continued to have pain while throwing, which prompted the MRI and decision to have surgery.
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