Dodgers 2014 Minor League Review: Great Lakes Loons
How You Spell Relief
Along with Araujo, the Loons featured more legitimate bullpen prospects. One of the most noteworthy is Jacob Rhame, a sixth round pick in 2013 out of Grayson County Community College.
The hard-throwing Texan flirts with triple digits and adds a hard breaking ball to overpower hitters. He averaged 12 strikeouts per nine innings compared to just 1.9 walks per nine. He should be fast-tracked after dominating Low-A.
Lefty Michael Johnson led the team with 12.8 strikeouts per nine innings and posted a minuscule 1.83 ERA in 64 innings. Another 2013 draftee, Johnson should follow Rhame through the system and, if all goes well, could reach the Majors in a few years.
A pair of 2014 draftees, Matt Campbell and AJ Vanegas, appeared with the Loons this season and both did well. Campbell, an eighth-rounder out of Clemson, struck out 11.2 batters per nine innings and posted an ERA of 2.00 in 26 games. Vanegas, an 11th-rounder out of Stanford, only pitched in five games but is another legitimate bullpen arm.
And finally, the club had 2010 second rounder Ralston Cash for 29 games and he also struck out more than 11 batters per nine. He earned a late-season promotion to Double-A Chattanooga and held his own. The 23-year-old righty could soon reach a Major League bullpen.
Next Page: Struggling Hitters And Promising Pitching
