In the offseason prior to the 2019 season, the Dodgers pulled off a blockbuster trade to send Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Alex Wood, and Kyle Farmer to the Cincinnati Reds for Homer Bailey’s albatross contract and two mid-level prospects, Josiah Gray and Jeter Downs.
Since the trade, Gray and Downs have blossomed and are now amongst the most elite prospects in not just the Dodgers’ system, but in all of baseball.
Today, right-hander Josiah Gray was announced as a nominee for both Minor League Baseball Breakout Prospect of the Year and the Top Starting Pitcher Award.
This guy Josiah Gray was out of this world in 2019 for us & the rest of the @Dodgers system! Vote for @JGrayy_ as Breakout Prospect & Top Starting Pitcher in the MiLBYs!
Vote >> https://t.co/gEIVXjEupl pic.twitter.com/KUtqtuK4Cl
— Great Lakes Loons (@greatlakesloons) October 17, 2019
Gray is well-deserving of the honor, amassing 147 strikeouts in 130 innings across three levels (Rancho, Great Lakes, Tulsa). He posted a 2.28 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in that timeframe. Across his body of work, he allowed just three home runs. The kid looks special.
He should progress to Triple-A Oklahoma City at some point in 2020 and could present an intriguing September call-up option next season should he continue adding to his excellent body of work. Gray adds yet another name with a fantastic right arm to the Dodgers’ recent successes with pitching prospects.
Walker Buehler, Dustin May, Julio Urías, Tony Gonsolin, and Josiah Gray in a starting rotation one day? The upside in that fully homegrown rotation is ridiculous. Let’s hope Gray’s development can maintain its pace and that we see him succeeding in the big leagues in short order.
