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The Dodgers on Saturday trotted out a rather youthful starting pitcher to face the Padres in Cactus League action. The details ...
17-year-old LHP Julio Urias will start today's ballgame against the Padres. #Dodgers
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 15, 2014
Julio Urias did not disappoint, either, as he retired all three batters he faced, getting a groundout and two strikeouts.
Last season Julio Urias, whom the Dodgers signed out of Mexico, pitched to a 2.48 ERA and a 4.19 K/BB ratio in 54 1/3 innings in the Midwest League ... as a 16-year-old.
To state the obvious, Urias was the youngest player in the circuit by a large margin, and that gives some hint as to his potential. Seriously: 16-year-olds aren't supposed to even dip a toe into the Midwest League, let alone put up those kind of numbers. Sixteen! By the end of his time there, the lefty was working his fastball in the mid 90s. For those and other reasons, Baseball Prospectus ranked Urias as the top prospect in the Dodgers system.
