Dodgers Prospect Notes: Stone strong again, Rios rehab continues, Heubeck on a run, Serunkuma effective

August 6th, 2022 Scoreboard

• Triple A Oklahoma City 3, Salt Lake 4
• Double A Tulsa 9, Northwestern Arkansas 2
• High A Great Lakes 3, Lake County 6
• Low A Rancho Cucamonga 9, Inland Empire 4
• ACL Dodgers 3, ACL White Sox 5
• DSL Dodgers Mega 7, DSL Dodgers Bautista 8

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Gavin Stone had yet another impressive outing for Tulsa:

Gavin Stone he had another strong outing for Tulsa, as he lowered his MiLB-leading ERA to 1.32. Today's line:

4.0 IP
4 hits
0 runs
2 BBs
7 Ks⬇️ pic.twitter.com/zoTgzD0rve

— Josh Thomas (@jokeylocomotive) August 7, 2022

I know it’s in the video above, but I wanted to isolate for emphasis on why Stone’s changeup is getting a 70 grade from a few folks these days:

https://twitter.com/jokeylocomotive/status/1556077604830007296

It’s a weapon.

Stone’s outing being limited to 4.0 innings might be eye-catching, but there didn’t appear to be anything out of order. In fact, there are a few indicators that this was just the plan for the day, and perhaps going forward:

1. This was Stone’s fourth time facing Northwest Arkansas in two months
2. He had gone through the lineup two full times
3. He tossed 91.0 innings in 2021, he’s up to 93.1 in 2022, and it is likely that there is a plan to limit his year over year innings increase, as there are seven weeks left in the season

Lael Lockhart came on to pitch in the 5th, and he had been either a starter or a piggyback with Great Lakes, so the thing to look for in Stone’s next outing is whether this pattern repeats. Discretion is all too often the better part of valor, and play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

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Edwin Rios‘ rehab continued with Oklahoma City:

Edwin Rios doubled off the wall in left field in his rehab game with OKC, he went 1/2 with an RBI on a sac fly pic.twitter.com/tQjyf1Pvju

— Josh Thomas (@jokeylocomotive) August 7, 2022

Rios played 3B for Oklahoma City on Saturday, his fifth time at the hot corner in his seven rehab games, and he is slashing .273/.346/.455 while on the comeback trail.

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Peter Heubeck‘s run of scoreless outings continued on Saturday, as he made it six in a row for Rancho Cucamonga, tossing 2.1 IP, allowing two hits, with no walks, and striking out four.

The 2021 3rd round pick has put up a really impressive line over this run, tossing 11.0 IP, allowing 3 hits, 3 BBs, and striking out 15. The caution the Dodgers exercise may limit the hype he will receive, but this is an incredibly talented 20 year old, and he is on my short list for a 2023 breakout.

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Ben Serunkuma, one of two prospects the Dodgers signed out of Uganda, had another solid outing in the Dominican Summer League on Saturday, tossing 2.0 scoreless and striking out three. For the season, that gives him a line of 15.2 IP, ERA of 1.72, with a K/BB of 15/3.

As was the case before, I still have no idea about his stuff, as information from the DSL can be difficult to come by, but thus far, at least statistically, he appears to be handling his business.

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Lastly, Sunday’s scheduled starting pitchers for the full season affiliates:

• Triple A Oklahoma City – Robbie Erlin
• Double A Tulsa – John Rooney
• High A Great Lakes – Kendall Williams
• Low A Rancho Cucamonga – Maddux Bruns

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Enjoy your Sunday, folks.