Dodgers Continue to Take the Right Approach With Julio Urias
- Updated: July 22, 2016
The Los Angeles Dodgers have a plan for rookie phenom Julio Urias on the mound. At least, they have a plan as long as the rest of the roster doesn’t screw it up. Urias is just 19 years old. The Dodgers have long-held a desire to limit his innings this season, and for good reason. Despite being MLB.com’s number-two prospect in the entire sport, he has never thrown more than 87.2 innings in a professional season. That total came in High-A ball in 2014. Last year, over four levels of the minor leagues, Urias reached just 80.1 innings. And now, in 2016, between Triple-A Oklahoma City and the big club, he has already thrown 78.1 innings (as of 7/21).
It would be worrisome to see him increase his innings totals so dramatically one season to the next. Although pitching injuries are unpredictable in their very nature, nearly all organizations agree that a sharp spike in innings pitched is a recipe for disaster. That is why Los Angeles had a plan: he would come up and make a few spot starts for the Dodgers, as he already did, and then return to Triple-A to move to the bullpen. Moving him to the pen, whether in Triple-A or MLB, would dramatically limit his innings total yet still allow Julio Urias to throw and remain involved. He could also learn valuable skills, like learning “how to warm up quickly and to pitch on consecutive days.”
However, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged a possible flaw in this system. “It’s also contingent on starting pitching. If we need a starting pitcher, that changes things as well.” Right now Los Angeles does indeed need starting pitching, with major injuries to Clayton Kershaw, Alex Wood, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brett Anderson, which is why it called Urias back up to start Thursday night’s game.
That decision doesn’t necessarily change things moving forward. The team still doesn’t want to ramp up Urias’ usage. This kid has a chance to be the real deal for years to come.
Though his first taste of the Majors has been sketchy, Urias possesses all the tools you would want in a young arm. He has a plus-fastball that sits in the mid-90s and can reach 97; he also has a challenging change-up and looping curveball. All three of his pitches grade out at 60 or better on the 20-80 scouting scale, meaning they are all Major-League-worthy.
The fact that he is this talented is great. The fact that he is already this talented at such a young age is even better. Urias is years ahead of his competition at every level of advancement. Upon reaching the Majors, he was more than nine years younger than the average ballplayer. And though he struggled in his first opportunity in the big show, he had breezed through each previous level. It seems like only a matter of time until that dominance transfers to the highest level as well.
That dominance could still be a number of years away though. His age, as well as his usage will factor into that. Besides innings limits, Urias has consistently stayed below the 100-pitch barrier in games. Facing orders just one or two times through will help his production, but it may not help his growth until he learns how to face the best hitters for the third time in a game.
His smooth delivery, left-handedness, good size and ability to repeat his motion sets him up for a future as a number-one starter in a rotation. He already has good command of the strike zone, which is so often the shortcoming of the best young prospects. All Julio Urias needs now is time.
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