Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Praises Gavin Stone Ahead of First Game
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Dodgers RHP Gavin Stone is getting set for his MLB debut on Wednesday. The Dodgers officially called him up Wednesday morning and optioned LHP Alex Vesia to Triple-A Oklahoma City to get him onto the active roster.
Stone is finally in the majors and getting set for his highly anticipated MLB debut.
The pitching prospect has risen up the minor leagues at a rapid pace after being drafted with the second-to-last pick in the five-round 2020 draft.
He put his name on everyone’s radar with a dominant spring training this year, and after a few good starts in Triple-A, the Dodgers just couldn’t wait any longer to bring him up.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked about Stone on Tuesday, and had some very high praise for him ahead of his Wednesday debut.
“Outside of looking at the baby face,” Roberts said, “he looked like he had been around a lot longer with the way that he carried himself. There's a confidence. There's a curiosity. There's an openness. And also, now when he's on the mound there's that bulldog in him.”
As for his actual abilities on the field…
“On his skillset,” Roberts said, “I didn't appreciate how good his command of the fastball was. Obviously he's got a plus changeup and he can spin the baseball. So, all of those components I was impressed by.”
After struggling in his first start of the year at Triple-A, Stone has looked very sharp, allowing just one earned run in his last two starts where he’s pitched 9.2 innings and struck out 15 batters.
He’s showed off that wicked changeup, and will surely put it on display on Wednesday in his MLB debut.
Don't sleep on his slider as well, which grades as another above average pitch in his arsenal.
I don’t expect him to go more than four innings, but if he’s dealing, Dodger fans should expect to see a lot of strikeouts and a lot of swings and misses.
We don’t know if Stone is coming up for one day or for a potentially longer stay, but we’ll see what Roberts has to say, and if the right-hander’s play on Wednesday will force the Dodgers’ hand a certain way.
No matter what happens, though, Dodger fans should be very excited to watch the team’s No. 4 prospect pitch. He has all the makings of a future star.
