Dodgers Sign Pitcher Out of Indy Ball, He Dominates First Minor League Start

May 21, 2019; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A detail view of Los Angeles Dodgers hat and glove at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports | Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Chris Vallimont to a minor league deal and threw him straight in the fire.

His first assignment? A Wednesday night start against for Triple-A Oklahoma City against the Albuquerque Isotopes, who play in perhaps the most hitter-friendly ballpark in minor league baseball.

#Dodgers have signed 27-year-old RHP Chris Vallimont to a minor league deal. Made his ML debut with Baltimore last year and has extensive Triple-A experience. Was in independent ball this season.

He'll start for OKC tonight and will be the team's 100th transaction of 2024.

— Alex Freedman (@azfreedman) May 29, 2024

All Vallimont did in his debut was throw six shutout innings, allow four hits and one walk, and strike out five batters. He threw 73 pitches in all, and only three were hit harder than 100 mph.

What a team debut by Chris Vallimont!

6.0 IP | 4 H | 0 R | 1 BB | 5 K pic.twitter.com/d17jB9sfHc

— Oklahoma City Baseball Club (@okc_baseball) May 30, 2024

The 27-year-old was a former fifth-round draft pick of the Miami Marlins in 2018. He was the No. 147 overall pick. The Pennsylvania native made his big league debut with the Baltimore Orioles. Vallimont recorded two outs in relief appearances last summer — the only experience of his big-league career — before he was traded to the Cleveland Guardians and eventually removed from their 40-man roster.

Vallimont became a free agent this offseason and signed with the York Revolution, who play in the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He posted a 3.29 ERA and 33 strikeouts over his five starts.

Vallimont's impressive performance caught the attention of the Dodgers' organization enough to earn one of professional baseball's toughest pitching assignments outside of a big league game.

Vallimont has recorded a 24-33 record in the minor leagues, a 5.00 ERA, 497 strikeouts, and a 1.40 WHIP in 113 career games and 441.0 innings. In his MLB career, he holds a 0.00 ERA in 0.2 innings of work, one strikeout, and a 1.50 WHIP.

In his professional career, Vallimont has spent time with the Marlins, Minnesota Twins, Orioles, Guardians, and now Dodgers organizations.