As the active roster of the Los Angeles Dodgers continues to spin in circles, fans can add another name to their get-to-know list this weekend.
In Sunday’s weekend series finale against the Brewers, 23-year-old lefty Justin Wrobleski will get his first major league start. Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing 190 pounds, the Illinois native is probably smaller than today’s standards for starting pitchers. However, he’s one of the fastest rising stars on the farm and packs an above average heater that clocks in around 97 MPH.
It’s too soon to know how Wrobleski’s addition will impact the roster, as the club will need to make room on the 26-man and 40-man rosters. The team will likely announce a decision several hours ahead of Sunday’s contest.
Regardless, Wrobleski is currently ranked No. 14 by MLB Pipeline among the Los Angeles top prospects. He was originally selected by the Dodgers in the 11th round of the 2021 draft after making stops at Clemson, State Junior College in Florida and Oklahoma State during his collegiate career.
Wrobleski had UCL surgery two months before the draft, but that didn’t stop the Dodgers from taking a flyer on the southpaw in the middle rounds. After making his organization debut in 2022 at Low-A Rancho Cucamonga, he pitched exclusively for High-A Great lakes last year, compiling a 4-4 record with a 2.90 ERA over 23 starts and 102-1/3 innings of work.
Wrobleski made 13 starts at Double-A Tulsa to start his 2024 campaign, but he was quickly promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City when scouting directors saw the possibility of an MLB debut. In two starts with OKC, the lefty has an 0-1 record with a 4.25 ERA and 17 punchouts over 10-1/3 innings.
Wrobleski’s repertoire is as deep as anyone’s on the farm. In addition to his four-seam, his primary pitches are a slider and a change. He also mixes in an occasional two-seam and a curve.
One of Wrobleski’s biggest strengths is his command. So far this year, his BB/9 is just 1.8, which is exceptional for a 23-year-old farmhand.
Despite his high velocity, one of his biggest weaknesses is the lack of movement on his four-seam. It will be interesting to see how big league hitters attack him, as he throws the heater 46% of the time. Still, his velo and ability to locate his fastball have offset that dilemma so far during his days on the farm.
Nevertheless, just getting an MLB start is an incredibly high achievement for any minor league pitcher. Right now, it appears that the Dodgers are using Wrobleski to give the current five-man rotation an extra day of rest. However, if he impresses, he could join Landon Knack among the capable MLB-ready pitchers directly on the fringe.