June 28th, 2016 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka When the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes swept the San Jose Giants in three games to capture the 2015 California League Championship last September – their first since becoming the Dodgers Advanced Single-A affiliate in 2011 – they did so behind the stellar pitching of right-handers Chase De Jong, Scott Barlow and Trevor Oaks. But noticeably missing from the Quakes playoff roster was (then) 23-year-old right-hander Brock Stewart, who two weeks earlier had been assigned to the Arizona Rookie League Dodgers to limit his innings. And though the Normal, Illinois native and Dodgers 2014 sixth-round draft pick (out of Illinois State University) missed out on the game action, he played an important role in helping the Quakes get there.
Oh what a difference a year makes.
Stewart began the 2016 season back with the Quakes and quickly caught the attention of the Dodgers front office by going 2-0 in his first two starts with an insane 0.82 ERA. His 10 strikeouts against only two walks in 11.0 innings of work earned him both the Cal League Pitcher of the Week honors and a quick promotion to Double-A Tulsa on April 15 after only nine days.
In his nine starts with the Drillers, Stewart posted a 3-3 record with a minuscule 1.12 ERA while striking out 62 and walking 10 through 56.1 innings pitched, for which he was promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City on June 10, this time after 56 days with the Drillers.
This is where is really gets good.
In his three starts with the OKC Dodgers, Stewart posed a 3-0 record and 2.89 ERA. But in those three starts he struck out seven batters once and 10 batters twice while walking only two through 18.2 innings of work. Now keep in mind, he arrived at Triple-A Oklahoma City only 18 days ago.
But during those 18 days the (L.A.) Dodgers made several roster moves, including optioning struggling right-hander Mike Bolsinger back to OKC and calling up recently acquired right-hander Nick Tepesch to make a spot start for the Dodgers against the Pittsburgh Pirates last Friday. He got shelled, allowing five runs on seven hits (including a home run) while striking out three in his four innings pitched. Tepesch ended up suffering the eventual 8-6 loss and he and his 11.25 ERA were designated for assignment immediately following the game. (He was claimed off waivers by the Oakland As on Monday afternoon).
With Bolsinger and Tepesch no longer available, rumors and speculation began running rampant as to who the Dodgers’ new (or at least latest) number five starter would be. Among the names being tossed around were previous fifth starter Ross Stripling, who had been shut down to conserve his innings after coming back from Tommy John surgery on March 5, 2014, right-hander Carlos Frias, who was coming back from an oblique injury, right-hander Jharel Cotton, who has yet to pitch in the big leagues, top right-handed pitching prospect Jose De Leon (ditto) and Brock Stewart (ditto again, obviously). Although some were hedging their bets towards Frias or Cotton – if for no other reason than they were both already on the Dodgers 40-man roster – news leaked over Twitter on Monday afternoon (undoubtedly with the team’s approval) that Stewart had received the magic phone call.
Although there has not yet been official confirmation of the move by the Dodgers, such a post on Twitter generally means that it’s a done deal. If this is indeed the case – and there is absolutely no reason to believe otherwise – Stewart will become one of very few Dodgers to make it from Advanced Single-A to the major leagues in the same season (Paco Rodriguez skipped Advanced Single-A) and quite possibly the first to ever do so before the All-Star break.
Godspeed to you Brock Stewart!
Posted in 
Tepesch has been claimed off waivers by Oakland.
Brock’s story is a good one indeed and most likely beyond his wildest dreams at the start of the season.
I have watched him pitch on MiLB.TV at both Tulsa and OKC. He really appears to know how to pitch and is all about business with total concentration. Gets the ball and pitches.
Throwing strikes has definitely been a key for him. Hopefully he will do the same in his first MLB game. That is, just go after hitters and not try to nibble because they are as new to him as he is to them. Plus they also use round bats.
A MLB scout in a conversation with Alex Freedman,the voice of OKC Dodgers, indicated that Brock Stewart has both a fastball and change up that are at least MLB average.
Go for it Brock. Enjoy the moment.
Knowing the batters won’t be a problem if he has AJ out there to handle that part.
The batters knowing him….. That’s their problem. I don’t think AJ is gonna help ’em.
Of course, I think I’ve been somewhat clear that I think AJ should be out there everyday.
I’m with you on AJ.
Looking forward to seeing Stewart against ML hitters. I hope Dodgers give him best chance for success and put AJ behind plate even though a RH’er pitching for Brewers.
Also hope AJ is behind the plate.
I trust that you guy realize that Steward’s stay in the bigs will probably be a short one. I expect to see Brandon McCarthy activated from the DL within the next week or two and perhaps Hyun-jin Ryu within the next month.
I will say, however, that having seen Ryu in two of his rehabs starts, he is nowhere near the pitcher he was in his first three years with the Dodgers and I will be surprised if he makes it through even one year of the three years remaining on his six-year contract. If this is the case, I suspect that Stripling will be ahead of Stewart on the Dodgers starting pitching depth chart – unless, of course, Brock absolutely tears it up in his (probable) one or two starts with the Dodgers.
I don’t know Ron, I am pretty good at gut feel about the Dodgers and my gut tells me Stewart is here to stay.
I disagree – unless the unthinkable happens (and I’ll leave it at that).
There is no way that the Dodgers FO will not give McCarthy and Ryu an opportunity to return to the starting rotation before giving the job(s) to guys like Urias, Stripling and/or Stewart. It will take a complete failure by McCarthy and/or Ryu before and of the other three become permanent fixtures in the Dodgers rotation … and yes, it’s all about the money owed to Brandon and Hyun-jin.
But that certainly doesn’t lessen our passion or desire to see these kids in the rotation – not even slightly. We are definitely on the same page with that that one.
Would like to see Stewart follow in Stripling’s footsteps and pitch a great game in his MLB debut.
I also would prefer AJ Ellis behind the plate. Not certain Grandal is their best option right now. AJ has better tools between the ears.
I’d rather see Jonathan Lucroy catch Stewart … and every other Dodger pitcher.
#JustSayin.
I think I could wrap my brain around that concept. Don’t suppose this deal would come cheap though.
I don’t think it’s gonna happen in the next 9 hours.
lol! Agree. Although I remember when the Dodgers acquired a guy (exactly who escapes me at the moment) during a series and he moved from one clubhouse over to the other; so … it could happen. (wishful thinking, of course).