Dodger fans who follow this site regularly are well aware that we have been closely following Dodgers right-handed pitching prospect Walker Buehler since the Dodgers selected the (then) 20-year-old Lexington, Kentucky native in the first round of the 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Vanderbilt University.

What made Buehler’s selection noteworthy at the time is that the Dodgers drafted the young right-hander knowing full well that he would immediately require Tommy John surgery, which he underwent two months later on August 5, 2015.

After a seemingly faster then normal recovery and rehabilitation period, the extremely polite and soft-spoken Buehler immediately began proving that the gamble that Dodgers Director of Amateur Scouting Billy Gasparino had made on him was a wise one when, on July 7, 2016 – a mere 11 months after his surgery – he made his professional debut with the Dodgers Low Single-A affiliate Great Lakes Loons, pitching two innings in which he did not allow a run or hit while walking one and striking out two. He also collect his first professional win.

Buehler’s next appearance was with the Arizona Rookie League Dodgers on August 10, 2016 in which he again tossed two scoreless innings without allowing a hit or walk while striking out three of the six batters he faced. His final appearance of 2016 was back with the Loons on August 28, 2016 where, yet again, did not allow a run or a hit in his one inning of work while walking two and striking out one. A wise gamble indeed.

Buehler began the 2017 season with the Dodgers Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, where he made five starts, none lasting more than 3.2 innings. While this prevented the now 21-year-old from qualifying for a win, he allowed a grand total of two earned runs on eight total hits with 27 strikeouts (that’s not a typo) and walked only five in his combined 16.1 innings pitched while posting a ridiculous 1.10 ERA. It was with the Quakes that I first witnessed Buehler pitch in person and was absolutely blown away by his command and control while consistently hovering around the 97 to 98-MPH mark with his fastball. It came as a surprise to absolutely no one when he was promoted to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers on May 10, 2017.

Some are already calling Walker Buehler “The right-handed Clayton Kershaw.” Wouldn’t that be something.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

With the Drillers the Dodgers finally took the kid gloves off Buehler, allowing him to stretch out his innings on his surgically-repaired right elbow. In 11 starts with the Drillers, he posted a 2-2 record and excellent 3.49 EA while walking 15 and striking out 64 in 49.0 innings pitched. And even though he spent nearly two weeks on the disabled list from June 4-15, the move was more than likely a paper move rather than an actual injury … if you get my drift.

It was during his Tulsa time that we here at ThinkBlueLA began suggesting that it was quite possible that Buehler might be a potential September call-up to the Dodgers this season, something that very few other bloggers, writers or journalists even contemplated. In fact, our first hint that we might soon see him pitching at Dodger Stadium came on May 13, 2017 after his debut with the Drillers. This hint became a full-blown prediction by us on July 5, 2017 when Buehler was named as the Texas League Pitcher of the Week after his stellar performance on June 30 in which he struck out seven Frisco RoughRiders (Rangers) in 5.1 innings of work while allowing only one hit (a single). A wise gamble indeed.

Southern California Dodger fans may soon get another opportunity to watch Buehler pitch live and in person again … at Dodger Stadium. You heard it here first. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Sure enough, and once again as a surprise to absolutely no one, Buehler was promoted to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers this past Sunday. And although there has been no official word from the Dodgers – either of them – as to when Buehler will make his Pacific Coast League debut, he last pitched for the Drillers on Saturday, July 15, which lines him up to start for OKC on Thursday, July 20. Should everything go as planned and barring the unforeseen, Walker Buehler, who turns 23 years old on July 28, could conceivably have nine Triple-A starts under his belt by September 1. By then the Dodgers and Dodger fans will have a very good idea if we will see him under the lights at Dodger Stadium as a September call-up – this potentially even before his first major league spring training camp.

A wise gamble indeed.