The Dodgers minor league system just went wild, with every single affiliate playing in a high-scoring barn burner where no team put up or gave up fewer than six runs. We’re talking absolute fireworks across the board, but one twenty-one-year-old outfield prospect, Josue De Paula, absolutely blew up, showing everyone why he’s a name to watch.
De Paula Just Built Different, Even If His Team Couldn’t Finish
De Paula, playing for the Double-A Tulsa Drillers, literally kicked off his game with a solo shot on the very first pitch he saw. A first-pitch homer, people! That’s just raw power and a “no time wasted” mentality. He wasn’t done, either. He reached base in four of his next five plate appearances. The dude was on a mission to get on base! It’s a total bummer though, because despite all his efforts, De Paula never actually scored. The three hitters right after him went a shocking 0 for 14. Talk about getting let down by your lineup. Even with the Drillers losing 8-7 to the Hooks, with a single unearned run being the difference thanks to three defensive errors, De Paula was a beast. He reached base five times, but Jake Gelof and Elijah Hainline just couldn’t drive him in. Brutal.
Snell’s Rough Start & OKC’s Offensive Fireworks
Meanwhile, up in Triple-A, Blake Snell was out there for a rehab start with the Oklahoma City Comets, and honestly, it looked like he was laboring a bit. He gave up multiple home runs, walked three batters, and only punched out two in 3.2 innings, tossing 73 pitches before getting pulled in the middle of the fourth. Not exactly a dominant return, right? But hey, it’s a rehab start, gotta shake off the rust. Despite Snell’s shaky outing, the Comets offense was absolutely cooking, bagging a 10-6 win over the Bees. They jumped out scoring three in the first and another three in the second, just straight-up firing on all cylinders to hit double digits. The Comets finished that game with more free passes than punchouts (9 walks to 8 strikeouts) and Ryan Ward had himself a day, blasting out three hits for four RBI. That’s how you bail out your starter!
Errors, Free Passes, And A Ninth-Inning Scare
Over in High-A, the Great Lakes Loons nearly blew it, letting a five-run ninth inning almost cost them the victory against the Dragons. They scraped by with an 8-7 win, but man, that had to be a nail-biter. Emil Morales was the hero there, crushing a three-run shot in the seventh, the biggest hit of the game and the only Loons player with multiple RBI. And let’s shout out starter Tyler Gough, who was absolutely dealing, racking up a season-high 11 strikeouts and giving up just one hit and a single run through 5.2 innings. This guy’s been a strikeout machine since his call-up! Reliever Reynaldo Yean definitely kept things interesting, nearly throwing it all away in the ninth, but they held on.
It’s clear that the Dodgers’ farm system is buzzing with talent and crazy games. For guys like Josue De Paula, it’s about continuing to show off that raw talent and proving he’s ready for the next level. For the big leaguers like Snell, it’s all about getting back into game shape. What’s next? More fireworks, more high-scoring drama, and hopefully, De Paula finally getting driven in!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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