Dodgers should be encouraged by rookie starter's weekend debut

The Los Angeles Dodgers have already had one rookie starting pitcher excel at the top level this year. Gavin Stone has been a stable presence in the middle of a handful of injuries. Could they have another moving forward?

No. 14 prospect (according to MLB Pipeline ) Justin Wrobleski made his big league debut on Sunday against Milwaukee. The final numbers didn't look terrific. He threw five innings and allowed a pair of home runs within four earned in what was a 9-2 loss. But he did some things across those five innings that merit some positive attention.

Wrobleski averaged 95 MPH on the fastball, topping out at 97.8. He generated whiffs at a 23 percent clip (including 25 with the fastball) and had a combined called-strike/whiff percentage of 30. He was able to generate swings outside of the zone with the cutter. His command was steady with just two walks.

Each speaks to the trends that Wrobleski showcased in the minor leagues. Especially the command, which had come along pretty steadily. It's more so unfortunate that his first start had to come against a Brewers team that has been a nightmare for opposing pitchers all season.

It's hard to imagine a world where Wrobleski doesn't have the chops to be an effective starting pitcher. The stuff is there and the Dodgers have the pitching infrastructure to help him maximize all of it.

The more immediate question is what his role will look like in the shorter-term.

Reinforcements are on the way in the form of Clayton Kershaw. Walker Buehler & Yoshinobu Yamamoto should return at some point, as well. To say nothing of the potential for the team to pursue an experienced innings-eater prior to the deadline.

FanGraphs only has Wrobleski getting two percent of starts for the rest of the year. Same with Baseball Prospectus . So the outlook for him is going to be much more of the longer-term variety. Perhaps 2025 for a legitimate crack at a sustained role. In the interim, though, the upside is tantalizing. He's clearly got the stuff and that was evident on Sunday.