MLB News: Rockies Sign Former Dodgers First Round Draft Pick
This one here is really for Chris Taylor fans, but Dodgers fans who survived the Frank McCourt era can enjoy too… and shudder. According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Colorado Rockies signed one-time top LA pitching prospect Zach Lee to a minor league deal.
Lee was the team’s first round draft pick back in 2010. Already committed to playing football at LSU, the Dodgers had to pony up the dough for the number 28 overall pick. Former GM Ned Colletti gave Lee a $5.25 million signing bonus and his baseball career began in earnest.
Quickly, however, it went fairly downhill. After four-plus seasons in the minor leagues with mostly mixed results, the right-handed pitcher made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 2015. He made a spot start for LA, getting rocked for 7 runs over 4.2 innings pitched.
The next season, one of the most famous transactions in recent history took place.
Today, the #Dodgers acquired infielder Chris Taylor from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for RHP Zach Lee.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 20, 2016
Lee was traded to Seattle for infielder Chris Taylor. In the years since that deal, the now 30-year-old pitcher has bounced around from organization to organization while Taylor has established himself as one of the most underrated stars in baseball.
Last year, Bill Shaikin of the LA Times caught up with the infamous former Dodger who opened up about his career and his desire to keep playing.
At only 30-years-old, there’s still plenty of chance for Zach to establish a decent major league career. Pitching for the Rockies at Coors Field certainly adds to the challenge, but the path to a spot in the Colorado rotation is as clear as any organization.
The hurler has a 4.58 ERA with 925 strikeouts and 347 walks over 243 career minor league games.
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