Dodgers’ Josh Ravin and His Journey to the Majors

For some the journey to the majors is an easy road, for others, like Dodgers’ Josh Ravin, it meant putting in hard work day in and day out for nine years.

Imagine being just 18 years old when you find out you were drafted into the majors. As a senior at Chatsworth High School in Chatsworth, California, Josh Ravin got that call.

In 2006 Ravin was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the fifth round of the MLB June Amateur Draft. It looked like all his dreams came true, but what no one knew was the long journey to the majors that lay ahead.

Ravin has pitched for minor league teams in Florida, Montana, Ohio, Arizona, Virginia, California, Kentucky, Tennessee, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Baseball has taken him all over the states in nine years. Day in and day out Josh Ravin was tested to stick with the game.

He gave up a chance to attend and play college baseball in order to pursue his dream leaving high school. It speaks volumes of Ravin’s character to stay with the sport through all the years. Many minor leaguers will vouch and say that there is nothing glamorous about the long bus rides, chaos of being called up or the heartbreak of moving down. The minors teach a player just how hard it is to make it to the majors.

Ravin through it all remained focused. On September 19, 2013 Josh Ravin was claimed off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers, but then was out righted by them just a month later on October 23. Ravin then became a free agent and the Dodgers picked him up on December 13, 2013. He spent half of the 2014 season with the AA Chattanooga Lookouts and then second half with the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes team. Between both AA and AAA, Ravin posted an ERA of .355 in 23 games and a record of 2-1. His hard work earned him an invite to spring training 2015 as a non-roster invitee.

After spring training, the Dodgers assigned Ravin to the AAA team in Oklahoma City. The day that he had always dreamed about was quickly approaching. Josh Ravin’s dream of pitching in the major leagues was fulfilled on June 2, 2015 when the Dodgers called him up and added him to the bullpen.

He made his debut that same evening and faced the Colorado Rockies. In his first outing he struck out DJ LeMahieu and earned the win. For the remainder of the 2015 season, Josh Ravin pitched in nine games and allowed seven runs in 9 1/3 innings of work.

Josh Ravin’s Father bought a pack of Topps baseball cards, only to find his son’s Rookie Major League card inside.

It took Josh Ravin nine minor league seasons before making his major league debut. He stayed focused and worked hard day in and day out through the grind of the minor leagues. Through it all he also remained positive. On his Twitter account is countless motivational quotes that Josh Ravin frequently shares.

Recently he also posted about working out at Dodger Stadium.

As a life-long Dodger fan, I personally cannot help but root for a guy that perseveres though so much in order to make his dreams a reality. With the bullpen being shaky last season, it looks like Josh Ravin will be able to start with the Dodgers this season. Hopefully there is much more of Ravin to come in 2016.