Dodgers: Mitchell White is Back on Track With the Tulsa Drillers

Before Dodgers’ prospects, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May emerged, there was another ascending right-hander in the Dodgers’ farm system and that was Mitchell White.

In 2019, the Dodgers’ farm system remains strong as it’s stocked with plenty of prospects despite graduating prospects like Cody Bellinger, Walker Buehler, and Corey Seager in recent seasons.  The latest pitching prospects that emerged last season are Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May.  Before them, there was another talented right-hander in Mitchell White.

White was drafted in the second round of the 2016 MLB draft and was ranked as high as seventh on the Dodgers’ prospect lists over the last few seasons, at a time when some of the aforementioned prospects took up the higher rankings.  This season Mitch ranks as LA’s number eight prospect according to MLB.com, although he was once as highly regarded as May and Gonsolin.

In 2017, Mitch White burst onto the scene pitching to a 2.93 ERA in nineteen starts between the Arizona rookie league, Rancho Cucamonga, and Tulsa.  He was well on his way to being one of the Dodgers’ best pitching prospects.  Then last year, Mitch had a late start to his season dealing with arm and back ailments and had a disastrous season by his standards.  White pitched to a 4.53 ERA and struggled in the first half posting an ERA of 5.97.

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In the second half of 2017, White pitched much better with an ERA of 3.91 and his control was much better.  Last night, White dominated pitching six shutout innings while allowing just one hit with nine strikeouts.  Through six starts this season, he has a 1.85 ERA and is holding the opposition to a .151 average.  It’s safe to say that White is back on track as an intriguing pitching prospect.

Stuff has never been a question for White as he throwing in the low to mid 90’s with sinking movement and also features a slider, curveball, and changeup.  Mitch is primarily a fastball-slider pitcher but to make it in the big leagues as an above average starter, he will need to fine-tune his curveball and changeup. A more polished changeup could work wonders for him and give him a higher ceiling.

Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin get the bulk of the prospect attention, and rightfully so, but Mitch White has the stuff to be just as good if not better than them at the big league level.  It wasn’t too long ago that White was in the list of 100 top prospects in the minor leagues.  If he keeps dominating, it would not be surprising to see him make his way to Los Angeles this season. At the very least he should earn a long look next spring.