Dodgers pitching prospect from Michael Busch trade starting to justify team's decision

The future is bright for left-hander Jackson Ferris.

Los Angeles Dodgers v Toronto Blue Jays
Los Angeles Dodgers v Toronto Blue Jays | Cole Burston/GettyImages

Jackson Ferris, the No. 6-ranked prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers' farm system, is living up to the hype and then some in his second pro season and first with the Dodgers.

On Thursday, Ferris tossed a career-high eight innings of no-hit ball for High-A Great Lakes in a 6-1 win over Cedar Rapids. Though Ferris issued four walks, he also struck out six, retired 13 of his first 14 hitters, and finished strong by retiring the final five batters he faced after escaping a jam on just two pitches in the seventh inning.

Ferris, who was operating under a pitch count of 100, was pulled after eight innings and 98 pitches and watched Great Lakes’ combined no-hit bid fall short in the ninth inning. Ferris has been given a long leash this season, and his 98 pitches in Thursday's game were three short of a career high of 101 set on July 13 in Great Lakes' 7-4 victory over the Fort Wayne TinCaps.

Dodgers pitching prospect from Michael Busch trade starting to justify team's decision in Michael Busch trade

The eighth-ranked left-handed pitching prospect in all of baseball, Ferris is having a strong season with High-A Great Lakes. Through 20 starts this season, he has a 4-4 record and a 3.39 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .198 batting average.

The Dodgers acquired Ferris and outfield prospect Zyhir Hope in a January trade with the Chicago Cubs for reliever Yency Almonte and top infield prospect Michael Busch. Understandably, Dodgers fans were uneasy about parting with Busch in particular, who ranked as Los Angeles' No. 1 prospect and won MVP of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League last year after batting .323/.431/.618 with 27 home runs and 90 RBI for Triple-A Oklahoma City. But so far, Ferris is proving to be a pretty strong return.

Outings like Thursday's have gone a long way in vindicating the Dodgers' decision to acquire Ferris this offseason. He set a career high with 11 strikeouts against West Michigan on July 6, and has completed at least six innings in six of his last seven appearances.

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