Ryan Falla
Dodgers pitching prospect Jared Karros, currently with the Low A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, has received the Cal League Pitcher of the Month award for a blistering month of May that saw the young star strike out 25 hitters across 19.1 innings of work. Drafted in the 16th round of the 2022 draft, Jared Karros comes out of UCLA where he sported 48 strikeouts across 41 total innings. His college career also saw him sport a proficiency with keeping hitters off base as he allowed just 7 walks across 2 limited seasons. On the year with the Quakes Karros has limited hitters to just 9 walks across eight starts.
“I’m feeling really good. It’s been fun being back out here and getting comfortable on the mound. I feel good with all my pitches, I’m just competing out there and having a good time.”
It’s encouraging to see Karros start off his Dodgers career on such a hot pace given his limited innings at UCLA on top of a missed 2022 campaign. April saw the young star hit the ground running as he kept hitters limited to a minuscule .532 OPS with 15 strikeouts across his three starts. May has only seen his pace grow hotter as he’s allowed only 3 runs across his 19.1 IP on the month while walking just 4 on his 25 strikeouts. Overall his WHIP sits at an eye-popping 0.78 while his ERA on the month sits at 1.40. Karros finds himself 7th in ERA among all pitchers across the Cal League with at least 20 innings pitched. His 9 total walks on the season place him 12th within the Cal League.
“The stuff’s gotten a lot better since I’ve been here. The focus has just been on throwing strikes, as long as your throwing strikes your getting yourself in position to get strikeouts. My pitches play off each other well but it always comes down to being able to move the fastball, throw it where I want. The secondary pitches do their job from there”
Jared Karros looks to continue his torrid pace as the Quakes roll into the month of June with a two-week road trip facing the Modesto Nuts before heading to San Jose to face the Giants. The Quakes currently lead the Cal League with 32 wins and are 4.5 games up on the 26-win 66ers.
