LOS ANGELES, Calif. - On Nov. 20, former Statesmen closer and All-Gulf South Conference selection Brent Leach received the call he had been waiting to hear his whole life, the Los Angeles Dodgers had purchased his contract. That call could potentially change the life of the flame-throwing lefty forever. Currently, Leach is on the Dodgers 40-man roster with a guaranteed invitation to major league spring training.
Pitchers and catchers will report to the Dodgers spring training facility in Glendale, Ariz., on Feb. 14, 2009. This year's spring training will mark the first for the Dodgers in the Cactus League.
Leach, after sitting out the 2004 season due to an injury, pitched in 2005 for the Statesmen after transferring from the University of Southern Mississippi. Dominant is the only way to describe his performance. In 24 games and 31.0 innings, the Brandon native went 1-1 with seven saves. He allowed only eight runs all season, six earned, with 56 strikeouts.
During the NCAA South Central Regional at Ferriss Field, Leach helped send the Statesmen back to the College World Series with a lockdown perfromance against Central Oklahoma. In three innings of relief, the lefty allowed only one hit and struckout eight for his sixth save of the season. He would earn his seventh and last save of the year at the Division II College World Series in a 3-0 victory over Chico State.
After the conclusion of the season, the Dodgers drafted Leach with their seventh selection of the 2005 draft in the sixth round. Since then, Leach has steadily climbed in the L.A. farm system.
Last season, the former Statesmen closer started the year with the 66ers (0-1, 1.85 ERA, three saves) before being promoted to the Class AA Jacksonville Suns. In 40 games with the Suns, Leach shined as one of Class AA's top young closers. In 59.2 innings, Leach posted 12 saves with a 2.88 ERA and a 2-2 record. He struckout 49 and allowed opposing batters just a .215 average.
The Dodgers placed Leach with the Surprise Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, and in 10 games, he pitched 15.1 innings of relief. On October 23, he was named one of th AFL's Rising Stars. Three weeks later, Leach was picked up by the parent club.
In 2007, Leach started the year with the Inland Empire 66ers. In 14 appearances, Leach posted an 0-0 record with four saves, and a miniscule 0.45 ERA. In 20.0 innings, he allowed 14 hits and one earned run.
During the 2006 season, Leach started the year with Class A Columbus, going 4-2 with a 3.27 ERA in 10 starts. On May 30 of that year, he was promoted to Class A-Advanced Vero Beach, where he would go 3-4 with 4.56 ERA in 30 appearances.
In 2005, Leach made 14 appearances (13 starts) in his first professional season with Rookie-League Ogden. He went 5-3 and led the Pioneer League with a 2.43 ERA, and was third with 77 strikeouts in 66.2 innings.
