In the future again from the useless interval of the offseason, and fewer than six months after he was chosen within the twentieth spherical of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Brewers, he obtained a textual content — after which a name — from an unknown quantity letting him know he had been traded to the Dodgers.
Sitting in a sizzling tub at Milwaukee’s advanced, he shrugged and known as his agent to see if this was legit. He hadn’t heard something, both.
However shortly thereafter, the information got here out: southpaw Bryan Hudson was dealt from the Dodgers to the Brewers, and Chambers — who had signed for a considerably over-slot $547,500 out of Basha HS in Chandler, Ariz. — was the piece going again within the different course. It was time to hop out of the water and get his issues packed.
Whereas being traded proper out of the gate to start his profession was actually jarring, Chambers discovered himself lucky: he obtained to remain native, with the Dodgers’ advanced situated in Glendale, Ariz. Add within the membership’s famous pitching growth group, and the 6-foot-2 southpaw felt like his run in Dodger Blue was destined for fulfillment.
“They don’t seem to be going to try to recreate me and attempt to make me [Clayton] Kershaw,” mentioned Chambers. “They take me, take what I throw they usually make it [work for] me. It has been working rather well.”
Chambers finds himself amongst a brand new wave of hurlers who’ve undergone Tommy John surgical procedure even earlier of their careers. By the point he joined the Dodgers, Chambers — previously a Washington State, then an Arizona State commit — was already on the comeback path, having undergone surgical procedure previous to the Draft. He obtained into 4 Rookie-level Arizona Advanced League video games as an 18-year-old in 2024 however primarily targeted on crafting his arsenal for the long run. He repeated the extent this yr and struck out 30 of the 68 batters he confronted.
Left-handed hitters, particularly, have been rendered hapless towards the 20-year-old, batting a mixed .162 with a .523 OPS throughout two ranges this previous season. Via seven Fall League outings, Chambers has allowed simply 5 hits — two towards lefties.
“I feel my largest factor is I simply throw from a very bizarre angle, particularly for lefties — the ball comes out behind them. It is simply sort of laborious to see,” mentioned Chambers. “However I additionally simply make pitches properly and generally I will run the velo up there somewhat bit. Nevertheless it’s undoubtedly only a funky angle to hit from.”
Historically, the Fall League has been utilized because the “ending college” for prospects on their method as much as the massive leagues, a ultimate sprucing up over six weeks to get them prepared for the pains of The Present. Whereas Chambers’ stuff — low-to-mid 90s sinker and four-seamer, 75-79 mph breaking ball — reveals early potential of being prepared for that stage, he is the youngest pitcher within the AFL since 2023, one who solely made his affiliate-level debut again in July for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.
“My first sport there, we had like 1,500 followers,” mentioned Chambers. “I used to be identical to, ‘Wow.’ It is a lot completely different from the 20 scouts you see on the Advanced video games. The ambiance is completely different. Once I got here into my first sport, I used to be somewhat bit nervous. I had the jitters. However simply with the ability to keep the adrenaline [was key].”
Over time, prospects have had various ranges of data of what the Fall League is previous to their arrival. Some have had deep dives with teammates that performed in earlier years, some are excited for the elevated competitors and a few are simply able to soak within the sunshine and carry on enjoying ball. However as an Arizona native, Chambers knew all in regards to the AFL, having come to video games as a child. The ambiance presents followers — particularly younger ones — an up-close have a look at what the sport seems and feels like on the skilled degree. The place else are you able to sit behind dwelling plate and watch so many future large leaguers?
COMPLETE DODGERS PROSPECT COVERAGE
So simply earlier than Chambers took the mound for Rancho Cucamonga on Aug. 14 — which additionally occurred to be his twentieth birthday — he obtained a few of the finest information he might get: the group was desirous about seeing extra of him through the Fall League. Two years after watching fellow left-handed pitching prospect Ronan Kopp (with whom he shares an agent) take the mound for Glendale, Chambers could be rocking his very personal Dodgers threads.
“It is simply superior,” he mentioned. “I by no means would have dreamed this. However now it is right here and it is simply profiting from the chance.”
