St. Louis Cardinals: Dakota Hudson throws eight shutout innings

St. Louis Cardinals prospect Dakota Hudson had another fantastic game. In other news, water is wet.

For the third time this season, Dakota Hudson has thrown eight or more innings. This time, they were shutout innings. He allowed only four hits while striking out six batters. The only blemish was four walks, which is clearly less than ideal.

I wrote recently that we should be excited about Hudson. Believe me or not, this outing is not just a glimpse of what he can do. This outing is consistent with what he has done all year. His 2.18 ERA is leading the PCL this year.

Are Walks An Issue?

For the season, Hudson is walking and average of 3.51 batters per nine innings. That is a number that has climbed as he has climbed the ranks of the minor leagues. The other number to improve is his K/9 in recent years.

Will He See The Majors This Year?

He might. One hurdle to jump is that Hudson is not on the 40-man roster. It is not a difficult hoop to jump through, but it is going to require potentially losing someone. Though if Hudson is the guy the team wants, they can figure that out easily.

I am in the camp with little doubt that we will see Hudson. Outings like his most recent will go a long way in expediting that process. Even if it is just a bullpen role for 2018, it is hard to imagine that a top three prospect, that is playing well, being denied a chance.

Let The Advocating Continue

When Hudson gets the call, whether it be this year, or next year, just keep an eye out. It took him a little time to adjust to Triple A, but now he is leading the league in ERA, and throwing dominant outings. That is an arm to be excited about.

Next: The Time Is NOW To Fire The Coaches

I do advocate for Hudson a lot, and he might not need it. The St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect is extremely talented, and has a chance to be a special. Eventually that will come to fruition. I am just excited to see it happen.