(Tim Campbell/Tulsa Drillers)

by Cary Osborne

Minor league pitcher Josiah Gray was headed to New York City for the night. The kid from New Rochelle, an NYC suburb, and his girlfriend were going out to celebrate his 21st birthday on Dec. 21, 2018. They got a deal from Groupon for a club-hopping experience and needed to get moving to make the start time.

Around 4 p.m., Jo Jo — as Gray’s friends call him — and his girlfriend were just about to head out the door. Then his phone rang. It was Cincinnati Reds vice president of player development Shawn Pender on the other line, and the call wasn’t to wish Gray happy birthday.

“He says, ‘You’ve been traded to the LA Dodgers. I can’t go much into detail, but you’ll see when everything breaks. … And we wish you the best of luck,’” Gray recalls.

It soon became obvious why Gray was not let in on too many details. Gray, along with fellow minor leaguer Jeter Downs were going to the Dodgers in one of the biggest trades for the club in recent memory. The Dodgers were sending All-Stars Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp and Alex Wood and utilityman Kyle Farmer to Cincinnati for the two prospects, both low on professional experience, and veteran pitcher Homer Bailey. The deal also brought the Dodgers financial relief from the contracts being exchanged.

“I was excited for the opportunity and knew that they saw a lot in me. and that’s why they traded for me in such a big trade,” Gray says.

Eight months after the trade, Gray has been promoted in the Dodger system twice. He has statistically been one of the system’s top pitchers and he has rocketed to №5 on MLB.com’s list of Dodgers top prospects. He was №18 before the season. (Downs is №7 and having his own strong season playing shortstop for the High-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes).

(Steve Saenz/Rancho Cucamonga Quakes)

“(Gray) has dominated everywhere he’s been,” says Dodger director of player development Will Rhymes. “Very few people make the California League look easy as a pitcher, and he certainly did.”

Gray made five starts for Low-A Great Lakes and had a 1.93 ERA and 0.86 WHIP.

In 12 starts with Rancho Cucamonga in the Cal League, he had a 2.14 ERA and 0.97 WHIP.

In his first six games (five starts) in Double-A Tulsa, he had a 2.15 ERA and 0.99 WHIP.

Among all Minor Leaguers with at least 100 innings pitched this season, Gray’s 2.15 ERA ranks 12th, his 0.95 WHIP ranks seventh and his 0.23 home runs per nine innings is third best.

And just 14 months ago, he was an honor roll student-athlete at New York state’s Le Moyne College — an NCAA Division II school that was the only university to issue him an offer. In addition, the offer was for him to be a two-way player — shortstop and pitcher. After his sophomore year and an eye-opening stint in the Cape Cod League in 2017, it was clear that Gray’s future was on the mound.

He was selected 72nd overall in the 2018 MLB Draft in the competitive balance section of the second round. His family was there in a low-key gathering when he was drafted, including his father Ron Cheavers, who was battling cancer at the time.

On Nov. 21, 2018, Cheavers passed away.

“He battled and battled,” says Gray. “He saw me get drafted. Then this offseason everything (happened quickly) and unfortunately took him away. But he’s watching, and I’m sure he’s really proud of this year.”

Gray didn’t allow more than three earned runs in any start this year as of Aug. 5. He was named the Double-A Texas League Pitcher of the Week on Aug. 5 after allowing one earned run over 11 innings in two starts in the week of July 29-Aug. 4.

Gray says the Dodger organization has given him more belief in his four-seam fastball and has given him further data on it to take it to a higher level. He hits 97 mph with movement and can locate it. MLB.com gives it a scouting grade of 60 on the 20 to 80 scale. He also works with a slider, curveball and changeup, which receive 55, 50, and 50 grades respectively.

On the topic of grades, the Dodgers’ grade for their Dec. 21 trade keeps rising with Gray’s and Downs’ success. And Gray has all the motivation he needs to further that success.

Because someone is watching.

“Because (my father) invested that much time in me playing this game and trying to help me live out my dreams, I have to repay the favor and give it my all every fifth day,” he says.