Dodgers prospect Zach Root earns Midwest League pitcher of the week after dominant Great Lakes run

Zach Root’s spring-to-summertime climb took another turn Monday, when the Dodgers’ top 2025 draft pick was named Midwest League pitcher of the week after a standout start for High-A Great Lakes. Root has been building momentum across his last few outings, and the award caps a stretch that included one of his sharpest performances yet at the level, reinforcing that his development has accelerated rather than stalled.

Root has been pitching with a rare mix of restraint and bite. According to reporting, he has not allowed a run since early in this run, and his recent form featured a Tuesday start against the Lansing Lugnuts in which he allowed only one hit, struck out nine, and walked no one over seven innings. The profile fits what teams want from starting pitchers in this phase of development: limit free passes, manage contact, and keep the margin thin enough that the defense can finish the work.

The pitcher-of-the-week recognition arrived after what the reporting described as his best start yet as a professional. The Midwest League nod matters beyond the hardware itself because it is a concrete snapshot of which prospects are keeping their mechanics and command stable under repeat work. For Root, it also points to increased effectiveness against the caliber of hitters he is facing, not just one-off results.

Root’s path to this moment has included a real interruption early in the season. He initially ran into trouble with his health, rolling an ankle during an April start and then missing time between outings as he recovered. Even without a long, uninterrupted pitch count window, he returned and continued to progress, gradually increasing his workload, which is often the difference between promising flash and repeatable performance.

What has separated him recently is how well he has controlled the most damaging outcomes. In the reporting, Root’s recent output includes multiple starts in which he generated a limited number of baserunners and kept earned runs off the board. Over the course of the season to date as described, he has posted a 1.50 ERA with 38 strikeouts and 12 walks in 24 innings, and opposing hitters have managed a.126 batting average against him. Those numbers are especially notable for a pitcher at High-A where hitters are more selective and contact quality generally rises.

Root’s performance has also drawn attention from prospect evaluators, and at least one Baseball America prospect report cited his ability to miss bats and land pitches for strikes in the matchup window. That matters because scouts and player development staffs often look for the same thing: a pitcher who can throw strikes consistently enough to force hitters to swing at difficult pitches, not just one who can dominate for a few frames.

For the Dodgers, Root’s award is another reminder that the farm system is producing more than position players. Still, there is no guarantee that Midwest League dominance will translate directly to Double-A or the majors, even for highly regarded prospects. The next test is simple: whether Root can sustain this run for a longer stretch, including back-to-back starts, while maintaining command as hitters adjust.

As the calendar moves forward, Root’s name is one to watch in the Dodgers’ internal conversations about advancement. A strong pitcher-of-the-week typically indicates readiness, but promotion decisions are also driven by innings totals, bullpen needs at higher levels, and how a prospect’s mechanics hold up across multiple turns. Root’s recent track record suggests he is moving in the right direction, and the challenge now is to keep it there.