Second Cut: Matt Magill, Steve Ames, and Matt Palmer are Sent to Minor League Camp

The Dodgers cut three pitchers on Monday sending them to Minor League Camp. Matt Magill and Steven Ames were optioned while non-roster invitee Matt Palmer was reassigned.

Matt Palmer is scheduled to have knee surgery on Tuesday after he injured his left knee on Saturday after playing catch. Palmer has had knee surgery before back in 2010, but it was on his right knee at that time. Palmer said this problem with his left knee came “out of nowhere,” and he had never had a problem with that knee in the past. The right-hander will turn 34-years old this month. He’s played in 3 games for the Dodgers this Spring, and he has a 0-1 record, 3.60 ERA, 2 strikeouts, and 5 walks in 5 innings of work.

Right-hander Matt Magill also pitched in 3 games for the Dodgers this Spring, and he has been somewhat impressive with 3 hits allowed, 8 strikeouts, and 1 walk in 4 innings of work with no runs allowed. Magill, my No. 6 Dodger prospect for 2013, is a Southern California native from Royal High School in Simi Valley. Magill began his professional career in the Gulf Coast League at the Rookie level. Magill would be promoted each and every season thus far within the Dodgers’ farm system, and last year with the AA-Chattanooga Lookouts Magill  went 11-8 in 26 games started with a 3.75 ERA. He pitched a minor league career high of 146 1/3 innings, and he struck out a personal best 168 batters while walking 61. He also recorded a minor league career best SO/BB (2.75) and SO/9 (10.3). Magill will be a part of the Albuquerque rotation this season, and he should get a call-up at some point this year.

Steve Ames, another right-hander, has a 6.75 ERA in 3 games this Spring. He has struck out 2 batters and walked none through 2 2/3 innings. The Dodgers drafted Ames in the 17th round of the 2009 draft out of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. He’s pitched for the AA-Chattanooga Lookouts for the past two seasons where he’s trimmed a full point off his ERA going from 2.48 in 32 2/3 innings pitched in 2011 to 1.56 over 54 innings pitched in 2012. The reliever struck out 72 batters and collected 18 saves last season.

The Dodges are now down to 51 players in Major League camp after this second round of cuts.