Chris Withrow is transitioning from starter to reliever. Photo: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Withrow couldn’t participate in Spring Training until three weeks in due to back spasms. Luck wasn’t on Withrow’s side on Sunday when he was hit on his shin by a line drive from the second batter that he faced. He only sustained a bruise, but the bruised shin wasn’t the first incident in which he managed to escape a worse injury. Withrow and his wife were involved in a car accident during the offseason. The car flipped over, but luckily they both sustained only minor injuries.

The 23-year old still has the arm that made him a first-rounder, but this will be his seventh professional season, and he still hasn’t reached the Majors. He’s been with the AA-Chattanooga Lookouts since his breakout 2009 season, and last year he was relegated to relief duty after struggling with his command and injuries. A power pitcher, Withrow’s fastball hovers around 93, but has been clocked up to 99 mph. He is improving his power curveball, a great strikeout pitch. He needs to work on lowering his walk rate as most young pitchers normally do. His BB/9 sits at 5.0 through 6 seasons of minor league work. He also has a changeup which he has been working on, but needs further development.

The Dodgers converted Withrow to a reliever last summer, and he had a 2.37 ERA with 19 strikeouts over 19 innings of work out of the Chattanooga bullpen thereafter. Unless the Dodgers plan to revert him back to start, Withrow could begin the season back in AA.

The Dodgers now have 39 players in Major League camp.

Chris Withrow-Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Withrow was drafted by the Dodgers in the first round of the 2007 amateur draft, but has been disappointing, having yet to reach the majors. Withrow has pitched for the double-A Chattanooga Lookouts for the last four seasons. Withrow has struggled to limit walks, but has put up good strikeout numbers. Withrow will be moving from a starter to a reliever, for the first time in his career. Withrow finished 2012, with a 3-3 record, 4.65 ERA, and two saves, in 22 games pitched. He started seven games last season, but will pitch primarily out of the bullpen this season. Withrow has a career 5.0 walk per nine rate, and 9.3 whiff per nine rate, with a 21-26 record, and 4.87 ERA across six minor league seasons.

Withrow told the media that he isn’t used to missing time because of injuries. He stated, that it’s new to him, but that he would take it easy over the next couple of days, and then be ready to go once he takes care of his back injury. Withrow isn’t expected to miss more than a few days.

In other minor injury news from Camp, reliever Kenley Jansen had an ingrown toenail removed on Monday, but was able to make his regular bullpen session on Sunday without discomfort. Jansen was able to participate in pitcher’s fielding practice, after missing part of Saturday’s workouts because of the bad toe.