By Cary Osborne

With three weeks left in the minor league season, the Dodgers want to get a look at 2014 first-rounder Grant Holmes at a higher level. He was one of a group of minor league pitchers to receive a promotion this week.

Great Lakes Loons (Low-A)

Thus far: 59-63 overall; 25-27, seven games out of first place in the Midwest League’s Eastern Division second-half standings

Pitchers John Richy (5.71 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 17 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings) and Jose De Leon (2.65 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 77 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings) received promotions from Rookie League Ogden this week.

Richy, the Dodgers’ 2014 third-round pick, had consecutive outings of three innings with one earned run, no walks and three strikeouts before receiving his callup.

Right-hander Zachary Bird has been a victim of the deceptive win-loss stat. He is 5-14 and leads the Midwest League in losses. Six of those losses have come in games in which he has pitched at least five innings and allowed two runs or less. The Dodgers’ No. 16 prospect has had some bumps in the road this season, especially early on, but at times he has been extremely effective. Heading into Tuesday’s action, he had his season ERA down to a season-low 3.93 before allowing six earned runs in one-third of an inning. It’s now at 4.44.

Another highly thought-of prospect, Jesmuel Valentin (No. 13 overall in the Dodger system), has been consistent for the Loons. The second baseman and 2012 first-rounder had a first-half slash line of .281/.349/.407 and in the second half is at .274/.347/.430. Valentin is 9 for his last 25 (.360).

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