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GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Dodgers legend Sandy Koufax arrived at Camelback Ranch on Thursday, the first day of his annual visit to spring training with the team. Koufax called the team's 18-year-old pitching prospect Julio Urias "impressive" multiple times after watching him pitch for the first time.
Koufax watched bullpen sessions of 13 different pitchers on Thursday, the first day of full squad workouts for the Dodgers, including Zack Greinke, Brett Anderson, J.P. Howell, Paco Rodriguez and Pedro Baez.
Urias, rated a top-10 prospect in baseball by five different national sites, was in the third and final group of pitchers throwing their bullpen sessions. Koufax was chatting with Greinke for nearly the whole time Urias was pitching, but was also watching the left-hander throw.
"He's impressive. He's very impressive. That's the first time I've seen him. It's a long way from the driving range to the golf course, and it's a long way from side sessions in spring to the big leagues," Koufax said. "He has all the requisites, so we'll see what happens. Physically he's really impressive."