Dodgers Ryan Pepiot, Damon Keith win minor league player of the month awards

A pair of Dodgers minor leaguers won player of the month awards after stellar Aprils. Triple-A Oklahoma City right-hander Ryan Pepiot was named Pacific Coast League pitcher of the month, and Low-A Rancho Cucamonga outfielder Damon Keith was tabbed as California League player of the month.

Pepiot entered the season as the Dodgers’ second-ranked pitching pitching prospect — behind only Bobby Miller — and the one closest to the majors. After struggling in his first taste of Triple-A to close out the 2021 season, Pepiot was lights out in April. He allowed only four total runs in five starts, posting a 1.66 ERA and 3.10 FIP with 29 strikeouts (a 33.3-percent strikeout rate) and nine walks in 21⅔ innings.

Three of Pepiot’s five starts this season have been scoreless, including his first two starts of the season, when he allowed one hit in 7⅔ innings while winning PCL pitcher of the week.

Entering this season, Pepiot was named on a pair of top-100 lists, checking in at 59th at ESPN and No. 99 by Baseball America.

Keith hit .391/.519/.672 with five doubles, three home runs, and two triples in 18 games in April for the Quakes, leading the Cal League in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS (1.191). Keith ranked second in the league in hits (25), runs scored (19).

The 21-year-old has kept it up with three hits in eight at-bats plus a double and two walks in two games in May.

The Dodgers drafted Keith out of Cal Baptist in Riverside in the 18th round last year.