Dodgers: Ryan Pepiot Reveals His Childhood Baseball Idols

Pepiot's favorite players were growing up all played for the same midwest team.

Dodgers pitching prospect Ryan Pepiot has quickly risen through LA’s minor league ranks. The consensus is that the Dodgers top pitching prospect will begin his 2021 season with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers.

Quite the accomplishment considering Pepiot was drafted in 2019 and was part of the crop of minor leaguers who didn’t have a season in 2020 due to COVID.

The 6'3" right-handed starting pitcher appeared on the Blue Heaven Podcast earlier this week and discussed a variety of topics. Including, who his favorite players were as a young baseball fan.

“My favorite player was Ken Griffey Jr. My Dad is from Ohio so, grew up as a Reds fan. I lived two hours from Great American Ballpark so we’d always drive down there.”

Considering Pepiot's proximity to Cincinnati, it’s no surprise that all of his childhood baseball heroes spent significant time with the Reds organization. One is still a Red to this day. 

“I liked Brandon Phillips when I got a little older. Obviously, Joey Votto. Those were probably the three I watched growing up. Selfishly, I wanted to be a hitter, but I wasn’t good enough to do that.”

Pepiot mentioned just one pitcher. Folk hero Bronson Arroyo.

“I always liked Bronson Arroyo too because of his high leg kick. When you’re playing whiffle ball in the backyard, you try to imitate people, I always tried to do that, but then, you get about two of those in and you’re like, ‘Alright, the hamstring’s about to tear’”.

Don’t worry Dodgers fans, Pepiot’s hamstrings are in fine condition these days.