Live Looks: Tyler Gough, Jaron Elkins, Chase Harlan, Easton Shelton

The following are evaluations made from a Live Look when the Lake Elsinore Storm took on the Ontario Tower Buzzers. Below are write ups on Tyler Gough, Jaron Elkins, Chase Harlan, and Easton Shelton.

Tyler Gough P, SD

3.1IP 1H 0BB 2K 0R

Tyler Gough whose raw ingredients at more than his stat line has ever fully delivered, and the 22‑year‑old right‑hander, A ninth‑round pick by Seattle in 2022, Gough arrived in pro ball with a fast arm, a broad four‑pitch mix, and the kind of athletic delivery that suggested projection. He lacked then consistent command and the ability to repeat his best stuff remains the dominant trend of his career, but the flashes are bright enough that the Dodgers have leaned into him as a long‑term pitching project.

Gough’s fastball is the foundational piece, a 92–94 mph offering that once sat in the high‑80s but has steadily climbed as he’s added strength. The pitch carries well at the top of the zone thanks to above‑average spin, that generates empty swings. He pairs that fastball with his changeup, a low‑80s pitch that has quietly become his most reliable secondary. It features late tumble and enough separation to disrupt timing, giving him a legitimate weapon against left‑handed hitters, it’s the pitch that most clearly supports a starter projection. The breaking‑ball picture is more challenging Gough throws two distinct versions: a soft, high‑arching curveball in the low‑70s and a firmer slurve‑like breaker in the upper‑70s. Both can flash above‑average shape, but neither shows consistent command.

Command is the separator between what Gough is now and what he could become. His walk rates have hovered above 11 percent for most of his career, and while his athleticism suggests he should eventually find more stability. When he syncs up, he looks like a legitimate back‑end starter: four pitches, strike throwing, and enough deception to keep hitters off balance. When he doesn’t, the misses pile up, the pitch count climbs, and the fastball becomes hittable in the wrong parts of the zone. Durability has also been a factor, as intermittent IL stints in 2023, 2024, and early 2026 have limited his workload and slowed his developmental rhythm.

In the end, Gough projects as a No. 5 starter role if the command tightens or transition into a multi‑inning relief weapon if it doesn’t. The fastball‑changeup combination gives him a real foundation, and the breaking balls offer enough variability to keep hitters honest. His development will hinge on repetition, health, and the Dodgers’ ability to help him find a more stable delivery. If that happens, he has a path to meaningful major‑league innings; if not, his stuff still plays well enough to carve out a bullpen role.

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On this night, Gough opened his season against Visalia and immediately set a tone that looked markedly sharper than past versions of himself. His first matchup was a difficult onetop prospect Kayson Cunningham and Gough attacked him with confidence, finishing the at‑bat with a swinging strikeout. He added another punchout in the game and, more importantly, issued no walks, a clear sign of the improved command he’s been working to unlock.

Gough navigated the first inning with only a single hit allowed, then settled into a steady rhythm, retiring hitters efficiently and preventing any additional damage. He carried that momentum through 3.1 innings, giving up just one hit with two strikeouts in his first start of the year. Beyond the line itself, he showed poise, tempo, and a level of strike‑throwing that has too often eluded him in the past.

For a pitcher whose development has hinged on consistency, this outing has the feel of an early building block something he can stack upon as the season progresses. If the Dodgers can continue tightening his delivery and reinforcing the command gains, he showed here, Gough has a legitimate chance to grow into a long‑term starter rather than a bullpen fallback.

Jaron Elkins OF, LAD

1/5 HR 1RBI 1K

Jaron Elkins is the kind of athlete who forces everyone to keep coming back, because every look reveals another layer of untapped upside. A former multi‑sport athlete, Elkins entered pro ball as an eighth‑round pick with loud raw tools, a lean 6‑foot‑1 frame, and the type of athlete that immediately stands out in a system. The Dodgers bet on the athlete, and over the past two seasons, the baseball player has begun to catch up.

Elkins’ game is built on speed, explosiveness, and a natural feel for movement. He’s a plus runner with real acceleration, and that quickness shows up everywhere on the bases, where he’s a persistent threat, and in the outfield, where his first step and closing speed allow him to cover ground in center field. His arm strength is another separator. It grades out as plus, and he’s shown the ability to make difficult throws look routine, cutting down runners with carry and accuracy. Defensively, he projects to stay in center, and the athleticism gives him a high floor even if the bat takes time.

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Offensively, Elkins has made meaningful strides. His right‑handed swing is short and direct, built for line‑drive contact with emerging impact. Early in his career, the hit tool was the question swing decisions, timing, and consistency all needed adjustments, but his progress has been real. He’s added strength and begun to translate his bat speed into gap power with flashes of pull‑side lift. His on‑base ability has quietly become a strength, and his early‑season production in 2026 hinted at another jump, with improved swing decisions and more authoritative contact. The power is still developing, but the ingredients are present: bat speed, leverage, and athletic strength. If the hit tool continues trending upward, he could grow into 12–18 home run power with plenty of doubles. The speed will always be a weapon, and his ability to impact the game without needing to slug gives him multiple pathways to value.

Elkins’ long‑term projection hinges on how far the bat comes. The defensive floor is high, the athleticism is real, and the speed‑and‑arm combination fits any outfield alignment. If the hit tool settles at average and the power continues to tick up, he profiles as a regular in center or a high‑end fourth outfielder who can defend, run, and provide energy. If the bat takes a bigger step than expected, the ceiling rises meaningfully.

On this night, Elkins was penciled into the leadoff spot a role he regularly shares with Joendry Vargas and wasted no time impacting the game. He jumped on an Escobar offering and drove it over the right‑field wall for his sixth home run of the season. That would end up being his only hit of the night, as he later added a strikeout, but the swing once again showed how much impact he produces when he makes contact. He now sits at a .293 average on the year, continuing to pair contact quality with steady on‑base ability.

In a typical system, this level of performance would put him in line for a promotion. But with a crowded, talent‑heavy outfield group ahead of him, Elkins will likely have to wait for movement above him before he gets the call. Even so, nights like this reinforce the trajectory he’s on and the impact potential he brings to the top of a lineup.

Chase Harlan 3B/1B, LAD

1/3 HR 1R 1BB

Chase Harlan is one of the more quietly intriguing infield bats in the Dodgers’ lower‑level system, a right‑handed hitter with natural barrel accuracy, emerging strength, and the defensive actions to remain on the dirt. His game doesn’t rely on flash as much as steadiness: consistent contact, For a young corner infielder, the foundation is exactly what you want hit first, power coming, and enough defensive aptitude to project a real role.

At the plate, Harlan shows a compact, direct swing geared for line‑drive contact. He works gap‑to‑gap with a controlled, balanced move through the zone. His bat speed is solid, and while the present power is more doubles than home runs, A projectable body suggest that more impact is on the way as he matures physically. His swing decisions are trending in the right direction, and he rarely looks overmatched by velocity. The hit tool is the carrying piece right now, and it gives him a high developmental floor.

Defensively, Harlan profiles best at third base. He has the hands, footwork, and internal clock to stay at the position, and his arm strength is comfortably above average with room to tick up as he fills out. His actions are smooth, and he shows the ability to make throws from different angles,. He’s not a burner, but he moves well enough laterally and shows good body control on the run. If he continues to sharpen his reads and maintain his athleticism, he should remain a viable defender at the hot corner.

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The long‑term question is how much power he ultimately unlocks. The hit tool gives him a strong foundation, but third base is a bat‑driven position, and the Dodgers will push him to find more consistent lift and impact. If the strength gains come and the swing begins to produce more carry, he could grow into 15–20 home run power with solid on‑base ability. If the power stalls, he still profiles as a high‑floor organizational regular or versatile corner option who contributes with contact and defense.

Harlan came to the plate in the eighth inning with his club trailing 7–4 and delivered the kind of swing that has defined his breakout season. He turned around the pitch and sent it over the left‑center‑field wall for his seventh home run of the year, another example of the growing strength and impact he’s beginning to tap into. It was his only hit of the night, but he continues to show that when he connects, the ball comes off his bat with authority.

For the season, Harlan is now hitting .329 with a 1.005 OPS, pairing consistent contact with real damage. He’s driving the ball, lifting it with intent, and showing the type of offensive growth you want to see from a repeating player in the Cal League. Given the production, the approach, and the steady power gains, he’s earned consideration for a promotion once the organizational depth ahead of him begins to clear.

Easton Shelton 1B, LAD

2/4 HR 1R 2RBI

Easton Shelton is one mammoth of a human and the more intriguing power‑projection bats in the Dodgers’ lower‑level system, a tall physical right‑handed hitter whose combination of size, leverage, and bat speed gives him a clear carrying tool. At 6‑foot‑4 with broad shoulders and natural strength, Shelton looks the part the moment he steps into the box, and the swing matches the frame: long levers, real bat speed, and the ability to drive the ball with authority to all fields. His raw power is already above average and still trending upward as he continues to mature physically.

Offensively, Shelton’s game is built around impact. He generates easy carry when he squares the ball, and his best swings produce high‑trajectory contact that leaves the yard without needing to cheat for pull‑side lift. The approach is still developing he can expand the zone at times, especially against spin and chase, but he’s shown enough feel for the barrel to project improvement as he gains reps. When he stays compact and lets the ball travel, the swing works cleanly, and the contact quality jumps. The hit tool is the variable in the profile, but the power foundation gives him a real path to value even if the batting average settles in the middle range.

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Defensively, Shelton fits best at first base, where his size and footwork are workable and his hands are soft enough to handle the position. He moves better than his frame suggests, showing decent agility around the bag and the ability to finish plays cleanly. He’s unlikely to offer much defensive versatility The long‑term question is how much contact he ultimately makes. The power is real, the body is built for strength gains, and the swing produces the kind of damage that can anchor the middle of a lineup if the approach tightens. If he continues refining his pitch selection and trims the chase, he has a chance to grow into a middle‑of‑the‑order right‑handed bat with 20‑plus home run potential. If the hit tool develops more modestly.

Shelton delivered again in the seventh inning, launching his 11th home run of the season—a no‑doubt shot to left‑center that showcased the kind of raw power few hitters at this level can match. It’s the third home run I’ve seen from him in person, and what continues to stand out is that he still hasn’t truly squared one up. His strength is so advanced that even his mishits leave the yard, and he has the kind of natural force that can take a ball out of any stadium.

His power is real, it’s loud, and it plays even when the contact isn’t perfect. Shelton is one of the rare young hitters whose margin for error is wide simply because of how easily the ball jumps off his bat. Despite the power‑first profile, he’s pushed his average up to .265 with an .880 OPS, showing he’s not just selling out for lift—he’s finding enough contact to let the power show naturally.