Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Patrick Copen will undergo surgery in the coming weeks after suffering a serious facial injury, according to the team's director of player development, Will Rhymes. The incident occurred during a game between the Great Lakes Loons and the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, when Copen was struck in the face by a line drive off the bat of Cooper Pratt.

Copen, ranked as the organization's 20th prospect by MLB Pipeline, has been placed on the 60-day injured list, effectively ending his season. Despite the unfortunate incident, Rhymes reassured fans that Copen is receiving excellent care and is doing well under the circumstances.

The game came to a halt as medics attended to Copen on the field. Although he remained conscious, his neck was stabilized with a brace before being transported off the field. The line drive struck Copen in the area of his cheek/orbital bone, resulting in a 21-minute delay.

The 6-foot-6 right-hander began his season at Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, impressing with a 5-2 record and a 3.15 ERA in 13 games, 11 of which he started. On June 25, Copen was promoted to Great Lakes in the advanced Class-A Midwest League.

During his time with the Loons, Copen continued to showcase his talent, going 3-2 with a 4.21 ERA in eight starts. He accumulated 35 strikeouts and 27 walks in 36.1 innings, with opponents hitting .248 against him.

Copen's injury marks a disappointing end to what could have been a promising season for the young pitcher. He had steadily climbed the Dodgers' internal prospect rankings, earning recognition as one of Baseball America's breakout pitching prospects for the 2024 season.

Over the past two seasons, Copen has appeared in a total of 24 minor league games, making 21 starts. The native of Parkersburg, West Virginia, has thrown 95 innings, allowing only 76 hits while striking out 97 and walking 55.

As fans and teammates wish Copen a speedy recovery, they will undoubtedly be eager to see him bounce back stronger in the upcoming seasons.