Tim Lahey

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #30 prospect in 2008
  The Cubs traded up to get the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 Rule 5 draft, having the Rays select Lahey from the Twins on their behalf and then sending $150,000 to Tampa Bay. Minnesota originally drafted him as a catcher, but he shifted to the mound after hitting .202 in Rookie ball in his first pro summer. Chicago has success making the same move with Carlos Marmol, and Lahey's huge frame is reminiscent of that of Troy Percival, another backstop-turned-reliever. Lahey still throws with a short catcher's arm action, but that doesn't prevent him form throwing strikes with a 90-92 mph sinker that tops out at 95. He also throws a solid slider and a changeup, and because he only has pitched for three years, there's still room for improvement at age 26. His frame is built for durability and he's also a good athlete for his size. Lahey is more of a groundball guy than a strikeout machine, posting a 2.0 groundout/airout ratio in 2007. He'll have to stick on the Cubs' 25-man roster, or else they'll have to run him through waivers and offer him back to the Twins for half his $50,000 draft price.
• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #29 prospect in 2006
  Left back at extended spring training last April, Lahey approached minor league field coordinator Joe Vavra and Gulf Coast League pitching coach Steve Mintz with a request: Could he try pitching? Considering the light-hitting catcher was a 20th-round senior sign out of Princeton, they didn't see the harm in a little experimentation. It took only a few pitches for Lahey to leave behind his catcher's gear for good. With his big, physical frame and surprisingly smooth delivery, he made himself a prospect almost overnight. His heavy fastball hits home at 94-95 mph and shows good boring action. He breaks bats and shows solid command and mound presence. His slider has come along quickly, and he has worked with pitching coordinator Rick Knapp on a changeup and curve. Both show promise, but if he stays in short relief he probably won't need more than two pitches. Lahey proved dominant in the Appalachian League, where he overmatched younger hitters as the closer for a championship club. He'll begin 2006 in low Class A and could move quickly if he continues to do this Troy Percival imitation.