John Lackey Stats & Scouting Report

IP	2840
ERA	3.92
WHIP	1.295
BB/9	2.583
SO/9	7.27

Full name John Derran Lackey
Born 10/23/1978 in Abilene, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'6" / Wt.: 235 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Grayson CC
Debut 06/24/2002
Drafted in the 2nd round (68th overall) by the Los Angeles Angels in 1999 (signed for $470,000).

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If Astros' draft-and-follow Bryan Edwards signs before the draft, RHP John Lackey would assume the position as the state's most attractive juco player. Lackey was an unknown quantity at the start of the season after transferring from Texas-Arlington, where he was primarily a first baseman. He is just learning to pitch. He is long and lanky and already has been clocked at 93-94.

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Organization Prospect Rankings

Lackey has the look and build of a slugger, which he was in junior college, where he hit .440 with 16 homers as a sophomore two-way player and led Grayson County to the national juco title. Anaheim's top pick (second round) in 1999, he sped through the system with ease until getting roughed up in Triple-A Salt Lake last year. Despite his relative inexperience on the mound, Lackey has evolved into more than just a thrower. Arkansas pitching coach Mike Butcher taught him a true slider, which has opened up the plate for his 92 mph fastball, power curve and improving changeup. He goes right after hitters and has the control to hit his spots. His 6-foot-6 frame allows him to throw on an effective downward plane. Lackey's Triple-A performance in 2001 shows he still has to refine his repertoire before advancing to Anaheim. He's big and strong, but letting him pitch 450 innings in 2 1/2 years as a pro isn't the best way to keep him healthy. The Angels' offseason acquisitions of Kevin Appier and Aaron Sele made it that much easier to give Lackey more development time. He has the makeup of a workhorse middle-of-the-rotation starter or a potentially dominator at the back of the bullpen.
The Angels forfeited their 1999 first-round pick to sign Mo Vaughn, so Lackey was their top pick. He began his college career at Texas-Arlington, then transferred to Grayson County Community College, where he batted .440 with 16 homers as a two-way player in 1999. Though he had more success as a hitter as an amateur, he reached Double-A and pitched well there in his first full season. Lackey has a big, strong body that gives him good leverage and allows him to pitch on a downward plane. Both his low- to mid-90s fastball and his curveball are plus pitches, and his changeup should be at least average. Lackey's control left a lot to be desired after he signed, but he threw a lot more strikes last season. He just needs to fine-tune his command and trust his secondary pitches. The Angels envision Lackey as a workhorse who will pile up lots of innings and wins. He might get more time in Double-A in 2001, but should reach Triple-A by the end of the season.

Minor League Top Prospects

No PCL player had more impact on the major league pennant races than Lackey. He went 8-4, 3.57 in his first 17 starts for the Angels, who wouldn't have reached the playoffs without him. Lackey combines stuff, command and intelligence. He gets a lot of movement on a low-90s fastball he can spot on either side of the plate. His hard slider and changeup are solid pitches, and he has smoothed out his delivery. "He was the best pitcher I had seen this year to that point," said a National League scout who saw him blank Tucson for seven innings in mid-June. "He was throwing in the mid-90s at times. He breaks speeds off his slider and that's very imaginative. He has a good idea, running pitches up and in and down and away. He throws a lot of low-and-outside first strikes, which is very effective because good hitters will take that pitch." Lackey is also a workhorse. He topped 200 innings this year after exceeding 180 in each of the previous two seasons.
Many of Anaheim's top pitching prospects, including Francisco Rodriguez, Joe Torres and Derrick Turnbow, had physical problems in 2001. That's why Lackey's continuing workhorse efforts were welcomed by the Angels. He averaged more than seven innings per start in Double-A and totaled 185 in the minors--though that workload isn't the best way to keep a 22-year-old pitching prospect healthy. "He's one of the most dependable pitchers I've ever seen at this level," Brumley said. "He kept us in games until we could get in position to win better than anyone on our staff." Lackey uses a motion that exaggerates his 6-foot-6 height, giving hitters the impression he's on a taller mound than normal. He has a solid fastball, though his curveball is usually his better pitch.