Colby Lewis
| IP | 1215 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.704 |
| WHIP | 1.343 |
| BB/9 | 2.793 |
| SO/9 | 7.119 |
- Full name Colby Preston Lewis
- Born 08/02/1979 in Bakersfield, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 240 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Bakersfield College
- Debut 04/01/2002
-
Drafted in the C round (38th overall) by the Texas Rangers in 1999 (signed for $862,500).
View Draft Report
RHP Colby Lewis is a beneficiary of modern-day medicine. He had Tommy John surgery two falls ago and has bounced back to become a legitimate first-round pick. His performance over the second half of the spring was not as impressive as his start, so his stock may have dropped marginally. He's a strong power pitcher with a quick arm capable of reaching 94-95 mph. He has trouble with his control, and his fastball generally tapers off after four or five innings.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
Lewis surprised the Rangers by making the big league club out of spring training, thanks in part to injuries to Jay Powell and Jeff Zimmerman. Lewis held opponents to a .200 average to earn a bullpen spot when Texas went with 13 pitchers. His mid-90s fastball ultimately wasn't enough for him to succeed in the majors his first time through, however. Lewis is a prototypical power righthander. He's strong and durable, has a fluid delivery and gets excellent leverage and downhill movement on his fastball, which can touch 97 mph. His curveball, slider and changeup all have been effective when he commands them, but Lewis needs to find an offspeed pitch he can consistently throw for strikes. He toyed with a splitter this offseason. If he develops more touch and feel with his curve or change he may not need the splitter. Lewis could start 2003 in Texas again, but this time it would be in the rotation. He'll enter spring training with a 50-50 shot at a big league job. -
Texas' belated attempt to add more power arms began when it took Lewis with its first choice in the 1999 draft. He had Tommy John surgery after high school but has held up well since. He led the system in strikeouts last season and held hitters in the offense-crazed Texas League to a .252 average. Everything Lewis throws is hard. He has the velocity to be effective with a high, riding four-seamer that clocks in the mid-90s and has late movement. He also utilizes a hard curveball. When his power doesn't work, Lewis has trouble surviving. He didn't make it past the fifth inning in eight of his 24 Double-A starts, and he allowed five homers in a game in which he had a 97 mph fastball. He could avoid the inconsistency by getting a better offspeed pitch. Lewis lost valuable development time when a sore shoulder forced him out of the Arizona Fall League. The Rangers believe the soreness is related to pitching at least 160 innings in consecutive seasons after his elbow injury. They'll monitor him closely this year in Triple-A. -
The Rangers re-emphasized power pitchers by taking Lewis with their first pick (38th overall) in 1999. Lewis had Tommy John surgery coming out of high school, but won over the Rangers with 108 strikeouts in 88 innings in his final season at Bakersfield (Calif.) Junior College. He was the top pitching prospect in the Rookie-level Appalachian League in his pro debut in 1999. Lewis throws hard. His four-seam fastball is a plus pitch and at times overpowering, reaching the mid-90s and featuring late life. He has 277 strikeouts in 228 pro innings. Lewis throws strikes more consistently than most young power pitchers. Both his curveball and slider are hard pitches, and his changeup shows promise. His elbow hasn't bothered him since his surgery. Lewis needs experience and refinement. He probably needs to settle on one breaking pitch and his changeup could use more polish. The Rangers drafted Lewis knowing he would need plenty of minor league innings. Their expectation is that he'll be ready to make a push to join the big league rotation at some point in 2003.
Minor League Top Prospects
-
Blalock breaking camp with the Rangers wasn't unexpected, but Lewis doing so was a surprise. He lasted two weeks in the Texas bullpen before bringing his power stuff to the Oklahoma rotation. Lewis might have a more lively arm than Foppert and Lackey, but he lacks their feel for pitching. He maintains the mid-90s velocity on his fastball throughout a game, and he has a power curveball. His stuff is so heavy that batters have trouble driving it in the air. He's still trying to refine his changeup, which he seldom uses. Lewis made significant strides with his command in 2002, though it deserted him during his three big league stints. -
Lewis consistently overpowered hitters, striking out 84 while giving up just 46 hits in 65 innings. You would never know by watching him throw that he had Tommy John surgery in 1996. He was so dominant at times that opposing hitters couldn't pull the ball against him. He complements his mid-90s fastball with a curve and changeup. "He's got the best stuff in the league," Martinsville manager Brad Wellman said.
