Jake Lee Shows Exciting Growth
Jake Lee flew under the radar in the 2018 draft, when the 6-foot-4 righthander was a ninth-round pick out of Oakland University, which is not exactly a college baseball powerhouse.
But Lee has emerged prominently on the radar of the Angels’ player development staff this season with excellent command of a quality four-pitch mix that earned the 24-year-old an April promotion from low Class A Burlington to high Class A Inland Empire.
“He might be a sleeper,” minor league pitching coordinator Matt Wise said. “He didn’t have a walk in Burlington, so we were like, ‘All right, I guess it’s time we move him up.’ ”
Lee recorded a 2.66 ERA in 17 games for Rookie-level Orem in 2018, striking out 30 and walking four in 23.2 innings.
Lee recorded a 3.27 ERA in 11 innings in the Midwest League this season before jumping to the California League, where he went 1-2, 4.50 and struck out 32, walked 11 and allowed 19 hits in 22 innings.
Lee averages 93 mph and touches 95 with a four-seam fastball and has what Wise said is a “legitimate quality” overhand curveball. He has a good low-80s changeup that he throws to both righthanded and lefthanded hitters and an improving slider.
“People get it in their head that a righthander can’t throw a changeup to righthanded hitters, but we’re trying to get him to throw it to righties and lefties,” Wise said. “You never know when command and stuff are going to put a guy on a different track, but he’s someone I’m personally excited about.”
Lee struck out 235 in 220.2 innings over three seasons at Oakland. The Angels were targeting him for 120-130 innings this season before Lee suffered what Wise called a “minor setback” in late May.
Lee, who threw 56.2 innings in his first eight games, was expected to be activated off the injured list by the end of June.
ANGEL FOOD
— Top prospect Jo Adell had shown no ill effects from the hamstring and ankle injuries that sidelined him for April and much of May. He hit .352/.422/.626 with five homers and 15 RBIs in his first 24 games for Inland Empire and Double-A Mobile.
— Hector Yan, a 20-year-old lefthander from the Dominican Republic, did not allow a hit in consecutive starts for low Class A Burlington, striking out five in five innings against Peoria on June 15 and striking out seven in 6.1 innings against Kane County on June 20.
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