Atlanta Braves Add Lucas Harrell at Gwinnett

Atlanta Braves Add Lucas Harrell at Gwinnett

Multiple sources report that the Atlanta Braves have signed former White Sox and Astros pitcher Lucas Harrell to a minor league deal.

Harrell was selected in the fourth round of the 2004 draft by the White Sox and made his major league debut in 2010. In parts of two season with the Pale Hose he appeared in 11 games including three starts posting a 5.28 ERA and 2.172 WHIP. A year after he made his debut the Sox placed him on waivers and he was claimed by the Astros.

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Whatever the Astros said to Harrell after he arrived seemed to work. In 2012 he made 32 starts and threw 193 2/3 posting a 3.76 ERA (3.75 FIP) and 1.358 WHIP. As the WHIP shows he lived dangerously in Houston, striking out only 6.5, walking 3.6 and giving up nearly nine hits per nine IP.

In 2013 whatever he had done right was no longer in play as his ERA urged on by a 1.705 WHIP shot back up to 5.86 with strikeouts going down slightly and walks increasing to the point where he led the league in free passes with 88 in 153 2/3 IP.

In April of 2014 the Astros traded him to Arizona for the ubiquitous player to be named later but the D’Backs released him in August after the 5.80 ERA and a supporting 1.800 WHIP followed him to Reno.

Last season Harrell ventured to Korea where he made 30 starts and 3 relief outings for the LG Twins posting a 4.79 ERA, 1.649 WHIP in 171 2/3 IP. The issues that dogged him here followed him to Korea as he continued to allow a hit an inning and led the KBO in walks giving up 108 free passes.

The Tigers gave him a minor league deal earlier this season but he pitched only one game at AAA before being sent to AA. He made six starts at Erie and pitched to a 3.28 era there but his WHIP stuck at 1.541 as he still walked 5.1 per nine while striking out just 5.8 and giving up a hit an  inning.

That’s A Wrap

There’s no reason to be overly excited about this signing. Harrell was once the Sox number nine prospect and started 2006 by pitching to a 2.85 ERA, 1.113 WHIP in 91 2/3 in A+ ball. He was promoted to AA and suddenly couldn’t pitch.

He appeared in only three AA games in 2006 posted an 11.17 ERA and missed the entire 2007 season with a shoulder injury and since that time he’s been imminently hittable.

Next: Swingning and winning in the rain

The BR Bullpen says there was an elbow injury as well, if so it wasn’t TJ or at least the TJ surgery listing doesn’t show a recorded surgery for UCL replacement.  As I wrote in 2014 shoulders are extremely complex and shoulder repair has a low percentage of success.

If he sticks around Harrell will be a AAA inning eater and not much more. I give him credit for guts and a love of the game, at 30 years old he’s been through a lot and profited very little. I root for guys like him to find some level of success, I just don’t expect it to happen.