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Back from injury, former Southeast Missouri State baseball standout Joey Lucchesi pitching well for Padres
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Thus far, Joey Lucchesi has made 11 starts for San Diego and the former Southeast Missouri State pitcher has already made a strong impression on third-year Padres manager Andy Green.
"He's got good stuff, that's a good place to start. You know his stuff's capable of competing at this level," Green said. "He's not afraid. He's going to give you what he's got every single day."
Lucchesi, who turned 25 on June 6, is 3-3 with a 3.57 ERA, 55 strikeouts, 19 walks, a 1.25 WHIP and a .240 BAA through 53 innings.
Most impressive, though, is the left-hander's success since recovering from a hip injury that cost him a month of the season.
Lucchesi has made three starts since returning from the 10-day disabled list (strained hip), the last two of which have been one-hit, scoreless outings.
Most recently, the Newark, California, native threw five innings against Pittsburgh on Saturday, walking four but allowing just one hit and no runs to pick up his first win since April 28.
In a start last week, he allowed just one hit and no runs in four innings of work against the Rangers on June 25, earning a no-decision. Still on a pitch count, he struck out four and walked two before leaving the game after 70 pitches, adding another chapter in what has already been a solid rookie campaign for the former two-time Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year.
"I would say this (season) is a big learning experience. Just kind of soaking it all in, learning from my mistakes," Lucchesi said. "As for my mistakes, I know I'll be a better player (because of them). I'm just soaking it up, all the information from the older guys. It's a good experience. Really grateful to be here."
However, he's not only grateful to be in the big leagues. He realizes reaching the majors is only the start -- the real battle is to stay there for a long and productive career. And Lucchesi, a fourth-round pick in 2016 -- the highest selection in Redhawk history -- has already figured out that the key to consistent success in the big leagues is attention to detail.
"It's like really grown up. You're on your own, got to do your own routine," he said. "It's up to you if you want to get better. You got to really buckle down on what your job is so you can help out the team. It's more serious than everything now. It counts now, you know?"
In his first year following his selection by the Padres in the 2016 MLB Draft, Lucchesi appeared in 39 minor league games between short season Single-A Tri City and Double-A San Antonio, which is where he finished last season when he was named San Diego's 2017 Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
Some are astounded by his rapid ascension in the Padres system, a fast track usually only reserved for first-round picks, but the affable southpaw sums up his quick rise in simple fashion.
"I told myself to sacrifice all the other stuff like hanging out, going out, because I really wanted to be here," Lucchesi said. "I told myself it will all be worth it. I just really focused on what I needed to do and now I'm here. I just really took my work seriously."
Lucchesi is thankful for the opportunity the Padres have given him to pitch in the big leagues less than two years after they drafted him, but he also feels a big debt of gratitude toward SEMO for all the lessons learned during his two seasons with the Redhawks, an experience which helped lay the foundation for him to one day reach "the show," as he calls the big leagues.
"Well, my time at Southeast was enjoyable. It was far away from home, but it was a great decision for me, and it worked out very well," Lucchesi said. "Steve Bieser, the head coach at the time, and all those coaches helped me be prepared for this level. They told me what to do. I would just always listen when they had something to say. I knew I should listen, (they had) a lot of wisdom under their belts and I just soaked it all in. I think they did a very good job of preparing me. I'm really grateful to play there and to have them as my coaches."
Stephen Hunt is a freelance writer based in Frisco, Texas