Even though the Baltimore Orioles haven't officially been ruled out of the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes (as of this writing), I think we all know where the Orioles stand in the race. At least Orioles fans can find joy in the knowledge that he will not be joining the Red Sox or Yankees!
As for players who have made the decision to come to Baltimore, the list won't wow anyone. However, Orioles' fans should be aware of one name in particular, Luis Lugo.
#Indians minor league free agent LHP Luis Lugo has signed with the Baltimore Orioles. Lugo had been in the Indians organization since 2011. The 23 year old Lugo made it as high as (AA) Akron. Career numbers: 141(G) 665(IP) 610(SO) 4.15 ERA pic.twitter.com/wM3SPsTZlx
— Indians Prospective (@indiansPro) December 1, 2017
Lugo recently joined the Orioles as a minor league free agent after spending seven seasons within the Cleveland Indians organization.
The Indians originally signed Lugo as a 16-year-old international free agent out of Venezuela. Since then, he has slowly worked his way up to the Double-A level.
The scouting report on Lugo has a lot to like
Early on in his career, Lugo was a top 25 prospect for the Indians (according to MLB Pipeline). Standing at 6'5", 200 pounds, Lugo brings with him a three-pitch mix (fastball, changeup, curveball). His fastball can reach 95-96 on the radar gun and his 1-7 curveball has developed into a consistent strikeout pitch. Best of all, Lugo could fill a much-needed void for the Orioles, an effective left-handed pitcher.
Over the last four seasons, he has logged at least 125 innings in each. Even as Lugo climbed up the organizational ladder, his strikeout rate remained respectable: 27.1% (2014), 21.7% (2015), 19.8% (2016), 15.8% (2017).
Lugo held his own after a promotion to Double-A ball
Lugo started 25 games last season for the Akron Rubberducks of the Carolina League. He amassed an 8-7 record with a 4.35 Earned Run Average (0-1, 8.11 ERA against the Bowie Baysox). Lugo logged 134.1 innings while striking out 93 hitters and walking 55. His splits among left and right-handed batters ended up very similar.
Lefties hit .265 off of him, while righties fared only slightly better, .269.
The Orioles are hoping his August performance is a sign of his ability to make it to the major league level. Over six starts (30 innings), Lugo went 3-1 with a 2.70 earned run average. He gave up zero home runs (after giving up 19 throughout the rest of the season), struck out 22 opposing batters, and held hitters to a .235 batting average.
Lugo has been used as a starting pitcher his entire minor league career, however, he may be more suited for the bullpen. Many scouts have referred to him as an "average starter with average stuff." It will be interesting to see how he can perform in shorter stints, should the Orioles decide to take that route.
Luis Lugo will, most likely, not be ready for the major leagues this season and should wind up beginning the year with the Norfolk Tides at the AAA level.
So, in your opinion, which recent free agent signing for the Orioles makes the biggest immediate impact at Camden Yards? Let me know what you think?
