There was excitement in the voice of former Lee University baseball pitcher Logan Workman as we spoke during a phone conversation this week. The 8th-round-draft selection of the Tampa Bay Rays is off to a great start in professional ball. The Soddy-Daisy High graduate began the 2022 season with Single-A Charleston, S.C., but has already earned a promotion to High-A Bowling Green, Ky. of the South Atlantic League. His overall numbers are outstanding, 3-1 record, 57.1 innings pitched, 1.26 ERA with 67 strikeouts.
"Logan has already made a tremendous impact," said Lee coach Mark Brew, who is proudly following his ex-Flame. "He has been very consistent and at times dominant. I knew he had the ability to have this type of success, but it is great he is validating that with his performance thus far. I am excited to see how his career continues to progress."
Workman says he did not see a different approach at the plate from the hitters in college ball to those in Single-A. "Most of those guys (Single-A) were going up swinging for home runs and looking to get called up. There is a huge difference in High-A, these hitters are looking to put good swings on the ball and are working harder on improving the way they play defense. There is a better understanding of the game and making pitchers work harder to record outs."
Tampa Bay keeps most of the pitchers (at this level) on an 80-pitch, or a five-innings-limit per game. Logan usually gets two starts each week. "I have tried to conserve my energy," noting that his eyes are not always on the gun which clocks the speed of each pitch. "I have also added a fourth pitch." The fastball was great to Logan in college, and he mixed in his slider and change-up. "The cutter is coming along and is a pitch I really like."
He points out that pitchers are expected to do more on their own at this level. "We only have one pitching coach. The day of the game he works with the pitcher who is starting. We do our own drills during our off days, work with the trainer and usually just relax and enjoy the game. The day of my start I will go over the scouting reports with the pitching coach and our catcher. Some of the other pitchers will talk about what pitches they have used on our opponents' better hitters."
Logan's team, known as the Hot Rods, is currently leading the South Division of the South Atlantic League. "We want to keep it that way. If we are still around and do not get called up, we want to make sure we are in the playoffs," he explained. "If we win the first half of the league standings we are automatically in the playoffs."
Workman is on board with a couple of player agents. They follow the overall operation of Tampa Bay closely and touch base with him often. "When I got off to the good start in Charleston, they told me in advance that
I could expect the move to Bowling-Green. Sure enough, right after a Sunday start in Charleston, I was called into the manager's office. He told me to pack my gear, I was being promoted and would be driving to Bowling- Green on Monday morning."
Playing in Bowling-Green has worked out well for Logan's family and his friends. The Rome (Ga.) Braves are also members of the South Atlantic (South) and several of Logan's family and his friends were in Rome to watch him pitch and to visit this past week. "We did not get to visit long after the game because security was cutting off the lights and locking the gates, but I'm told several will be making the trip to Bowling-Green this weekend when I pitch again on Saturday against Hickory (N.C.). We should have more time to visit." The Hot Rods will be paying another visit to Rome in July.
Former Flames Alan Zhang Carter and Miguel Alba are currently playing for Mahoning-Valley (Ohio). The MLB Draft League is two tiered. The first half of season is an amateur league, a collegiate summer league subsidized by MLB. After the draft, the league turns into an independent league and the players that remain undrafted and do not have college eligibility left, can sign a contract and stay and continue to play out the summer. They take recommendation only, so they must have a scout or coach recommend them to play in the league. It is not as open as other collegiate summer leagues.
