Mack's Mock Pick - #45 - LHP - Seth Lonsway

 

Seth Lonsway

 

Mack’s spin -

 

First of all, Ohio State is not a good hitting team and plays against many top schools. 

Lonsawy added to his woes by walking far too many batters this season. 

His stat line in April, against Indiana ( 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 17 K ) poves he can dominate this game.

4-pitch with a 95 fastball.

LHP 6-3 200 Ohio State

 

2020 Ohio State stat line - 4-starts, 1-2, 3.00, 18-IP, 42-K, 18-BB

 

2021 Ohio State stat line - 12-starts, 3-5, 4.37, 68-IP, 98-K, 43-BB

 

 4-4-21 - Prospect Live - Week 7 -

 

SETH LONSWAY, LHP, OHIO STATE

 

7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 17 K

 

Seth Lonsway continues to have some of the best pure stuff in the entire class and Friday was no different. He absolutely abused the University of Indiana, recording 17 strikeouts on the 24 batters he faced.

 

Lonsway was draft-eligible in 2020 but went unselected due to his signing bonus demands, as well as untapped potential at the college level. It’s always been about command for Lonsway. It’s a loud low-to-mid 90s fastball with two distinct high-spin breaking balls, the curveball being a comfortable plus offering, even better when Lonsway is commanding it. He’s also got a changeup.

 

The questions on Lonsway really haven’t changed. He’s posted 27.2 innings this season and has issued 16 walks. That, including his 7-inning, 1-walk performance from Friday. Because of the self-immolation, Lonsway sports a 3.90 ERA. He’s allowed just 12 hits in those innings. Feast or famine, indeed. Lonsway will be selected in the 2021 MLB Draft, there’s no doubt about that. Lonsway’s stuff is so good, don’t be surprised if he debuts in 2021 or 2022 for a big league club as a versatile reliever.

 

3-30-21 - Prospects Worldwide -

 

72. LHP Seth Lonsway | School: Georgia | B / T: L / L | Ht: 6’3 | Wt: 200lbs | Age: 22.8

 

4-pitch with with legitimate swing and miss stuff. The Fastball, a Plus pitch, sits in the low 90s touching up to 94/95. The Curveball is his best pitch grading plus. Their are command issues that have held him back from reaching his ultimate ceiling, but with improvements in 2021, Lonsway has the stuff to push up into the back of round 1 or early 2nd round territory.

 

 1-20-21 - D1 Baseball's top 100 College Prospects -

 

70 Seth Lonsway LHP Ohio State Big Ten

 

 1-14-21  -  Baseball America

 

Seth Lonsway

 

Ohio State LHP

 

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 200 | B-T: L-L

Commit/Drafted: Reds '17 (19)

Age At Draft: 22.8

 

Lonsway dramatically improved his draft stock during the spring of 2020 after showing greatly improved pure stuff, but control questions ultimately allowed the No. 74 prospect in the class to go undrafted. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound lefthander has a fastball that gets into the mid 90s and a curveball that some scouts have put plus-plus grades on, in addition to a solid slider and changeup. No one questions the arm talent, but Lonsway has never in his collegiate career shown an ability to put the ball in the zone consistently. During his 2019 redshirt freshman season Lonsway walked 59 batters in 92.1 innings (5.8 per nine) and then walked 18 batters in 18 innings during the 2020 season. He comes with extreme reliever risk because of the issues he’s had repeating his delivery and staying in sync, but there’s plenty of bat-missing upside—career 13.7 strikeouts per nine with Ohio State—if he can somehow improve his control.

  

11-11-20 - Prospects Live Top 300 Prospect List -

 

46. Seth Lonsway - LHP

 

Bio:

 

Height: 6-3

Weight: 195 lbs

Hits/Throws: L-L

Hometown: Celina, OH

School: Ohio State

 Lonsway struckout 42 batters in 18 innings before play was shut down last season in 2020 in what some were calling his breakout. 94-95 with the full complement on the mound (CB, SL, CH). Command has been an issue.

 

 Prospect Live -

 

 *Seth Lonsway (L)

 

6’3’’ 200

 

Ohio State

 

Lonsway is an underrated Big 10 pitching prospect despite being on many top 100 lists. He comes in at a solid 6’3’’ 200, with a relatively athletic build. His fastball is average by professional standards hovering around 92–94, with a lackluster spin rate of just over 2100.

 

However, this doesn’t tell the whole story, as he gets a massive 10 inch plus vertical movement on the heater. This means that he has nearly a 100% spin efficiency on the fastball, and that his axis is at a perfect 12:00, both ideals. As mentioned prior, the massive vertical movement and solid spin axis, offsetting previous concern regarding his low spin rate.

 

Lonsway’s entire repertoire doesn’t lack quick rotating pitches however, as both his curve and slider are plus in the rpm department. Both feature solid numbers in regards to both vertical and horizontal break as well. The Bauer Unit scores of 32.5 (SL) and 35.65 (CU) are very good, and tell the tale of what kind of a pitcher he is. Lonsway has only allowed 3 home runs in 110+ innings pitched at the division 1 level, and has an outstanding K/9 sitting at 13.73 lifetime. He won’t overpower you, but with his long stride and a good low center of gravity, he creates a low approach angle that keeps balls in the yard, and forces a lot of pop ups. Lonsway’s arm speed stays consistent on the offspeed, and the hitch in his wind up helps him gain momentum driving forward.

 

I can see Seth projecting as a bottom of the rotation kind of guy, but one that can definitely reach the big league level (low risk pick) due to his outstanding movement. He will have to cut down on walks to reach that level however, as the high walk rate (77 bb in 110.1 ip) is of concern.

 

 Stateline -

 

(6-15-20) Insight on why Celina’s Seth Lonsway will return to Ohio State in the fall was answered in a Press Pros Magazine story, after he was not drafted in the shortened (due to COVID 19)  five round MLB draft that was held last week.

 

Ohio State Head Coach Greg Beals told PPM that Lonsway’s decision not to sign was because his family had a dollar figure ($1 million)  in mind going into the draft as a signing bonus and was not going to sign for anything less.

 

Beals added –

 

“We’ve been in constant contact throughout this process. It was the inability to come to terms with a team. He’s coming back to us and will be in a Buckeye uniform. He still has dreams of pitching in the big leagues.’’