Former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Josh Lucas has signed to play with the Gateway Grizzlies in 2023. (Photo courtesy: MLB.com)
Steve Millbrook
Staff Writer
SAUGET, IL — The Gateway Grizzlies announced on Wednesday, it had signed right-handed pitcher Josh Lucas for the upcoming 2023 Frontier League season. Lucas, a veteran of 13 professional baseball seasons, including several in the major leagues, which included stints with the St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, and Baltimore Orioles, make him the first-ever former MLB player to sign with the Grizzlies.
Originally from Lakeland, Florida, Lucas was selected in the 21st round of the 2010 MLB Draft by St. Louis out of junior college, and pitched seven seasons in the Cardinals organization.
Along the way to the major leagues, he was named a Texas League midseason All-Star at Double-A Springfield in 2016, and posted an 8-1 record, 17 saves, and a 3.15 ERA in 60 innings at Triple-A Memphis in 2017.
That performance earned him a call-up to the Cardinals, where he made his MLB debut on August 19, 2017, against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“The addition of Josh Lucas to our pitching staff provides us with significant depth and excitement,” Grizzlies manager Steve Brook said, in a statement released by the team. “Josh is a professional through-and-through. His leadership both on and off the field will be a huge asset to the Grizzlies organization in 2023. I’m excited that our club can provide him with a pivotal step on his journey back to the big leagues.”
Following four more appearances with the Cardinals, as well as a stint in the Arizona Fall League that offseason, Lucas was traded to the Oakland Athletics where he made eight appearances for the big-league club covering 14 1/3 innings, while also posting a 2.56 ERA in 38 2/3 innings at Triple-A Nashville in 2018. From there, the 6’6” hurler moved on to the Baltimore Orioles organization, where he appeared in nine more major league games while also splitting time at Triple-A Norfolk.
Overall, Lucas has pitched to a 5.54 ERA in 22 career MLB games, striking out 37 batters in 37 1/3 innings. Over the course of 317 professional appearances, the right-hander has struck out 508 batters in 556 innings with a 4.00 ERA overall, including 113 appearances at the Triple-A level. Last season, he pitched for the Winnipeg Goldeyes and Cleburne Railroaders in the American Association, finishing with a 4.58 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 96 1/3 total innings.
The Grizzlies will begin preseason spring training in April, before beginning the 2023 Frontier League season in May.