There's a New Ace in Town

What are the odds that a pitcher drafted straight out of college would join a Major League Baseball starting rotation and never set foot on a minor league field? That’s a high bar set for an incoming player just barely out of their teens. Although any baseball fan knows you would have to beat innumerable odds, the Cincinnati Reds first round draft pick and right-handed pitcher Mike Leake has done just that. After making his argument with a stellar performance in Goodyear this spring, Leake earned the opportunity to stand on the mound with the Reds aces.

The 22-year-old San Diego native attended Fallbrook High School, and held the title of captain of his baseball team his junior and senior seasons before graduating in 2006. Leake was drafted out of high school in the 2006 Major League Baseball draft in the 17th round by the Oakland Athletics, but chose not sign and attended Arizona State University.

He began his college baseball career as a closer and by the end of his freshman year he became the Friday night starter. In 2007, he had one of the most impressive seasons by a freshman pitcher in the history of ASU. He was named a First Team All-Pac 10 selection and a Third-Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and Rivals.com. He tied his teammate Josh Satow with 13 wins to lead the Pac-10 and also tie for the third-most victories in school history by a freshman. He pitched in 25 games in 2007, making 13 starts, finishing 13-2 with a 3.69 ERA, a save, and two complete games. He set a new Arizona State freshman record, pitching 127 innings and 94 strikeouts.

After making a name for himself and getting off to a stellar start his freshman year, his sophomore and junior season continued to be just as dominant. In 2008, Leake was named Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year, and finished the season 11-3 with a 3.49 ERA. He pitched in 19 games of which he started 16, led the Pac-10 with 121.1 innings pitched, and struck out 104 while walking just 20 batters. Mid-way through the 2008 season, he played the field and batted .340 with two homers and 11 RBI in 47 plate appearances.

In his final season at Arizona State University, Mike Leake finished with one of the greatest individual seasons in school history. He was named the National Player of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association, and also won the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year for the second straight season, making him the first back-to back winner. He finished the 2009 season as the national win leader at 16-1, with a 1.71 ERA, 142 innings pitched and 162 strikeouts. The impressive accomplishments just keep on coming. He completed seven games, including two straight shutouts, and had a string of 26 consecutive scoreless innings. He totaled 40 career wins at ASU, tying for the third most ever in school history, and also tying for the most ever wins by a three-year pitcher. He became the second Sun Devil to win 10 or more games in three straight seasons, and one of two Sun Devils to win three straight Pac-10 Conference titles. By the looks of his laundry list of statistics and accomplishments, Mike Leake was fit and ready for Major League Baseball. He was drafted as the 8th overall pick in the 2009 draft by the Cincinnati Reds, the highest draft pick from Arizona State since 1998.

Mike Leake entered Reds spring training in Arizona as a non-roster invitee, and competed in a congested race for the fifth spot on the rotation with veterans Justin Lehr, Mike Lincoln, Micah Owings, and the young pitching phenoms Aroldis Chapman and Travis Wood.

Throughout spring training, comparisons of Leake and the first overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg surfaced. Leake may have been overlooked because of the stature and velocity that Strasburg possesses. Although Strasburg held a better ERA in the Mountain West Conference in college, his competition was none of what Leake faced in the Pac-10, where he also holds an advantage as having pitched in the College World Series. His spring training 1.37 ERA surpassed that of the Nationals right-handed pitcher. Although Strasburg could draw sellout crowds in the minor leagues, Mike Leake was able to do what the Washington Nationals could not pull off; sending their first-round draft pick straight to the majors.

With all eyes set on the Cuban flamethrower Aroldis Chapman and where he may end up in the Reds ballclub, Leake slipped under the radar during spring training. After Chapman was hampered by back spasms late into training, the spot for the fifth starter in the Reds rotation came down to Travis Wood, a second round pick in 2005, and Mike Leake. Leake was announced as the fifth starter, and was set to make his Major League debut less than a year after he had been drafted, the 21st player in history to do so.

Just how uncommon is it for a player to enter Major League Baseball and make their debut without playing an inning in the minor leagues? The last player to come straight from the draft and into the majors was Xavier Nady in 2000. More specifically, the last American-born pitcher to start without touching the Minors was Darren Dreifort in 1994, when made his Major League debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers. If you’re really into details, no starting pitcher has made the leap since Jim Abbott with the Angels in 1989.

The comparisons between Leake and Abbott are in abundance as well. Had Chapman not had his injury, he may have well earned the fifth spot in the rotation. But due to the circumstances, Leake’s potentional shined and he was rewarded with the opportunity to start. The situation is similar to that of Abbott, who may not have earned his starting position without the injury of another pitcher in the rotation.
Almost every player that make it to Major League Baseball begins somewhere in the minors. It helps to hone and sharpen skills, and to all-around prepare you for what you face in the majors. Many pitchers spend years in the minors honing their craft, or “paying their dues,” so that they become the best pitchers they can be before they face the best batters in the game. An amount of hostility from some players could build, but Mike Leake takes it with a grain of salt.

“You’re going to have some jealous guys, and also have guys that are congratulatory, but I just have to take it,” said Leake.

That grain of salt also comes along with the customary teasing of being a rookie.

“I enjoy it,” said Leake. “You can only be a rookie once.”

After being drafted and heading straight to spring training thereafter, a player’s mind has to be racing with hundreds of thoughts. How about being told that you’re not only going to be with the team, you’re heading straight to the mound as a starter?

“I couldn’t really think for a second,” said Leake. “At first I was like, ‘Oh man, is this really true?’ So it kind of broke the ice in a funny way.”

All players face the challenge throughout their career of adjusting to new competition, new venues, teammates, and strategies. From high school to college, to minor leagues and majors, every level brings a new sense of competitiveness and difficulty. You can imagine skipping over institutions built to prepare you for the “bigs” could cause a little hiccup in adjustment, but not for Mike Leake.

“I don’t think it’s been that tough. Don’t get me wrong, it’s tough to play in this environment, I just think ASU prepared me pretty well,” said Leake.

Reds fans will agree that Mike Leake entered the team well-prepared as he made a phenomenal MLB debut April 11 against the Chicago Cubs. He pitched into the seventh inning, holding the Cubs to just one run and four hits. Leake showed poise and a changeup wise beyond his years. He helped himself as well, hitting 2-for-2; the first Reds pitcher to get two hits in his Major League debut since Benny Frey in 1929. He finished the game with a 1.35 ERA and struck out five after throwing 105 pitches. Leake was sometimes erratic, as he walked seven batters and was forced to work his way out of a bases-loaded, no out situation in the first inning. He says he was thinking too much before the game, until he pitched himself into a bind.

“I thought nothing really until I got the bases loaded,” Leake jokes. “I was like, ‘Well, this is good start!’ Luckily I found a way to get out of the jam. From there it was smoothing sailing a little bit.”

Even after getting off to a rough start, one thing Leake maintained was his calmness. You never saw him struggle, and he seemed completely unshaken, even with bases loaded and no men out.

Leake left the game after 6 2/3 innings after issuing walks to Derrick Lee and Aramis Ramirez with the Reds trailing 1-0. The Reds rallied to tie the game in the bottom of seventh, eventually going on to beat the Cubs 3-1. After the incredible start for the rookie in front of family members and tens of thousands of fans, his hat was requested by the Reds Hall of Fame.

His third start came against the Los Angeles Dodgers where the Reds not only picked up the first win on the season for a pitcher; Mike Leake earned his first win in Major League Baseball. He lasted seven innings allowing five earned runs on eight hits, while striking out five. He received an extra boost from a Scott Rolen two-run double, and the Reds went on to win 8-5.

After three starts, his record is 1-0, with a 3.92 ERA.

Mike Leake is looking like the perfect complement to the current Reds rotation, and will most likely be a major component in the rotation for seasons to come. He has been the Reds’ most consistent starter, and Reds fans are looking to him as a jumpstart to a great season. Mike Leake has his own inspirations in Cincinnati, other than getting Major League wins under his belt, of course.

“I just want to try and bring more fans. Get this back to when it was the Big Red Machine,” said Leake. “There’s nothing better than great fan support. If we can get them going, it uplifts us a little bit.”

He has already made an impact on fans, as he was seen before the Reds took on the Padres April 25 signing for nearly every fan that asked near the dugout.

With the consistency he already shows, it is easy to imagine Reds fans taking a quick liking to Mike Leake, and with his performance and personality it’s not a stretch to say he has the ability to bring more fans to the ballpark, just as he wishes. He’s a great complement to a Reds starting rotation with both the youth and the seasoned veterans. He may be new, and he may be young, but he’s definitely one you don’t want to miss.