Lewis Thorpe (baseball)

Lewis James Thorpe (born 23 November 1995) is an Australian professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins.

Lewis Thorpe
Thorpe at the 2018 All-Star Futures Game
Free agent
Pitcher
Born: (1995-11-23) 23 November 1995
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Bats: Right
Throws: Left
MLB debut
June 30, 2019, for the Minnesota Twins
MLB statistics
(through 2021 season)
Win–loss record3–5
Earned run average5.76
Strikeouts47
Teams

Amateur career

As an amateur, Thorpe trained at the Melbourne Aces Baseball Academy.[1] He competed in international youth baseball tournaments.[2] In 2011, Thorpe won the "Golden Arm" award from the Australian Baseball Federation.[1] In 2012, he signed with the Minnesota Twins, receiving a $500,000 signing bonus.[3][4]

Professional career

Minnesota Twins

In the 2013 season, Thorpe made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast Twins of the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League (GCL). He pitched to a 4–1 win–loss record and a 2.05 earned run average (ERA) in 44 innings pitched, and a GCL-leading 64 strikeouts. He pitched in the 2013 18U Baseball World Cup after the season for the Australian national baseball team. He pitched Australia to victory against the United States national baseball team, the only game the United States lost. After the season, Baseball America named him the seventh-best prospect in the GCL.[5] Thorpe made his Australian Baseball League debut with the Aces on 22 November 2013.[6]

After participating in extended spring training, the Twins assigned Thorpe to the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Class A Midwest League in June 2014, where he became the youngest player in the league.[7] He finished the year with a 3–2 win–loss record and a 3.52 ERA in 16 games started. At the end of the 2014 season, Thorpe was diagnosed with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his pitching elbow.[8] He underwent Tommy John surgery to repair the injury in March 2015,[9] causing him to miss all of 2015 and 2016. Thorpe returned in 2017 and spent time with both the Fort Myers Miracle of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League and the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Class AA Southern League, pitching to a combined 4-4 record and 2.93 ERA in 17 total games (16 starts) between the two teams.[10] The Twins added him to their 40-man roster after the season.[11] Thorpe returned to Chattanooga in 2018, and was selected to represent the Twins in the All-Star Futures Game.[12]

On 28 June 2019, the Twins promoted Thorpe to MLB.[13] On 30 June, he made his MLB debut.[14]

On 29 June 2020, Thorpe made the Twins 60-man summer camp roster in 2020.[15] He made the Twins Opening Day roster in 2020.[16][17] In 2020, Thorpe registered a 6.06 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 16.1 innings pitched.[18] In 2021, Thorpe made 13 total appearances between Minnesota and the Triple-A St. Paul Saints. In 5 appearances for the big league club, logging a 4.70 ERA with 6 strikeouts in 15.1 innings of work.

In spring training in 2022, the Twins transitioned Thorpe to a relief pitcher.[19] On 28 March 2022, the Twins sent Thorpe outright to the St. Paul Saints of the Triple-A International League, removing him from their 40-man roster to make room for the newly-signed Chris Archer.[20] On 21 April 2022, the Twins released Thorpe, making him a free agent.[21]

Kansas City Monarchs

On 5 May 2022, Thorpe signed with the Kansas City Monarchs of the American Association of Professional Baseball.[22] Thorpe started 16 games for the Monarchs in 2022, pitching to an 8-2 record and 4.96 ERA with 75 strikeouts in 81.2 innings of work.

On 24 February 2023, Thorpe was released by Kansas City.[23]

References
  1. "A league of their own". Smh.com.au. 6 October 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  2. Seiner, Jake (15 March 2014). "Twins' Thorpe emerging from Down Under | MiLB.com News | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Milb.com.
  3. Gardiner, Gilbert (5 July 2012). "Doncaster teen Lewis Thorpe signs with Minnesota Twins which includes $500,000 bonus". Herald Sun. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  4. "Twins sign 16-year-old Australian left-hander Lewis Thorpe | Sportswire: Minnesota Twins". 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  5. "Latest hot prospect for Minnesota Twins: Lewis Thorpe, Australian lefty » Twins Now". Pioneer Press. 24 September 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  6. "Twins prospect Lewis Thorpe makes strong impression in Australian Baseball League debut | MLB.com: News". Mlb.mlb.com. 25 November 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  7. Johnson, Jeff (15 June 2014). "Youngster Thorpe trying to feel his way with Kernels: Starting pitcher is youngest guy in Midwest League". The Gazette. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  8. Berardino, Mike (9 September 2014). "Twins pitching prospect Lewis Thorpe injures elbow". Pioneer Press. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  9. "Twins prospect Lewis Thorpe to undergo Tommy John surgery - HardballTalk". nbcsports.com. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  10. "Lewis Thorpe Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  11. "Zack Littell, Stephen Gonsalves, Lewis Thorpe added to Twins' 40-man roster | Star Tribune". M.startribune.com. 21 November 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  12. ANDY GREDER St. Paul Pioneer Press (7 July 2018). "Twins prospects Alex Kirilloff and Lewis Thorpe headed to Futures Game". winonadailynews.com. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  13. Phill Miller (28 June 2019). "Twins home run leader Eddie Rosario goes on 10-day injured list". Star Tribune. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  14. Miller, Phil (1 July 2019). "Rain shortens Thorpe's MLB debut as Twins fall to White Sox". StarTribune.com. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  15. "2020 Minnesota Twins 60-Man Roster". MLB.com. 29 June 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  16. "Twins set their 2020 Opening Day roster". MLB.com. 23 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  17. "TWINS NAME TWO AUSSIES TO OPENING DAY ROSTER". Baseball.com au. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  18. "Newly 'dialed in,' Thorpe's ready to compete". MLB.com.
  19. Miller, Phil (15 March 2022). "Twins will move Jax, Thorpe to bullpen this season". StarTribune.com. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  20. "Twins sign right-handed pitcher Chris Archer". MLB.com.
  21. "Lewis Thorpe: Released by Twins". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  22. American Association Transactions
  23. https://aabaseball.com/transactions/
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