Fightins Feature: Leftwich Finding All the Right Breaks
Luke Leftwich always knew his curveball was a weapon.That pitch, combined with a low-mid 90's fastball, made Leftwich nearly unhittable through the first month of the 2019 season.In his first 14.1 innings, the Wofford College product surrendered only one hit - a CJ Chatham grounder through the left side on
Luke Leftwich always knew his curveball was a weapon.
That pitch, combined with a low-mid 90's fastball, made Leftwich nearly unhittable through the first month of the 2019 season.
In his first 14.1 innings, the Wofford College product surrendered only one hit - a CJ Chatham grounder through the left side on April 16. He has yet to allow an earned run through 10 appearances, permitting just an unearned run due to the extra-innings rule on May 5. The right-hander has also whipped up 27 strikeouts in 16.2 total frames.
Leftwich, 24, worked as a starter through his first two professional seasons, but when he lost feel for the curveball upon promotion to the Clearwater Threshers in 2016, the focus shifted to developing a slider as his go-to secondary offering. He would stick with that combination for the next two seasons.
"Mostly, the first half of last year I was just fastball/slider, and then the occasional curveball early in the count," Leftwich said.
All the while he was working to recall the big breaker of his collegiate days.
"In college I used it a lot, and it was a really good pitch for me. Over the course of the next couple of years, coming into pro ball, it was getting a little bit bigger than I wanted it to be, a little slower and loopier rather than sharp."
While pitching for the Fightins in 2018, Leftwich continued working with his former college pitching coach, Jason Burke, to find a way to rediscover what had once been a reliable offering.
"Just talking to him on the phone and sending video and things like that, trying to work back to where I was when it was good," Leftwich said. "It's been kind of taking that turn back to where it was, if not better, so that's been great."
Leftwich says it wasn't a mechanical adjustment, so much as intent.
"It wasn't really a grip thing, because I still throw it the same, but it was more of an intensity and intent, and basically conviction coming out of my hand.
"Basically trying to get as far out in front with it as I can, and almost be kind of violent out front with it, so it comes out sharper and the spin is faster."
Leftwich also implements the concept of tunneling, the idea of fooling hitters with two different pitches that take the same trajectory long enough to look nearly identical.
"That's a big deal for me, because a lot of times I throw my fastball up in the zone, or up out of the zone, for an effect," Leftwich said. "My curveball kind of plays right off of that as a tunneling effect of starting up, and then ending down."
"He's able to throw it for a called strike, he throws it for a chase pitch, it's been outstanding for him," said Fightin Phils pitching coach Aaron Fultz, who also worked with Leftwich from 2016-17 in Clearwater. "It's coming out of the same arm slot as his fastball, so you see the late reactions they get on the fastball as well."
Leftwich was born in Laguna, California, while his father, Phil, pitched for the California Angels in 1994. According to Leftwich, his father threw a curveball as well, but relied more on a slider.
His family relocated to Arizona during Spring Training shortly after, and Leftwich grew up in a baseball hotbed. He played travel ball with Phillies infielder and former Fightin Phil Scott Kingery, and fellow Phillies farmhand Tyler Viza, and pitched on the same high school team as Viza at Desert Vista.
"Tyler and I went to high school together so we played together, and Scott went to our rival high school (Mountain Pointe), but it's all the same hometown. Then we played on the same scout team again after senior year of high school."
Leftwich went on to attend Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, out of which he was drafted in the seventh round in 2015. He joined Reading as a reliever to open 2018, and posted a 3.73 ERA in 44 outings.
In a near-perfect April, Leftwich collected as many hits as he allowed.
"Last year I got my first ever at-bat, and I was jammed and broke my bat and popped out to second. So this has kind of been a year in the making," Leftwich said.
After inheriting the potential tying run on base and stranding him in the top half of the sixth against the Richmond Flying Squirrels, Leftwich had the rare chance to hit for himself in the bottom half.
Batting left-handed, Leftwich stepped in against reliever Ryan Halstead with Austin Bossart at first.
"He threw me the first pitch and it was kind of a cutter at my back foot, and I was like 'Well, he's probably going to throw me a fastball down the middle because I'm a pitcher and he just wants to throw a strike,'" Leftwich said. "So I went ahead and swung for that pitch, and he threw it right where I was swinging and I got the barrel to it, and honestly, I was kind of as shocked as everyone else was.
"I was like, 'Oh man, I've got to start running now and sprinting around the bases. And I turned around and the entire dugout was going crazy, and the bullpen was going crazy, and the fans were going crazy. It was a pretty surreal moment because it's just not one of those things that I ever think about doing, and then when it happened, it was really special."
Almost as special as his spotless ERA.
How clubs across Minor League Baseball are celebrating PLAY BALL Weekend
PLAY BALL Weekend is almost here, and Minor League clubs have put together an exciting calendar of events to celebrate MLB’s youth engagement initiative. Some clubs are hosting youth clinics or other events in their home ballparks while others are bringing the joy of baseball and softball into the local
Here are the weirdest plays and stats from MiLB in May
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Podcast features first-base promotions for Caglianone, Eldridge
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Cubs' Rojas, Mets' Tong headline May's Minor League Players of the Month
Minor League Baseball announced the Player and Pitcher of the Month Award winners for May in Major League Baseball’s player development system.
Minor League Baseball, Joe Torre Safe At Home partnership enters ninth year
For the ninth year, Minor League Baseball and Joe Torre Safe At Home have teamed up to raise awareness about violence and abuse and to inspire fans of all ages to join them in SAH’s critical work. This year, 63 MiLB teams will participate in an in-ballpark initiative from May
MiLB podcast discusses Anthony, Caglianone at Triple-A
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
These are the greatest Minor League promos happening in June
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
New playoff format coming to 2025 Dominican Summer League
Minor League Baseball announced the 2025 Dominican Summer League (DSL) season will begin June 2 with Opening Day festivities taking place at the Boston Red Sox Academy in Guerra. The 2025 campaign will also see the introduction of the DSL Cup, a new playoff format that will see 16 DSL
Debating best Minor League home caps on podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
The Omaha Storm Chasers' 'Take Meow-t' cat night included a Litter Box Sundae
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Boston's Triple-A affiliate throws birthday bash for Roman Anthony
With all the hype that has surrounded Roman Anthony over the past two seasons, it’s easy to forget how young he really is. MLB's No. 1 prospect played 70 games at the highest level of the Minors before he could order a beer. But he can now. Roman Anthony turned
Friendly foes, 2024 first-rounders Moore and Caglianone trade first Triple-A homers
For years, Christian Moore and Jac Caglianone laced up their cleats against one another in the SEC. A rivalry that spanned Florida, Tennessee and other landmarks across the South moved to Salt Lake City this week as the Royals and Angels' top prospects got simultaneous Triple-A promotions. So it was
Phillies' Moore, Fausnaught join MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Red Sox prospect rips double THROUGH Fenway-esque scoreboard
Red Sox No. 4 prospect Franklin Arias, an infielder for High-A Greenville, REALLY didn’t want to let visiting Asheville score any runs in the top of the eighth inning on Friday night. With runners on first and second base in the bottom of the fourth, Arias showed he apparently held
April's hottest hitting prospects -- one for each organization
The Minor League season is a month old and several of the game's best hitting prospects are off to fast starts. Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is tearing up Triple-A (just like he did at the end of last year), Padres shortstop Leo De Vries is leading the High-A Midwest
Check out the best -- and wackiest -- Minor League promos happening in May
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Orioles' Honeycutt joins The Show Before the Show
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
MiLB podcast coming LIVE to a Somerset this June
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
New ballparks highlight 2025 MiLB road trip stops
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Minor League Baseball partners with TruGreen
FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- TruGreen, the nation's leading lawn care treatment provider, is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Minor League Baseball that includes activations across all 120 clubs, a makeover of the home dugout in each market, sponsorship of select MiLB team grounds crews, and a new initiative called
Podcast explains why the Syracuse Mets are looking for Jim Morrison
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Dash im-prom-tu promo and Mets' Suero joins the podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Minor League Baseball partners with Circle K
Minor League Baseball announced a new national partnership with Circle K, which will see the convenience store giant become the “Official Convenience Store of Minor League Baseball.” During the 2025 season, the Circle K brand will be integrated into the MiLB in-stadium experience through in-game video board assets at most
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other