| W | L | ERA | G | GS | SV | IP | SO | WHIP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | 12 | 6.96 | 22 | 19 | 0 | 84 | 100 | 1.64 |
| Career Minors | 3 | 17 | 6.54 | 34 | 31 | 0 | 117 | 152 | 1.62 |
| G | W-L | ERA | IP | SO | WHIP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 22 | 2-12 | 6.96 | 84 | 100 | 1.64 |
| Career Minors | 34 | 3-17 | 6.54 | 117 | 152 | 1.62 |
| Season | Tm | LG | L | W | L | ERA | G | GS | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3 Teams | Minors | 1 | 5 | 5.45 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 33.0 | 29 | 20 | 20 | 3 | 22 | 52 | 1.55 | |
| 2023 | ACL Padres | ACL | ROK | 0 | 1 | 10.80 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5.0 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 2.20 |
| 2023 | Lake Elsinore Storm | CAL | A | 0 | 3 | 4.50 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 16.0 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 23 | 1.31 |
| 2023 | Fort Wayne TinCaps | MID | A+ | 1 | 1 | 4.50 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 12.0 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 20 | 1.58 |
| 2024 | 2 Teams | Minors | 2 | 12 | 6.96 | 22 | 19 | 0 | 84.0 | 63 | 66 | 65 | 13 | 75 | 100 | 1.64 | |
| 2024 | Fort Wayne TinCaps | MID | A+ | 1 | 9 | 6.46 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 69.2 | 55 | 51 | 50 | 11 | 52 | 79 | 1.54 |
| 2024 | Bowling Green Hot Rods | SAL | A+ | 1 | 3 | 9.42 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 14.1 | 8 | 15 | 15 | 2 | 23 | 21 | 2.16 |
| 2024 | 2 Teams | A+ | 2 | 12 | 6.96 | 22 | 19 | 0 | 84.0 | 63 | 66 | 65 | 13 | 75 | 100 | 1.64 | |
| ACL Padres | ACL | ROK | 0 | 1 | 10.80 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5.0 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 2.20 | |
| 2 Teams | A+ | 3 | 13 | 6.66 | 25 | 22 | 0 | 96.0 | 71 | 72 | 71 | 14 | 86 | 120 | 1.64 | ||
| Lake Elsinore Storm | CAL | A | 0 | 3 | 4.50 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 16.0 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 23 | 1.31 | |
| Career Minors | 4 Teams | 3 | 17 | 6.54 | 34 | 31 | 0 | 117.0 | 92 | 86 | 85 | 16 | 97 | 152 | 1.62 |
Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 70 | Control: 55 | Overall: 55
Lesko became the first junior ever to claim Gatorade national baseball player of the year honors in 2021, when he went 11-0 with a 0.35 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 60 innings. A dominant start to his senior season along with his combination of stuff, polish, athleticism and projection had the Vanderbilt recruit poised to become the first pitcher -- college or high school -- selected in July. But he injured his elbow in early April and had Tommy John surgery, clouding his status.
Lesko already works at 92-95 mph and tops out at 97 with his fastball, which features good carry up in the strike zone and armside run and sink when he keeps it down, and he should add more velocity as he gets stronger. He has the best changeup in the Draft, a dastardly low-80s offering that scoots sideways and also has some depth. His curveball is his least reliable pitch, but his upper-70s bender has high spin rates and the potential to become a plus weapon.
Lesko generates premium stuff with ease and locates it well thanks to his ability to repeat a sound delivery with little effort. He gets good extension, making him even tougher on hitters, and draws praise for his intelligence and maturity. He has ace potential and may need little more than a return to health and innings against pro competition to finish refining his stuff and reach his lofty ceiling.
Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 70 | Control: 40 | Overall: 45
Lesko entered his senior season at Buford (Ga.) High School in 2022 with plenty of hype after becoming the first-ever junior Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year the prior spring. He was delivering on his promise, only to undergo Tommy John surgery in late April. The Padres still selected the right-hander 15th overall and signed him for just under slot at $3.9 million. Lesko made his pro debut in June 2023 – nearly 14 months after surgery – and despite a 5.45 ERA, showed his high potential again with 52 strikeouts over 33 innings across three levels, ending the season at High-A Fort Wayne. He returned to High-A for 2024 but never dominated as he was capable of doing, and the Padres traded him to the Rays at the Trade Deadline as part of a three-player package for reliever Jason Adam.
Lesko sits 92-96 mph with his fastball, touching 98, and makes the offering play even better with impressive carry up in the zone. That’s not even his best pitch. That remains his low-80s changeup with tremendous separation off the heater and movement that gets some silly swings, earning it consistent plus-plus grades. (Lefties hit just .186 with a 38.8 percent K rate off Lesko in 2023 as a result.) His mid-70s curveball shows with 12-to-6 movement and promising spin rates but is still developing consistency. A mid-80s slider might end up becoming the better of his two breaking pitches as he gets to work with the Rays pitching group.
The 6-foot-2 right-hander experienced control problems in his first year back from surgery in 2023, and those issues have continued into this summer. That created an opportunity for Tampa Bay to buy low, with the Rays hoping to harness his promising stuff and get Lesko back to filling the zone with more regularity.
Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 70 | Control: 55 | Overall: 55
Lesko was the first junior to win the Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year award in 2021 after posting a 0.35 ERA with 112 strikeouts in 60 innings at Buford (Ga.) High School, the alma mater of Brandon Marsh and Joey Bart. Lesko continued to shove the following spring as a senior, heightening the belief that he could be the top arm drafted in the Class of 2022, but Tommy John surgery in late April made him a question mark. He still ended up being the first prep pitcher taken when San Diego selected him 15th overall and signed him for just under slot at $3.9 million.
Before the elbow procedure, the 6-foot-2 righty was already throwing 92-95 mph, touching 97, with a fastball that carried up in the zone, and as he builds back up, there’s the chance he adds even more velo with age and physical maturity. His low-80s changeup was arguably the best of the Draft and will be one of the best in the San Diego system once he throws it again, on account of its separation and two-plane movement that can make hitters look downright silly. His upper-70s curveball will need work to reach consistency, but its high spin rates carry promise.
Lesko will have to show he can pitch with the same strong command as he continues to build back innings. That’s easier than it once was for Tommy John pitchers, but still no small task. The good news is he’s been getting innings at both the Arizona Complex and California Leagues and could be primed for a bigger takeoff in 2024.
Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 70 | Control: 55 | Overall: 55
Lesko became the first junior to claim Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year honors in 2021, when he went 11-0 with an 0.35 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 60 innings. A dominant start to his senior season along with his combination of stuff, polish, athleticism and projection had the Vanderbilt recruit poised to become the first pitcher -- college or high school -- selected in July. But he injured his elbow in early April and had Tommy John surgery, clouding his status. San Diego was more than happy to take him 15th overall and sign him for a $3.9 million bonus.
Lesko already works at 92-95 mph and tops out at 97 with his fastball. It features good carry up in the strike zone and armside run and sink when he keeps it down, and he should add more velocity as he gets stronger. He has the best changeup in the Draft, a dastardly low-80s offering that scoots sideways and also has some depth. His curveball is his least reliable pitch, but his upper-70s bender has high spin rates and the potential to become a plus weapon.
Lesko generates premium stuff with ease and locates it well due to his ability to repeat a sound delivery with little effort. He gets good extension, making him even tougher on hitters, and draws praise for his intelligence and maturity. He has ace potential and may need little more than a return to health and innings against pro competition to finish refining his stuff and become a star in the San Diego system.
| Team | Date | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
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09/23/2024 | Bowling Green Hot Rods activated RHP Dylan Lesko. |
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09/15/2024 | Bowling Green Hot Rods transferred RHP Dylan Lesko to the Development List. |
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07/30/2024 | Bowling Green Hot Rods activated RHP Dylan Lesko. |
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07/28/2024 | Tampa Bay Rays traded RHP Jason Adam to San Diego Padres for RHP Dylan Lesko, OF Homer Bush Jr. and C J.D. Gonzalez. |
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07/28/2024 | RHP Dylan Lesko assigned to Bowling Green Hot Rods. |
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07/28/2024 | RHP Dylan Lesko roster status changed by Tampa Bay Rays. |
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03/07/2024 | San Diego Padres Prospects activated RHP Dylan Lesko. |
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08/21/2023 | RHP Dylan Lesko assigned to Fort Wayne TinCaps from Lake Elsinore Storm. |
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08/21/2023 | Fort Wayne TinCaps activated RHP Dylan Lesko. |
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07/21/2023 | RHP Dylan Lesko assigned to Lake Elsinore Storm from ACL Padres. |
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11/10/2022 | ACL Padres activated RHP Dylan Lesko. |
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08/01/2022 | RHP Dylan Lesko assigned to ACL Padres. |
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08/01/2022 | San Diego Padres signed RHP Dylan Lesko. |
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08/18/2021 | RHP Dylan Lesko and assigned to PG East. |
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07/13/2021 | PG National 8 - Purple activated RHP Dylan Lesko. |
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07/08/2021 | National activated RHP Dylan Lesko. |
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07/08/2021 | National activated RHP Dylan Lesko. |
