Lucas Giolito

Position: RH SP
Born: 7/14/1994
Ht: 6’6″ Wt: 245 lb
Acquired: Received from Washington in Adam Eaton trade, Dec. 2016
Career Stats

FutureSox Prospect Rankings

  • #2 – 2017 Preseason
  • #6 – 2017 Midseason

FutureSox Media

Accolades

  • Futures Game, 2014
  • Futures Game, 2015
  • AL All-Star, 2019

Scouting Report

Entering his senior year of high school, Giolito was the overwhelming favorite to become the first prep right-hander to be selected first overall. That all came crashing down when in an early March start, he felt discomfort in his elbow that forced him out of the game. An MRI revealed damage in Giolito’s ulnar collateral ligament. That ended his season and his chances of going No. 1 overall. As the draft approached and it became apparent that Giolito would need Tommy John surgery, teams begin to balk at the prospect of investing a high first round pick in damaged goods. On draft day Giolito fell all the way to the Nationals with the 16th pick and two and half months later he was under the knife.

Ten months later, Giolito was back and pitching effectively, posting a 1.96 ERA over 36.2 innings. The Nationals took things very conservatively after that, limiting Giolito to 98 dominant innings and spending the full 2014 season in Low-A Hagerstown. Giolito breezed through High-A and finished the 2015 season with Double-A, combining between the two affiliates to post a 3.15 ERA with 131 strikeouts over 117 innings. In 2016, Giolito spent the majority of the year in Double-A, but then saw seven Triple-A starts and finally he appeared in six games (four starts) with the big league club. Giolito finished his ascension through the minor leagues with a 2.73 ERA, and a 9.7 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 rate.

In 2017, the White Sox stated openly that they wanted to get Lucas back to his previous mechanics, and that it would take time for him to adjust. Sure enough, he opened the year with a month and a half of very rough starts in Triple-A Charlotte, not just statistically but including a big drop in velocity and a serious lack of fastball command. He got better as the year went on and finished with seven solid starts in the majors (2.38 ERA).

He was roughed up to the tune of a 6.13 ERA in 2018, but turned into an all-star in 2019 and now looks like one of the best young pitchers in the game.

Giolito is a physical specimen right out of a pitching coach’s dream at 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds. Considered to be an excellent athlete, Giolito’s delivery is easy and repeatable. He utilizes his strong lower half combined with his size to create a strong downward plane. This is especially evident on his fastball, which now sits around 92-95. That’s a little lower than before and with a little less movement. Giolito also has been featuring a two-seam fastball, giving hitters another look in addition to the four-seamer. While most pitchers work around a plus fastball, Giolito features a true plus curveball that flashes plus plus with incredible depth at it’s velocity of 82-86 mph. It is an old school 12-6 hammer curve which he can bury in the dirt or throw for strikes. Giolito also features mid-80s change-up that has become his best pitch and the main reason for his improvement in the majors.