Asa Lacy
{{Short description|American baseball player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Asa Lacy
|image =
|team = Kansas City Royals
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|position = Pitcher
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|6|2}}
|birth_place = Bryan, Texas, U.S.
|bats = Left
|throws = Left
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Asa Edward Lacy (born June 2, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Kansas City Royals organization. Lacy was selected fourth overall by the Royals in the 2020 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web |title=2020 Prospect Watch: 100 Draft |url=https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/2020/top100/ |accessdate=2025-01-04 |website=MLB.com}}{{Cite web |title=2020 Draft Tracker |url=https://www.mlb.com/draft/tracker/2020 |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}
Amateur career
Lacy attended Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas.{{Cite web |last=Zuvanich |first=Adam |date=April 21, 2017 |title=Future looks bright for Kerr County's baseball buddies |url=https://www.expressnews.com/sports/high_school/high_school_baseball_softball/article/Future-looks-bright-for-Kerr-County-s-baseball-11086681.php |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=San Antonio Express-News}}{{cite web |url=https://dailytimes.com/sports/article_b7a52b0e-496f-11e6-8ddb-2f80b731d5e3.html |title=Lacy and Walters drawing major league attention|author=Ronan, Ryan |website=Kerrville Daily Times |date=July 13, 2016 |access-date=August 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415135510/https://dailytimes.com/sports/article_b7a52b0e-496f-11e6-8ddb-2f80b731d5e3.html |archive-date=April 15, 2023 |url-status=live}} As a senior, he went 13–1 with 0.93 earned run average (ERA) and 128 strikeouts over 97 innings. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 31st round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web |url=https://dailytimes.com/promotions/article_01c9fbb0-5149-11e7-8f02-ffd73ab465b1.html |title=Tivy's Lacy selected by Cleveland Indians in MLB Draft |author=Zepeda, Daniel |work=Kerrville Daily Times |date=June 14, 2017 |access-date=August 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415135510/https://dailytimes.com/promotions/article_01c9fbb0-5149-11e7-8f02-ffd73ab465b1.html |archive-date=April 15, 2023 |url-status=live}} He did not sign with the Indians and played college baseball at the Texas A&M University.
Lacy was mostly a relief pitcher his first year at Texas A&M in 2018. He appeared in 23 games with two starts, going 3–1 with a 2.75 ERA and 48 strikeouts.{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Travis L. |date=2019-04-12 |title=Texas A&M starter Asa Lacy reaping rewards from summer work |url=https://theeagle.com/sports/college/aggiesports/texas-a-m-starter-asa-lacy-reaping-rewards-from-summer-work/article_be4d101a-5cdc-11e9-9821-2ff1b409622f.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=The Eagle}} As a sophomore in 2019, he started 15 games going 8–4 with a 2.13 ERA and 130 strikeouts.{{Cite web |last=Zwerneman |first=Brent |date=May 20, 2019 |title=Aggies turn to Asa Lacy in SEC tourney opener |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/aggies/article/Aggies-turn-to-Asa-Lacy-in-SEC-tourney-opener-13865107.php |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=HoustonChronicle.com}} After the season, he played for the United States collegiate national team.{{Cite news |last=Boxleitner |first=Barbara |date=2019-09-30 |title=Tivy alum Asa Lacy shining at Texas A&M |url=https://dailytimes.com/promotions/article_d24d713e-e3fc-11e9-8765-83dbc5052b40.html |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Kerrville Daily Times}} He made four starts in 2020 before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Professional career
Lacy was selected by the Kansas City Royals with the fourth overall pick.{{Cite web |last=Worthy |first=Lynn |date=June 11, 2020 |title=Royals take lefty pitcher Asa Lacy with No. 4 overall draft pick, Baylor's Loftin 32nd |url=https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article243427591.html |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=The Kansas City Star}}{{Cite web |last=Flanagan |first=Jeffrey |date=2020-06-11 |title=Royals 'thrilled' to draft left-hander Lacy at No. 4 |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/royals-2020-draft |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=MLB.com |language=en-US}} He signed with the Royals on June 23 for a bonus of $6.67 million.{{Cite web |date=June 23, 2020 |title=Asa Lacy signs with Royals |url=https://www.kbtx.com/2020/06/23/asa-lacy-signs-with-royals/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=KBTX |agency=Associated Press}}
Lacy made his professional debut in 2021 with the Quad Cities River Bandits of the High-A Central.{{Cite web |date=April 29, 2021 |title=Royals' Asa Lacy: Beginning pro career at High-A |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/royals-asa-lacy-beginning-pro-career-at-high-a/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=CBS Sports |agency=RotoWire}} Over 14 starts, he went 2-5 with a 5.19 ERA, 79 strikeouts, and 41 walks over 52 innings.{{Cite web |last=Rogers |first=Anne |date=2021-10-18 |title=Check in on the Royals' Minor League stars |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/kansas-city-royals-minor-league-update-oct-18 |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=MLB.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Lewis |first=Alec |date=2021-08-20 |title=Updates on Asa Lacy, Alec Marsh; prospect promotions; and a story about puking: Q&A with Royals assistant GM J.J. Picollo |url=https://theathletic.com/2780779/2021/08/20/updates-on-asa-lacy-alec-marsh-prospect-promotions-and-a-story-about-puking-qa-with-royals-assistant-gm-j-j-picollo/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210821020454/https://theathletic.com/2780779/2021/08/20/updates-on-asa-lacy-alec-marsh-prospect-promotions-and-a-story-about-puking-qa-with-royals-assistant-gm-j-j-picollo/ |archive-date=2021-08-21 |access-date=2025-01-04 |work=The Athletic}} He missed over two months due to a shoulder injury.{{Cite web |last=Rogers |first=Anne |date=2022-02-18 |title='Best I've ever felt': Pitching prospect Lacy ready to impress |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/asa-lacy-prepared-to-impress-royals-in-2022 |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=MLB.com |language=en-US}} He was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Surprise Saguaros after the season.{{Cite web |last=Sanchez |first=Jesse |date=2021-10-13 |title=Royals' Lacy deals in Fall League debut |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/asa-lacy-dominates-in-arizona-fall-league-debut |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=MLB.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Lewis |first=Alec |date=2021-10-13 |title=Royals prospect Asa Lacy impresses in Arizona Fall League debut: 'Pretty freaking good' |url=https://theathletic.com/2888231/2021/10/13/royals-prospect-asa-lacy-impresses-in-arizona-fall-league-debut-pretty-freaking-good/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419115016/https://theathletic.com/2888231/2021/10/13/royals-prospect-asa-lacy-impresses-in-arizona-fall-league-debut-pretty-freaking-good/ |archive-date=2023-04-19 |access-date=2025-01-04 |work=The Athletic}}
Lacy opened the 2022 season with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Double-A Texas League.{{Cite web |last=McCandless |first=C.C. |date=April 4, 2022 |title=First-round pick Asa Lacy headlines Naturals roster |url=https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/first-round-pick-asa-lacy-headlines-naturals-roster/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=KNWA}} In 15 combined appearances split between the Naturals and the rookie–level Arizona Complex League Royals, he accumulated a 10.61 ERA with 35 strikeouts across 28 innings pitched.{{Cite web|title=Asa Lacy - Stats - Pitching|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/asa-lacy/sa3014423/stats?position=P|access-date=March 20, 2024|website=fangraphs.com|language=en}}
Lacy did not pitch for the Royals organization in 2023 due to ongoing back issues.{{Cite web |last=Graves |first=Matt |date=March 20, 2024 |title=Royals' 2020 Draft Pick Undergoes Surgery, Will Not Pitch In 2024 |url=https://lastwordonsports.com/baseball/2024/03/20/asa-lacy-tommy-john-injury/ |access-date=March 20, 2024 |website=lastwordonsports.com |language=en}} On March 19, 2024, Lacy underwent Tommy John surgery, which caused him to miss the entirety of the 2024 season.{{Cite web |last=Rogers |first=Anne |date=2024-03-21 |title=Royals' 2020 top Draft pick Lacy has Tommy John surgery |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/asa-lacy-royals-top-2020-draft-pick-has-elbow-surgery |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=MLB.com |language=en-US}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats|brm=lacy--000asa}}
- [https://12thman.com/sports/baseball/roster/asa-lacy/7404 Texas A&M Aggies bio]
{{2020 MLB Draft}}
{{Kansas City Royals first-round draft picks}}
{{2020 College Baseball Consensus All-Americans}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lacy, Asa}}
Category:Baseball players from Brazos County, Texas
Category:Sportspeople from Bryan, Texas
Category:Texas A&M Aggies baseball players
Category:United States national baseball team players
Category:Mat-Su Miners players
Category:Northwest Arkansas Naturals players