Dylan Lesko
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 2003)}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Dylan Lesko
|image =
|team = Tampa Bay Rays
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|position = Pitcher
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|9|7}}
|birth_place = Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
|bats = Right
|throws = Right
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Dylan Joseph Lesko (born September 7, 2003) is an American baseball pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization.
Amateur career
Lesko attended Buford High School in Buford, Georgia. In 2021, he became the first junior to win the Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year after going 11–0 with a 0.35 earned run average (ERA) with 112 strikeouts in 60 innings.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/college/vanderbilt/2021/07/07/vanderbilt-baseball-commit-dylan-lesko-named-national-player-year/7853399002/|title=Vanderbilt baseball commit Dylan Lesko wins Gatorade National Player of the Year award|website=The Tennessean}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.northgwinnettvoice.com/bufords-dylan-lesko-named-2020-21-gatorade-national-baseball-player-of-the-year/|title = Buford's Dylan Lesko named 2020-21 Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year |website=Northgwinnettvoice.com|date = 7 July 2021}} He was also named the Gwinnett Daily Post Baseball Pitcher of the Year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/sports/baseball-pitcher-of-the-year-bufords-dylan-lesko/article_05521b40-d300-11eb-85b2-4b33bcad853b.html|title = BASEBALL PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Buford's Dylan Lesko|website=Gwinnettdailypost.com| date=22 June 2021 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/sports/bufords-dylan-lesko-named-gatorade-georgia-baseball-player-of-the-year/article_8ed031f4-d904-11eb-b3fb-d3ceb925e8da.html|title = Buford's Dylan Lesko named Gatorade Georgia Baseball Player of the Year|website=Gwinnettdailypost.com| date=29 June 2021 }} During the Summer of 2021 he combined with other pitchers to throw a no-hitter in the Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/dylan-lesko-luke-heyman-star-as-east-pitches-a-no-hitter-in-perfect-game-all-american-classic/|title = Dylan Lesko, Luke Heyman Star as East Pitches a No-Hitter in Perfect Game All-American Classic|website=Baseballamerica.com| date=23 August 2021 }}
Professional career
=San Diego Padres=
Lesko was considered the top pitcher available in the 2022 Major League Baseball draft before the season started.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/prospects/2022/draft|title = Top Baseball Draft Prospects|website = MLB.com}} He was committed to Vanderbilt University to play college baseball.{{Cite web|url=https://www.northgwinnettvoice.com/buford-pitching-ace-dylan-lesko-commits-to-vanderbilt-university/|title = Buford pitching ace Dylan Lesko commits to Vanderbilt University |website=Northgwinnettvoice.com|date = 22 November 2020}} His season ended when he tore the UCL in his pitching elbow, an injury that required Tommy John surgery, which he underwent on April 26 and was expected to sideline him until 2024. Regardless, the San Diego Padres selected Lesko in the first round, with the 15th overall selection, of the draft.{{cite web | url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/story/2022-07-17/padres-draft-first-round-dylan-lesko-buford-georgia-gatorade | title=Padres pick prep pitcher Dylan Lesko in first round of MLB Draft|website=Sandiegouniontribune.com | date=18 July 2022 }} Lesko signed with the Padres for a $3.9 million signing bonus, forgoing his commitment to Vanderbilt.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/padres-2022-draft-signings-tracker|title=Callis: Padres agree with first 3 picks|website=Mlb.com|access-date=28 July 2022}}
Lesko was able to return to action in 2023, splitting the year between the rookie–level Arizona Complex League Padres, Single–A Lake Elsinore Storm, and High–A Fort Wayne TinCaps. In 12 total starts, he accumulated a 1–5 record and 5.45 ERA with 52 strikeouts across 33 innings pitched. {{Cite web|title=Salas, Lesko form formidable duo on and off field|url=https://www.milb.com/news/ethan-salas-dylan-lesko-dazzle-for-high-a-fort-wayne|access-date=August 7, 2024|website=milb.com|language=en}}
=Tampa Bay Rays=
On July 28, 2024, Lesko, Homer Bush Jr., and J.D. Gonzalez were traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Jason Adam.{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jason-adam-traded-to-padres-prospects-rays | title=Rays get prospect haul after trades of Adam (Padres) and Paredes (Cubs) | website=MLB.com }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Baseballstats|mlb=702266|espn=5080636|br=|fangraphs=sa3020677|brm=lesko-000dyl}}
{{Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year}}
{{2022 MLB Draft}}
{{San Diego Padres first-round draft picks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lesko, Dylan}}
Category:Baseball players from Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Arizona Complex League Padres players
Category:Fort Wayne TinCaps players
Category:Lake Elsinore Storm players
Category:Bowling Green Hot Rods players
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
{{US-baseball-pitcher-stub}}