 | Name: Jeff Locke Position: Left Handed Pitcher Birth Date: November 20, 1987 Height: 6'2'' Weight: 180 Bats: Left Throws: Left College/HS: Kenneth HS (NH) Acquired: Trade (for Nate McLouth) Drafted 2nd Rd 2006 Major League ETA: 2012 |
| McEffect Report: Jeff Locke came over in the trade that initially sent Nate McLouth to Atlanta. Locke was just a compliment to Charlie Morton and Gorkys Hernandez, but he has been one of the Pirates best minor league pitchers since. In 2010 he posted a 3.56 ERA with 8.7 K/9 and just 1.6 BB/9 in 144 innings between A and AA. He couldn't quite replicate that success in 2011 with a 3.70 ERA, 8.2 K/9, and 3.2 BB/9. The funny thing was that Locke's struggles were in AA last year with a 4.03 ERA and then he got much better on his promotion to Indianapolis with a 2.22 ERA (in just 28.1 innings). That was good enough for the Pirates to give him a September call up, where he didn't have too much success. He started 4 games for the Pirates and posted a 6.48 ERA with just 2.7 K/9 while walking 5.4 batters per nine. He'll start 2012 in Indianapolis's rotation and could be called up to the big leagues again if he is needed. Locke's stuff isn't going to set the world on fire, but he has been a pretty good pitcher in his professional career thus far. He's a marginal pitching prospect and I wouldn't expect too much from him in his career; let's hope he proves me wrong. |