If University of Illinois sophomore LHP Nathan Lavender has a lot of blue and orange colored objects in his possession, that’s very convenient for him! Because surely he’ll be able to use them where he’s going- the New York Mets organization.
Selected in round 14, No. 412 overall in the 2021 MLB Draft, Lavender is now with the Port St. Lucie Mets. Nate Lavender was one of two Illinois Fighting Illini selected in the 2021 MLB Draft, both pitchers, as former teammate Andrew Hoffman went in the 12th round to the NL East division rival Atlanta Braves.
According to Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline, Lavender’s deal with the Mets is worth $125,000. The Illinois native was actually golfing, at the third hole at El Paso Golf Club, when he received his life-changing phone call telling him that he was about to start living the dream.
“I was there with mom and dad and my little brother when I got the call,” said Nathan Lavender.
“It was pretty cool to be with them. It’s really exciting,” he continued.
“There are a lot of unknowns, but I’m the type of person who likes to live in the moment and take everything in. I’ll throw somewhere towards the end of the year.”
After missing the COVID shortened 2020 season due to injury, Lavender finished 2021 with a 7-2 record and a 4.11 ERA over 57.0 innings pitched. He was the #2 starter in the Illini rotation (behind only Hoffman, who was the orange and blue’s Friday night guy) featuring 13 times with nine starts and four relief appearances.
Lavender began the year in the bullpen before later transitioning into a starter.
He also led the Big Ten in strikeout to walk ratio with 79 K to 15 BB (5.27) and tied for the league lead in wins.
Over the course of his three year Illini career, Lavender threw 85.2 innings with a record of 8-4 with a 4.10 ERA in 30 appearances with 13 starts.
Asked about who is favorite all-time pitcher is, Nathan Lavender kicked it old school, referencing a legend that retired long before he was born.
“Sandy Koufax, even out of all the modern guys,” he said, referencing the man whose 1965 perfect game is considered by many to be the finest game ever pitched (more on that here).
“He was phenomenal in what he did. I love everything about the guy.”
As Nathan Lavender transitions to the Mets, he’s hyped for the chance to work on his pitch movement, something the organization, from top to bottom, focuses on.
“The pitching portion of the organization is a very movement-focused program,” Lavender said.
“And that is what I really worked on at the University of Illinois, basically honing in on those movements. So I think it will play off really well as I transition into professional baseball.
“I had a couple days down time. Then they called and I flew down to Port St. Lucie. I’m down here now. The plan is to be down here for a few weeks and get acclimated to everything, the ins and outs.”
While the Mets have fallen out of first place since Lavender was drafted, starting pitching sometimes been a big strength for them. Marcus Stroman is having another big year, Tajuan Walker has had his moments and Jacob deGrom is simply among the best in the game.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.
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