Originally from Menlo, Colorado, Lucas Erceg began his career as a highly touted hitting prospect within the Milwaukee Brewers organization. However, his career as a hitter didn’t go as planned. In 2021, he explored the possibility of becoming a two-way player, and by 2022, he fully transitioned to a pitcher. By 2023, Erceg made it to the major leagues as a reliever. His journey from position player to pitcher is even more remarkable considering his personal triumph of achieving sobriety.

In 2023, the Brewers traded Erceg to the Oakland Athletics for cash. With no clear path to the big leagues in Milwaukee, Erceg quickly seized the opportunity in Oakland, making his MLB debut in May of that year. During the 2023 season, he posted a 4.75 ERA over 55 innings and improved to a 3.68 ERA in 2024 across 36.2 innings before being traded to the Kansas City Royals. To acquire Erceg, the Royals parted with three prospects: right-handers Will Klein and Mason Barnett, and outfielder Jared Dickey.

Since joining the Royals, Erceg has been dominant, not allowing a single run over 10.1 innings pitched across nine appearances. He has struck out 14 batters, given up just four hits, and hasn’t issued a walk. As the Royals vie for a postseason spot, Erceg is poised to play a significant role in their 2024 campaign.

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