Call to the pen
Fansided

Scouting the Cleveland Indians/New York Mets trade

By Benjamin Chase

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 23: Kevin Plawecki #26 of the New York Mets looks on against the San Francisco Giants during their game at Citi Field on August 23, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 23: Kevin Plawecki #26 of the New York Mets looks on against the San Francisco Giants during their game at Citi Field on August 23, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
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New York Mets
SAN DIEGO, CA – JUNE 1: Walker Lockett #62 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at PETCO Park on June 1, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images) /

Walker Lockett

A big righty at 6’5″ with broad shoulders, Walker Lockett was originally drafted by the San Diego Padres out of high school in Florida in 2012 in the 4th round. Interestingly, the move to the New York Mets is his second trade already since the end of the 2018 regular season, as the Indians just acquired Lockett on November 20th, 2018.

Lockett struggled with injury early on before having a tumultuous year in 2015, being demoted two different times that season.

He had a breakout in 2016, climbing the ladder from low-A all the way up to AAA by season’s end. Overall, he tossed 164 innings with a 2.96 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and a 24/123 BB/K ratio. He’d filled out that broad frame to a solid 225ish pounds, and he used his frame well.

More injury issues derailed his 2017, but Lockett rebounded with a solid performance (taking league context into account) as he tossed 133 1/3 innings for AAA El Paso in 2019 in the PCL with a 4.73 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and a 33/118 BB/K ratio. He struggled in 4 appearances with the Padres at the big league level.

Lockett works with a heavy fastball that sits 92-94, touching 95-96. When he is on with his delivery, he generates tremendous sink and late movement low in the zone with the fastball. He uses his change and his curve nearly equally, and they’re both average pitches. Lockett did use a cutter more in the minors, but he featured it infrequently in the majors.

The injuries have left Lockett without a lot of polish in his delivery, so he can get off track at times, which is not uncommon for a taller guy. However, when he’s on, Lockett has the sort of stuff and easy delivery that would allow him to soak up innings as a #4 type of starter.

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