Lonsway returns to Ohio after brief stint in Cape Cod League

His stint in college baseball's prestigious Cape Cod League didn't work out.

But Celina alum Seth Lonsway is continuing to put in the work in preparation for a starting pitching role with Ohio State next spring.

A logjam in the Brewster Whitecaps' bullpen didn't provide the left-hander with much time on the bump, and he was released by the team a few days ago after having pitched just two innings of relief. With 16 arms on the roster, Lonsway was one of several pitchers who were seeing action on a very limited basis.

"The situation just didn't work out to our advantage," said Lonsway in a Thursday phone interview. "In the Cape, a team has 15-16 bullpen guys, so it didn't leave me, and a lot of other guys too, with a chance to pitch a good amount of innings."

However, Lonsway will be given plenty of chances to show his stuff this summer as he returned to Ohio - Springfield, to be exact - to pitch for the Champion City Kings.

"Not playing this spring, this was kind of looked at as my season," Lonsway said. "Ohio State wants me to start next year in the weekend rotation, so they wanted me somewhere, whether that was Cape Cod or whether that was here in the Prospects League, where I was going to be starting and getting some good innings and a good amount of games under my belt for the summer and getting good work in to prepare myself for next spring."

A Cincinnati Reds draftee last year, Lonsway was deemed ineligible to play in his freshman season at Ohio State due to problems with his high school transcript. He had been projected to be one of the Buckeyes' top pitchers. Instead, he spent the spring working out with the team and pitching mid-week bullpen sessions.

After having finished up his freshman year, Lonsway was off to the Cape Cod League, which is regarded as the best of the 11 NCAA-sanctioned summer leagues. He had spent last summer helping the Midland Redskins win the American Amateur Baseball Congress Connie Mack World Series.

"I did throw some mid-week bullpens against our batters at Ohio State, but that's obviously not game-like situations, you know. My last game-like situation was in high school. Going against 18 and 19-year-olds last summer down at Midland and then I'm going against college guys the next summer down at the Cape," Lonsway said. "It was definitely a noticeable jump, but it's still baseball. You've still got to compete and give your best."

Lonsway made two appearances with Brewster. He debuted on June 12 against Cotuit, allowing two runs on one hit while striking out two and walking six. He threw two innings of relief on June 20, giving up two runs and four hits while striking out four and walking one.

The White Caps are currently in last place in the Cod League East Division with a record of 3-12-1, worst in the 10-team league.

The Prospect League is an 11-team collegiate wood-bat league that features teams from Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. More than 175 players who have suited up in the Prospect League have went on to wear Major League Baseball uniforms - a list that includes names like Mike Schmidt, Kirby Puckett, Joe Girardi and Jonathan Papelbon.

Lonsway made his first starting appearance for the Kings last night in Springfield against the Chillicothe Paints. He pitched 2 2/3 innings in the game, allowing four runs (three earned) and five hits while striking out one and walking three. He exited with two outs and a 7-4 lead in the third.

"I don't think it's comparable to the Cape, but it is pretty high level," Lonsway said. "It's a good test. It's a good challenge. You're not going to come here and dominate by any means. You're going to have good outings, but you realize you're also going to be facing really good hitters. Last night, Dillon Dingler, he plays for us at Ohio State and he plays for Chillacothe, and he put together a good at-bat against me. You're still seeing some really talented guys out here.

"There's little things I'm still working on, you know, off-speed pitches, some mechanical things and stuff like that," he said. "But overall, I was pretty happy with my outing last year. Had some ground balls, had a couple strikeouts, only walked I think (three)."

The Kings, who play home games at Wittenberg's Carleton Davidson Stadium, rank fourth in the East Division of the Prospect League with a record of 7-12. The team has two other Ohio State pitchers on its roster in sophomore Andrew Magno (Dublin) and red-shirt freshman Jonathan Jahn (Augusta, Georgia). Ohio State sophomore infielder Conner Pohl (Arcanum) also plays with the Kings.

Though things didn't work out in the Cape Cod League, Lonsway said he was happy to have experienced the atmosphere of being on a ball field in front of thousands of fans and several Major League Baseball scouts. That said, he is excited to be back in Springfield and working to prove he has what it takes to be a key piece for the Buckeyes in seasons to come.

"Getting this work in and getting these starts here in Springfield is definitely going to work in my favor and benefit me," Lonsway concluded.