The Daily Standard
Story Archive
Celina graduate Seth Lonsway begins his third season of professional baseball tonight as the Eugene Emeralds open the High-A Northwest League season at home against Tri-City in Eugene, Oregon.
Photo courtesy of Connor Watrous/Eugene Emeralds
After experiencing some growing pains in 2023, Seth Lonsway is focused on making 2024 a breakthrough season on the mound.
The Celina High School graduate struggled in his second full season of minor league baseball, but after a productive offseason, he's ready for his second season with the Eugene (Oregon) Emeralds as the High-A Northwest League gets its season underway tonight. The Emeralds host Tri-City in a three-game weekend series.
"This season feels a little different," said Lonsway during a phone interview. "After having some success in the Arizona Fall League and then having a good Spring Training, coming out healthy and throwing well, I'm just eager to get the season started."
Lonsway, a 2021 sixth-round pick for San Francisco, had a great 2022 season with the Class-A San Jose Giants, going 9-3 with a 4.06 earned run average and 120 strikeouts in 95 1/3 innings while helping San Jose reach the California League playoffs. The success allowed Lonsway to move up to High-A Eugene for the 2023 season.
He struggled at the start of 2023, as he was 0-3 with an ERA of 5.82 through May. In 28 appearances - 17 starts - for the Emeralds, Lonsway went 2-9 with a 5.87 ERA average. After walking 51 batters in 2022, Lonsway walked 58 and struck out 78 in 89 innings.
Lonsway said that the struggles were more with his mental aspect of the game than anything physical.
"I put some pressure on myself. The game is hard enough as it is," said Lonsway. "I think I put some pressure on myself to be successful. Mentally, that limited me a little bit and held me back.
"I was living and dying by each pitch a little too much and trying to make the perfect pitch every time. That's not going to happen. Realistically, going with the flow and taking one pitch at a time is something I learned in the Fall League and in Spring Training."
The Giants decided to send Lonsway to the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League, featuring top prospects from the upper levels of the minors.
In five appearances for the Scorpions, Lonsway pitched 10 innings, walked four and struck out 13 in posting a 5.40 ERA with no decisions.
"It was really beneficial to play against guys that had time in at Double-A and Triple-A," said Lonsway. "The talent is very well known. Having to go out there and perform and compete against those guys is a challenge. I really enjoyed it and learned some stuff mentally - the head space I need to be in to compete against those calibre of players. It really pushed me and gave me the mindset for Spring Training."
Scottsdale went 15-14 in the Fall League, earning a wild card spot in the three-team playoffs. Afterward, Lonsway went into his usual offseason workout routine.
"You just used every day wisely, as far as my strength and conditioning program goes," said Lonsway. "I really had to take advantage of each day (due to pitching an extra month). There's no missing days when you have three months to turn around and get ready for Spring Training."
One area that Lonsway worked on during preseason is utilizing all five pitches in his arsenal.
"I kind of mixed things up with what I was throwing. I'd mostly been throwing four-seam (fastballs), change-ups and curve balls towards the end of the season," said Lonsway. "Working the two-seamer (fastball) and cutters (cut fastballs) into the mix was something I took into the Fall League and Spring Training. Pitching with a little better mindset with those pitches is something that helped propel me in Spring Training. The mentality aspect is something that has helped me.
"All five pitches have great stuff, have a lot of potential and can be big-league pitches. It's all the matter of mentally being in the right space."
Lonsway expects to make his 2024 debut on Tuesday as the Emeralds open their first road trip at Everett, Washington, to face the AquaSox.
"Things got bumped around. On the last day of Spring Training (March 31), I was scheduled to pitch, but we got some rain in Arizona," said Lonsway with a chuckle. "We had to push the rotation around, so it looks like Tuesday. In (the Northwest League), you're making adjustments and going with the weather permits you to do it. You have to deal with it and figure it out as we go."
