Logan Workman
Former Lee baseball pitcher Logan Workman is spending the fall with several other top major league prospects at the Arizona Fall League, which is hosted in Peoria, Scottsdale, Glendale, and Meca each year.
All 30 major league teams send players to the event which will conclude on Nov. 11 with the Fall League Championship game. The league is divided into six teams. Logan is a member of the Peoria Javelinas, and he says there are players from five different organizations as members of his team.
Workman, who played for Soddy Daisy High, has pitched in five games, starting four and earned a 2-0 record for the Javelinas that are 12-10 and in second place in the league standings. He has worked in 17.1 innings, allowing 23 hits, while striking out 21 and walking just six. He has given up one homer and carries a 5.71 ERA.
“This is a very good opportunity to pitch against other top prospects from other organizations,” said the hard-throwing right-handed pitcher during a recent phone conversation. “It's also an opportunity to learn from players and coaches who come from other teams. My goal is to finish strong out here and bounce into a great spot going into Spring Training.”
As soon as Fall League breaks, Logan will take a couple of planned trips to allow himself time away. “But I am planning to get into a good workout, and get moving to be ready for a potential Big League Spring Training invite. Or at least make a strong push into Spring Training, and strong start into the regular season.”
Looking back at this past regular season in AA ball with Montgomery (Ala.), Logan says he was “pleased with my overall season. I felt like I was able to come back stronger after my (early-year) injury and could tell I felt like myself again.”
Like most top-flight prospects who are looking to move up to the next level, Workman admits he is not sure exactly what next season holds. “My goal is to break (Spring Training) camp with our Triple A team, but if not, I will make a strong push into Montgomery, and work my way out to Triple A. From there I’m hoping it leads to a big-league debut next season.”
The Tampa Bay Rays have become known as an organization that carries its share of excellent pitching prospects and over the years has been known for making trades for hitting prospects.
“I don’t know of any talks of trade or anything else as far as I know,” Workman said when questioned about the possibility. “Obviously, things can change for sure. It is a business, but we will see as we go.”
While he has been taking his turn pitching and working out in Arizona, he has also had time to keep an eye on the Major League playoffs and World Series. “It is good to see another fellow DII arm in (Connor) Pfadtt with Arizona. I got to see him as a 2020 pitcher with Bellarmine (University). Other guys I have seen play are (Jason) Carter (Elizabethton, Tenn.) with the Rangers. It is good to see guys who made a big impact on teams from D2 who have shown it is possible to make it to the “bigs” no matter where you went to school.”
As far as the World Series goes, Workman said both Texas and Arizona had strong teams, but he felt like the Diamondbacks are stronger and, “my guess is Arizona makes it all the way. They just have to finish strong.”