It has been a steady climb towards reaching his lifetime goal of pitching for a team in Major League Baseball for Logan Workman. He is one hurdle away as he begins the 2025 campaign with the Class Triple-A Durham (N.C.) Bulls.
For the second consecutive year the big right-hander was invited to and worked in Spring Training with the Tampa Bay Rays, the team that drafted him in the seventh round as soon as he completed an outstanding career in 2021 with Lee University.
“My goal is to continue to grow and develop as a pitcher,” he stressed.
“This is really my goal every year. But this year being in Triple-A I think my biggest goal is to get to the Big Leagues. “Spring Training was really good. I was able to get a better understanding of my game and what I need to do to be a Big-League pitcher. There is still more to learn and grow from, but overall, I had a great experience.
“I feel like I am in great shape. The body and arm feel good, and it is about consistency and strength. Staying healthy and pushing each week to get better is a key,” he concluded.
The Rays broke camp in late March and Workman headed for Durham where he spent a brief time at the end of the 2024 season. “I was in the big-league camp again and I did the same thing as last year, but I got a chance to stay longer this year (being with Durham),” he noted. “This is my fifth year in pro ball and fourth full year in affiliate ball.”
The hard-throwing right-hander combined for an 11-6 record and 2.96 ERA (146.0 innings pitched) with 138 strikeouts and 44 walks in 29 appearances (28 starts) between Double-A Montgomery and Durham last season. He paced all Tampa Bay Rays minor league pitchers in victories, in addition to ranking tied for fifth in strikeouts and sixth in earned-run average.
Across five starts with the Bulls at the tail end of 2024 he posted a 1-1 mark and a 4.30 ERA (23.0 innings pitched), adding 26 strikeouts and 11 walks. The 26-year-old was selected by Tampa Bay in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Lee.
He has already had one start with Durham this season, working four innings against the Norfolk, VA Tides, allowing only one hit over four innings. For those interested in seeing the Soddy-Daisy native pitch, the Bulls are scheduled to be in Nashville for a six-game series (April 22-27).
Injuries are a big part of baseball and Workman was sidelined for a couple of months during the 2023 season. Early in the year at Montgomery, the hard-throwing right-hander was warming up and getting ready to open the new season when he felt a felt a slight pain. After another pitch he knew he was in trouble and called the trainer out to the mound. A pulled Oblique muscle sidelined Workman for 2 ½ months at the Rays training complex in Sarasota, Fla.
The pitcher said he felt being away with the injury gave him a fresh start in Montgomery. "I wanted to stay positive and finish the season strong.” He says the pitching coaches at all levels have helped with his overall development.
Philip Tang
Director of Athletic Communications
Lee University
1 Corinthians 15:58
Phone: 423-614-3782
Email: ptang@leeuniversity.edu
Social Media: @philipjtang
www.leeuflames.com
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