#31 Jon Lester Boston Red Sox  |  Pitcher

     
 

Age: 26
Born:
January 7, 1984
Puyallup, WA
Height: 6-3
Weight:
225
Bats: Left
Throws:
Left
Drafted: 2nd Round, 2002
How Acquired: Draft
High School:  Bellarmine Preparatory School (WA)

Photo © Kelly O'Connor

Scouting Report: Very athletic lefty.  Four-seam fastball sits around 93-95 mph and tops out around 97 mph.  Also has a two-seamer with good movement. Lester also utilizes an above-average changeup, an 11-to-5 curveball which sits in the high-70s,  and a nice cutter.  Easy delivery motion with good explosion, similar to Andy Pettitte.  Power strikeout pitcher, uses his fastball and occasionally his curve as his out pitch.  While Lester typically has top notch control, sporadically he will have games where his command of certain pitches is really off.  Had struggles with consistency early in his career.  Very hard worker, prepares well for each game. Great pickoff move.  Diagnosed with treatable lymphoma in 2006, but  returned to the mound in good health (but not full strength) in spring training 2007.  The velocity of his fastball returned to form in mid-to-late 2007.  After battling back from cancer, Lester won the deciding game of the 2007 World Series and in early 2008 he tossed a no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals. 

 
   
    Career Stats                                          
  year team lg level org age w l % era g gs cg sh sv ip h r er hr bb so k/bb
  2002 GCL Red Sox GCL Rk Bos 18 0 1 0.000 13.50 1 1 0 0 0 0.2 5 6 1 0 1 1 1.00
  2003 Augusta SAL A Bos 19 6 9 0.400 3.65 24 21 0 0 0 106.0 102 54 43 7 44 71 1.61
  2004 GCL Red Sox GCL Rk Bos 20 0 0 --- 0.00 1 1 0 0 0 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0.50
  2004 Sarasota FSL A Bos 20 7 6 0.538 4.28 21 20 0 0 0 90.1 82 46 43 2 37 97 2.62
  2005 Portland East AA Bos 21 11 6 0.647 2.61 26 26 3 1 0 148.1 114 52 43 10 57 163 2.86
  2006 Pawtucket IL AAA Bos 22 3 4 0.429 2.70 11 11 0 0 0 46.2 43 17 14 5 25 43 1.72
  2006 Boston AL MLB Bos 22 7 2 0.778 4.76 15 15 0 0 0 81.1 91 43 43 7 43 60 1.40
  2007 Greenville SAL A Bos 23 0 0 --- 2.08 3 3 0 0 0 13.0 11 3 3 2 2 15 7.50
  2007 Portland East AA Bos 23 1 0 1.000 1.50 1 1 0 0 0 6.0 5 1 1 0 4 4 1.00
  2007 Pawtucket IL AAA Bos 23 4 5 0.444 3.89 14 14 2 0 0 71.2 67 32 31 4 31 51 1.65
  2007 Boston AL MLB Bos 23 4 0 1.000 4.57 12 11 0 0 0 63.0 61 33 32 10 31 50 1.61
2008 Boston AL MLB Bos 24 16 6 0.727 3.21 33 33 2 2 0 210.1 202 78 75 14 66 152 2.30
2009 Boston AL MLB Bos 25 15 8 0.652 3.41 32 32 2 0 0 203.1 186 80 77 20 64 225 3.52
   
  Additional Player Info  
  Pronunciation: ---
First Pro Contract:
August 13, 2002 by Gary Rajsich
Signing Bonus: $1,000,000
MiLB Debut: August 23, 2002 (GCL)
MLFA Eligible: N/A
Rule 5 Draft Eligible: N/A
Added to 40-man: November 18, 2005
MLB Debut:
June 10, 2006 (Boston)
MLB Service Time (through 2009):
3 years, 75 days
Options Remaining
: 1 (2007, 2006) oaw*
MLB Contract (2010): $3,750,000
Trade Restrictions
: None
     
 

Awards
2005 Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year
Eastern League All-Star (2005)
Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Month (Jun. 2005)
Eastern League Pitcher of the Week (7.10.05)
Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Month (Jul. 2005)
2005 Post-Season Eastern League All-Star
2005 Sea Dogs Pitcher of the Year (fan voting)
2005 Eastern League Pitcher of the Year
Red Sox ML Pitcher of the Month (May 2006)
2007 Tony Conigliaro Award

Awards (cont.)
AL Player of the Week (May 19-25, 2008)
AL Pitcher of the Month (July 2008)
AL Pitcher of the Month (September 2008)
2008 Hutch Award
2009 Red Sox Pitcher of the Year (BBWAA)

SoxProspects.com Awards

2005 SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Year
2005 SoxProspects.com All-Star - SP
2006 SoxProspects.com Pre-Season All-Star - SP

 
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