Eric Lauer

At Midview, Lauer for the baseball team as a pitcher and first baseman.[3] He received attention from Major League Baseball (MLB) scouts as a result of his 91 miles per hour (146 km/h) fastball.[1] He decided to commit to play college baseball for the University of Kentucky,[4] but he rescinded the decision and committed to Kent State University.[3] As a senior at Midview, Lauer pitched to a 7–0 win-loss record and a 0.15 earned run average (ERA), allowing one earned run in 47 innings pitched, while striking out 96 and allowing 12 hits and eight walks.[5] The Cleveland Plain Dealer named Lauer their player of the year for 2013,[3] and he was named Lorain County's Mr. Baseball.[6]

The Toronto Blue Jays selected Lauer in the 17th round of the 2013 MLB draft.[7] Lauer turned down a signing bonus in excess of $1 million to attend college.[8] Playing for the Kent State Golden Flashes, Lauer had a 5–4 win-loss record, a 1.98 ERA, and 103 strikeouts in 2015, in his sophomore year. During the summer, Lauer pitched for the Orleans Firebirds in the Cape Cod Baseball League.[9] He finished his junior year with a 0.69 ERA, the lowest in college baseball since 1979.[10] He won the National Pitcher of the Year Award.[11]

The San Diego Padres selected Lauer in the first round, with the 25th overall selection, of the 2016 MLB draft.[12] He signed with the Padres, receiving a $2 million signing bonus.[13] Lauer made his professional debut with the Arizona Padres of the Rookie-level Arizona League,[14] and received promotions to the Tri-City Dust Devils of the Class A-Short Season Northwest League[15] and the Fort Wayne TinCaps of the Class A Midwest League.[16] He finished the 2016 season with a 1–1 record and 2.03 ERA. He also had 37 strikeouts in 31 innings pitched.[17]

Lauer began the 2017 season with the Lake Elsinore Storm of the Class A-Advanced California League. He pitched to a 2–5 record and a 2.79 ERA with 84 strikeouts in ​67 ²⁄₃ innings, and was promoted to the San Antonio Missions of the Class AA Texas League in July.[18] In 10 games (nine starts) for the Missions, he was 4–3 with a 3.93 ERA. Lauer began the 2018 season with the El Paso Chihuahuas of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League.[19]

Lauer was promoted to the major leagues on April 24, 2018.[20][21] He made his debut the same day, pitching three innings against the Colorado Rockies, yielding six earned runs on six hits and four walks in three innings.[22] He was 6-7 in 23 starts for the Padres with a 4.34 ERA, striking out 100 in 112 innings. He led the major leagues in pickoffs, with 10, while giving up only five stolen bases with two caught stealing.[23]

On November 27, 2019, the Padres traded Lauer and Luis Urías to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Trent Grisham, Zach Davies, and cash considerations or a player to be named later.[24]