Lucas Gilbreath is an emerging arm in the Rockies bullpen
Over the last two seasons, the Rockies' bullpen has been full of question marks. However, there have been some bright spots, such as Daniel Bard in 2021 and Tyler Kinley in 2022. One pitcher who has quietly been a solid arm for Colorado is Lucas Gilbreath. The 2017 draftee made his MLB debut two years ago and is becoming a reliable piece while living out a dream.
“It’s been awesome,” said Gilbreath. “I first got drafted out of high school in the 30 something round by the Rockies. I never thought of going and was dead set on going to college. Getting the call in 2017, I mean obviously with baseball you don’t really have any say so it was awesome to get that opportunity. It’s been a blessing and I can’t be grateful enough.”
During his time in the minors, Gilbreath spent time in the rotation and the bullpen. That has not been the case in the majors, as he has pitched strictly as a reliever. While he has had to adjust to a new role, the Rockies lefthander has found success.
“In my first season there were a lot of hiccups, and it was my first real season in the bullpen,” said Gilbreath. “I had to learn how to warm up, when to warm up, and what situations I would be thrown into. I also had to learn how to battle the ups and downs. I learned a lot about how to manage stress and my workload that helped me a lot in my second year.”
So far, Gilbreath has embraced his new role. Since making his MLB debut in 2021, he has posted a 3.78 ERA in 94 appearances. Regardless of the situation, he has found a way to get batters out. His success has partly been due to veterans such as Daniel Bard.
“I’m sure they get sick of me sometimes, especially Bard,” said Gilbreath. “With guys like Bard, Estevez, and Colome I’m always trying to ask them questions. Most of the time they have been through something similar in their career. I’m always looking to them for tips or information.”
The advice has proven beneficial, as Gilbreath was one of the best relievers in baseball for a stretch last year. From May 14-August 4, the Colorado native posted a 1.35 ERA. In 33.1 innings of work, he struck out 41 batters and held opponents to a .198 batting average. In a season where a lot went wrong for the Rockies, Gilbreath showed why he should be part of the future.
Although the former seventh-round pick had a stellar run, he struggled down the stretch. In August, Gilbreath posted an ERA over 9.00 and ended the season on the injured list. Although the 2022 campaign did not end the way he wanted, Gilbreath continued to learn from his experiences.
“I think Bard and Tyler Kinley alluded to the same thing,” said Gilbreath. “Whatever you’ve done someone has done it before. Everyone has screwed up, everybody’s walked someone with the bases loaded. It’s that mindset of it’s happened to everybody, learn from it and move on.”
As the 26-year-old prepares for his third major league season, he is expected to play an important role. Through his first 94 appearances in the majors, Gilbreath has held opponents to a .224 batting average. His resume also includes one save, and 16 holds. In 2023, he will be looking to stay true to the mindset that has gotten him this far.
“The biggest thing for me is focusing on myself,” said Gilbreath. “Once the ball leaves your hand, you have zero control. I think the sooner you realize that the better you’ll be. Once I got to the point of where I was like If I make my pitches and execute most times, I am going to be successful. If you keep the mindset of, I am going to attack and I’m going to do what I can it’s going to work out almost every time.”
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