It seems ages ago that the Kansas City Royals selected lefty Asa Lacy fourth overall in the MLB Draft. Lacy last pitched in 2022 for the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals. That season he pitched to an 11.25 ERA across 11 outings. Much of those woes were the result of walks — Lacy posted a 26.7% walk rate in that sample. That season, Lacy suffered yet another injury setback. Much of his pro career has been plagued by back injuries that have greatly limited his availability. Entering the 2024 season it looked as if Lacy would finally find himself back on the mound. He was ramping up in spring training preparing to pitch. Reports from Surprise were encouraging, with many saying that Lacy looked great. Then, disaster struck.

Lasy suffered an elbow injury last spring and underwent Tommy John Surgery. That surgery sidelined him for the entire season, and he didn’t pitch a single inning in any official game. Now, less than a year later, Lacy is back to pitching and hoping to work his way back for 2025. In a post on Lacy’s Instagram page Monday, we see Lacy pitching with the caption “2025, God is good.”

At this point, there are hardly any expectations for the now-25-year-old lefty. With luck, perhaps he could begin working his way back to a full season of work. That alone would be a fantastic accomplishment for Lacy. Should he do so, there’s still time for him to work his way to the Major Leagues. His stuff was never in question, and Lacy had ability on the mound. Control was always the limiting factor. Expecting any sort of big league career is putting the cart before the horse, however. For now, it’s just great to see Lacy working his way back and hopefully we will see him in game action next season.