This is a follow-up article to my original feature article on Lake Bachar that I did earlier in the year. You can read that article here.
When right-handed pitcher Lake Bachar joined the UW-Whitewater baseball team prior to the start of the 2015 season as a sophomore in college, never did he expect to be in the position he is in today.
After putting up impressive numbers in his first season with the Warhawks a year ago, Bachar impressed scouts while playing in the Northwoods League last summer.
This put Bachar on professional scouts’ radar as the 2016 college baseball season approached, while positioning himself for a chance to be selected in the 2016 MLB First-Year Player Draft, despite playing at the Division III level.
Baseball America even ranked Bachar 100th on its preseason top college draft prospects list.
Despite all the preseason attention Bachar received, he hasn’t let it affect him, as he is 5-5 with one save and 70 strikeouts in 60 2/3 innings (10 starts) this season.
“I feel like I’ve pitched pretty well,” Bachar said. “A hiccup here and there, but overall I feel like I’ve given a strong effort so far.
“I don’t feel like (the attention associated with the draft is) bringing any pressure. I’m just going out and enjoy the game still. Nothing has really changed.”
This season Bachar has developed more as a pitcher and has a better feel for his four-pitch mix. Instead of relying heavily on his fastball, he’s used his secondary pitches to keep hitters off balance. A 6-foot-3, 210-pound hurler, Bachar throws a fastball, changeup, 12-6 curveball and changeup.
With the MLB Draft less than a month away, Bachar isn’t worried about his future. Instead, he’s hoping to finish the year off strong and help his team go deep in postseason play.
“I’d like to throw my pitches more consistently and fill up the strike zone, attacking the hitters more,” Bachar said. “I just want to finish the year off strong and help my team get to the World Series. Really just doing anything I can to benefit my team.”
Find more MLB Draft coverage here.
Over the last few months I’ve interviewed 31 of the top MLB Draft prospects. Read my profiles on these draft prospects here.
