| Player: Justin Lamkin | |||||||||||
| Org: Kansas City Royals | Highest Level: Double A | Position(s): LHP | |||||||||
| Height: 6’4″ | Weight: 210 lbs. | Bats: Right | Throws: Left | ||||||||
| Summary: Lamkin arrives as one of the more polished college lefties in his draft class, a three-year college workhorse whose track record of durability and strike-throwing carried him into a competitive-balance selection. The delivery draws mixed descriptions — some see funk that helps the stuff play up, others a more mechanical, repeatable operation — but the throughline across every look is a pitcher who commands the mound and pounds the strike zone from pitch one. The fastball is modest in terms of raw stuff, sitting comfortably in the low-90s with occasional life into the mid-90s, but it plays because of feel and location rather than any standout shape — he works both sides of the plate and elevates when he needs to. The slider is the clear carrying secondary, an above-average gyro breaking ball that’s shown the ability to add and subtract shape and land in different spots depending on the count, generating real chase underneath the zone. The changeup and a curveball added after turning pro round out the mix, giving him a real weapon against right-handed hitters even though neither pitch has separated as a true out-pitch yet. The floor here is what stands out most — durability, size, command, and a track record of getting outs without needing plus stuff to do it. This profiles as a high-floor, back-end starter: a lefthander who should move efficiently through the system and settle into a rotation spot on the strength of pitchability and strike-throwing rather than any standout individual weapon. | |||||||||||
Shaun Kernahan is the founder and lead writer of Three Quarter Slot, where he blends scouting precision with a storyteller’s eye for the human side of the game. Based in Parker, Colorado, he has covered baseball prospects at every level since 2013, delivering in-depth evaluations, draft analysis, and developmental insight. Over the years, he has built Three Quarter Slot into a trusted home for thoughtful prospect coverage, detailed scouting reports, and a grounded look at how talent evolves
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