Preston Larrison

Preston Wade Larrison (born November 19, 1980 in Aurora, Illinois) is former American baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers Larrison previously spent seven years in the Detroit Tigers organization (-) and part of one in the Cleveland Indians organization (2008).
Larrison pitched for West Aurora High School, where his 90+ mph fastball attracted the attention of big-league scouts and he was widely expected to enter the draft. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays selected Larrison in the 20th round, but he opted to attend the University of Evansville instead. Preston pitched three years for Evansville (1999-2001); going into the season, he was considered the top prospect in the Missouri Valley Conference and the best pitcher at Evansville since Andy Benes.
At Oneonta, Larrison worked as a starter, going 1-3 with a 2.47 ERA and striking out 50. The Tigers promoted Larrison to the Single-A Lakeland Tigers in , where was named Co-Minor League Pitcher of the Year (with John Birtwell) after posting a 10-5 record with a 2.39 ERA. The Tigers invited Larrison to spring training, but wound up with the Double-A Erie SeaWolves at the start of the season. Although he appeared in that year's All-Star Futures Game, he struggled throughout the year, going just 4-12 with a 5.61 ERA.
In , the Tigers again invited Larrison to spring training and again he was sent down to Erie. Larrison fared better in 2004: his record improved to 5-4 and his ERA fell to 3.05, He began with Lakeland, but moved back up to Erie in the middle of the season. He spent most of with Erie as well; at the end of the year he moved up to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, but appeared in just six games with them, all in relief. His advancement was hindered in part by elbow surgery. By , Larrison was out of out of options and considered a possible member of the Tigers' pitching staff. In the end, however, Larrison did not make the cut and returned to Toledo, where he posted a 2-2 record with a 3.84 ERA in 45 appearances as a reliever. The same story repeated itself in 2008, and on July 1, 2008, Larrison requested to be released and became a free agent.
On July 5, 2008, the Cleveland Indians signed Larrison to a minor league contract and sent him to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. He became a free agent at the end of the season and signed with the Washington Nationals in November. Larrison is currently the Pitching instructor for Top Pick Athletics, co.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu