Lance McCullers Jr., is shaping up like his father

TAMPA, Fla. – When Lance McCullers let go of his first pitch at the East Coast Pro Showcase in Lakeland, Fla., he instinctively turned toward the Joker Marchant Stadium scoreboard, where the digital radar gun flashed a number only a handful of people on the planet have ever achieved: 100 mph.

That triple-digit scoreboard display was the consummation of the heavy expectations placed on the precocious right-hander since he threw 97 as a sophomore for his Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.) high school team. It was also a number his father, ex-major leaguer Lance, could never quite reach.

"The fastest I ever hit was 97," the elder McCullers said.

McCullers' father pitched for seven major league seasons from 1985-92, most notably as a reliever for four seasons with the San Diego Padres. In 1987, he had his most productive year, pitching 123.1 innings in 78 appearances and compiling an 8-10 record with 16 saves and a 3.72 ERA.

His son of the same name has picked up where dad left off. Born one year after his father's last major league pitch, McCullers developed rapidly at a young age. His father recalls a trip to Tallahassee when Lance, age 7, was a fill-in on his cousin's 12-year-old team and was better than most of the players double his size and nearly twice his age.

"I always knew when I started throwing with him what kind of arm he had," Lance said. "I saw how strong his arm was being an ex-major leaguer myself. He was always throwing the ball 30, 40, 50 yards ahead of the other kids in his age group."

Whether through good genetics or possibly osmosis from watching old cassette recordings of his father pitching, the younger McCullers' pitching style resembled his father's.

"You can take a video of me and my father and we're practically identical," McCullers Jr., said. "I think I may be a little bit more on top of my pitches, and I think he may have had a little more of a better changeup than I do. But overall, I throw the same type of pitches that he used to throw, same grips, same arm slot, same overall mechanics. So everything that he did has been passed down to me."

McCullers Jr., doesn't only rely on his father for his athletic prowess, however. His mother Stacie was a top-flite tennis player at LSU before an injury sidelined her during her sophomore year. Her father played basketball at the University of Florida. McCullers Jr.'s paternal grandfather was a gridiron standout for the Gators as well.

"I think I had a ball in the crib before a blanket," McCullers Jr., joked.

The athletic bloodlines don't dovetail after McCullers Jr., either. The 18-year-old University of Florida commit is the oldest of three McCullers children. Twin brothers Ryan McCullers and Austin, both 16, are sophomores in the Jesuit baseball program, and during the summer of 2008, the twins played on the Citrus Park Little League team that won a Southeast Region title to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Penn. Citrus Park was a semifinalist for the United States championship.

"We would be at the park watching (Lance) play, so that would make us more interested in wanting to play baseball," Ryan, a catcher, said. "Sports come pretty natural to our family."

And pitching has come natural to McCullers Jr. He's ranked as one of the Top 10 high school MLB draft prospects as well as the top player in Florida by MaxPreps, and he's been rated as the No. 1 overall pick of the draft by at least two services.

As a sophomore relief pitcher, McCullers Jr., helped Jesuit to the Florida Class 4A state semifinals after making 11 appearances and going 2-0 with three saves and a 0.39 ERA.

Last season, McCullers Jr., transitioned into a starting role and struck out 79 batters in 52 innings. Jesuit finished one win away from a Florida state championship, losing 4-1 to Archbishop McCarthy (Southwest Ranches, Fla.) in the state final.

This year, McCullers Jr., will focus on continuing his metamorphosis into a starting pitcher. That, and leading Jesuit to its first state title since 2000.

"I think last year was more an experiment year than anything," said McCullers Jr., who throws a four-seam and two-seam fastball, a spike curveball, a slider and an improving changeup. "The expectations were high, obviously, but not to the point where I had to win every single game and I was going out there and expected to go seven innings every time. I think it was more of me going out there and learning this is what it's like, getting a routine down, understanding the concept of starting and not being a closer and understanding that every pitch doesn't impact the outcome of the game…So this year is more my year to really amp it up and let everyone know that I'm a serious threat to be a starter."

His major league father might have taught him how to pitch, but the most important lesson gleamed from his dad's tutelage? Humility.

"He's always preached to me to stay humble and always want to be the best that you can," McCullers Jr., said. "Never be complacent with where you are or be satisfied because there's always someone out there that has accomplished more or wants something you do. He tells me you always have to be hungry."