Preston Larrison

Preston Wade Larrison (born November 19, 1980 in Aurora, Illinois) is an American baseball pitcher in the Cleveland Indians organization. Larrison previously spent seven years in the Detroit Tigers organization (2001-2008).

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. [cite news | title=West Aurora star turns heads with 90 m.p.h. fastball | work=Chicago Sun-Times | date=May 31, 1998 | first=Daryl | last=Van Schouwen | page=25] The Tampa Bay Devil Rays selected Larrison in the 20th round, but he opted to attend the University of Evansville instead. [cite news | title=Illiana's Ericks makes big change: Cub fan to a Cub | work=Chicago Sun-Times | first=Daryl | last=Van Schouwen | coauthors=Taylor Bell | date=June 4, 1998 | page=101] Preston pitched three years for Evansville (1999-2001); going in to the 2001 season he was considered the top prospect in the Missouri Valley Conference and the best pitcher at Evansville since Andy Benes. [cite news | title=Early commitments aren't for everyone | work=Chicago Sun-Times | date=January 28, 2001 | first=Steve | last=Tucker | page=108]

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 2002, where was named Co-Minor League Pitcher of the Year (with John Birtwell) after posting a 10-5 record with a 2.39 ERA. [cite news | title=Caps' Tejeda, Birtwell honored | work=Grand Rapids Press | date=September 28, 2002 | page=C6] The Tigers invited Larrison to 2003 spring training, but wound up with the single-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. [cite news | title=Future is now for Aurora's Larrison | first=Jennifer | last=Jones | work=Chicago Sun-Times | date=July 13, 2003 | page=109]

In 2004 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 2005 with Lakeland, but moved back up to Erie in the middle of the season. He spent most of 2006 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 2007 Larrison was out of out of options and considered a possible member of the Tigers' pitching staff. [cite news | title=Running out of options isn't bad for young pitchers | first=Jon Paul | last=Morosi | work=Detroit Free Press | date=January 28, 2007] 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. [cite news | title=Tigers send nine to the minors; Leyland impressed by Bondo, not pleased by Byrdak | work=Detroit Free Press | first=Jon Paul | last=Morosi | date=March 19, 2008] [cite web | url=http://www.mudhens.com/info/transactions.asp?view=2 | work=Toledo Mud Hens | accessdate=2008-07-01 | title=The Toledo Mud Hens - Roster Transactions]

On July 5, 2008, the Cleveland Indians signed Larrison to a minor league contract and sent him to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. [cite news | url=http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/sports/1041024,2_2_AU05_BRIEFS_S1.article | work=The Beacon News | title=Indians quickly scoop up Larrison after release | date=July 5, 2008 | accessdate=2008-07-07]

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*Baseballstats |mlb=425830 |espn= |br= |fangraphs=$03555 |cube=L/Preston-Larrison |brm=23239