Justin Lawrence Bio
Justin Anthony Lawrence (born November 25, 1994) is a Panamanian professional baseball pitcher who has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota Twins, and Washington Nationals. The right-hander was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 12th round of the 2015 MLB Draft and made his MLB debut with Colorado in April 2021. Lawrence has served as both a setup man and closer during his MLB career, most notably recording 11 saves for the Rockies during the 2023 season. He has appeared in 195 career MLB games, compiling a 13-15 win-loss record with a 5.37 earned run average and 248 strikeouts.
Early Life and Background
Lawrence was born in Panama City, Panama on November 25, 1994. He moved to the United States at two years old and grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. He attended First Coast High School in Jacksonville, where he played high school baseball. After graduating, Lawrence continued his baseball career at the collegiate level, playing for Jacksonville University. He later transferred to Daytona State College to continue his development as a pitcher.
Path to Professional Baseball
Lawrence entered the MLB Draft following his college career. The Colorado Rockies selected him in the 12th round, with the 347th overall selection, of the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft. His selection by the Rockies marked his entry into professional baseball and set the stage for his development through their minor league system over the next several seasons.
Justin Lawrence Career
Minor League Development (2015-2020)
After signing with the Rockies following the 2015 Draft, Lawrence made his professional debut with the Boise Hawks before being reassigned to the Grand Junction Rockies. He appeared in 22 relief appearances between the two teams, posting an 0-3 record with an 8.39 ERA. In 2016, Lawrence played for both Boise and the Asheville Tourists, recording a 4-6 record and 4.98 ERA in 49 relief appearances. In 2017, he returned to Asheville but pitched in only 16 and one-third innings due to injury, going 0-2 with a 1.65 ERA.
Lawrence spent the 2018 season with the Lancaster JetHawks, where he showed significant improvement by going 0-2 with a 2.65 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 57 and one-third relief innings. Following the 2018 season, he played in the Arizona Fall League and the Rockies added him to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. Lawrence spent the 2019 season with the Hartford Yard Goats and the Albuquerque Isotopes, going 1-5 with an 8.76 ERA and 32 strikeouts over 37 relief innings.
On January 17, 2020, Lawrence was suspended without pay for 80 games after testing positive for the performance enhancing substance dehydrochloromethyltestosterone. He did not play in a game during the 2020 season due to both the suspension and the cancellation of Minor League Baseball because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Colorado Rockies Breakthrough (2021-2024)
Lawrence was promoted to the major leagues for the first time on April 29, 2021. He made his MLB debut that same day, pitching a scoreless eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks. In that game, he recorded his first major league strikeout by punching out infielder Eduardo Escobar. Lawrence appeared in 19 games with Colorado that season, posting an 8.64 ERA with 19 walks in 16 and two-thirds innings.
In 2022, Lawrence established himself as a reliable member of the Rockies bullpen. He ended the season with a 3-1 record in 38 games, striking out 48 batters in 42 and two-thirds innings. On October 3, 2022, he earned his first career save by tossing a scoreless ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Heading into the 2023 season, Lawrence began the year as the setup man to closer Pierce Johnson. A few months into the season, he was named the Rockies closer and served in that role for the remainder of the year. He recorded 11 saves and posted a 3.72 ERA in a career-high 69 games. Lawrence appeared in 56 games during the 2024 campaign, but struggled to a 4-4 record with a 6.49 ERA, 45 strikeouts, and 2 saves across 59 and two-thirds innings. On March 1, 2025, the Rockies placed Lawrence on waivers.
Pittsburgh Pirates (2025)
On March 3, 2025, the Pittsburgh Pirates claimed Lawrence off waivers from the Rockies. He made an immediate impact with his new team, recording a 0.79 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 11 games before being placed on the injured list with elbow inflammation on April 24, 2025. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on May 3 and was activated on September 12. Lawrence ended the season with a 1-0 record, 0.51 ERA, and 23 strikeouts in 17 and two-thirds innings, representing a strong comeback following his injury.
Minnesota Twins (2026)
Lawrence made 23 appearances for the Pirates during the 2026 campaign, compiling an 0-2 record and 5.32 ERA with 25 strikeouts over 22 innings of work. On May 29, 2026, he was designated for assignment by Pittsburgh. On June 1, 2026, Lawrence was traded to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for cash. He made seven appearances for the Twins but struggled significantly, posting an 0-1 record and 18.00 ERA with 12 strikeouts over six innings. The Twins designated him for assignment on June 21.
Washington Nationals (2026-Present)
The Washington Nationals claimed Lawrence off waivers from the Twins on June 24, 2026. He made his Nationals debut on June 27, recording a tenth-inning save against the Baltimore Orioles. This achievement made Lawrence the first Washington pitcher since Sean Doolittle, who served as one of his pitching coaches, to record a save in his first appearance with the team, nearly nine years after Doolittle accomplished the feat.
Pitching Style and Strengths
Lawrence has primarily worked as a relief pitcher throughout his professional career. His best minor league season came in 2018 with Lancaster, where he demonstrated solid strikeout ability with 62 strikeouts in 57 and one-third innings. He has shown the capacity to handle high-leverage situations, having served as both a setup man and a primary closer during his MLB career.
Notable Performances and Milestones
Lawrence recorded his first career save on October 3, 2022, against the Los Angeles Dodgers, a significant milestone in his MLB career. His standout stretch came early in the 2025 season with Pittsburgh, where he posted a 0.79 ERA in 11 appearances before his injury. His debut save with the Nationals in June 2026 added another memorable chapter to his career, joining rare company as a pitcher to record a save in their first appearance with Washington.
Justin Lawrence Career Statistics
Lawrence has appeared in 195 career MLB games across his time with the Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota Twins, and Washington Nationals. He has compiled a 13-15 win-loss record with a 5.37 earned run average and 248 strikeouts through June 20, 2026. His career highlights include 11 saves from the 2023 season with Colorado and his first career save against the Dodgers in 2022.
| Statistic | Career MLB Total |
|---|---|
| Win-Loss Record | 13-15 |
| Earned Run Average | 5.37 |
| Strikeouts | 248 |
| Games Pitched | 195 |
Justin Lawrence Family
Personal Life
Lawrence was born in Panama City, Panama, on November 25, 1994, and moved to Jacksonville, Florida at two years old. He attended First Coast High School in Jacksonville, Florida. He played college baseball at Jacksonville University and later attended Daytona State College. Lawrence maintains an active presence on Instagram under the handle justinlawrence1125. No information about a spouse or children has been made publicly available.
Background
Lawrence has no publicly known family connections to professional baseball. His path to MLB included his education at First Coast High School and his collegiate career at Jacksonville University and Daytona State College before being drafted by the Rockies in 2015.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represented a significant chapter in Lawrence’s career following his departure from Colorado. After being claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates in March, he made an immediate impact by posting a 0.79 ERA with 15 strikeouts across 11 relief appearances. His strong early-season performance suggested he could be a key contributor to the Pirates bullpen.
However, Lawrence’s season was interrupted when he was placed on the injured list with elbow inflammation on April 24. He spent nearly five months recovering before being activated on September 12. Despite the lengthy absence, he returned to finish the season with a 1-0 record and a 0.51 ERA in limited action.
This resurgence with the Pirates demonstrated Lawrence’s ability to bounce back from a difficult end to his tenure with the Rockies. The Pirates viewed him as a valuable piece for their bullpen moving forward, though questions remained about his durability heading into the 2026 season following his injury absence.