Lucas Stijepan Erceg Bio
Lucas Stijepan Erceg is an American professional baseball pitcher who currently plays for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut with the Oakland Athletics in 2023 before being traded to Kansas City in July 2024. Erceg originally entered professional baseball as a position player, transitioning to a full-time pitcher during his minor league career. He was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft and has since established himself as a reliable relief pitcher at the major league level.
Early Life and Background
Lucas Stijepan Erceg was born on May 1, 1995, in Campbell, California. He grew up in the same city, where he faced significant challenges during his childhood. His mother struggled with alcoholism, and his father was abusive, creating a difficult home environment for young Erceg. Despite these hardships, he attended Westmont High School in Campbell, where he began developing his baseball skills.
After high school, Erceg enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley in 2014. He played college baseball for the California Golden Bears as both a pitcher and a third baseman. His performance at Berkeley was notable, as he earned first team All-Pac-12 Conference honors in 2015. However, his college career was derailed before the 2016 season when he was ruled academically ineligible due to heavy drinking and poor class attendance. This led him to transfer to Menlo College, where he continued his baseball development.
Path to Professional Baseball
Erceg’s journey to professional baseball took an unconventional route through Menlo College after his departure from UC Berkeley. His talent on the diamond remained evident despite the academic setbacks. The Milwaukee Brewers recognized his potential and selected him in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft with the 46th overall pick. This marked his official entry into professional baseball as both a hitter and pitcher.
He began his professional career with the Helena Brewers of the Rookie-level Pioneer League before earning a promotion to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Single-A Midwest League. In his debut professional season, Erceg impressed by batting .327 with nine home runs and 51 runs batted in across 68 games between both teams. MLB.com ranked him as Milwaukee’s fourth-ranked prospect heading into the 2018 season, signaling his status as a promising young talent in the Brewers organization.
Lucas Stijepan Erceg Career
Milwaukee Brewers Minor League Years (2016–2023)
Following his selection in the 2016 Draft, Erceg advanced through the Brewers minor league system as a position player. In 2017 with the Carolina Mudcats of the High-A Carolina League, he batted .256 with 15 home runs and 81 RBI in 127 games. He also appeared in three games at the Triple-A level with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox that season. His power hitting was a consistent tool in his offensive game during these early professional years.
The 2018 and 2019 seasons saw Erceg continue his development with the Biloxi Shuckers of the Double-A Southern League and the San Antonio Missions of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League respectively. However, the 2020 season was lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic cancellation of minor league baseball. This period became a turning point in his career, as he began shifting his focus toward pitching. By 2021, Erceg started playing more games as a pitcher while still serving as a third baseman, eventually transitioning to a full-time pitching role.
Oakland Athletics Breakthrough (2023–2024)
On May 17, 2023, Erceg was traded to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for cash considerations. Just two days later, on May 19, he was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues. He made his MLB debut that same evening against the Houston Astros, allowing one run over one inning while recording one strikeout. The debut marked the culmination of his journey from a troubled youth in Campbell to Major League Baseball.
In his rookie season with Oakland, Erceg appeared in 50 games out of the bullpen. He compiled a 4–4 record with a 4.75 earned run average and 68 strikeouts across 55 innings pitched. The following season in 2024, he made 38 appearances and recorded a 3.68 ERA with 41 strikeouts and three saves in 36 and two-thirds innings of work. His consistency in the Athletics bullpen demonstrated his ability to handle high-leverage situations at the major league level.
Kansas City Royals Era (2024–Present)
On July 30, 2024, the Athletics traded Erceg to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Mason Barnett, Will Klein, and Jared Dickey. He joined the Royals mid-season and made an immediate impact, appearing in 23 games down the stretch. With Kansas City, he posted a 0–3 record with a stellar 2.88 ERA, 31 strikeouts, and 11 saves across 25 innings of work. His late-season performance helped strengthen the Royals bullpen as they pursued a playoff berth.
The 2025 season represented Erceg’s most productive year to date. He made 61 appearances out of the bullpen and posted an impressive 8–4 record with a 2.64 ERA and two saves across 61 and one-third innings pitched. His ability to pitch multiple innings and record outs in crucial situations made him a valuable asset for the Royals. However, his season ended prematurely when he was placed on the injured list on September 19, 2025, due to right shoulder impingement syndrome. Through June 28, 2026, Erceg holds a career MLB record of 17 wins and 17 losses with a 3.82 ERA and 213 strikeouts.
Pitching Style and Strengths
Erceg has developed into a reliable multi-inning reliever capable of handling various situations in the bullpen. His ability to record saves was particularly evident during his time with the Kansas City Royals, where he converted 11 save opportunities in 2024. He has shown the capacity to pitch in high-leverage situations, often entering games with runners on base or in late-inning scenarios. His strikeout ability remains a key component of his arsenal, averaging approximately one strikeout per inning throughout his MLB career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Erceg’s career has been defined by his remarkable personal transformation and professional reinvention. From battling alcoholism during his college years to achieving sobriety on June 10, 2020, he has spoken openly about his struggles and recovery. He commemorates his sobriety date by keeping the date sewn onto his baseball glove. His journey from a position player drafted by the Brewers to a successful relief pitcher in MLB represents a unique career trajectory in professional baseball. His 11 saves during the 2024 season with Kansas City marked his highest single-season save total to that point in his career.
Lucas Stijepan Erceg Career Wins
Across his MLB career spanning from 2023 through the 2025 season, Erceg has accumulated 17 wins and 17 losses in regular season play. His career earned run average stands at 3.82 with 213 strikeouts across his appearances for the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals.
Major League Baseball Highlights
Erceg made his MLB debut on May 19, 2023, with the Oakland Athletics against the Houston Astros. His rookie season yielded a 4–4 record with a 4.75 ERA and 68 strikeouts across 55 innings pitched in 50 appearances. His most successful season came in 2025 with the Kansas City Royals, where he posted an 8–4 record with a 2.64 ERA in 61 relief appearances. He also demonstrated closing ability, recording 11 saves in 2024 with Kansas City and three saves during his time with Oakland in 2024.
Minor League Achievements
Prior to reaching the majors, Erceg built an impressive minor league career primarily as a position player. His most notable offensive season came in 2017 with the Carolina Mudcats, where he hit 15 home runs and drove in 81 runs while batting .256. He was ranked as Milwaukee’s fourth-ranked prospect by MLB.com heading into the 2018 season, highlighting his status as one of the top young talents in the Brewers organization. His transition to full-time pitching began in 2021, setting the stage for his eventual role as a major league reliever.
Lucas Stijepan Erceg Family
Family Background and Heritage
Erceg’s father hails from Croatia, giving him Croatian heritage that has influenced his middle name, Stijepan, which is the Croatian form of Stephen. This connection to his Croatian roots represents an important part of his family background and identity. His upbringing in Campbell, California, was marked by significant challenges, including his parents’ struggles with alcoholism and abuse. These difficult circumstances shaped his early life before he found stability through baseball and later through his marriage and family.
Personal Life
Erceg met his wife Emma at Menlo College, and their relationship became instrumental in his recovery from alcoholism. In June 2020, Emma gave him an ultimatum to stop drinking or she would leave him. He chose sobriety and quit cold turkey without entering a treatment program, marking June 10, 2020, as his first day of sobriety. The date holds profound personal significance and remains sewn onto his baseball glove as a constant reminder of his journey. Erceg and Emma became engaged in July 2021 and married the following year. In late June 2025, the couple announced they were expecting their first child, expanding their family together.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represented a breakthrough year for Erceg as a member of the Kansas City Royals bullpen. He appeared in 61 games and posted an 8–4 record with a stellar 2.64 earned run average across 61 and one-third innings pitched. His 48 strikeouts demonstrated his continued ability to miss bats at the major league level. The Royals utilized him extensively in various relief roles, reflecting their trust in his ability to get outs in critical moments throughout the season.
Erceg’s performance helped anchor a Royals bullpen that played a significant role in the team’s overall success during the 2025 campaign. His ability to record two saves while maintaining a sub-3.00 ERA showcased his versatility as both a setup man and occasional closer. The partnership between Erceg and the Kansas City coaching staff appeared to be working effectively, as his strikeout-to-inning ratio remained strong throughout the season.
Unfortunately, the season ended prematurely for Erceg when he was placed on the injured list on September 19, 2025, due to right shoulder impingement syndrome. The injury cut short what had been his most productive major league season to date. The Royals and Erceg faced an uncertain outlook heading into the 2026 season regarding his recovery timeline and return to form. His career record through June 28, 2026, stands at 17 wins and 17 losses with a 3.82 ERA and 213 strikeouts across 178 total MLB appearances.