Sportsvival got to have a one-on-one sit down with Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Justin Lawrence, and the conversation gave a great look into the journey that helped shape him into the pitcher he is today.
Lawrence’s story is not the typical straight-line baseball path. He was born in Panama, moved to Jacksonville, Florida at a young age, played multiple sports growing up, started his college path as more of a corner infield type, and eventually developed into a professional pitcher with one of the more unique deliveries in Major League Baseball.
Lawrence was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 12th round of the 2015 MLB Draft out of Daytona State College. He was the 347th overall pick. He has since pitched for both the Rockies and Pirates, and in 2026 with Pittsburgh he is 0–2 with a 5.31 ERA, 22 appearances, 20.1 innings pitched, 22 strikeouts, and a 1.475 WHIP.
From Panama to Jacksonville
Sportsvival started the conversation by asking Lawrence about being born in Panama.
“Yes,” Lawrence said.
But while Panama is part of his story, Lawrence explained that most of his childhood was spent in Florida.
“I only lived there for a couple of years and then I moved to Jacksonville, Florida,” Lawrence said.
When asked if soccer was one of the first sports he played as a young kid, Lawrence said that was not really the case.
“I played basically football and baseball up until high school,” Lawrence said. “And then I focused on just baseball in high school.”
That answer says a lot about Lawrence’s athletic background. He was not just a baseball-only kid from the very beginning. Like many young athletes, he played different sports, developed his body, competed, and eventually baseball became the path that stuck.
A Late Bloomer Who Found Baseball Later
Sportsvival asked Lawrence when he first realized baseball could be his future.
“Honestly, probably not until my junior year of high school,” Lawrence said. “I was kind of a late bloomer. I had some success in summer ball against better talent.”
That late-bloomer part is important. Lawrence was not describing himself as a player who always knew he was going to be a pro. He had to grow into that belief.
For young players, that is a valuable lesson. Development does not always happen on the same schedule for everyone. Sometimes the player who keeps working, keeps competing, and keeps improving can take a major jump later than others.
Lawrence’s summer ball experience helped open his eyes. Once he started having success against better competition, the possibility of baseball becoming something bigger became more real.
He Was Not Always Just a Pitcher
Sportsvival then asked Lawrence if he started off as a hitter or if he had always been a pitcher.
His answer showed just how much his baseball path changed.
“I committed to Jacksonville University as a corner guy, a third baseman/first baseman,” Lawrence said. “It wasn’t until after my senior summer season of high school that coaches came out to watch me throw and I did well.”
That is a major part of Lawrence’s story. He did not enter college as a finished pitching product. He was a player still figuring out where he fit best on the field.
At first, the path looked like it could be at third base or first base. Then coaches saw him throw, and the pitching door started to open.
Sportsvival believes that is one of the most interesting parts of Lawrence’s development. Sometimes a player’s best future position is not always the one he starts with. For Lawrence, the arm talent eventually took over.
The Delivery Came Later
One of the things fans notice right away about Lawrence is his unique delivery. Sportsvival asked if he had always thrown that way.
“No,” Lawrence said. “Halfway through my freshman year in college I started to drop down. I was only throwing 87-88, touching 90 sometimes.”
That adjustment changed the direction of his career.
Dropping down gave Lawrence a different look, a different angle, and a different identity on the mound. It helped separate him from other pitchers and gave hitters something uncomfortable to deal with.
Sportsvival has always looked at delivery, deception, and arm slot as big pieces of pitcher evaluation. Lawrence is a perfect example of a player who found something that worked for him and built a career around it.
The Draft Call That Almost Went a Different Way
Sportsvival asked Lawrence about his draft year and whether he knew he was going to be selected.
“I knew there was definitely some inkling that I was going to get drafted,” Lawrence said. “Not top 10 rounds, but a good chance between 11-20.”
That prediction ended up being right. Lawrence went in the 12th round, but he told Sportsvival that another team almost came into play first.
“Yes,” Lawrence said when asked if he still remembered the phone call. “I remember the Dodgers called me in the 9th round and asked if I would sign for X amount of money. I said yes, thank you for the opportunity. I don’t know what happened, but they went in a different direction and then Colorado called me and took me with the second pick in the 12th round.”
That is the reality of draft day. Things can change quickly. One moment a player thinks one organization may be the landing spot, and then the board shifts.
For Lawrence, the Rockies ended up being the team that made the call. Colorado selected him in the 12th round, and that started his professional baseball journey.
Finding His Confidence in Pro Ball
Sportsvival asked Lawrence how big the difference was after getting drafted and how his mindset changed once he entered professional baseball.
Lawrence was honest about the challenge.
“Being from a junior college, playing against the SEC big guys, it was originally in my head, I am not going to lie,” Lawrence said. “But once I hit High-A ball, I found my stride and knew I was good enough.”
That quote might be the strongest one from the interview.
It shows the human side of the climb. Even professional athletes can have moments where they wonder how they stack up. Lawrence was coming from a junior college background and stepping into a world filled with players from major college programs and top baseball pipelines.
But once he got comfortable, he realized he belonged.
That confidence became a turning point.
Justin Lawrence’s MLB Career Stats
Lawrence made his MLB debut with the Colorado Rockies on April 29, 2021. Since then, he has worked as a Major League reliever with experience in late-game situations.
As of the current 2026 season listing, Baseball-Reference has Lawrence with Pittsburgh at:
0–2 record
5.31 ERA
22 games
20.1 innings pitched
22 strikeouts
1.475 WHIP
For his MLB career, MiLB’s player page lists Lawrence with a 13–14 record, 5.06 ERA, 221 games, 14 saves, 231.0 innings pitched, 232 strikeouts, and a 1.55 WHIP.