MLB Draft

• 2021 MLB Draft - 14th Round - New York Mets

Career Highs

• Innings pitched: 6.0, at Rutgers, May 29, 2021 ; at Iowa, May 15, 2021 ; at Indiana, Apr 09, 2021 
• Strikeouts: 13, at Iowa, May 15, 2021
• Walks allowed: 4, Illinois State, Mar 24, 2019   
• Batters faced: 25, 4 times - last at Iowa, May 15, 2021 
• Field chances: 2, Coastal Carolina, Apr 03, 2019 ; Illinois State, Mar 24, 2019 
• Assists: 2, Illinois State, Mar 24, 2019 
• Runners CS: 1, Penn State, May 22, 2021 ; Michigan State, Apr 17, 2021

Sophomore - 2021

• Academic All-Big Ten
• Pitched in 13 games with nine starts
• 7-2, 4.11 ERA, 57.0 IP, 15 BB, 79 SO
• First Illinois pitcher to start a season 5-0 since RHP John Kravetz in 2015
• Big Ten Sportsmanship Award
• Led the conference in strikeout/walk ratio (5.27)
• Tied for the conference lead with seven wins
• Sixth in the conference in strikeouts per nine innings (12.47)
• Led the team in wins and strikeouts
• W, GS, 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 10 SO at Rutgers 5/29/21
• W, GS, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 3 BB, career-high 13 SO at Iowa 5/15/21
• Made his first start since 4/30/19 at SIU against Nebraska 4/2/21
• W, 4.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 SO vs. Northwestern 3/26/21
• W, 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 SO at No. 13 Michigan 3/19/21

Sophomore - 2020 (COVID-19 Shortened)

• Missed the season with an injury
• No. 5 MLB Draft prospect for 2021 in the Big Ten by Baseball America
• No. 18 MLB Draft prospect for 2021 in the Big Ten by D1Baseball

Freshman - 2019

• 1-2, 4.08 ERA, 28.2 IP, .202 BAA, 24 BB, 37 SO
• Fourth on the team with a .202 batting average against
• Sixth on the team with 37 strikeouts
• First career win at Saint Louis 3/20/19
• First career appearance at Coastal Carolina 3/1/19
• 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 6 K during the six-game foreign trip to Curaçao and Aruba

High School

• Four-year letterwinner
• Played for head coach Mike Souhrada at El Paso Gridley
• No. 11 recruit in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 5 left-handed pitcher in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• 7-1, 0.85 ERA in high school
• 2017 all-state
• 2017 all-conference
• Also golfed in high school and was a two-time conference champion
• Volunteered at nursing homes playing music
• Volunteered on construction projects, including building a church in Bloomington
• Committed to Illinois in the fall of his junior year
• Chose Illinois over Missouri State, Indiana State, Michigan State, Purdue and Southern Illinois

Personal

• Born Jan. 20, 2000
• Son of Jim and Lisa Lavender
• Father, Jim, played baseball at Marian College
• Uncle, Darrin Frye, played baseball at Marian College
• Cousin, Ryan Frye, played baseball at Evangel University
• One younger brother, Caleb
• Majoring in political science
• Aspires to pursue a career in law following his playing career
• Enjoys classical music and plays instruments, including the piano
• Chose Illinois because, "the stellar education they offer and because of the solid athletic program I will enjoy being a part of. Also, I chose Illinois due to the prime location in the heart of Illinois."