Biographical

Portrait of Luke Hochevar

Luke Hochevar PRoyals

Royals Player Cards | Royals Team Audit | Royals Depth Chart

2019 Projections (Preseason PECOTA - seasonal age 35)
IP ERA WHIP SO W L SV WARP
Login or Subscribe today for access to projections!
Birth Date9-15-1983
Height6' 5"
Weight225 lbs
Age35 years, 10 months, 2 days
BatsR
ThrowsR
0.92015
0.82016
2017
2018
0.22019
proj
WARP Summary

MLB Statistics

Historical (past-seasons) WARP is now based on DRA..
cFIP and DRA are not available on a by-team basis and display as zeroes(0). See TOT line for season totals of these stats.
Multiple stints are are currently shown —Click to hide.
YEAR Team Lg G GS IP W L SV H BB SO HR PPF H/9 BB/9 HR/9 K/9 GB% BABIP WHIP FIP ERA cFIP DRA DRA- WARP
2007 KCA MLB 4 1 12.7 0 1 0 11 4 5 1 105 7.8 2.8 0.7 3.6 0% .244 1.18 5.19 2.13 108 5.83 120.7 0.0
2008 KCA MLB 22 22 129.0 6 12 0 143 47 72 12 103 10.0 3.3 0.8 5.0 0% .305 1.47 4.46 5.51 111 5.59 119.3 -0.1
2009 KCA MLB 25 25 143.0 7 13 0 167 46 106 23 105 10.5 2.9 1.4 6.7 0% .321 1.49 4.87 6.55 108 5.45 116.8 0.2
2010 KCA MLB 18 17 103.0 6 6 0 110 37 76 9 112 9.6 3.2 0.8 6.6 0% .312 1.43 3.90 4.81 98 4.88 110.2 0.4
2011 KCA MLB 31 31 198.0 11 11 0 192 62 128 23 109 8.7 2.8 1.0 5.8 0% .275 1.28 4.32 4.68 112 4.79 111.3 0.6
2012 KCA MLB 32 32 185.3 8 16 0 202 61 144 27 101 9.8 3.0 1.3 7.0 0% .315 1.42 4.58 5.73 108 5.58 127.8 -0.9
2013 KCA MLB 58 0 70.3 5 2 2 41 17 82 8 100 5.2 2.2 1.0 10.5 0% .214 0.82 2.98 1.92 78 2.54 60.8 1.7
2015 KCA MLB 49 0 50.7 1 1 1 49 16 49 7 103 8.7 2.8 1.2 8.7 0% .298 1.28 3.97 3.73 95 3.30 77.0 0.9
2016 KCA MLB 40 0 37.3 2 3 0 31 9 40 6 104 7.5 2.2 1.4 9.6 38% .269 1.07 4.01 3.86 88 3.03 67.1 0.8
CareerMLB279128929.3466539462997021161059.22.91.16.847%.2961.344.314.981054.86109.13.7

Statistics for All Levels

'opp' stats - Quality of opponents faced - have been moved and are available only as OPP_QUAL in the Statistics reports now.
Minor league stats are currently shown —Click to hide.
YEAR Team Lg LG G GS IP W L SV H BB SO HR PPF H/9 BB/9 HR/9 K/9 GB% BABIP WHIP FIP ERA cFIP DRA DRA-
2006 BUR A MDW 4 4 15.0 0 1 0 8 2 16 2 86 4.8 1.2 1.2 9.6 0% .167 0.67 3.50 1.20 81 3.03 63.5
2007 KCA MLB AL 4 1 12.7 0 1 0 11 4 5 1 105 7.8 2.8 0.7 3.6 0% .244 1.18 5.19 2.13 108 5.83 120.7
2007 WIC AA TXS 17 16 94.0 3 6 0 110 26 94 13 105 10.5 2.5 1.2 9.0 0% .348 1.45 4.00 4.69 90 5.16 105.9
2007 OMA AAA PCL 10 10 58.0 1 3 0 53 21 44 11 106 8.2 3.3 1.7 6.8 0% .253 1.28 5.72 5.12 114 4.29 88.0
2008 KCA MLB AL 22 22 129.0 6 12 0 143 47 72 12 103 10.0 3.3 0.8 5.0 0% .305 1.47 4.46 5.51 111 5.59 119.3
2008 OMA AAA PCL 3 3 17.3 1 1 0 11 6 12 2 101 5.7 3.1 1.0 6.2 0% .188 0.98 4.63 2.60 95 2.76 56.4
2009 KCA MLB AL 25 25 143.0 7 13 0 167 46 106 23 105 10.5 2.9 1.4 6.7 0% .321 1.49 4.87 6.55 108 5.45 116.8
2009 OMA AAA PCL 8 8 48.0 5 1 0 41 12 36 2 86 7.7 2.3 0.4 6.8 0% .285 1.10 3.24 1.50 84 3.54 74.5
2010 KCA MLB AL 18 17 103.0 6 6 0 110 37 76 9 112 9.6 3.2 0.8 6.6 0% .312 1.43 3.90 4.81 98 4.88 110.2
2010 OMA AAA PCL 2 2 5.0 0 0 0 3 1 4 0 91 5.4 1.8 0.0 7.2 0% .214 0.80 3.18 1.80 0 0.00 0.0
2011 KCA MLB AL 31 31 198.0 11 11 0 192 62 128 23 109 8.7 2.8 1.0 5.8 0% .275 1.28 4.32 4.68 112 4.79 111.3
2012 KCA MLB AL 32 32 185.3 8 16 0 202 61 144 27 101 9.8 3.0 1.3 7.0 0% .315 1.42 4.58 5.73 108 5.58 127.8
2013 KCA MLB AL 58 0 70.3 5 2 2 41 17 82 8 100 5.2 2.2 1.0 10.5 0% .214 0.82 2.98 1.92 78 2.54 60.8
2015 KCA MLB AL 49 0 50.7 1 1 1 49 16 49 7 103 8.7 2.8 1.2 8.7 0% .298 1.28 3.97 3.73 95 3.30 77.0
2015 OMA AAA PCL 9 4 10.3 0 1 0 16 8 10 2 108 13.9 7.0 1.7 8.7 0% .438 2.32 6.50 7.84 111 7.85 172.1
2016 KCA MLB AL 40 0 37.3 2 3 0 31 9 40 6 104 7.5 2.2 1.4 9.6 38% .269 1.07 4.01 3.86 88 3.03 67.1

Plate Discipline

YEAR Pits Zone% Swing% Contact% Z-Swing% O-Swing% Z-Contact% O-Contact% SwStr%
2008 2043 0.4846 0.4430 0.8331 0.6374 0.2602 0.9097 0.6569 0.1669
2009 2317 0.4808 0.4614 0.7905 0.6158 0.3184 0.8761 0.6371 0.2095
2010 1628 0.5117 0.4527 0.7707 0.6182 0.2792 0.8505 0.5856 0.2293
2011 3068 0.5042 0.4443 0.7953 0.5979 0.2880 0.8692 0.6393 0.2047
2012 2989 0.5062 0.4416 0.7856 0.6239 0.2547 0.8591 0.6011 0.2144
2013 1041 0.5062 0.4870 0.7081 0.6395 0.3307 0.8012 0.5235 0.2919
2015 870 0.5161 0.4851 0.7654 0.6659 0.2922 0.8395 0.5854 0.2346
2016 583 0.4957 0.4854 0.6996 0.6505 0.3231 0.8191 0.4632 0.3004
Career145390.49950.45440.78320.62310.28580.86320.60900.2168

Injury History  —  No longer being updated

Last Update: 12/31/2014 23:59 ET

Date On Date Off Transaction Days Games Side Body Part Injury Severity Surgery Date Reaggravation
2014-03-21 - 60-DL - - Right Elbow Recovery From Surgery Tommy John Surgery 2014-03-18 -
2014-03-05 2014-03-21 Camp 16 0 Right Elbow Surgery Tommy John Surgery 2014-03-18 -
2012-07-06 2012-07-14 DTD 8 4 Right Ankle Sprain - -
2012-04-14 2012-04-20 DTD 6 5 Left Ankle Contusion Batted Ball - -
2011-07-03 2011-07-03 DTD 0 0 Low Back Soreness -
2010-06-12 2010-09-03 60-DL 83 71 Right Elbow Strain -
2010-04-02 2010-04-02 Camp 0 0 Left Ankle Contusion Batted Ball -
2008-08-20 2008-09-28 60-DL 39 36 Right Trunk Contusion Rib Cage -
2006-10-26 2006-10-26 WIN 0 0 Right Shoulder Strain -

Compensation

Year Team Salary
2016 KCA $5,500,000
2015 KCA $4,000,000
2014 KCA $5,210,000
2013 KCA $4,560,000
2012 KCA $3,510,000
2011 KCA $1,760,000
2010 KCA $1,760,000
2009 KCA $1,725,000
YearsDescriptionSalary
8 yrPrevious$28,025,000
8 yrTotal$28,025,000

 

Service TimeAgentContract Status
8 y 151 dBoras Corp.2017

Details
  • 2 years/$10M (2015-16). Re-signed by Kansas City as a free agent 12/3/14. 15:$4M, 16:$5.5M, 17:$7M mutual option, $0.5M buyout. 2016 salary may increase by $1M to $6.5M with 23 games started or 150 innings pitched. Performance bonuses: $0.5M as reliever (non-closer). $0.5M as closer. $2M as starting pitcher. Kansas City declined 2017 option 11/16.
  • 1 year/$5.21M (2014). Re-signed by Kansas City 1/17/14 (avoided arbitration). May earn additional $0.4M in performance bonuses.
  • 1 year/$4.56M (2013). Re-signed by Kansas City 1/18/13 (avoided arbitration). Performance bonuses.
  • 1 year/$3.51M (2012). Re-signed by Kansas City 1/17/12 (avoided arbitration).
  • 1 year/$1.76M (2011). Re-signed by Kansas City 1/12/11 (avoided arbitration). Award bonus: $50,000 for All-Star selection.
  • 1 year/$1.76M (2010). Re-signed by Kansas City 3/2/10 (maximum 20% cut from 2009 earnings of $2.2M, or $1.325M plus $0.875M pro-rated signing bonus).
  • 4 years/$5.3M (2006-09). Signed Major League contract with Kansas City 8/06. $3.5M signing bonus. Total value may increase to $7M based on making 25-man roster. 06:$0.4M (est.), 07:$0.575M (est), 08:$1.2M, 09:$1.325M. Optioned to Double-A 3/07, recalled 9/3/07. Optioned to Triple-A 3/23/08, recalled 4/20/08. Optioned to Triple-A 3/31/09, recalled 5/10/09, optioned to Triple-A 5/24/09, recalled 6/6/09.
  • Drafted by Kansas City 2006 (1-1) (Fort Worth independent league).
  • Drafted by LA Dodgers 2005 (1s-40) (University of Tennessee). Did not sign.

2019 Preseason Forecast

Last Update: 1/27/2017 12:35 ET

PCT W L SV G GS IP H BB SO HR BABIP WHIP ERA DRA VORP WARP
90o 2.8 1.2 2.5 51 0 53.7 41 15 53 6 .256 1.05 3.01 3.24 10.1 1.1
80o 2.4 1 2.1 45 0 46.9 39 14 46 5 .273 1.15 3.41 3.68 6.6 0.7
70o 2.1 0.8 1.8 40 0 42.2 38 14 42 5 .285 1.22 3.70 4 4.5 0.5
60o 1.9 0.7 1.6 37 0 38.3 36 13 38 5 .296 1.28 3.96 4.28 3.0 0.3
50o 1.7 0.6 1.4 33 0 34.7 34 12 34 5 .306 1.34 4.20 4.55 1.7 0.2
40o 1.5 0.5 1.2 30 0 31.2 32 12 31 4 .315 1.41 4.45 4.82 0.7 0.1
30o 1.3 0.4 1.1 26 0 27.6 30 11 27 4 .326 1.48 4.72 5.11 -0.3 0.0
20o 1.1 0.4 0.9 22 0 23.5 27 10 23 4 .338 1.56 5.04 5.47 -1.1 -0.1
10o 0.8 0.2 0.6 17 0 18.0 22 8 18 3 .355 1.69 5.50 5.97 -1.8 -0.2
Weighted Mean1.70.61.432033.83312335.3031.334.164.51.90.2

The rest of this card is restricted to Baseball Prospectus Subscribers.

Not a subscriber? Click here for a free card so you can see what's missing.

Click here for more information on Baseball Prospectus subscriptions or to subscribe and get instant access to the best baseball content on the web.

BP Annual Player Comments

The rest of this card is restricted to Baseball Prospectus Subscribers.

Not a subscriber? Click here for a free card so you can see what's missing.

Click here for more information on Baseball Prospectus subscriptions or to subscribe and get instant access to the best baseball content on the web.

BP Articles

Click here to see articles tagged with Luke Hochevar

BP Chats

DateQuestionAnswer
2013-07-02 13:00:00 (link to chat)HOF-types Maddux, Glavine, Pedro, RJohnson and a few others all struggled in their first few major league seasons. How aberrant is to see the immediate success of recent young pitchers (such as Harvey, SMiller, and Fernandez this year and perhaps Kershaw, Lincecum, Felix, C.Sale and Straus in previous years)? Is it that "stuff" predominates, or the guys pick up sequencing earlier (whether on own or with team's "coaching")?
(tullythomas from (Balt Memial Stadium Bleachers))		Very good point about stuff dominating this era of high strikeout rates. That said, we're looking at a snapshot. Dwight Gooden was really good when he came up, you just don't mention him because we have the hindsight now not to include him in the HOF crop. There's a chance that at Luke Hochevar's induction, we'll say that he struggled early in his career too.

(Snark aside, I think it's probably what you said about pitchers coming up now with such good stuff.) (Zachary Levine)
2013-03-15 13:00:00 (link to chat)Luke Hochevar is in the bullpen. One step closer to the stands or is he the Judd Apatow of pitching? (Only good in small doses.) Does his stuff get better or worse?
(Tyler Drenon from TheDoubleday.com)		Another Royals question for Tyler :) Pitchers usually do better in relief (see Tom Tango's Rule of 17) with the assumption they learn how to get ready for a game quickly, instead of having all sorts of time to get ready before a start. His stuff is his stuff, but he may add a couple MPH if he adapts physically to the role change (and you should expect him to). (Harry Pavlidis)
2012-11-28 14:00:00 (link to chat)What's wrong with Mike Montgomery? Do you think he will ever be able to make it in the majors as a SP?
(Nils from Stamford)		Well, we're talking about the team of Kyle Davies and Luke Hochevar here. You don't necessarily have to to be a good pitcher to be a Royals pitcher for a long time. So I'll say that he makes it in the sense that he is a major-league starter for a while, but not necessarily a good one. For that, you'll have to wait for the Royals prospect list, which will be out soon.

Since that wasn't a very satisfying answer, I'm just going to pretend you asked about Mark Montgomery instead. In which case: Nothing! Nothing is wrong with Mark Montgomery. (I really like Mark Montgomery, mostly because he reminds me of David Robertson.) (Ben Lindbergh)
2012-04-13 13:00:00 (link to chat)Chances that both AL wild cards come out of the East? How long before KC has a legit shot in the Central?
(cooldude from Mpls)		I think it's certainly possible, the Red Sox slow start notwithstanding. Even so, I wouldn't count the second place team in the AL West, either the Angels or the Rangers, out of the running at all. Both teams have a good deal of talent and depth.

As for the Royals, I'd guess that 2014 is realistic. Right now, I simply don't see the starting pitching they need to compete; at best maybe Bruce Chen and Luke Hochevar (who took a step forward in the second half last year) are league average - where is the rest of that help going to come from? They'll need to sign outside free agents or make trades in order to fortify their starting five. (Jay Jaffe)
2012-03-15 12:00:00 (link to chat)What's your take on the 2012 Royals?
(Ryan Glass from The District)		It comes down to their pitching. I can see their young position players taking steps forward, but that rotation needs to carry its weight, too. If Luke Hochevar and Danny Duffy can improve and Felipe Paulino continues to pitch like he did with KC last season then that team looks a lot better than it does now. (R.J. Anderson)
2009-04-13 14:00:00 (link to chat)Sheehan's silly little Opening Day screed notwithstanding, Hillman has managed KC's bullpen fairly well the past five games. How far can a strong pen (assuming Farnsworth isn't over-extended and HoRam is moved out of the rotation) and the trio of Meche-Greinke-Davies carry that team, given that scoring 500 runs this year seems like a pipe dream some days?
(BL from Bozeman)		Forget the bullpen for a moment. Given that Ramirez and Ponson are both in the rotation to start the year while a healthy Luke Hochevar rots in Triple-A, I question Hillman's qualifications to manage a major league club. That's malpractice right there.

Needless to say, i'm a take-the-under guy when it comes to the Royals. (Jay Jaffe)
2008-03-03 13:00:00 (link to chat)Whats the deal with Luke Hochevar? As a Royals fan, should I start worrying?
(Will from iowa)		I said before that the mental aspect of the game is immense for pitchers, and mutliple scouts pointed at Hochevar's condifence (or lack thereof) as one of the key components to his dissapointing 2007 season. The stuff for him to be a successfull big league starter is there, the rest might be up to him. (Kevin Goldstein)
2008-01-29 16:00:00 (link to chat)Rany, is Luke Hochevar going to be a bust in relative terms to the #1 overall pick?
(ajblobaum from Lawrence, KS)		"Bust" is too strong a term. He's going to be less valuable than your typical #1 pick, simply because your average #1 pick includes the Griffeys and A-Rods of the world. I think he's going to be a #3 starter, maybe #2 in a good year. Would he go #1 if the Royals drafted today? No. But the only clearly better player the Royals passed on at the time was Andrew Miller, and even today it's not clear that Miller's the better player. Joba Chamberlain or Tim Lincecum, sure, but few people were arguing that at the time. (Although our own Kevin Goldstein thought the Royals should have taken Lincecum.) (Rany Jazayerli)


BP Roundtables

No BP Roundtables have mentioned this guy.

 

PITCHf/x Pitcher Profile

A Collaboration between BrooksBaseball.net and Baseball Prospectus - Pitch classifications provided by Pitch Info LLC