Nestor Lorant Honored as Florida State League Pitcher of the Year

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla—After an outstanding 2024 season, right-hand pitcher Nestor Lorant was named Florida State League Pitcher of the Year on Thursday. Lorant enjoyed a tremendous season on the mound, going 8-3 with a 1.44 ERA in 22 games (seven starts), with 99 strikeouts against just 22 walks over 87.2 innings.

The 22-year-old Lorant, a Venezuela native, was in his second season with Daytona and was exceptional from the start. The right-hander allowed just one run in his first 25.0 innings of the season, including a career-high ten-strikeout effort at Bradenton on April 19.

After some hiccups at the end of May, Lorant allowed one run and just six hits over 21.1 innings in June, striking out 24, walking just three, and included an impressive stretch spanning four outings in which he logged 13.0 consecutive innings without allowing a hit between June 1-20. For his efforts, Lorant was named FSL Pitcher of the Month for June and also took him FSL Pitcher of the Week honors for June 24-30.

Lorant worked exclusively out of the bullpen until July 4, at which point he moved into the starting rotation and did not miss a beat, posting a 1.86 ERA in his seven starts, while picking up a second Pitcher of the Week award for August 12-19. He was promoted to Class A-Advanced Dayton on August 20, where he finished the season as part of a Dragons squad that won the Midwest League East Division Second Half title.

The right-hander finished tied for fourth in the Florida State League with eight wins, and while he did not throw enough innings to qualify for rate statistic titles, among FSL pitcher with at least 75.0 innings, Lorant led the FSL in ERA (1.44), WHIP (0.87), opponent's batting average (.180), and hits per nine innings (5.54). Including his time in Dayton, Lorant's 1.68 ERA in 96.2 innings was the second-lowest among all Minor League Baseball pitchers with at least 75.0 innings.

Lorant becomes the second Tortugas pitcher to earn FSL Pitcher of the Year honors, joining Amir Garrett, who was honored in the Tortugas' inaugural season in 2015.

The Tortugas will open the 2025 season on April 4, 2025 against the St. Lucie Mets at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Season tickets for the tenth season of Tortugas baseball are already on sale at the Tortugas box office, which you can visit in-person Monday-Friday from 9-5, or by calling 386-257-3172.