Toronto native Conor Lillis-White dealt to Cubs
UBC Thunderbirds, Okotoks Dawgs and Etobicoke Rangers alum Conor Lillis-White (Toronto, Ont.) was traded by the Los Angeles Angels to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday. Photo Credit: UBC Athletics
By Jonathan Hodgson
Canadian Baseball Network
Former University of British Columbia Thunderbird Conor Lillis-White (Toronto, Ont.) was traded by the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday to the Chicago Cubs.
Multiple reports say the move of Lillis-White completes a trade between the two clubs that sent infielder Tommy La Stella from the Cubs to the Angels for future considerations on November 29.
The Cubs have subsequently assigned Lillis-White to triple-A Iowa.
A 26-year old left-handed pitcher, Lillis-White split the 2018 season between double-A Mobile and triple-A Salt Lake in the Angels organization and posted strong numbers at both levels.
Lillis-White finished 2017 at double-A and returned there to begin 2018 and pitched to a 3.12 ERA with three saves and 46 strikeouts in 34 2/3 innings pitched, earning his promotion to triple-A. He went on to pitch in 26 games at Salt Lake in 2018, posting a 3.86 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings pitched in the altitude and hitter’s ballparks of the Pacific Coast League.
Lillis-White was a 32nd round pick of the Angels in the 2015 draft, following his senior year at UBC. After beginning his professional career in 2015 in the rookie-level Arizona League, the 6-foot-5’ southpaw earned mid-season promotions in each of his next three seasons in the Angels organization. He has been effective as an imposing bullpen arm at every step, accumulating 252 strikeouts in 190 2/3 career innings pitched.
The role represents a successful shift for Lillis-White, who was a dominant starter during his collegiate career at UBC. During his four-year collegiate career as a Thunderbird, the graduate of the Etobicoke Rangers program appeared in 57 games, starting 29, under head coach Terry McKaig (Vernon, BC) who moved into the role of UBC’s Director of Baseball following the 2015 season.
Lillis-White established himself as the ace of a talented Thunderbirds pitching staff as a junior, going 9-0 with a 0.46 ERA in 78 2/3 innings pitched across 12 starts. His season earned him a share of UBC’s Male Athlete of the Year award as well as a second team nod on the CBN All-Canadian College Team.
As a senior, Lillis-White recorded a career-high 115 strikeouts, 99 innings pitched and 15 starts and tied a career-best with nine wins as he led UBC to a berth in the NAIA Opening Round.
Lillis-White spent two summers during his collegiate career pitching in the summer-collegiate Western Major Baseball League (now the Western Canadian Baseball League), first in 2012 with the Moose Jaw Miller Express, and again in 2014 with the Okotoks Dawgs, where he made eight regular season starts before dazzling in two playoff starts allowing a single earned run with 15 strikeouts in 12 innings pitched.
Former drafted teammates of Lillis-White at UBC include left-hander David Otterman (Vancouver, BC; 2012 seventh round, Brewers), right-hander Curtis Taylor (Port Coquitlam, BC; 2016 fourth round, Arizona), right-hander Alex Webb (Surrey, BC; 2016 ninth round, Reds) and first baseman Bruce Yari (2016 24th round, Reds). Right-handed pitcher Jeremy Newton signed as a free agent with the Brewers in 2016.
Taylor spent the majority of 2018 at double-A in the Rays system following a November 2017 trade from Arizona in exchange for major league pitcher Brad Boxberger, and Yari will look to enter the upper levels of the Reds organization in 2019 after spending the entire 2018 season in the advanced-A Florida State League.
Conor Lillis-White has climbed to the top rung of the minor league ladder, delivering at every level. He will head to spring training with the Cubs in 2019, looking to earn one more promotion and attain his major league goal in ‘Cubbie’ blue at fabled Wrigley Field.