Brian Lawrence has come a long way from tossing a baseball at Linden’s Crow Heath Park and Legion Field as a boy. These days he can be seen pounding his cleats on the fresh infield dirt of the San Diego Padres’ new PETCO Stadium.

Lawrence has been named one of the top young righthanders in the National League by Sports Illustrated and has been dubbed the Padres’ most dependable and consistent pitcher.

Brian played little league growing up in Linden where he began his big league dreams. He showed versatility early on as he was named District Offensive MVP for his impressive batting technique his junior year at Linden-Kildare High School.  A notable short stop and pitcher, the bleachers were always occupied with his greatest fans, parents Harold and Kathy Lawrence and sister Teresa who remain great supporters of their now Major League baseball superstar.

Lawrence went on to study business at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA, leading the Demons to Southland Conference championships as a sophomore in 1997 and a junior in 1998 after a year at Panola Junior College.

At Northwestern State he was named All Conference in 1997 and 1998 and was the conference Pitcher of the Year as a junior in 1998, when he led the league in strikeouts and innings pitched. Lawrence was also named All-Louisiana and the All South Central Region team as a junior. In two seasons at NSU he went 17-10 with a 2.97 ERA. He is the first NSU alumnus to reach the Majors since Jim Willis pitched for the Cubs in 1953. His jersey was retired at the university on Jan. 29, 2005.

San Diego’s 17th round selection in the 1998 First Year Player Draft, Lawrence quickly shot up through the system. He led the organization with a 3.36 ERA and 166 strikeouts in 1999 and followed up by earning a share in the Padres Minor League Pitcher of the Year award with Jake Peavy in 2000.

He made his major league debut on April 15, 2001. He began the ‘01 season at Triple A Portland but was recalled in May to provide bullpen help. Having made 12 of his first 14 big league appearances out of the bullpen, Lawrence joined the rotation for good on July 15, 2001 and responded with a 5-5 record and a 3.23 ERA in 15 starts.

He finished the season ranking second among National League rookie leaders in ERA and opponents batting average. In a San Diego home opener on April 8, Lawrence tossed an 8-0 complete game shutout over the defending World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks in front of 59,103 fans.  June 12 in Baltimore, he struck out the side on only nine pitches in third inning. He set down Brook Fordyce, Jerry Hairston and Melvin Mora post just the thirty sixth confirmed nine-pitch, three strikeout inning in the history of the game.  B. Law, as he has been called, tallied a career high in wins in 2004 with 15. He logged a staff high 203 innings, the third straight season he has had 200 plus innings. He posted a 7-5 record with a 3.65 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) through the All Star break.

He traveled to Japan in 2003 as a pitcher with the Major League Baseball All Stars where he was welcomed by oceans of excited fans off-field. On field he greeted the Tokyo All Stars with his signature slider.

Lawrence has been compared to Padres 1976 Cy Young award winner Randy Jones who has taken note of his love of the game, “I’ve noticed Brian is having more fun on the mound because he’s learning how to pitch and gaining more confidence with the great year he’s had…A little bit of confidence goes a long way.”

According to teammate Trevor Hoffman, Lawrence is in the big leagues to stay: “There’s no doubt about that especially being a homegrown guy. You can’t get caught up with the velocity he throws at and the things like that because he’s such a craftsman at his job. He’s able to pick you apart. At the start of the game, I think it’s important that he gets through the first couple of innings and then he’s got you because he’s going to make his adjustments. That shows me a guy that’s well beyond his years in the game of pitching.”

Lawrence resides in San Diego, CA. with his wife Maripat. Among his greatest cheerleaders are his two nieces, Briana and Kylie, who root him on from their home in Linden.