John's bio: (PGR) {(#7)BA-top 10} {National BA-PPlus #143/400} (Good young pitcher with lots of room for improvement and already throwing an easy 85-86 mph. His older brother 'Conor' is a top 02 pitching prospect. John is taller and even more projectable.) (World Wood Bat Tournament in Jupiter, FL 2002) (Dulin Dodgers) {(#3)BA-top 10} {National BA-PPlus #100/400} (2003 Junior Sun Belt Team) (2003 Perfect Game National)

When his older brother was going through the recruitment process, Houston High pitcher John Lalor started thinking about where he might like to go to school. "I saw what he was going through and I thought I might as well get a head start," Lalor said. The 6-7, 220-pound righthander didn't need long to come to a decision. Lalor committed August 16th to Mississippi State, choosing coach Ron Polk's program over Ole Miss and South Carolina, where his older brother, former Houston pitcher Conor Lalor, is a sophomore. "It was hard," said John Lalor of turning down the Gamecocks, "but at the same time Conor has been real supportive, and my parents have been also. They can be Bulldogs fans, too."

Following a largely nondescript junior season for Houston in which he went 5-2, Lalor shined this summer for the Dulin's Dodgers 18-year-old elite team. "This summer I kind of established myself. I came into my own," Lalor said. "I had a good experience with Dulin's. I didn't have a good spring (for Houston). I was real disappointed, but I bounced back." Lalor, whose fastball tops out at around 89 mph, has good sinking movement and induces a lot of ground-ball outs. His progress between his junior and senior years has been similar to that of former Houston stars and high draft picks Matt Cain and Stuart Pomeranz, Mustangs coach Lane McCarter said. "John's upside's out of this world," McCarter added. "I'm expecting big things from him next spring. He's gonna be our ace."

Lalor's commitment to Mississippi State follows that of Olive Branch senior catcher Edward Easley. The Dulin's teammates could end up battery mates for Mississippi State one day as well. "I'm real excited about playing for Coach Polk," Lalor said. "I love Mississippi State. It's an opportunity I couldn't pass up) (2003 WWBA Jupiter, FL) (FB 85-88 MPH at Jupiter with a sharp 75 curve)

11/19/03 - STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State University has signed pitcher John Lalor of Germantown, Tenn., to a national letter of intent in baseball, MSU head baseball coach Ron Polk announced Wednesday. Lalor is a 6-7, 220-pound right-handed pitcher at Germantown's Houston High School, where he is coached by Lane McCarter. A two-year starter, Lalor averaged better than a strikeout per inning, compiling a 2.69 earned run average while helping guide the Mustangs to a 32-8 record in 2003.

He is ranked 143rd among the nation's top prep prospects by Baseball America/Perfect Game USA. "We are all excited about John Lalor's decision to attend Mississippi State upon graduation from Houston High School," said Polk. "This young man is an outstanding pitcher who we believe will be a tremendous asset to our pitching staff very early in his career as a Bulldog. He comes from an outstanding baseball program at Houston High School." Lalor played summer league baseball in the Memphis area for Dulin's Dodgers, earning all-tournament team honors as a pitcher in the 2003 B.E.S.T Baseball World Championship Tournament held in Southaven, Miss.

He posted a 2.28 earned run average his sophomore season at HHS. "It's an honor to sign with a school with such a great baseball tradition," said Lalor. "Mississippi State baseball has an excitement that has to be experienced!" Lalor comes from the same prep baseball program that produced current Bulldog outfielder Jon Mungle. The MSU signee is the son of Owen and Jean Lalor of Germantown, Tenn., and the younger brother Conor Lalor, a sophomore pitcher at the University of South Carolina.