As part of a weekly look-in at the many independent baseball leagues across the country covered and streamed on its platforms, FloBaseball’s Player of the Week series highlights the best of the best from indy ball over the week that was.

Lukas Veinbergs, a right-handed pitcher for the Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League, is this week’s nominee.

Here’s a look at Veinbergs’ week, along with his background and a peek into his independent league season to date:

Career Look-Back

The Southeastern Conference is about as sink-or-swim of an environment for a college pitcher as it gets, but Veinbergs, a Michigan native who played for Missouri from 2019-21, did all that he could to hold his own. Primarily a bullpen option with the Tigers, a 2020 season that looked to have some promise (3.00 ERA, 14 strikeouts in 18 innings) was abruptly shut down due to COVID-19 canceling the season; on the next go-round, Veinbergs struggled to keep the ERA down in 2021 on a MU team that finished last in the SEC that year, though showed an ability to punch guys out with 41 Ks in 41⅔ frames. 

Independent ball with Gateway, however, is where Veinbergs’ potential has been completely unleashed. Brought on for the 2022 season, the 25-year-old has thrived with the Grizzlies as he holds a combined 15-4 record in his time with the team, holding a 4.03 ERA with 141 strikeouts in 160⅔ innings thrown. Having already been named a Frontier League Pitcher of the Week once before last season after taking a no-hitter into the ninth inning during a start, Veinbergs has more than earned the right to earn kudos from FloBaseball for this week, too.

Standout Performance

Veinbergs’ first complete-game performance of 2023 was well worth the wait, especially from the team’s perspective as it helped contribute to the team’s West Division title clinched later on in the week. Gateway wanted to start its potential clinching series against the Evansville Otters strong, and Veinbergs got the start during the opener Tuesday to give his team a well-needed momentum boost in the thick of a division race. 

Lukas Veinbergs finishes a 120-pitch complete game shutout.

Grizzlies win 9-0. #GrizzUP🐻
Listen: https://t.co/7DmFAv3P0i
Watch ($): https://t.co/8IWmzKc9lG

— Gateway Grizzlies (@GatewayGrizzlie) August 30, 2023

He went the distance in the circle against the Otters, striking out nine and allowing no runs off of six hits along the way on a monumental night that went beyond just a routine 9-0 victory for the Grizzlies; Jairus Richards stole his Frontier League record 72nd base of the season, giving Gateway a night to remember on offense, too. But Veinbergs was untouchable on top of it all. He threw 81 of his 120 pitches for strikes, walked just one batter, and set the tone for what was to come later in the week for the Grizzlies, when they won both legs of a doubleheader Wednesday in walk-off fashion to wrap up the West title and give them both a crucial No. 1 seed and, therefore, a first-round bye in the playoffs.