The Richmond Flying Squirrels’ own version of Shohei Ohtani was close.
But before this season, Reggie Crawford and the San Francisco Giants determined that the lefty, a first-round pick in 2022 out of the University of Connecticut, belonged on the mound rather than the batter’s box.
Ohtani, prior to a serious arm injury last summer and his offseason signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers, was a pitching and outfield sensation for the Los Angeles Angels. Crawford believed he was headed down a comparable path while at UConn and in the lower levels of San Francisco’s system. He played first base and was a designated hitter in addition to pitching.
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Crawford, a left-hander from Landsdale, Pennsylvania, has displayed his upper-90s velocity in the limited innings he worked in relief so far for Richmond.
“Definitely been impressive, throwing strikes, and taking care of business,” Flying Squirrels manager Dennis Pelfrey said of Crawford. “All positives in the direction he’s going.”
Crawford, a 6-foot-3, 250-pounder who is 23, as a batter last season at Class A stops San Jose and Eugene had a combined 19 plate appearances, and 71 more in 17 games of the Arizona Fall League. He totaled 19 innings (32 strikeouts) on his way back from Tommy John Surgery.
“That’s what I wanted to pursue. That’s what I wanted to sell out for,” Crawford said of his goal to become a two-way professional. “It played out in a way with the injuries and the flare-ups and the strains, it was just a really unfortunate series of events, which then just delayed at-bats and we had to manage workload (because of injuries).
“Some roadblocks, for sure.”
During the winter, Crawford and the Giants decided to eliminate hitting from his two-way package.
“I miss putting the ball over the fence,” said Crawford. “I also miss just competing in the box, 1,000%.”
He appreciated that it would have taken him a while to make up all of the developmental pro at-bats he missed because of injuries. His runway to the big leagues as a pitcher appears shorter.
This is how impressive Crawford was at Connecticut and in summer competition during his collegiate years: he played only two seasons at UConn, missing 2022 because of the elbow surgery, yet the Giants still selected him in the first round of the draft that year (No. 30 overall).
As a UConn sophomore, he hit 13 homers, with 62 RBI and a .295 average. Crawford, the hard-throwing southpaw, also struck out 17 in 7.2 innings.
Pelfrey said the Giants during the early portion of this season have generally scheduled Crawford’s infrequent appearances as he regains arm strength and fully recovers from a lat strain that held him back during spring training.
“But here pretty soon I think it’s going to be kind of opened up, and he’ll be used as regular bullpen arm and come in when we have some trouble or come in when he’s needed,” said the manager.
Crawford, who Baseball America and MLB.com rank as the ninth-rated prospect in the Giants’ system, said he just wants to remain healthy for a full season, and grow more comfortable with the delivery of off-speed pitches.
“The rest will take care of itself. I’m doing everything in my power to make sure that I stay on the field,” he said. “I think it’s just getting innings, throwing some pitches, and that’s the main focus.
“We’ll make adjustments as needed, and I feel like that’s the way we’re approaching it.”
Eventually, Crawford envisions himself as a starting pitcher. An inning or two per outing for the Double-A Flying Squirrels makes more sense at this stage of his career, he believes.
In terms of hitting, “I think that ship has sailed, you know? That chapter of my baseball career is finished, and I’m excited for what’s to come,” Crawford said.
Baysox win series finale vs. Squirrels
Samuel Basallo homered twice as the Bowie Baysox rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to win the finale of their six-game series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels 4-2 at The Diamond on Sunday.
Carter Howell drove home Will Wilson and Hunter Bishop on a fourth-inning single for the Flying Squirrels (11-10), who won four of six in the series.
But Basallo’s two-run shot in the sixth inning off Crawford (1-1) knotted the score at 2, and Frederick Bencosme’s RBI single later in the inning put Bowie up for good at 3-2.
Basallo capped the scoring with a solo home run in the eighth for Bowie (11-10).
Richmond Flying Squirrels 2023 season in photos