The San Francisco Giants drafted Reggie Crawford as a two-way participant, and to date they’ve allowed the Thirtieth-overall choose within the 2022 draft to proceed to each pitch and swing the bat. How for much longer that would be the case stays to be seen, with the forthcoming season seemingly going a good distance towards figuring out a solution. Thus far, Crawford has had scant alternative to do both. Thanks largely to Tommy John surgical procedure, the 6-foot-4, 235-pound College of Connecticut product has logged simply 19 innings and 111 plate appearances (71 of them within the Arizona Fall League) since signing an expert contract.
Eric Longenhagen described the left-left hurler/first-baseman as “a prospect of utmost variance” and “nonetheless extra a developmental challenge than the rest” when assigning him a 40+ FV halfway via final summer season. That each his hitting and pitching potential issue into our lead prospect analyst’s evaluation makes Crawford arguably probably the most intriguing younger participant within the Giants’ pipeline. If he performs capably on either side in 2024, he’ll be among the many most intriguing younger gamers in baseball.
Crawford mentioned his two-way aspirations within the last week of the Arizona Fall League season.
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David Laurila: To start out, I’m all for your ideas on somebody you’ve been enjoying in opposition to right here within the Fall League. Carson Williams was extremely considered a two-way participant in highschool, however has solely performed shortstop since Tampa Bay drafted him twenty eighth total in 2021. Might you see him succeeding at each in professional ball?
Reggie Crawford: “Oh, I’d think about so. It simply comes right down to… I imply, for me the planning and the scheduling might be probably the most troublesome half. Somebody who’s that athletic and has these units of instruments, I don’t see why he wouldn’t be capable of.”
Laurila: It’s one thing you’re feeling you are able to do?
Crawford: “Sure. The explanation I’m doing it’s as a result of I believe I may do it so long as I wish to. I’m simply placing myself in the most effective place for achievement. That’s all I can do. Regardless of the outcomes appear to be is what they appear to be. I’m going to proceed to provide it my all, give it my finest go.”
Laurila: When two-way gamers are informed that they should determine on one or the opposite, a main motive given is the quantity of developmental work it takes at both place; making an attempt each is impractical. Do you agree with that?
Crawford: “I actually don’t assume so. I imply, should you have a look at what pitchers do, they don’t throw for hours or something like that. It’s about whenever you’re taking these reps, you’re taking advantage of them. You’re being conscious of what your physique is feeling and what you need it to really feel. That’s a very powerful factor.”
Laurila: Is conditioning for pitchers and place gamers all that totally different?
Crawford: “I wouldn’t say so. For a pitcher and a hitter, there’s not a lot totally different aside from one is throwing the pitch and different is attempting to hit it.”
Laurila: What in regards to the work that’s finished in a pitching lab, and finding out your swing — the hitting analytics, principally — within the cage? These efforts take time.
Crawford: “You simply have to select and select the place you set your power. Some folks could also be huge numbers folks, and a few folks might not be. So, studying your self — what you’ll be able to deal with from the psychological aspect — is the largest piece. It’s having the data and form of with the ability to minimize the road on it. It is perhaps, ‘That is too many numbers for me.’ Or perhaps it’s, ‘I need a little bit extra of the numbers.’”
Laurila: Are you huge into the numbers?
Crawford: “Not likely. Truthfully, for me it comes right down to outcomes. I wish to watch the sport, see the sport. As a pitcher, I wish to see what hitters are doing in opposition to me, somewhat than be like, ‘All proper, I struck a man out, however what did my numbers appear to be?’ I imply, there’s perhaps some stuff it’s best to fine-tune, however should you’re displaying them, you’re displaying them.”
Laurila: That stated, have you ever been spending any time within the pitching lab, perhaps tweaking grips or slots so as to add extra vertical or horizontal?
Crawford: “We do stuff like that, however getting back from TJ it’s been extra like, ‘OK, we’re getting again into it, so let’s simply see the place my physique needs to go naturally and go from there.’ We do dig into the data we get — we do implement it into on a regular basis coaching — however I don’t get too invested in it.”
Laurila: Has something felt notably totally different since coming again?
Crawford: “There have been issues like my arm slot eager to form of fall right into a decrease slot that it was pre-TJ. The texture hasn’t been a lot totally different. It’s simply been some tendencies I picked up that I didn’t actually have up to now and have needed to eliminate. Little issues which were fairly fast fixes.”
Laurila: What was your motion and velocity like this 12 months?
Crawford: “I solely threw about 19 or 20 innings — right here [in the Arizona Fall League] I’m solely hitting — and it form of assorted relying on the sport. However I are likely to get quite a lot of run-ride with my fastball. That form of relies upon, too. If I’m 0-2 and wish to throw one that actually rides up, I’ll launch it barely in another way; I’ll get behind it extra, somewhat than pondering virtually like a sinker, although it’s the identical grip.”
Laurila: What in regards to the velocity?
Crawford: “I believe I used to be as much as 100 [mph] this 12 months. I used to be sitting wherever from 5 to seven, some days from six to 9. It actually form of trusted the day and what I wished to work on.”
Laurila: What’s in your repertoire moreover a fastball?
Crawford: “Curveball, slider, changeup.”
Laurila: We’ve ended up speaking extra about pitching than we’ve hitting. That stated, do you’ve a choice? As an illustration, if it’s a must to choose one, which can or not it’s?
Crawford: “I can’t do this.”
Laurila: You’re a two-way man…
Crawford: “As of proper now. Yep.”