Men LHP/1B Reggie Crawford appears to be out for 2022…

[huskymedic]

Can’t catch a break…

 

[navery12]

Well that sucks

 

[dbmill]

Well that sucks

A gift for understatement indeed. We were all being geared up to the great potential that Reggie Crawford was to produce this coming season both with the bat and on the mound, it was certainly going to be the main focal point of the coming UConn baseball season. Now that focal point is gone in a wisp. So sad that we will not see it this coming season, and boy, you have to feel for Reggie.

While Crawford showed he has a great talent on mound, the one thing is that until recently he had never really pitched on regular basis. All pitchers need to show they can stand the wear and tear of regular use on the mound. Just hope Crawford can come back from the injury and show in the future that he can hold up to the wear and tear of regular use on the mound. While you figure on the odd injury while adjusting to a regular pitching role, you just never imagine something like this happening,

 

[businesslawyer]

You can’t replace what was expected to be the best two way player in the country. BUT:

In the lineup, we didn’t have room for each of Dana, Huber and Ferrer to be in an everyday 9. Now we do. And on the hill, while his talent was obviously undeniable, no one knew that Crawford could make the transition to a starter for sure.

The point being, good luck to the young man with his recovery, but he seems to have a major payday coming this spring whatever this does to his career long term. And UConn obviously won’t be as good, but this injury is not an excuse for not going out and winning another Big East title.

 

[Bloomers]

Such horrible news! Disappointing for sure and wish him well with his surgery and recovery.

 

[huskymedic]

-> What’s most frustrating about Crawford’s situation is that he was just learning how to pitch under heralded UConn pitching coach Josh MacDonald. The sophomore busted on the scene in a big way as a true freshman back in 2020 … but as a hitter. He hit .365 with a home run and 16 RBIs in the shortened season and made just one appearance on the mound. This past season, he hit .295 with 13 home runs and 62 RBIs, establishing himself as one of the nation’s premier hitters. He also made six appearances on the mound — one start — with a 2.35 ERA in 7.2 innings of work.

Crawford was expected to see a much heavier workload in 2022 with a likely move to the weekend rotation. Now, he will focus his efforts on rehabilitation.

Though Crawford is unable help the Huskies in the spring, his stock as a prospect took a hit but didn’t receive a devastating blow. Crawford still has little mileage on his arm, and his stuff with Team USA this past summer was undeniable. Additionally, there are plenty of examples of supremely talented pitchers still going in the first round after being injured. Crawford is no different, and he’s still a safe bet to be a first-round selection. <-

 

[JeannoCT]

Heartbreaking. Wish him a speedy recovery.

 

[dbmill]

You can’t replace what was expectedto be the best two way player in the country. BUT:

In the lineup, we didn’t have room for each of Dana, Huber and Ferrer to be in an everyday 9. Now we do. And on the hill, while his talent was obviously undeniable, no one knew that Crawford could make the transition to a starter for sure.

The point being, good luck to the young man with his recovery, but he seems to have a major payday coming this spring whatever this does to his career long term. And UConn obviously won’t be as good, but this injury is not an excuse for not going out and winning another Big East title.

No question in my mind from looking at the UConn baseball roster that UConn had a surplus of potentially quality players contending for the nine spots in the lineup, even with the Crawford injury. It would have been nice to have Crawford's power in the middle of the lineup, but I expect UConn won't be having problems on offense.

In my mind, the following are the main contenders for the starting nine in the field:

At catcher, you have Donlan and Garbowski who will handle the chores. I Garbowski ends up showing enough development at the bat, it is possible he could get time at D.H. as well, but we will have to see how that plays out during the spring season.

Other players at this point in strong contention for the other 8 regular spots in the everyday lineup:

Christian Fedko
Zach Bushling
Chris Brown
David Smith
Ben Huber
Casey Dana
Erik Stock
T.C. Simmons
Kevin Ferrer

In addition to these guys, I also expect Korey Morton might be on the cusp of getting a bit more playing time as well. During this summer season, I have to admit that I was not exactly a fan of his play especially with his many strikeouts early in the summer season, but there was also no question that his play had certainly improved during the last part of the summer season, including showing some power potential to add to his speed. From what I can tell, this progression seems to be showing up for Morton in the fall ball season as well. Coach Penders will no doubt continue to make use of his speed as he did last season.

Always possible one of the other position players not mentioned could emerge as well, just as Chris Brown did last year, coming from what seemed to be nowhere after getting virtually no attention last fall.

 

[huskymedic]

-> Crawford, the rare slugger-pitcher combination who was projected to be a high Major League Baseball draft pick next summer, injured his left elbow last Sunday and will likely need Tommy John surgery. “He’s still consulting with doctors and we’re getting second and third opinions,” UConn baseball coach Jim Penders said. “There is no real course laid out, but it’s probable that he’s going to miss the spring.” <-

-> Last Sunday, in the final scrimmage with about 30 scouts at Elliot Ballpark, Crawford felt something pop in his left forearm and came out of the game. Tests the next day showed a partial tear in the elbow. Crawford is consulting with doctors for the best course and which doctor might perform surgery. He has been in touch with several former Huskies who have had the surgery, including major leaguers Anthony Kay, a first-round pick in 2016, and Scott Oberg.

Recovery from Tommy John surgery is 12 to 18 months. Crawford, who hit .309 with 14 home runs and 78 RBIs in 64 games at UConn, could have the option of DHing next season as he rehabs, but Penders said that is not likely to happen with a multi-million signing bonus at stake. “I‘m sure he has that desire, but it’s my job to protect him,” Penders said. “I can’t imagine a scenario where we would entertain that.” <-

 

[ATLDYKA]

We just can't seem to catch a break. Why does it seem like these things always happen to us.

 

[dbmill]

While I expect that the UConn offense will be productive without Reggie Crawford, the bigger question might be who will now take over the Weekend Sunday starting pitcher role for UConn that Crawford was expected to fill next season. I'm not really sure who the coaching staff was looking at in terms of potential starters beyond Austin Peterson and Pat Gallagher, but I'll take a few guesses at potential candidates.

A couple of grad transfers top off my thoughts for potential starting pitchers. Cole Chudoba was a starter at Assumption, and did very well in long relief on the Cape during the summer ball season. The big question would seem to be whether or not the coaching staff prefers him in a relief role at this point.

Enzo Stefanoni, who transferred in from Harvard, seems to fit the Jeff Kersten type of pitcher, not having a big fastball but being a control type pitcher who is very efficient in hitting his spots and getting outs and not throwing many pitches to get those outs.

A couple of UConn sophomores also did well in starting roles during summer ball, Sam Favieri and Brendan O'Donnell, who both played in the NECBL. O'Donnell did well enough playing with Vermont that he ended the summer season with a brief stint in the Cape League. It would seem that he impressed some people, as he is slated to return to the Cape League next summer. It makes you wonder if O'Donnell is the guy to watch if you are looking for a young pitcher on the UConn pitching staff to emerge in a much bigger role this coming season.

 

[JeannoCT]

-> Crawford, the rare slugger-pitcher combination who was projected to be a high Major League Baseball draft pick next summer, injured his left elbow last Sunday and will likely need Tommy John surgery. “He’s still consulting with doctors and we’re getting second and third opinions,” UConn baseball coach Jim Penders said. “There is no real course laid out, but it’s probable that he’s going to miss the spring.” <-

-> Last Sunday, in the final scrimmage with about 30 scouts at Elliot Ballpark, Crawford felt something pop in his left forearm and came out of the game. Tests the next day showed a partial tear in the elbow. Crawford is consulting with doctors for the best course and which doctor might perform surgery. He has been in touch with several former Huskies who have had the surgery, including major leaguers Anthony Kay, a first-round pick in 2016, and Scott Oberg.

Recovery from Tommy John surgery is 12 to 18 months. Crawford, who hit .309 with 14 home runs and 78 RBIs in 64 games at UConn, could have the option of DHing next season as he rehabs, but Penders said that is not likely to happen with a multi-million signing bonus at stake. “I‘m sure he has that desire, but it’s my job to protect him,” Penders said. “I can’t imagine a scenario where we would entertain that.” <-

What a class act Coach Penders is. We are lucky to have him.

 

[Bomber36]

Heartbreaking. Wish him a speedy recovery.

Awful news.

 

[Bomber36]

What a class act Coach Penders is. We are lucky to have him.

It’s refreshing to see a coach who is so focused on the well being and future of one individual, rather than just the immediate needs of the team. The positive that will come out of this is that other guys will have more of a chance to play and to step up. A big loss for sure, but I’m sure we’ll survive it.

 

[dbmill]

It’s refreshing to see a coach who is so focused on the well being and future of one individual, rather than just the immediate needs of the team. The positive that will come out of this is that other guys will have more of a chance to play and to step up. A big loss for sure, but I’m sure we’ll survive it.

As mentioned before by both me and @businesslawyer, our expectations are that the everyday lineup still has plenty of talent and that the offense should still be productive without Reggie Crawford (obviously it would be better with him in the lineup). However, even before the announcement of the Crawford injury, the UConn pitching staff had question marks in terms of depth, and will certainly need its younger and less experienced pitchers to develop and show improvement from last season (that would obviously include incoming freshmen to make a positive impression on the coaching staff). The development of these young pitchers will have a big impact on how UConn baseball fairs this coming spring season.

In my previous guess on who might take over the weekend Sunday starter role in place of Crawford, people will notice that I left Jimmy Wang off the list. The last couple of seasons have simply not been kind to him in terms of any development. I had the opportunity over the summer to watch Wang pitch for Norwich of the Futures League this past summer. I believe this was the first time Jimmy Wang has played in a summer collegiate league since he has been at UConn. Whatever the case, Wang was probably one of the more experienced players in a league that has a bunch of very young and inexperienced players in it. For the most part, I was not impressed with how Wang did over the summer, as control issues continued to plague his appearances on the mound. It was just further evidence to me that Jimmy Wang has not yet taken the big step forward that he needs to do to become an effective pitcher, and given that he has been at UConn for a few years now, I'm getting doubtful this development will happen. As such, at this point I would not consider him a serious candidate to fill a weekend starting role for UConn. It would not bother me if he were to go out and prove me wrong, but it would still surprise me.

 

[huskymedic]

-> But Crawford, who suffered a partial tear in his left elbow that will likely require Tommy John surgery, will almost certainly be back on a mound as a professional. In fact, UConn coach Jim Penders expects the 6-foot-4, 235-pound left-hander, who was recently ranked the No. 13 college prospect for the 2022 MLB Draft by Baseball America, to still be selected early in next summer’s draft. “If he’s not a shoo-in for the beginning of the first round,” Penders said, “I don’t know anything about baseball.” <-

-> “He’s got very low mileage, very few clicks on that odometer of his, in regard to pitching,” said Penders, who will enter his 19th season as UConn’s head coach next spring. “I think that should be attractive to organizations. In my opinion, he’s made his bones. I know a lot of scouts have shared that with me. He’s done enough. Maybe, if anything, some other (teams) think they have a shot at him now.” <-

-> Consistent with his upbeat personality, Crawford is handling things well, according to Penders. “Even this can’t wipe the smile from his face. The kid’s got a megawatt smile and great presence to him. I’m sure that he spent some nights not all that happy, but he’s never shown that to his teammates, coaches, peers or friends. He’s always positive energy. That’s just who he is.” <-

-> “The hardest part is, he’s got to make this decision himself, what’s best for him,” said Penders. “We can certainly guide and use our resources available to us to help him make that decision, but ultimately it’s up to him. We’re going to support whatever he decides. “I’ll bet the house on Reggie Crawford,” Penders added, “every day of the week, and twice on Sunday.” <-

 

[Bomber36]

As mentioned before by both me and @businesslawyer, our expectations are that the everyday lineup still has plenty of talent and that the offense should still be productive without Reggie Crawford (obviously it would be better with him in the lineup). However, even before the announcement of the Crawford injury, the UConn pitching staff had question marks in terms of depth, and will certainly need its younger and less experienced pitchers to develop and show improvement from last season (that would obviously include incoming freshmen to make a positive impression on the coaching staff). The development of these young pitchers will have a big impact on how UConn baseball fairs this coming spring season.

In my previous guess on who might take over the weekend Sunday starter role in place of Crawford, people will notice that I left Jimmy Wang off the list. The last couple of seasons have simply not been kind to him in terms of any development. I had the opportunity over the summer to watch Wang pitch for Norwich of the Futures League this past summer. I believe this was the first time Jimmy Wang has played in a summer collegiate league since he has been at UConn. Whatever the case, Wang was probably one of the more experienced players in a league that has a bunch of very young and inexperienced players in it. For the most part, I was not impressed with how Wang did over the summer, as control issues continued to plague his appearances on the mound. It was just further evidence to me that Jimmy Wang has not yet taken the big step forward that he needs to do to become an effective pitcher, and given that he has been at UConn for a few years now, I'm getting doubtful this development will happen. As such, at this point I would not consider him a serious candidate to fill a weekend starting role for UConn. It would not bother me if he were to go out and prove me wrong, but it would still surprise me.

Always appreciate your in depth analysis…you are a great source of info on the boys! Keep it up. Were you ever a scout?

 

[dbmill]

Always appreciate your in depth analysis…you are a great source of info on the boys! Keep it up. Were you ever a scout?

Me a scout? Hardly. Just happens that UConn baseball has become one of my big obsessions over the last ten years or so. As such, I probably spend way too much time paying attention to any piece of news I can find out about the team.

 

[Tmill15]

This is truly heartbreaking. As someone who has met Reggie, he’s one of the nicest athletes I’ve ever met who’s has this infectious positive energy. He’s a class act and is gonna shine at the next level

 

[gtcam]

Me a scout? Hardly. Just happens that UConn baseball has become one of my big obsessions over the last ten years or so. As such, I probably spend way too much time paying attention to any piece of news I can find out about the team.

It is much appreciated dbmill
I feel same way about mens soccer at UConn since the late 60s but it has been tough for the past 10-15 years

 

[Chin Diesel]

So any chance he can play the field, like 1B for a bit or DH come spring time?

 

[navery12]

So any chance he can play the field, like 1B for a bit or DH come spring time?

In theory it's possible, but very tight. Gleyber Torres got Tommy John in June/Julyish and was swinging a bat after 4 months/back for spring training in February (7 months). 4 kintgs for Reggie would be March, but Penders pretty much squashed that idea already. They're not going to risk it with him being a potential top 10 pick in the spring pre injury and still more than likely a 1st rounder post injury

 

[Rocko52]

Well this sucks...I'll be praying for the kid. Really disappointing, can only wish him the best for now. What a shame.