SAN FRANCISCO — Reggie Crawford has already performed two video games for the Giants’ Arizona complicated league, however he visited Oracle Park for the primary time on Wednesday.
The Giants chosen Crawford, 21, with the thirtieth general choose within the 2022 draft. He’s a two-way participant who threw triple-digits as a reliever and hit on the College of Connecticut, lacking all the 2022 season after present process Tommy John surgical procedure final Fall.
Crawford returned to the diamond final week on the Giants’ Arizona facility for the primary time since his surgical procedure. In two video games he has successful, two walks and a strikeout. After being shut down for 2 weeks from pitching, Crawford began his bullpen development on Monday and expects to be off the mound in a month.
“It’s superior, I used to be going loopy not seeing any stay pitching the final 10 months or so,” Crawford mentioned. “I used to be getting the itch. Seeing everybody else play. I’m swinging and practising these things, however I wasn’t in a position to get within the sport. It was good.”
Crawford took batting apply at Oracle Park previous to the Giants’ sport in opposition to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday and confirmed off some energy, hitting a number of dwelling runs to heart discipline as he received acquainted with the massive league staff and coaches. Pitcher Logan Webb reached out to Crawford over social media after his choice on draft evening, however in any other case he was assembly most of his teammates for the primary time.
Crawford payments as a two-way participant, a talent famous person Shohei Ohtani is popularizing with the Los Angeles Angels.
“I perceive it’s a novel scenario, however I’m attempting to maximise each side as a lot as doable,” he mentioned. “It’s cool being on this atmosphere in Arizona with these guys. You're taking bits and items from everyone to have the ability to maximize the hitting aspect in addition to the pitching aspect.”
Flexibility and flexibility are abilities the Giants have prioritized closely throughout president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi’s tenure. So Crawford’s distinctive versatility might give him a bonus throughout the Giants’ system, supervisor Gabe Kapler mentioned, even when he doesn’t hurdle the excessive bar Ohtani has set for two-way gamers.
“I feel we’re going to see extra of that within the subsequent 5, 10 years,” Kapler mentioned. “I don’t suppose it’ll be three or 4 guys on the roster who can do it as a result of it takes an amazing athlete, excessive stage of confidence, the flexibility to get better, the flexibility to steadiness your physique and an incredible quantity of expertise and talent. These issues don’t develop on bushes they usually don’t develop on bushes within the mixture. I feel we’ll see a development in that route, however I feel it’s going to be a marginal development.”