The Giants missed out on the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes a few years ago, but they’ve got a two-way player in their system as of Sunday.
San Francisco selected left-handed pitcher and first baseman Reggie Crawford out of the University of Connecticut with the 30th pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. Crawford, 21, played two seasons for the Huskies before getting Tommy John surgery and missing his senior season. Crawford committed to transfer to the University of Tennessee for his senior season before the Giants selected him.
Crawford is considered an electric talent. Hitting and pitching from the left side, Crawford showed immense power in college, slashing .309/.362/.546 with 14 home runs and 78 RBI in just 64 games. On the mound he was arguably even more impressive, flashing a 102 mph fastball in the Cape League in 2021.
Crawford hasn’t spent a ton of time on the mound at the collegiate level, only throwing eight innings for the Huskies while striking out 17, but is considered to have more potential as a pitcher. ESPN considered him as the No. 63 prospect in the draft.
It is possible, though unlikely, that Crawford would go to Tennessee for his senior season if he and the Giants cannot agree on a deal. The slot value for the pick is around $2.5 million. Crawford has said that he plans on signing.