Cleveland Sports Forum

Cleveland Indians' minor-league pitcher Kyle Crockett rising fast


By Jim Ingraham, The Morning Journal & The News-Herald

Posted: 02/25/14, 4:15 PM EST |

Kyle Crockett is in a hurry, and the Indians have no intention of slowing him down.
Crockett is a left-handed relief pitcher the Indians selected out of the University of Virginia in the fourth round of last year’s June Draft.
He could be pitching for the Indians this year.
The 22-year-old Crockett barreled through three different minor-league levels in half of a season last year after the Indians drafted him.
“That just happened. It was nothing I expected to do,” said Crockett.
“We actually thought Kyle had a chance to move quickly,” said Indians farm director Ross Atkins, “because he dominated amateur competition.”
You could say that. In his career at Poquoson (Va.) High School, Crockett had a record of 27-0 and was a two-time Virginia state Player of the Year.
In three years at the University of Virginia, Crockett was 12-3 with a 1.98 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .208 batting average.
The Indians drafted Crockett in the fourth round of last year’s June Draft. He signed with the Indians on June 24, was assigned to rookie level Mahoning Valley, where he pitched in eight games and didn’t allow a run, holding hitters to a .152 batting average while striking out 16 with two walks in nine innings.
He was promoted to Class-A Lake County, where he pitched in four games and allowed one run. He was then promoted again to Double-A Akron, where he pitched in nine games and didn’t allow a run.
Crockett’s combined numbers for his three minor-league stops in his first professional season are eye-catching, to say the least. In a total of 21 relief appearances, he was 1-0 with a 0.36 ERA. In 24 innings, he allowed one run on six hits, with 32 strikeouts and five walks. Opposing batters hit .184 against him.
The only run allowed by Crockett came at Lake County, where he gave up a home run — the first home run he had allowed since his freshman year in college.
“We identified Kyle as a guy who could move quickly when we signed him,” said Atkins. “We liked the consistency of his stuff, his determination and his work ethic. He’s an exceptional strike thrower with two major-league average or above average pitches in his fastball and slider. He controls the running game, fields his position well. When you start checking the boxes of the things you need to be able to do to pitch in the big leagues, he’s already got a lot of boxes checked.”
So much so that it would not be a surprise if Crockett made it to the major leagues and was pitching out of the Indians’ bullpen at some point in 2014, perhaps less than a year from the day he was drafted.
“It may look like I kind of sailed through those three (minor-league levels), but it wasn’t that easy,” said Crockett. “There are still a lot of areas where I need to get better.”
Crockett will probably start the 2014 season at Akron, where in nine appearances last season he pitched 10 1/3 scoreless innings. He could make the jump from Akron to Triple-A Columbus at some point in the season, or he could even jump from Akron to Cleveland.
Crockett’s stuff is good enough that he could be more than just a situational left-hander, who comes in to face only left-handed hitters. For example, in pitching at three levels last year he actually dominated right-handed hitters more than left-handers. Right-handed hitters batted just .153 against him. Lefties hit .250.
“The thing I noticed most last year is that as you start moving up in the minor leagues the strike zones get smaller and the hitters are more disciplined,” Crockett said. “I had a few games where I struggled here and there, so it’s not like I cruised through everything.”
Close, but not quite.

Crockett is the left-handed Cody Allen.

Allen was the 2nd member of his draft class to reach the majors, although his draft position was way down in the 20th or so round. Only Trevor Bauer got to the majors before Allen, and only Cody has stayed there.

CIV- Keep posting your info and stats you dig up on our Minor League players, I appreciate it and I am sure I am not the only one.

me too.

Let me, too, re-iterate my thanks for what you do here, Civ.

I will hope to hope to more positive minorleague news to report this season than last. Other than two big deals (Lindor and Frazier) the system was awfully thin and the minor league team records were pretty unimpressive as a result.

It is time for everyone to pick their two breakout candidates for 2014. I think Joe got a head start on the field, didn't you? I might have thrown some names out, too. Catcher Francisco Mejia was an impressive teenager in Arizona. At his age if he even is assigned to a full season team this year that will be a big step forward. As for pitchers there were lots of guys who debuted successfully at Mahoning Valley last summer who could step up. I keep hoping Luis Lugo is one who can take major strides; that apparently will require getting his big body to produce more pitching velocity. Those two could be my picks.

After watching Erik Gonzalez most of the winter, my breakout position player will be Gonzalez.

Shawn Morimando seems like an interesting pick. I'll take Morimando as my breakout pitcher.

BA rated Morimando higher than I would have guessed as No. 22 Tribe prospect, just one spot below my guy Luis Lugo. Both are lefty pitchers who started with the Tribe system in 2011. Lugo is a big 6-5 200 pounder whose fastball is usually 89-91 and reaches 93 but his size offers projection for that velocity to rise. Morimando is 5-11 170 pounder but throws harder, with a range of 90-92 and hitting 94. Morimando "spins a tight curveball w9ith depth that looks like it has the makings of an average pitch and he has made strides with his changeup. He can also mix in a short slider." HIs 76 walks were second highest in the Carolina league as "his control needs tightening and he tends to nibble" "He's athletic with a low-effort delivery however and his command should be solid in time. Morimando lacks a plus pitch but has chance to have four average pitches. He'll reach AA as a 21-year-old in 2014" "He's done but nothing but perform as a pro.... Was the second youngest player on Carolina last year after Lindor.... 19th round pick given $350,000 bonus to turn down East Carolina commitment"

Lugo from Venezuela got $415,000 to sign. Was youngest pitcher with Mahoning Valley in 2013 at age 19. "Yet he pitched like an ace, allowing one earned run in 9 of 11 starts." He throws downhill and doesn't have much trouble throwing strikes. "He should have the repertoire to remain a starter. He needs to firm up his curveball as he tends to just flip it up to the plate at times but he flashes a 12-6 downer. H gets good arm speed on his changup and shows some feell for using it." He'll open 2013 at Lake County. Tomorrow will be his 20th birthday, so send him a card.

Looking at my BA prospect guide I see my pick to click from 2013 Anthony Santander rated at No. 20. He has a variety of tools and looked good in Arizona in 2012 at age 17. He missed half of 2013 with an elbow injury. Maybe I'll go with him again. I like 5 tool OFs [most of those guys who I pick fall on their faces]

Civ- Is Crockett not with the team in Spring Training? I sure would like to see how he could do.

He wasn't listed among the ST invitees. The minor leaguers should be in camp by now. I see we used Tim Fedroff in yesterday's game and he's not an official invitee.

I agree about Crockett. I'm sure he'll start in Akron but could be moving up in a real hurry. I bet we'll see him in some B games at least.

Thanks, Civ, I too had noted he was not on the list.

And my "sources" are no better than yours!

• The Indians signed two more of their zero-to-three service time players Wednesday, reaching deals with infielder Jose Ramirez and first baseman Jesus Aguilar. Cleveland is excited about the potential for both players, especially Aguilar, who had 34 homers and 155 RBIs in 725 at-bats between Double-A Akron last season and the Venezuelan Winter League this offseason.

"This kid's got a chance to be a real legitimate right-handed power hitter," Francona said of Aguilar. "What he does in the next two weeks, it's really not going to have much of an impact besides the fact that it's fun to watch and kind of get to know him."

The darling of the banana leagues is 0 for ST. I don't think he's impressing anybody.

Time to trim down the squad.