Round 30, Pick 898: Skyler Crawford | RHP, Hartnell JC | SIGNED

[markotsay7]

Discuss.

[markotsay7]

Welcome to Hartnell College!!

Favorite athlete is Josh Beckett.

[Marlins#1]

2nd year we draft him in a row.

I wonder if he signs this time?

[Ralph]

Born on 4/20

[Hugg]

Committed to California

Baseball America

Crawford is smallish but is an excellent competitor who has three fringe-average to average pitches.

[markotsay7]

They must really, really love this kid.

The Hartnell College sophomore was drafted by the Florida Marlins for the second consecutive year Friday - this time in the 30th round of the Major League Baseball draft. It was also the second year in a row that Crawford was the only player from Monterey County - college or high school - chosen in the draft. Crawford, a 6-foot, 175-pound right-hander, was selected by the Marlins in the 41st round last year. He becomes just the third player from the Salinas area in the past 20 years to get drafted twice. Xavier Nady was chosen by the St. Louis Cardinals in the fourth round of the 1997 draft out of Salinas High, and by the San Diego Padres in the second round of the 2000 draft out of the University of California, Berkeley. Daniel Barone was picked out of Hollister High in 2002 by the White Sox in the 41st round and two years later out of Monterey Peninsula College by the Marlins in the 11th round. A two-time, first-team All-Coast Conference pitcher at Hartnell, Crawford also has the option of attending Cal-Berkeley in the fall. He signed a scholarship to attend the college last November. Crawford said he's not going to be rushed into making a decision between college and pro ball. "I'm going to enjoy it for now, and then take a couple of days to think about it before I make a decision,'' he said. Crawford said he was told by the Marlins earlier he might be drafted within the sixth and 12th round. But according to Crawford, the Marlins have said they will offer him a signing bonus equivalent to a fifth-round pick. He wouldn't give a specific amount, but said it was a six-figure number. All 1,504 players chosen during the two-day, 50-round draft have until Aug. 15 to sign pro contracts. Crawford, who turned 20 in April, also said the Marlins have agreed to pay for his college tuition, should his pro career end prematurely. Though he didn't have the dominating season as a sophomore that he had as a freshman at Hartnell, Crawford apparently impressed Marlin scouts at an invitation-only camp a few weeks ago in Southern California. "They knew about the fastball," he said, "they just wanted to see things like the curve and change-up." Crawford's fastball has been clocked between 88-91 mph. He struck out 93 batters in 73 innings this past season. Should he decide to sign with the Marlins, he'll report to their extended spring training camp in Florida before being assigned to their short-season program in the New York-Penn League. Also picked during Friday's draft was Robert Crocker from Aptos High in the 38th round by the Oakland A's. Crocker's teammate, Kevin Eichhorn, was chosen Thursday in the third round by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

College baseball: Florida Marlins draft Hartnell pitcher | thecalifornian.com | The Salinas Californian

[!NICK!]

Wow

[Marlins#1]

I am glad that we are going to sign him but I would rather use that money to sign a Michael Mahtook or Isaac Galloway and other pitchers like Elih Villanueva, Blake Brewer, Daniel Jennings, Graham Johnson, Curtis Peterson, Jared Yecker

[markotsay7]

The hand may be shaking today when he picks up the pen. But the anxiety has subsided. A few restless nights will warrant a mild celebration. Skyler Crawford has agreed in principal to a contract with the Florida Marlins. The two parties are expected to meet today at his parents home to complete the deal, believed to be in the six-figure range. "The guy that scouted me is coming to my parents house today with the contract,'' Crawford said. "I haven't slept a whole lot. It's been on my mind all weekend. I spoke with my parents on Sunday and made my decision.'' Meaning the former Hartnell College pitcher will spurn a full-ride baseball scholarship to Cal to begin his professional baseball career with the Marlins rookie league team in Jamestown, New York. Crawford will leave Wednesday for Jupiter, Florida for an extended spring training. He is slated to fly to Jamestown on June 17 and join Florida's rookie league team, which plays in the Penn League. "This was a difficult decision,'' Crawford said. "It helps that the Marlins will pay for my college education if this does not work out. This is something I've wanted to do. I wanted to go pro.'' The Marlins have drafted Crawford in each of the last two Major League Baseball Amateur Drafts, grabbing him in the 30th round this year — 11 rounds higher than in 2007. However, the Marlins offered Crawford a signing bonus that is far richer than what most players selected that late in the draft receive. "I got fifth-round draft pick money,'' Crawford said. "I felt the signing bonus was pretty good. I'll be able to afford my own apartment.'' Before Crawford signs today, he will call Cal and inform them of his decision. The pitching coach for Cal has been in frequent contact with him since he was drafted last Friday. "I just talked to him about an hour ago (Monday afternoon),'' Crawford said. "I told him I'd call him back Tuesday if I make it final.'' This past spring, the hard-throwing right-hander posted a 5-3 record for Hartnell, with 96 strikeouts in 76 innings of work. As many as 100 scouts have watched Crawford pitch this year. "He has some filthy pitches,'' Hartnell College baseball coach Danny Teresa said. "But when a guy hits 90 on the radar gun, it catches your eye. He had two options. That's a good problem to have.'' Crawford's fastball was consistently over 90 mph, hitting 92 on occasion. Last year the right-hander was throwing in the high 80s. Over the last two seasons, the 6-foot-2 Crawford has developed a change-up and spike curve to go along with his blistering fastball. "The change up has been my most effective pitch,'' Crawford said. "It's something I've developed the last couple of years." Crawford is expected to begin his minor league career as a starter. Prior to the draft, Crawford had a workout for scouts. While the Marlins worked him out personally in Los Angeles, 29 of the 30 Major League Baseball teams had been in contact with him prior to the draft. "I wasn't sure which team was going to draft me,'' Crawford said. "I had heard anywhere from the sixth to the 12th round. I got picked in the 30th. But I got offered fifth round money. You don't know what a GM is thinking." Having split time between baseball and golf during his senior year at Salinas High, Crawford, 20; begin tapping into his potential as a pitcher the last two years at Hartnell. Spending last summer playing in Canada helped with the maturing process. "Having the extra two years of college helped,'' Crawford said. "I'm a little older and maturer. Now you have to do everything on our own. You have to grind it out. Baseball is a mental game."

http://www.montereyherald.com/sports/ci_9538014

[Ralph]

His change up is already his most effective pitch already and he throw in the low 90's. I like.

[Juanky]

5th round money for a round 30 pick?

[markotsay7]

Just another article: Local baseball: Hartnell pitcher signs with Marlins | thecalifornian.com | The Salinas Californian