College Baseball Daily continues our countdown to the start of the 2013 college baseball season by checking in on the Top 100 Players in the country. We will be counting down the players day-by-day until we reach number 1.
Number 58 on our Top 100 Countdown is Florida’s Jonathon Crawford. The 6’1 right-handed pitcher from Okeechobee, Florida was a 42nd-round draft pick by the Marlins in 2010.
In his freshman season, Crawford saw limited time on the mound, making five appearances totaling 3.2 innings with an ERA of 4.91. However when 2012 rolled around, Crawford’s season went quite a bit different. During his sophomore season, Crawford made nineteen appearances for the Gators including fourteen starts for an ERA of 3.13 with 73 strikeouts. What those numbers don’t say, is that in the 2012 season Crawford accomplished a feat that most pitchers only dream of. During a regional game against Bethune-Cookman, Crawford threw a no-hitter where he gave up just one walk. His success in 2012 translated into an invitation to play for Team USA’s Collegiate National Team in the summer of 2012 where Crawford posted a record of 3-0 with an ERA of 2.10.
From a scouting perspective, Crawford is a player that has worked his way onto the radar of scouts across the country. Anytime a pitcher throws a no-hitter, it’s hard to ignore the talent they possess, and Crawford who possesses a great deal of talent, is no exception. With a fastball that sits in the 90s touching 97-98 at its best, alongside a solid curve, changeup and slider, his repertoire is great. With room for improvement on his secondary pitches that are already above average, in combination with the level of composure that is evident from his no-hitter, the upside that Crawford has on the mound makes him a player that could go very early in the 2013 draft. Perhaps the best part of Crawford’s game however is that he seems to get better nearly every appearance, which makes him one of the most exciting players to watch for in the 2013 season.
You can check out the rest of our Top 100 by clicking here.
