Breaking: Vols Transfer Reggie Crawford Selected in MLB Draft

Breaking: Tennessee Baseball Vols Transfer Reggie Crawford Selected in MLB Draft

The latest Tennessee Baseball transfer portal addition Reggie Crawford has been selected 30th overall by the San Francisco Giants in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft. He is the second Volunteer to be selected in the draft. 

Crawford, a two-way player, committed to Tennessee five days ago, transferring from UConn. 

The 1B/LHP had been dubbed as a Top 80 prospect in MLB.com's prospect rankings, making his selection in the first 30 picks a surprise. 

It will be tough for Tony Vitello and Tennessee to top the Giants' first-round offer, making it unlikely for Crawford to ever play in orange and white. 

If Crawford remains in college, he will be entering his fourth year as a collegiate athlete, but he sat out in 2022 due to Tommy John surgery.

As a freshman in 2020, Crawford was terrific for the Huskies, starting all 13 games at first base during the shortened season. Crawford hit .365 and tallied a team-leading seven doubles and 16 RBIs while adding one home run. The former Big-East standout only made one appearance on the mound, but his efforts elsewhere led to him being named a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American.

Crawford continued to dominate at the plate in 2021, hitting .295 with 11 doubles, one triple, 34 runs scored and a .543 slugging percentage. He led the entire conference with 13 home runs and 62 RBIs. His 62 RBIs tied for fourth most by a UConn player in a single season in program history and most since 2010. Crawford started all 51 games that he played in 2021, mainly at first base.

On the mound in 2021, Crawford made six appearances and one start. He was 1-1 on the year with a 2.35 ERA. In 7.2 innings pitched, Crawford tallied one save, allowed five hits, three runs (two earned), three walks, one home run, one HBP and had a .172 opp. avg. against 33 batters.

Crawford's sophomore season led to more accolades for the Frackville, Pennsylvania, native, as he was named to the Northeast All-Region ABCA Second-Team.

Crawford is a North Schuykill High School product who played four years there. Crawford was drafted in the 37th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals but went on to play at UConn, making his 2022 selection the second time he's been drafted.