Just In: Vols Land UConn Standout Transfer Reggie Crawford

Tennessee Baseball has landed the commitment of UConn transfer first baseman/LHP Reggie Crawford, the former Big East standout announced on Twitter Tuesday. 

Crawford is entering his fourth year as a collegiate athlete but 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. 

The 6'4" versatile Crawford is draft eligible in the 2022 MLB Draft and may get drafted too high to ever play a game in orange and white. But regardless, Crawford serves as another massive transfer portal pickup for Tennessee, as Crawford is a stud who can start at first base and give a relief outing when needed. Blake Burke figures to be the starting first baseman heading into the season if Crawford isn't on the team, but if both are there, Tony Vitello yet again has an embarrassment of riches to choose from in the infield. 

Another perk in adding Crawford is that he technically has three years of eligibility remaining. 

Currently, Crawford is listed as the No. 80 overall prospect in MLB.com's Top 250 2022 MLB Draft prospects. It will be tough for Tennessee to keep Crawford heading into 2023, but if they can, Crawford would be an incredibly significant addition to Tennessee's already star-studded squad. 

All eyes are now on the MLB Draft to see how difficult it will be for UT to keep Crawford. The draft begins Sunday, July 17, and runs through Tuesday, July 19. 

Photo Credit: UConn Athletics 

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