Giants Prospect Reggie Crawford Homers In Return to Pro Baseball

For two years, Reggie Crawford couldn’t catch a break. On Friday, he hit a home run.

The San Francisco Giants’ 2022 first-round pick returned to the field after going through injuries and setbacks since 2024 and hit a home run for the Giants’ Arizona Complex League team.

It was just one game, but when one has been through what Crawford has been through, it felt like a win for the 25-year-old.

Reggie Crawford’s Giants Journey

Reggie Crawford is back in action ... as a hitter!

The #SFGiants' 2022 first-rounder -- who began his career as a two-way player before becoming a full-time hurler -- mashes an Arizona Complex League homer in his first game action since June 2024.pic.twitter.com/7JemPBOcqQ
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 13, 2026

When San Francisco drafted him in the first round of the 2022 MLB draft out of UConn, the idea was that he would remain a two-way player. He pitched and hit in the minor leagues in 2023. Then, in 2024, San Francisco and Crawford agreed that he would focus on pitching. He threw in 14 games, with one start, and went 1-1 with a 2.95 ERA for Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Sacramento. He struck out 30, walked 12 and batters hit .133 against him. He had the look of a potential high-leverage relievers.

Then the injuries started.

Crawford suffered a labrum injury in his shoulder in late 2024 that required surgery. The recovery time was 10 to 12 months. The hope was that he could pitch late in 2025. But he needed another shoulder surgery in September. With that, there was a thought that he wouldn’t pitch in 2026, either.

The Giants are having him focus on being a hitter for now. Per NBC Sports Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic, the organization hasn't ruled out him returning to the mound as he continues his shoulder rehab. He’s now listed as a first baseman. San Francisco isn’t putting him in the ACL just because of the injury. He hasn’t taken a live game at-bat since 2023.

Including Friday’s 1-for-2 performance, he has a lifetime minor league slash of .211/.279/.421 with two home runs and six RBI. He’s never taken an at-bat above High-A Eugene, where he ended his 2023 season.

The Giants will have to build him back up again. But in college he proved that he could hit at a high level. He hit 13 home runs at UConn in his sophomore year. But he missed his junior year with the Huskies after he had Tommy John surgery. With that surgery, coupled with his shoulder issues, it makes the move to the lineup natural and gives Crawford a shot at the Majors one day.

How long it will take him to get there isn’t clear. His progress will probably be measured incrementally and a jump through two or three affiliates this year is unlikely. But, on Friday, Crawford had a small victory, the kind one wants to stack on another after two years of inactivity.

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