Garrett Crochet has never pitched in the minor leagues. That was until Sunday night when Crochet made his much-anticipated return to the mound of undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Crochet faced three batters and retired the side in order with a ground out, strikeout, and line out to right field. His fastball touched 97 mph, according to the broadcaster for the Barons, Curt Bloom. His slider also looked sharp. Not bad for his minor-league debut.
The left-handed reliever Garrett Crochet is set to return to the bullpen later in May after undergoing Tommy John surgery just before the start of last season. The only thing left for him to do before he can return is to complete a rehab stint in Birmingham. This is unfamiliar territory for the former first-round pick, who has pitched exclusively in the MLB until now.
After getting drafted by the White Sox with the 11th overall pick in the 2020 draft, the team immediately broke the emergency glass and rushed him up to the bullpen.
Due to the COVID pandemic, the minor leagues were shit down, so the 22-year-old was thrown into the fire and forced to face his first professional hitter at the MLB level. He performed well, making his debut during a nationally televised game on FOX. He struck out six batters and threw six of his nine fastballs over 100 mph.
Since then, he hasn’t looked back. He didn’t allow a run in his first six innings, racked up eight strikeouts, no walks, and only allowed three hits. The southpaw from Tenessee jumped to second in the MLB in just five appearances with 45 pitchers over 100 plus mph.
Crochet was then called upon in the White Sox do-or-die postseason game and struck out the only two hitters he faced before exiting with an apparent forearm strain. The forearm strain was a warning sign.
His average fastball velocity dipped from 100.1 mph to 96.7 mph the following season. It didn’t matter much as Crochet proved to be effective once again. In 54.1 innings of work, he posted a 2.82 ERA with 65 strikeouts and a 1.27 WHIP. He didn’t allow a home run until June, and his strikeout rate ranked in the top 20 percentile in MLB. Hitters had a tough time squaring him up, posting just a .314 expected slugging percentage, which placed Crochet in the top eight percent of the league. Meanwhile, his strikeout rank placed him in the 80th percentile, and his whiff rate in the 70th.
He was looking to build off this initial success in 2022 until he felt a pop in his elbow during a Cactus League appearance. After receiving two different medical opinions, it was determined that season-ending surgery was the best option. As a result, the 23-year-old did not appear during the 2022 season. Crochet was clearly missed as the White Sox bullpen dropped from the fifth-best ERA in the AL in 2021 to 12th during his absence in 2022.
Crochet’s most recent outing in Birmingham is a promising sign that he can return to form. His velocity is back where it needs to be. After coming off Tommy John surgery, some rust is to be expected. However, he will still be a welcomed addition to a White Sox bullpen that has been reeling.
The White Sox bullpen has a 6.86 ERA heading into May, which is the worst ERA in the MLB. They have also surrendered the second most home runs and walks. Only the rebuilding Oakland Athletics have allowed more.
