SF Giants’ top 2022 pick, two-way player Reggie Crawford, wraps up Tommy John rehab, will report to San Jose

MINNEAPOLIS — The return from Tommy John surgery is a long and arduous process, and Reggie Crawford’s rehab was lengthier than most. But the Giants’ intriguing 2022 first-round pick completed his final step in an 18-month journey on Tuesday.

Crawford, 22, will report to the Single-A San Jose Giants, giving Bay Area fans a chance to catch the Giants’ most recent top draft pick.

Since being selected 30th overall last June, Crawford has spent the majority of his time at the club’s facilities in Arizona, building back strength in his left arm and, more recently, appearing in rehab games with their rookie ball affiliate. He underwent the elbow reconstruction procedure in October 2021, while he was still at the University of Connecticut, and made his first rehab appearance on May 2, a span of nearly 18 months.

Crawford’s rehab process was slowed by a bout of mononucleosis, which knocked him off schedule by about a month.

Drafted as a two-way player, with a powerful left arm and left-handed swing, Crawford will continue to pursue that path initially. In his rehab games, he has hit a ball at 101 mph and topped out at 98 mph velocity on the mound. While Crawford stands an imposing 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, he has a kilowatt smile and an infectious personality that stood out in the pre-draft evaluation process and has lived up to the reputation since joining the organization.

“He’s a physical specimen,” farm director Kyle Haines said in an interview at the end of spring training. “People always say, is he going to be a hitter or a pitcher? I say I don’t know, but he’s gonna be a good Giant, I know that.”

The Giants spent eight of their first 10 picks in the 2022 draft on pitchers, and Crawford will become the eighth and final one to appear at San Jose. Second-round selection Carson Whisenhunt already earned a promotion to High-A Eugene, and altogether the group as of last week had thrown 121 innings with a 3.26 ERA, 166 strikeouts and 52 walks.

Reggie Crawford struck out the side in his single inning of work in Thursday’s Extended Spring game vs the Rockies. pic.twitter.com/QUEcD81l8x

— SFGProspects (@SFGProspects) May 2, 2023

Reggie Crawford was 1 for 2 with a single (101mph EV) and a walk in Saturday’s Extended Spring Training game vs the DBacks pic.twitter.com/0lsSF8DXgY

— SFGProspects (@SFGProspects) May 14, 2023

Reggie Crawford fanned 3 over two innings in his final rehab outing. He will join the San Jose Giants.

2 IP| 0 H| 0 R| 0 BB | 3 K pic.twitter.com/7k1obiU8Lu

— SFGProspects (@SFGProspects) May 23, 2023