SF Giants' intriguing prospect Crawford turns focus to hitting after shoulder injuries

SAN FRANCISCO - Former first-rounder Reggie Crawford checked off a significant milestone on Friday night by suiting up for the Arizona Complex League rookie-level Giants, his first professional game since June 2024 following multiple surgeries. Crawford, though, wasn’t on the mound.

He was back in the batter’s box.

And going forward, Crawford’s future won’t be as a pitcher, but as a position player.

“At some point, we said, ‘Hey, this is not good on him and it’s not good on us to keep having setback after setback pitching.’ We just couldn’t get over humps,” farm director Kyle Haines told this news organization in a phone call. “He kind of stayed active (hitting), like all of us stay active with our golf swing. He was kind of just twirling around with the bat. Then, finally, we said a month ago or so, let’s just start to hit and focus on hitting.”

Crawford was originally drafted 30th overall as a two-way player in 2022 but hadn’t pitched in a game since June 5, 2024, after shoulder surgeries in both 2024 and 2025. A potential return to pitching can’t completely be ruled out, but given the surgeries the lefty has undergone, it is highly unlikely that Crawford will pitch anytime soon.

Crawford hit .295 with 13 home runs and 62 RBIs as a sophomore at Connecticut in 2021 but dedicated himself to full-time pitching ahead of the 2024 season. He spent about a month preparing for game action by taking swings against live pitching, as well as off Trajekt pitching machines.

On Friday, Crawford went 1-for-2 with a solo home run against the ACL Diamondbacks in his return to the diamond. The 6-foot-5 Crawford will primarily see time at designated hitter, though he could also get reps at first base as well. Corner outfield isn’t a current possibility.

“He makes the throws at first base great, it’s just that that last 10-to-15 percent of intent needed to be a power pitcher (isn’t there),” Haines said. “It’s been a struggle for him. It’s setback after setback, and we weren’t getting over humps many times with that.”

While the 25-year-old Crawford is older for the Arizona Complex League, there is no plan to fast-track him to higher levels of the minors. Haines said Crawford will likely be in the ACL for “a while,” citing how he has never had a full season’s worth of at-bats at the pro level.

“From his experience level, he fits in with the Arizona rookie level. From an age standpoint, maybe not,” Haines said. “He’ll stay there for the foreseeable future, and we’ll just see where it goes. There’s no elaborate long-term scripted plan by any means. It’s going to be a performance-driven evaluation, and then we’ll see where we go in the future.”

Crawford didn’t make his professional debut on the mound until May 27, 2023, as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. Ahead of the 2024 season, Crawford abandoned hitting and focused on pitching after just 40 plate appearances in the minors.

“I think it’s safe to say he’s frustrated with it,” Haines said. “He’s a competitor; he wants to be on the field. Rehab is not a fun place to be. His injuries were no joke, especially shoulders. These are significant physical issues, but also, it challenges your patience, and you get frustrated.”

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published June 13, 2026 at 12:26 PM.