Giants 2022 first-round pick returns to mound in Arizona

Crawford, of course, underwent UCL surgery in the fall of 2021 and was unable to play in his final collegiate season. Crawford was drafted as a two-way player and made his minor-league debut last season as a designated hitter, hitting .200/.263/.286 with a home run in 10 games at the Arizona Rookie League.

The Giants selected Crawford with the 30th overall pick in last year's draft, signing him to a slightly below-slot $2.3 million signing bonus to forego his remaining collegiate eligibility. Crawford, who starred at UCONN from 2020-2021, had transferred to SEC powerhouse Tennessee before deciding to turn pro.

Crawford fell to the end of the first round simply due to uncertainty. If teams solely drafted players based on their ceiling, Crawford would have easily been one of the first five picks in the draft. At his best, the southpaw has shown the ability to reach 100 mph with a fastball that has characteristics that help it play up alongside a plus slider. At the plate, his left-handed swing can get long but has shown the ability to tap into his plus power potential.

With that said, the pandemic-canceled 2020 season, alongside Crawford's injury, limited him to just eight collegiate innings pitched. In fact, his draft stock blew up most during the summer of 2021 between stints in the Cape Cod League and with Team USA. The player scouts saw during those months was considered one of the early favorites to be the first overall pick in last year's draft. However, before he injured his UCL just a couple months later before he could back up his exceptional summer with a strong college season.

The SF Giants have high hopes for Reggie Crawford. The 2022 first-round pick flashed tantalizing potential on the mound throughout his amateur career, and now, it seems after nearly two years of rehab, he's nearing his first chance to showcase his arsenal in a minor-league game.