It's hard to imagine having a better first week on the Cape than Reggie Crawford. UConn's two-way threat has acclimated himself nicely in his first three games playing with the Bourne Braves -- to the tune of six hits (.400 BA), including a home run in Falmouth on June 23. He also pitched a scoreless inning of relief with two strikeouts in Bourne's opener against Brewster.
Crawford (Frackville, Pa.) also received word earlier this week that he's been selected to the 2021 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team roster. He will be the seventh player coached by Jim Penders to represent Team USA, joining Mason Feole (2018), Tim Cate (2016, 2017), Anthony Kay (2015), L.J. Mazzilli (2011), Matt Barnes (2011) and George Springer (2010).
The selection to the collegiate national team will offer Crawford another opportunity to cement his case as one of the Northeast's top prospects for the 2022 MLB Draft. Crawford will be hitting and pitching with Team USA, which will be divided into two teams, the Stars and Stripes. The two squads will face each other 11 times from July 2 to July 15. Games will be played in Virginia, Tennessee and West Virginia, with one game at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.
Crawford is coming off a productive redshirt freshman season at UConn. He hit .295 with a BIG EAST-best 13 home runs and 62 RBI. He flashed big-league potential on the mound, striking out 17 batters in 7.2 innings. The left-hander posted a 2.35 ERA, and opponents hit just .172 against him in his six appearances.
