Matt Cronin Stats & Scouting Report

IP	16.2
ERA	2.7
WHIP	1.5
BB/9	4.32
SO/9	10.26

Full name Matthew G. Cronin
Born 09/20/1997 in Navarre, FL
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Arkansas
Drafted in the 4th round (123rd overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2019 (signed for $464,500).

View Draft Report

Every year, the draft seems to have several successful college relievers who have the pure stuff to move from Division I to the major leagues in short order. But most often, those relievers don’t move nearly as quickly as everyone expects. 2015 draft prospects Riley Ferrell, Drew Smith and Brandon Koch were all college relievers who fit this bill, yet none of them have become established major league relievers. 2016 draftees Seth Elledge and Lincoln Henzman still have several steps to go as well. But even with those caveats, Cronin is the kind of power lefthander with a fast arm who could move faster than most if it all clicks. He has a reliever’s delivery with some head movement and recoil at the end that sees him finish into a relatively stiff front side. That helps explain why he’s always struggled with below-average control, and as of early May he was walking 5.3 batters per nine innings. Cronin has an extreme trunk tilt that helps him throw from a true over-the-top release point. It also helps him get 12-to-6 movement on his curveball, which rates as a 60 on the 20-to-80 scale. His curveball has been much better this year than last, which has led to him being more effective. His 93-96 mph fastball gets swings and misses up in the zone, and he was striking out 13.9 batter per nine innings late in the regular season. The Razorbacks have used Cronin relatively lightly, and he is usually asked to get only three to five outs at a time and rarely pitches on back-to-back days. He has the stuff to fill a setup role in pro ball, although he’ll have to continue to improve his control.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Cronin was a dominant reliever turned closer over three seasons at Arkansas. The Nationals drafted the lefty in the fourth round in 2019, and he made his debut at Low-A the same year. In 2021, he spent time in the Florida Complex League and High-A Wilmington before earning a jump to Double-A Harrisburg. He pitched lights out to start the 2022 season and allowed just five hits in 16.1 innings before earning a promotion to Triple-A in May. He was added to the 40-man roster in November.

Scouting Report: Cronin's fastball sits in the 90-91 mph range and touches 93-94. Excellent carry, including more than 22 inches of induced vertical break, helps it play up from that velocity. Cronin pitched heavily off his fastball but also used a trio of secondaries: a 12-to-6 curveball in the upper 70s, a low-80s split-changeup and a mid-80s slider. His curveball previously showed impressive potential, but he struggled to land the pitch for strikes in 2022 and metrics labeled it as Cronin's worst offering. His slider and split-change could wind up being more useful secondaries for him.

The Future: The Nationals believe that Cronin will be a lefthanded fixture in the bullpen moving forward.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 40. Slider: 50. Changeup: 45. Control: 45.
Track Record: Cronin put up a 2.77 ERA in 64 relief appearances for powerhouse Arkansas over three college seasons before being drafted in the fourth round in 2019. He dominated in his debut in 2019 in Low-A, and after spending time at the alternate training site in 2020, picked up where he left off in 2021 with mostly dominant outings in the FCL and in High-A, which earned him a promotion to Double-A Harrisburg. He took some lumps and battled his command in his first look at Double-A, but still managed 18 strikeouts in 11.1 innings.

Scouting Report: There’s little ambiguity about Cronin’s profile as he moves through the system. He’s a reliever, and a good one at that. He works with a high-spin fastball that reaches the mid 90s and a 12-to-6 curveball that has good depth and late break. Both pitches show plus potential. He’ll also use a split changeup, but it’s a third offering at this point. Cronin has a back-end bullpen mentality and isn’t afraid to go after hitters. Some rival evaluators see Cronin as being a Sean Doolittle type of reliever at the big league level.

The Future: Cronin fits the archetype of the fast-moving college reliever, and with his move all the way up to Double-A in 2021, his big league debut is not that far off in the distance.
TRACK RECORD: Cronin saved 14 games as a sophomore for Arkansas, helping lead the program to the College World Series finals. The next year, he had 12 saves as the Razorbacks returned to Omaha. He signed with the Nationals for $464,500 as a fourth-round pick in 2019 and struck out 16.8 batters per nine innings over 17 appearances at low Class A Hagerstown in his pro debut. The Nationals brought him to the alternate site in 2020 and he finished the year at instructional league.

SCOUTING REPORT: Cronin impresses with the spin on his 93-96 mph fastball and hammer 12-to-6 curveball, each of which grade as potential plus pitches. Cronin's fastball works at the top and bottom of the zone, and his curve has late break and good depth. Facing more experienced hitters at the alternate site taught him he needed to attack the strike zone earlier in counts. Cronin uses a split grip on his changeup, which has a chance to become a viable third--if below-average--pitch. His focus is on his big fastball, and he's not afraid to pitch inside to lefthanded and righthanded hitters.

THE FUTURE: Cronin's final dozen outings or so left team officials believing he could be on a fast track to Washington. With the Nats short on lefthanded options with Sean Doolittle set to depart in free agency, Cronin's major league debut could come in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: One of the top relievers in the Southeastern Conference, Cronin had 26 saves in his final two seasons at Arkansas, helping the Razorbacks reach the College World Series both years. He had a mild case of mononucleosis as a sophomore but still broke a single-season school record with 14 saves. He sharpened his curveball in his junior year, showing a 12-to-6 hammer that helped persuade the Nationals to sign him for $464,500.

SCOUTING REPORT: Cronin has a plus fastball and curveball, and at times his slider is plus as well. He's working on dialing back his full-effort delivery. Even with the major leagues scheduled to go to a threebatter minimum in 2020, Cronin fills a dire need in a system short on lefthanded relievers. He has a chance to move quickly through the organization.

THE FUTURE: Cronin held South Atlantic League hitters to a .153 average and probably could've thrived at a higher level. He should go to at least high Class A Fredericksburg to start his first full pro season.

Draft Prospects

Every year, the draft seems to have several successful college relievers who have the pure stuff to move from Division I to the major leagues in short order. But most often, those relievers don't move nearly as quickly as everyone expects. 2015 draft prospects Riley Ferrell, Drew Smith and Brandon Koch were all college relievers who fit this bill, yet none of them have become established major league relievers. 2016 draftees Seth Elledge and Lincoln Henzman still have several steps to go as well. But even with those caveats, Cronin is the kind of power lefthander with a fast arm who could move faster than most if it all clicks. He has a reliever's delivery with some head movement and recoil at the end that sees him finish into a relatively stiff front side. That helps explain why he's always struggled with below-average control, and as of early May he was walking 5.3 batters per nine innings. Cronin has an extreme trunk tilt that helps him throw from a true over-the-top release point. It also helps him get 12-to-6 movement on his curveball, which rates as a 60 on the 20-to-80 scale. His curveball has been much better this year than last, which has led to him being more effective. His 93-96 mph fastball gets swings and misses up in the zone, and he was striking out 13.9 batter per nine innings late in the regular season. The Razorbacks have used Cronin relatively lightly, and he is usually asked to get only three to five outs at a time and rarely pitches on back-to-back days. He has the stuff to fill a setup role in pro ball, although he'll have to continue to improve his control.

Scouting Reports

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Cronin was a dominant reliever turned closer over three seasons at Arkansas. The Nationals drafted the lefty in the fourth round in 2019, and he made his debut at Low-A the same year. In 2021, he spent time in the Florida Complex League and High-A Wilmington before earning a jump to Double-A Harrisburg. He pitched lights out to start the 2022 season and allowed just five hits in 16.1 innings before earning a promotion to Triple-A in May. He was added to the 40-man roster in November.

Scouting Report: Cronin's fastball sits in the 90-91 mph range and touches 93-94. Excellent carry, including more than 22 inches of induced vertical break, helps it play up from that velocity. Cronin pitched heavily off his fastball but also used a trio of secondaries: a 12-to-6 curveball in the upper 70s, a low-80s split-changeup and a mid-80s slider. His curveball previously showed impressive potential, but he struggled to land the pitch for strikes in 2022 and metrics labeled it as Cronin's worst offering. His slider and split-change could wind up being more useful secondaries for him.

The Future: The Nationals believe that Cronin will be a lefthanded fixture in the bullpen moving forward.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 40. Slider: 50. Changeup: 45. Control: 45.
BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Cronin was a dominant reliever turned closer over three seasons at Arkansas. The Nationals drafted the lefty in the fourth round in 2019, and he made his debut at Low-A the same year. In 2021, he spent time in the Florida Complex League and High-A Wilmington before earning a jump to Double-A Harrisburg. He pitched lights out to start the 2022 season and allowed just five hits in 16.1 innings before earning a promotion to Triple-A in May. He was added to the 40-man roster in November.

Scouting Report: Cronin's fastball sits in the 90-91 mph range and touches 93-94. Excellent carry, including more than 22 inches of induced vertical break, helps it play up from that velocity. Cronin pitched heavily off his fastball but also used a trio of secondaries: a 12-to-6 curveball in the upper 70s, a low-80s split-changeup and a mid-80s slider. His curveball previously showed impressive potential, but he struggled to land the pitch for strikes in 2022 and metrics labeled it as Cronin's worst offering. His slider and split-change could wind up being more useful secondaries for him.

The Future: The Nationals believe that Cronin will be a lefthanded fixture in the bullpen moving forward.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 40. Slider: 50. Changeup: 45. Control: 45.
BA Grade: 45/High

Track Record: Cronin put up a 2.77 ERA in 64 relief appearances for powerhouse Arkansas over three college seasons before being drafted in the fourth round in 2019. He dominated in his debut in 2019 in Low-A, and after spending time at the alternate training site in 2020, picked up where he left off in 2021 with mostly dominant outings in the FCL and in High-A, which earned him a promotion to Double-A Harrisburg. He took some lumps and battled his command in his first look at Double-A, but still managed 18 strikeouts in 11.1 innings.

Scouting Report: There&#39s little ambiguity about Cronin&#39s profile as he moves through the system. He&#39s a reliever, and a good one at that. He works with a high-spin fastball that reaches the mid 90s and a 12-to-6 curveball that has good depth and late break. Both pitches show plus potential. He&#39ll also use a split changeup, but it&#39s a third offering at this point. Cronin has a back-end bullpen mentality and isn&#39t afraid to go after hitters. Some rival evaluators see Cronin as being a Sean Doolittle type of reliever at the big league level.

The Future: Cronin fits the archetype of the fast-moving college reliever, and with his move all the way up to Double-A in 2021, his big league debut is not that far off in the distance.
Track Record: Cronin put up a 2.77 ERA in 64 relief appearances for powerhouse Arkansas over three college seasons before being drafted in the fourth round in 2019. He dominated in his debut in 2019 in Low-A, and after spending time at the alternate training site in 2020, picked up where he left off in 2021 with mostly dominant outings in the FCL and in High-A, which earned him a promotion to Double-A Harrisburg. He took some lumps and battled his command in his first look at Double-A, but still managed 18 strikeouts in 11.1 innings.

Scouting Report: There’s little ambiguity about Cronin’s profile as he moves through the system. He’s a reliever, and a good one at that. He works with a high-spin fastball that reaches the mid 90s and a 12-to-6 curveball that has good depth and late break. Both pitches show plus potential. He’ll also use a split changeup, but it’s a third offering at this point. Cronin has a back-end bullpen mentality and isn’t afraid to go after hitters. Some rival evaluators see Cronin as being a Sean Doolittle type of reliever at the big league level.

The Future: Cronin fits the archetype of the fast-moving college reliever, and with his move all the way up to Double-A in 2021, his big league debut is not that far off in the distance.
TRACK RECORD: Cronin saved 14 games as a sophomore for Arkansas, helping lead the program to the College World Series finals. The next year, he had 12 saves as the Razorbacks returned to Omaha. He signed with the Nationals for $464,500 as a fourth-round pick in 2019 and struck out 16.8 batters per nine innings over 17 appearances at low Class A Hagerstown in his pro debut. The Nationals brought him to the alternate site in 2020 and he finished the year at instructional league.

SCOUTING REPORT: Cronin impresses with the spin on his 93-96 mph fastball and hammer 12-to-6 curveball, each of which grade as potential plus pitches. Cronin's fastball works at the top and bottom of the zone, and his curve has late break and good depth. Facing more experienced hitters at the alternate site taught him he needed to attack the strike zone earlier in counts. Cronin uses a split grip on his changeup, which has a chance to become a viable third--if below-average--pitch. His focus is on his big fastball, and he's not afraid to pitch inside to lefthanded and righthanded hitters.

THE FUTURE: Cronin's final dozen outings or so left team officials believing he could be on a fast track to Washington. With the Nats short on lefthanded options with Sean Doolittle set to depart in free agency, Cronin's major league debut could come in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: Cronin saved 14 games as a sophomore for Arkansas, helping lead the program to the College World Series finals. The next year, he had 12 saves as the Razorbacks returned to Omaha. He signed with the Nationals for $464,500 as a fourth-round pick in 2019 and struck out 16.8 batters per nine innings over 17 appearances at low Class A Hagerstown in his pro debut. The Nationals brought him to the alternate site in 2020 and he finished the year at instructional league.

SCOUTING REPORT: Cronin impresses with the spin on his 93-96 mph fastball and hammer 12-to-6 curveball, each of which grade as potential plus pitches. Cronin's fastball works at the top and bottom of the zone, and his curve has late break and good depth. Facing more experienced hitters at the alternate site taught him he needed to attack the strike zone earlier in counts. Cronin uses a split grip on his changeup, which has a chance to become a viable third--if below-average--pitch. His focus is on his big fastball, and he's not afraid to pitch inside to lefthanded and righthanded hitters.

THE FUTURE: Cronin's final dozen outings or so left team officials believing he could be on a fast track to Washington. With the Nats short on lefthanded options with Sean Doolittle set to depart in free agency, Cronin's major league debut could come in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: Cronin saved 14 games as a sophomore for Arkansas, helping lead the program to the College World Series finals. The next year, he had 12 saves as the Razorbacks returned to Omaha. He signed with the Nationals for $464,500 as a fourth-round pick in 2019 and struck out 16.8 batters per nine innings over 17 appearances at low Class A Hagerstown in his pro debut. The Nationals brought him to the alternate site in 2020 and he finished the year at instructional league.

SCOUTING REPORT: Cronin impresses with the spin on his 93-96 mph fastball and hammer 12-to-6 curveball, each of which grade as potential plus pitches. Cronin's fastball works at the top and bottom of the zone, and his curve has late break and good depth. Facing more experienced hitters at the alternate site taught him he needed to attack the strike zone earlier in counts. Cronin uses a split grip on his changeup, which has a chance to become a viable third--if below-average--pitch. His focus is on his big fastball, and he's not afraid to pitch inside to lefthanded and righthanded hitters.

THE FUTURE: Cronin's final dozen outings or so left team officials believing he could be on a fast track to Washington. With the Nats short on lefthanded options with Sean Doolittle set to depart in free agency, Cronin's major league debut could come in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: One of the top relievers in the Southeastern Conference, Cronin had 26 saves in his final two seasons at Arkansas, helping the Razorbacks reach the College World Series both years. He had a mild case of mononucleosis as a sophomore but still broke a single-season school record with 14 saves. He sharpened his curveball in his junior year, showing a 12-to-6 hammer that helped persuade the Nationals to sign him for $464,500.

SCOUTING REPORT: Cronin has a plus fastball and curveball, and at times his slider is plus as well. He’s working on dialing back his full-effort delivery. Even with the major leagues scheduled to go to a threebatter minimum in 2020, Cronin fills a dire need in a system short on lefthanded relievers. He has a chance to move quickly through the organization.

THE FUTURE: Cronin held South Atlantic League hitters to a .153 average and probably could’ve thrived at a higher level. He should go to at least high Class A Fredericksburg to start his first full pro season.
TRACK RECORD: One of the top relievers in the Southeastern Conference, Cronin had 26 saves in his final two seasons at Arkansas, helping the Razorbacks reach the College World Series both years. He had a mild case of mononucleosis as a sophomore but still broke a single-season school record with 14 saves. He sharpened his curveball in his junior year, showing a 12-to-6 hammer that helped persuade the Nationals to sign him for $464,500.

SCOUTING REPORT: Cronin has a plus fastball and curveball, and at times his slider is plus as well. He's working on dialing back his full-effort delivery. Even with the major leagues scheduled to go to a threebatter minimum in 2020, Cronin fills a dire need in a system short on lefthanded relievers. He has a chance to move quickly through the organization.

THE FUTURE: Cronin held South Atlantic League hitters to a .153 average and probably could've thrived at a higher level. He should go to at least high Class A Fredericksburg to start his first full pro season.
Every year, the draft seems to have several successful college relievers who have the pure stuff to move from Division I to the major leagues in short order. But most often, those relievers don't move nearly as quickly as everyone expects. 2015 draft prospects Riley Ferrell, Drew Smith and Brandon Koch were all college relievers who fit this bill, yet none of them have become established major league relievers. 2016 draftees Seth Elledge and Lincoln Henzman still have several steps to go as well. But even with those caveats, Cronin is the kind of power lefthander with a fast arm who could move faster than most if it all clicks. He has a reliever's delivery with some head movement and recoil at the end that sees him finish into a relatively stiff front side. That helps explain why he's always struggled with below-average control, and as of early May he was walking 5.3 batters per nine innings. Cronin has an extreme trunk tilt that helps him throw from a true over-the-top release point. It also helps him get 12-to-6 movement on his curveball, which rates as a 60 on the 20-to-80 scale. His curveball has been much better this year than last, which has led to him being more effective. His 93-96 mph fastball gets swings and misses up in the zone, and he was striking out 13.9 batter per nine innings late in the regular season. The Razorbacks have used Cronin relatively lightly, and he is usually asked to get only three to five outs at a time and rarely pitches on back-to-back days. He has the stuff to fill a setup role in pro ball, although he'll have to continue to improve his control.

Career Transactions

LHP Matt Cronin assigned to Salt River Rafters.
RHP Aldrin Batista assigned to Winston-Salem Dash from Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.
LHP Matt Cronin assigned to Wilmington Blue Rocks from FCL Nationals.
LHP Matt Cronin assigned to Washington Nationals.
Washington Nationals optioned LHP Matt Cronin to Rochester Red Wings.