Kutter Crawford

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #15 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Crawford transferred to Florida Gulf Coast after two years at Indian Wells (Fla.) JC and delivered the best season (7-1, 1.71 ERA, 10.6 strikeouts per nine) in the program’s history by anyone outside of Chris Sale. After the Red Sox took him as a 16th-round pick in 2017, Crawford delivered solid performances despite pitching through persistent discomfort as he moved up to Double-A, ultimately having Tommy John surgery at the end of 2019. He returned from the procedure in 2021 having improved his direction to the plate and with increased extension and velocity, allowing his arsenal to play up. He posted a 34.4% strikeout rate with a 5.2% walk rate across Double-A and Triple-A en route to his big league debut.
  
  Scouting Report: Crawford holds his hands low while easing into the start of his delivery before seemingly jumping at the hitter, resulting in hitters mistiming and swinging through his 93-96 mph fastball at the top of the zone. He also has a cutter (which he sometimes reshapes into a slider) that can get swings and misses. He’s working to develop an average third pitch, with some hope of doing so with a splitter.
  
  The Future: Crawford represents near-term big league depth. At the least, he is capable of helping as a multi-inning reliever, but if he gets a reliable third pitch, he has a chance to emerge as a back-of-the-rotation starter.
  
• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #22 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: After transferring from Indian River (Fla.) to Florida Gulf Coast as a junior, Crawford posted a 1.71 ERA that ranked eighth in NCAA in 2017. But the fact that he did it in the mid-tier Atlantic Sun Conference and the absence of a clear plus offering left him on the board on day three of the draft, when the Red Sox picked him in the 16th round. In 2018, Crawford’s performance became harder to overlook. He had a 3.26 ERA, 9.8 strikeouts and 3.0 walks per nine in 27 starts at the Class A levels.
  
  Scouting Report: Yes, he has a cutter, and it’s the best offering in Crawford’s four-pitch mix, projecting as a potential average to above-average big league pitch. He also features a fastball that averaged 92 mph early in the year but ticked down a bit later. He mixes in a curveball and changeup, with everything seemingly coming out of the same tunnel. Crawford helps his stuff play up by being a competitor who has an aggressive tempo and mixes his pitches.
  
  The Future: Crawford’s four-pitch mix suggests a potential depth starter. It remains to be seen if he can develop another pitch to the point of surpassing that outlook.

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Crawford transferred to Florida Gulf Coast after two years at Indian Wells (Fla.) JC and delivered the best season (7-1, 1.71 ERA, 10.6 strikeouts per nine) in the program’s history by anyone outside of Chris Sale. After the Red Sox took him as a 16th-round pick in 2017, Crawford delivered solid performances despite pitching through persistent discomfort as he moved up to Double-A, ultimately having Tommy John surgery at the end of 2019. He returned from the procedure in 2021 having improved his direction to the plate and with increased extension and velocity, allowing his arsenal to play up. He posted a 34.4% strikeout rate with a 5.2% walk rate across Double-A and Triple-A en route to his big league debut.
  
  Scouting Report: Crawford holds his hands low while easing into the start of his delivery before seemingly jumping at the hitter, resulting in hitters mistiming and swinging through his 93-96 mph fastball at the top of the zone. He also has a cutter (which he sometimes reshapes into a slider) that can get swings and misses. He’s working to develop an average third pitch, with some hope of doing so with a splitter.
  
  The Future: Crawford represents near-term big league depth. At the least, he is capable of helping as a multi-inning reliever, but if he gets a reliable third pitch, he has a chance to emerge as a back-of-the-rotation starter.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Crawford, who had Tommy John surgery in October 2019, has seen his velocity bounce back into the low-to-mid 90s with good command and a solid curveball. He could emerge as a multi-inning reliever or sixth starter in 2022.