Former Tennessee pitcher Garrett Crochet is earning the highest honor of his professional career to date. The Chicago White Sox announced that Crochet would be their Opening Day starting pitcher on Monday.
Got the nod for March 28 😤 pic.twitter.com/GnuU5h8npf
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 18, 2024
A former first round pick, Crochet was the fastest prospect to the MLB in the 2020 MLB Draft class. Crochet made his professional debut in the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season where he pitched six scoreless innings.
The tall left-handed pitcher had a major role out of the White Sox bullpen during the 2021 season before missing the entire 2022 season and much of the 2023 season due to injury. Crochet enters this season with a 3-7 record and 2.71 ERA in 73 total innings pitched during his MLB career.
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Crochet has made four appearances so far in spring training where he hasn’t allowed a single run while striking out 12 batters in nine innings pitched.
The 6-foot-6 left-handed pitcher was one of the first stars of the Tony Vitello era at Tennessee. Crochet was a late addition to Vitello’s first recruiting class at Tennessee. The Ocean Springs, Mississippi native posted a 5.51 ERA in 63.2 innings as a freshman.
Crochet was Tennessee’s top reliever and eventually a weekend starter during his sophomore season when he posted a 4.02 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 65 innings pitched. Crochet was stepping up into Tennessee’s Friday night starting position in 2020 when COVID-19 ended the season before the start of SEC play.
