Narciso Crook
Crook with the Iowa Cubs in 2022
Free agent
Outfielder
Born: (1995-07-12) July 12, 1995 (age 28)
Nagua, Dominican Republic
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 30, 2022, for the Chicago Cubs
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Batting average.250
Home runs0
Runs batted in2
Teams

Narciso Crook (born July 12, 1995) is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2022 with the Chicago Cubs.

Early life

Crook began playing baseball at 11 years old after moving to Trenton, New Jersey, from the Dominican Republic when his mother married former professional football player Al Darby. He played prep baseball at Trenton Central High School, from which he graduated in 2012, before moving on to Gloucester County College (since renamed as Rowan College of South Jersey).[1]

Career

Cincinnati Reds

Crook was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 23rd round, with the 705th overall selection, of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft.[2] On July 5, Crook signed with the Reds. He made his professional debut in 2014 with the rookie–level Arizona League Reds, hitting .255/.313/.423 with 4 home runs, 20 RBI, and 12 stolen bases in 42 contests.[3] He spent the 2015 season with the Single–A Dayton Dragons, playing in 105 contests and hitting .236/.270/.383 with 9 home runs, 47 RBI, and 13 stolen bases.[4]

Crook returned to Dayton in 2016, playing in 23 games and batting .244/.311/.402 with 3 home runs and 7 RBI. On May 24, 2016, it was announced that Crook would miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.[5] He spent 2017 with the High–A Daytona Tortugas, but was limited to 36 games in which he hit .213/.275/.360 with 4 home runs and 17 RBI across 36 games. After Crook was placed on the disabled list on May 19, 2017, he did not make an appearance for the remainder of the year.[6] Crook began the 2018 season with Dayton, progressing to Daytona and the Double–A Pensacola Blue Wahoos later in the year. In 103 games, he accumulated a .266/.344/.415 batting line with 6 home runs and 44 RBI.[7]

In 2019, he began the year back in Double–A with the Chattanooga Lookouts, but was quickly promoted to the Triple-A Louisville Bats after 24 games. In 84 games for Louisville, he hit .273/.329/.484 with a career–high 10 home runs, 35 RBI, and 9 stolen bases.[8] Crook did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] Returning to action in 2021, Crook split the year between Chattanooga and Louisville. In 100 total contests, he slashed .244/.355/.451 with career–highs in home runs (14) and RBI (54).[10] He elected free agency following the 2021 season on November 7, 2021.[11]

Chicago Cubs

On November 18, 2021, Crook signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs organization.[12] He began the 2022 season with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, playing in 101 games, where he batted .260/.345/.492 with 19 home runs and 67 runs batted in (RBIs).[10] On June 30, 2022, Crook was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[13] In four games with Chicago, he went 2-for-8 with two RBI.[14] On November 10, Crook was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Triple–A Iowa; he elected free agency the same day.[15][16]

Boston Red Sox

On November 22, 2022, Crook signed a minor-league contract with the Boston Red Sox organization.[17] He was assigned to the Triple–A Worcester Red Sox to begin the 2023 season.[18] He elected free agency on November 6. [19]

See also

References

  1. ^ Maloney, Kevin (April 13, 2013). "Trenton grad Crook had historic 4-HR day for Gloucester County College". The Times. NJ.com. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
  2. ^ "Trenton's Narciso Crook drafted by Reds in 23rd round". trentonian.com. June 8, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  3. ^ "Scouting Cincinnati Reds OF Narciso Crook". redsminorleagues.com. December 16, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  4. ^ "Dominican Winter League draft sees 4 Reds selected". redsminorleagues.com. September 11, 2015. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  5. ^ "Wyatt Strahan & Narciso Crook out for the year". redsminorleagues.com. May 24, 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  6. ^ "Narciso Crook - Stats - Batting". fangraphs.com. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  7. ^ "Cincinnati Reds Top Prospects: Narciso Crook". redsminorleagues.com. October 17, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  8. ^ "Who will the Reds protect from the Rule 5 Draft? Outfielder Edition". redsminorleagues.com. November 13, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  9. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled". mlb.com. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Narciso Crook Minor & Winter League Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  11. ^ "2021-22 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams". baseballamerica.com. November 9, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  12. ^ "Chicago Cubs Sign Former Reds Prospect Narciso Crook to a Minor League Deal". bleacherreport.com. November 18, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  13. ^ "Cubs call up Trenton High graduate Narciso Crook to major leagues". June 30, 2022.
  14. ^ "Narciso Crook Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  15. ^ "Chicago Cubs Outright Multiple Players Including Reyes". si.com. November 11, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  16. ^ "2022-23 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams". baseballamerica.com. November 13, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  17. ^ "Red Sox Roster & Staff – Transactions". MLB.com. Boston Red Sox. November 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  18. ^ "Meet the 2023 WooSox roster for Friday's opening day at Polar Park". masslive.com. March 31, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  19. ^ https://www.milb.com/transactions/2023-11-06

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