Toronto Blue Jays: Prospect Evan Crawford's Curveball Impresses in MLB Debut

After placing closer Sergio Santos on the paternity list on Friday, the Toronto Blue Jays recalled left-hander Evan Crawford from Double-A New Hampshire.

In an organization that features some of baseball’s finest young talent—including Travis d’Arnaud and Jake Marisnick, who both rank among Prospect Pipeline’s Top 50 prospects—Crawford is a prospect who has continually flown under the radar.

After working as a starter from 2008 to mid-2010, the 25-year-old was transitioned to the bullpen and has since been on the fast track to the major leagues.

In 2010, following a promotion from High-A to Single-A, Crawford registered a 2.04 ERA and 2.69 FIP over 35.1 innings (23 games), while posting 8.41 K-per-9 and 3.57 BB-per-9 rates.

Last season, the southpaw appeared in 45 games for New Hampshire, where he recorded a 3.35 ERA and 2.83 FIP over 51 innings.  As expected upon his transition to a reliever, Crawford experienced a spike in his K-per-9 (10.94), although his BB-per-9 rate also climbed to 3.71.  Regardless, he demonstrated exceptional value by stranding 72.3 percent of runners.

Prior to receiving the call to the show, Crawford appeared in three games for Double-A to begin the 2012 season.  Working only four innings, he was yet to give up a run while striking out 11.25 per nine innings.

On Sunday afternoon, Crawford was called upon to work the ninth of the Blue Jays’ 7-2 trouncing of the Baltimore Orioles.  The left-hander showcased a 90-92 mph fastball and sharp, late-breaking curveball that could make him a fixture in the Jays’ bullpen for the remainder of the 2012 season.  It’s one of those curveballs that’s so good, it’s equally effective against right-handed hitters as it is lefties.

The pitch even led to his first big-league strikeout, as he retired Wilson Betemit looking to record the second out of the inning.

There was a chance that Crawford would be sent back to Double- or Triple-A to accommodate Santos’s return; however, the team ultimately chose to option starter Aaron Laffey instead.