Aaron Crow

Crow was born on November 10, 1986, in Topeka, Kansas{{cite web|title=Aaron Crow|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=crow--001aar|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=May 31, 2011}} to parents Kevin and Julie Crow.{{cite web|last=Kaegel|first=Dick|url=http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20121216&content_id=40670756&vkey=news_kc&c_id=kc|title=Crow relishes spending holidays near Kansas City|publisher=MLB.com via KC Royals official team website|date=24 December 2012|access-date=28 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102022117/http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20121216&content_id=40670756&vkey=news_kc&c_id=kc|archive-date=2 January 2013|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} Crow and his siblings—brother Travis and sister Jennifer—were raised in the small community of Wakarusa, Kansas, not far from Topeka.

Following his graduation from Washburn Rural High School, Crow attended the University of Missouri.

In his three years for the Missouri Tigers baseball team, Crow started 46 games, going 23–8 with a 3.27 earned run average (ERA).

Spending time in both the bullpen and the starting rotation as a freshman, Crow earned his first career victory by throwing a complete game against Pepperdine, staving off elimination in the 2006 NCAA Regional.{{cite web|title=Missouri Downs Pepperdine Behind Crow's Complete Game|url=http://www.mutigers.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/060406aad.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905072520/http://www.mutigers.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/060406aad.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 5, 2012|access-date=30 March 2012}} Mizzou went on to win the regional, becoming the first #4 seed ever to win an NCAA Regional.{{cite web|title=Mizzou baseball team upsets Pepperdine|url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/13157347/wid/7279844/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720045201/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/13157347/wid/7279844/|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 July 2012|publisher=msnbc|access-date=30 March 2012}}

As a sophomore, Crow went 9–4 with a 3.60 ERA, earning first-team All Big 12 honors.{{cite web|title=Player Bio: Aaron Crow|url=http://www.mutigers.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/crow_aaron00.html|publisher=mutigers.com|access-date=30 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714141355/http://www.mutigers.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/crow_aaron00.html|archive-date=14 July 2011|url-status=dead}}

As a junior, Crow went 13–0 with a 2.35 ERA. He threw four complete-game shutouts and struck out 10.65 batters per nine innings. He was named the Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Year.{{cite web|title=Aaron Crow Named Big 12 Pitcher of the Year|url=http://www.mutigers.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/052008aaa.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130208122512/http://www.mutigers.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/052008aaa.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 8, 2013|publisher=mutigers.com|access-date=30 March 2012}}

He won the Robert A. McNeece Award as the top professional prospect in the 2007 Cape Cod Baseball League season while playing for the Falmouth Commodores.{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/college/summer/stats.asp?Y=2007&T=Falmouth_Commodores |title=2007 Falmouth Commodores |publisher=thebaseballcube.com |date= |accessdate=July 20, 2021}}{{cite web|last=Bailey|first=Erica|title=Robert A. McNeece Award as Top Pro Prospect Of 2007 Goes to Falmouth Pitcher Aaron Crow|url=http://capecodbaseball.org/news/season/?article_id=954|publisher=capecodbaseball.org|access-date=13 February 2013}}

Crow was selected by the Washington Nationals in the first round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft with the ninth overall selection. Negotiations stalled and Crow did not sign.{{Cite web |url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/ask-ba/2009/268143.html |title=BaseballAmerica.com: Prospects: Ask BA |access-date=2009-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090523092917/http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/ask-ba/2009/268143.html |archive-date=2009-05-23 |url-status=dead }} Crow signed with the Fort Worth Cats for the {{baseball year|2009}} season.{{cite web|url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/fort-worth-cats-sign-aaron-crow/n-3701011|title=Fort Worth Cats sign Aaron Crow|date=13 August 2008|website=OurSports Central}}

Crow was selected with the twelfth pick in the first round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft by the Kansas City Royals. Crow signed a contract with the Royals on September 15, 2009. To make room for Danny Duffy on the Double A Northwest Arkansas Naturals roster, Crow was demoted to High-A Wilmington on July 31, 2010.

Crow made his first major league appearance on March 31, 2011, which was Opening Day. He faced four Angels batters, striking out three.{{cite web|url=http://www.kansascity.com/2011/03/31/2767367/rookie-pitchers-are-dynamite-in.html|title=Rookie pitchers are 'dynamite' in relief|first=Rustin|last=Dodd|work=Kansas City Star|date=March 31, 2001|access-date=April 1, 2011|archive-date=April 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110404095850/http://www.kansascity.com/2011/03/31/2767367/rookie-pitchers-are-dynamite-in.html|url-status=dead}}

On May 30, 2011, Royals manager Ned Yost announced that Crow had been promoted to the team's closer position on a temporary basis to replace the struggling Joakim Soria.{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110530&content_id=19798200&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb|title=Aaron Crow would replace Joakim Soria as the Royals' closer|first=Dick|last=Kaegel|work=MLB.com|date=May 30, 2011|access-date=May 30, 2011}} However, on June 6, Yost announced that Soria had earned the spot back.{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=310606107|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224231453/http://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=310606107|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 24, 2019|title=Blue Jays vs. Royals - Game Recap - June 6, 2011 - ESPN|website=ESPN.com}} Crow had no save opportunities in his brief stint as closer.

In 2011, Crow was selected to the All-Star Game, although he did not play.{{cite web|title=July 12, 2011 All-Star Game Play-By-Play and Box Score|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NLS/NLS201107120.shtml|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=May 1, 2012}}

On November 28, 2014, the Royals traded Crow to the Miami Marlins in exchange for Brian Flynn and Reid Redman.{{cite web|url=http://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article4184460.html|title=Royals trade reliever Aaron Crow to Marlins for two minor-league pitchers|work=kansascity.com|access-date=November 28, 2014}} Crow underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2015 and missed the entirety of the season as a result.{{Cite web|title=Where are they now? Topekan Aaron Crow happy with life after baseball|url=https://www.cjonline.com/story/sports/high-school/2020/07/11/where-are-they-now-topekan-aaron-crow-happy-with-life-after-baseball/114876928/|access-date=August 2, 2024|website=cjonline.com|language=en}} He was non–tendered and became a free agent on December 2, 2015.{{Cite web|title=2015-16 National League Non-Tenders|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/12/2015-16-national-league-non-tenders.html|access-date=October 17, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=3 December 2015 |language=en}}

On February 19, 2016, Crow signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs organization. He made three appearances for the rookie–level Arizona League Cubs as he continued to recover from surgery. Crow elected free agency following the season on November 7.{{Cite web|title=Minor League Free Agents 2016|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2016/|access-date=August 2, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|date=8 November 2016 |language=en}}

On May 1, 2018, Crow signed with the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League after sitting out the 2017 season. In 13 games for the Acereros, he compiled a 3.55 ERA with 8 strikeouts across {{fraction|12|2|3}} innings pitched. Crow was released by Monclova on July 3.

On July 3, 2018, Crow signed with the Pericos de Puebla of the Mexican League. He made six scoreless appearances for Puebla, logging three strikeouts over {{fraction|6|2|3}} innings of work. After the 2018, season, Crow became a free agent and retired from professional baseball.

Crow is a sinkerballer with a heavy sinker at 94–97 mph. His main off-speed pitch, and most-used pitch against right-handed hitters, is a slider at 85–88. He also has a four-seam fastball. Against left-handed hitters, he throws a small amount of curveballs and changeups. The majority of his 2-strike pitches are sliders, owing to its 49% whiff rate.{{cite web|url=http://brooksbaseball.net/player_cards/player_card.php?player=543070|title=Brooks Baseball · Home of the PitchFX Tool - Player Card: Aaron Crow|publisher=Brooks Baseball|access-date=24 August 2012}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Portal|Biography|Baseball}}

{{baseballstats|mlb=|espn=|br=c/crowaa01|fangraphs=|brm=crow--001aar|retro=C/Pcrowa001}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110714141355/http://www.mutigers.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/crow_aaron00.html Missouri Player Bio: Aaron Crow]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090521185249/http://www.fwcats.com/roster/260/Aaron_Crow Fort Worth Cats Player Bio: Aaron Crow]

{{Roger Clemens Award}}

{{2008 College Baseball Consensus All-Americans}}

{{2008 MLB Draft}}

{{2009 MLB Draft}}

{{Washington Nationals first-round draft picks}}

{{Kansas City Royals first-round draft picks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Crow, Aaron}}

Category:1986 births

Category:Living people

Category:Acereros de Monclova players

Category:All-American college baseball players

Category:American expatriate baseball players in Mexico

Category:American League All-Stars

Category:Baseball players from Topeka, Kansas

Category:Falmouth Commodores players

Category:Fort Worth Cats players

Category:Kansas City Royals players

Category:Major League Baseball pitchers

Category:Mexican League baseball pitchers

Category:Missouri Tigers baseball players

Category:Northwest Arkansas Naturals players

Category:Surprise Rafters players

Category:Wilmington Blue Rocks players