Jake Cronenworth

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Jake Cronenworth

|image = Jake Cronenworth pregame 7.10.21.jpg

|image_size =

|caption = Cronenworth with the San Diego Padres in 2021

|team = San Diego Padres

|number = 9

|position = Infielder

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1994|1|21}}

|birth_place = St. Clair, Michigan, U.S.

|bats = Left

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = July 26

|debutyear = 2020

|debutteam = San Diego Padres

|statyear = April 2, 2025

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .247

| stat2label = Hits

| stat2value = 590

|stat3label = Home runs

|stat3value = 70

|stat4label = Runs batted in

|stat4value = 312

|teams =

San Diego Padres ({{mlby|2020}}–present)

|awards =

2× All-Star (2021, 2022)

}}

Jacob John Cronenworth (born January 21, 1994) is an American professional baseball infielder for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Cronenworth was born and raised in eastern Michigan. He played three seasons of college baseball for the Michigan Wolverines. Cronenworth forewent his final year of college eligibility when he was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the seventh round of the 2015 MLB draft. He played five seasons in the Rays farm system and spent time with the United States national baseball team in 2019.

In December 2019, Cronenworth was sent to the Padres in a multi-player trade. He made his MLB debut in 2020 and finished second in National League (NL) Rookie of the Year voting. On July 16, 2021, Cronenworth hit for the cycle, becoming the third player in Padres history to do so. He received All-Star selections in 2021 and 2022.

Amateur career

Cronenworth attended St. Clair High School in St. Clair, Michigan and played college baseball at the University of Michigan.{{Cite web |last=Niziolek |first=Michael |date=June 10, 2015 |title=Big league opportunity an exciting moment for Michigan junior Jacob Cronenworth |url=https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2015/06/big_league_opportunity_an_exci.html |access-date=November 11, 2023 |website=mlive.com |language=en}} At Michigan, he was an infielder and closing pitcher{{cite web |title= Jacob Cronenworth is Michigan's Mr. Everything |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/2015/05/28/jacob-cronenworth-is-michigans-mr-everything/28075869/ |publisher= Detroit News |access-date= June 22, 2019}} In 2014, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|url=http://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=559710&seasonid=28948 |title=#11 Jacob Cronenworth |publisher=pointstreak.com |access-date=August 4, 2020}}

Professional career

=Tampa Bay Rays=

The Tampa Bay Rays selected Cronenworth in the seventh round of the 2015 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft.{{cite web |title= U-M's Cronenworth drafted by Rays in 7th round |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2015/06/09/michigan-baseball-jacob-cronenworth/28757049/ |publisher= Detroit Free Press |access-date= June 22, 2019}} He made his professional debut with the Hudson Valley Renegades. He played 2016 with the Bowling Green Hot Rods and Charlotte Stone Crabs (batting a combined .282/.389/.386), 2017 with Charlotte and the Montgomery Biscuits (batting a combined .274/.364/.358), and 2018 with Montgomery and Durham Bulls (batting a combined .253/.321/.345).{{cite web |title= St. Clair's Cronenworth enjoying breakout season |url=https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/sports/2016/07/15/st-clairs-cronenworth-enjoying-breakout-season/87142744/ |publisher= Times Herald |access-date= June 22, 2019}}

Cronenworth started 2019 with the Durham Bulls.{{cite web |title= Bulls shortstop becomes early hit |url= https://www.thetimesnews.com/sports/20190419/bulls-shortstop-becomes-early-hit |publisher= The Times News |access-date= June 22, 2019 |archive-date= October 13, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191013082749/https://www.thetimesnews.com/sports/20190419/bulls-shortstop-becomes-early-hit |url-status= dead }} During the season, he pitched in a game for the first time since college, going 7.1 scoreless innings with 9 strikeouts over seven games.{{cite web |title= Jake Cronenworth is the Rays latest two-way experiment |url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2019/05/19/jake-cronenworth-is-the-rays-latest-two-way-experiment/ |publisher= Tampa Bay Times |access-date= June 22, 2019}} In 2019 playing for two teams in the minor leagues he batted .329/.422/.511 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=cronen000jac |title=Jake Cronenworth College & Minor Leagues Statistics & History |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=November 9, 2019}}

After the season, on October 10, 2019, Cronenworth was selected for the United States national baseball team in the 2019 WBSC Premier 12.{{cite web | url=https://www.usabaseball.com/news/usa-baseball-names-premier12-roster/c-311115688?tid=216632610 | title=USA Baseball Names Premier12 Roster | work=USA Baseball | date=October 10, 2019 | access-date=October 13, 2019 | archive-date=August 14, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814142625/https://www.usabaseball.com/news/usa-baseball-names-premier12-roster/c-311115688/?tid=216632610 | url-status=dead }} In the tournament he batted .103/.133/.241 with one home run and two RBIs in 28 at bats.{{cite web |url=https://premier12.wbsc.org/en/2019/team-stats/USA |title=II Premier12 2019 - The official site - WBSC |website=premier12.wbsc.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117105408/https://premier12.wbsc.org/en/2019/team-stats/USA |archive-date=November 17, 2019}} The Rays added Cronenworth to their 40–man roster following the 2019 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2019/11/21/rays-dfa-matt-duffy-add-five-prospects-to-40-man-roster/|title=Rays move on from Matt Duffy, add five prospects to 40-man roster|author=Marc Topkin|website=Tampa Bay Times|date=November 20, 2019|access-date=November 20, 2019}}

=San Diego Padres=

On December 6, 2019, Cronenworth and Tommy Pham were traded to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Hunter Renfroe, Xavier Edwards, and a player to be named later (PTBNL).{{cite web|url=https://padres.mlblogs.com/padres-acquire-of-tommy-pham-and-inf-rhp-jake-cronenworth-from-tampa-bay-rays-4859d6621ec5|title=Padres Acquire OF Tommy Pham and INF/RHP Jake Cronenworth From Tampa Bay Rays|website=MLB.com|date=December 6, 2019|access-date=December 6, 2019}} The PTBNL, Esteban Quiroz, was named in March 2020.{{cite web|first=Marc |last=Topkin |url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2020/03/26/rays-get-esteban-quiroz-to-complete-deal-with-padres/ |title=Rays get Esteban Quiroz to complete deal with Padres |publisher=Tampabay.com |date=March 26, 2020 |accessdate=September 17, 2022}}

Cronenworth made his MLB debut with the Padres on July 26, 2020, and notched a hit and an RBI against the Arizona Diamondbacks. On August 4, Cronenworth hit his first MLB home run off Dustin May in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. On August 22, Cronenworth hit his first career grand slam off of Humberto Castellanos of the Houston Astros.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}} Cronenworth was named NL Rookie of the Month in August 2020 after hitting .356 with 16 extra base hits, 17 RBIs and 20 runs over 31 games.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/luis-robert-jake-cronenworth-rookies-of-the-month-august |title=Luis Robert Jake Cronenworth Rookies of the Month August |work=Mlb.com |date= |accessdate=June 26, 2021}} Cronenworth finished the season hitting .285 with 4 home runs and 20 RBIs in 54 games. He tied with Alec Bohm of the Philadelphia Phillies for second place in NL Rookie of the Year voting, behind Devin Williams of the Milwaukee Brewers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/story/2020-11-09/padres-cronenworth-rookie-of-year|title=Padres' Jake Cronenworth ties for second in Rookie of Year voting|date=November 9, 2020|website=San Diego Union-Tribune}}

On July 4, 2021, Cronenworth was selected to his first All-Star Game as a reserve.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/padres/news/padres-2021-all-star-game-representatives|title=Cronenworth, Melancon, Yu earn ASG nods|date=July 4, 2021|last=Cassavell|first=AJ|website=MLB.com}} In his first game back from the All-Star Break on July 16, he hit for the cycle at Nationals Park against the Washington Nationals.{{cite web | last=Cassavell | first=AJ | title=Jake Cronenworth gets cycle in 24-8 win | website=MLB.com | date=July 17, 2021 | url=https://www.mlb.com/padres/news/jake-cronenworth-hits-for-the-cycle | access-date=October 31, 2024}} He finished the 2021 season batting .266/.340/.460 with 21 home runs, 71 RBIs and 94 runs scored.

On October 14, 2022, Cronenworth had the game-winning 2-run single in the bottom of the 7th inning of Game 4 of the NLDS to finish off the Padres’ defeat of the rival Los Angeles Dodgers in what is considered one of the biggest upsets in baseball history.

On January 13, 2023, Cronenworth agreed to a one-year, $4.225 million contract with the Padres, avoiding salary arbitration.{{Cite web |last=Dierkes |first=Tim |date=January 14, 2023 |title=2023 MLB Arbitration Tracker |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/01/2023-mlb-arbitration-tracker.html |access-date=October 17, 2024 |website=MLBTradeRumors}}

On April 1, 2023, Cronenworth and the Padres agreed to a seven-year, $80 million contract extension; the new extension keeps Cronenworth with the Padres through the 2030 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jake-cronenworth-contract-extension-padres|title=Cronenworth, Padres agree to 7-year deal|date=April 1, 2023|last=Cassavell|first=AJ|website=MLB.com}}