Kevin Cron

{{Infobox MLB player

|name = Kevin Cron

|image = Kevin Cron (48076534317) (cropped).jpg

|image_size = 250px

|caption = Cron with the Diamondbacks in 2019

|position = First baseman

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1993|2|17}}

|birth_place = Placentia, California, U.S.

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = May 24

|debutyear = 2019

|debutteam = Arizona Diamondbacks

|debut2league= NPB

|debut2date = March 26

|debut2year = 2021

|debut2team = Hiroshima Toyo Carp

|debut3league= KBO

|debut3date = April 2

|debut3year = 2022

|debut3team = SSG Landers

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate = August 23

|finalyear = 2020

|finalteam = Arizona Diamondbacks

|final2league= NPB

|final2date = June 11

|final2year = 2021

|final2team = Hiroshima Toyo Carp

|final3league= KBO

|final3date = July 6

|final3year = 2022

|final3team = SSG Landers

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .170

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 6

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 16

|stat2league = NPB

|stat21label = Batting average

|stat21value = .231

|stat22label = Home runs

|stat22value = 6

|stat23label = Runs batted in

|stat23value = 16

|stat3league = KBO

|stat31label = Batting average

|stat31value = .222

|stat32label = Home runs

|stat32value = 11

|stat33label = Runs batted in

|stat33value = 35

|teams =

Arizona Diamondbacks ({{mlby|2019}}–{{mlby|2020}})
Hiroshima Toyo Carp ({{npby|2021}})
SSG Landers ({{baseball year|2022}})

}}

Kevin Scott Cron (born February 17, 1993) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, and in the KBO League for the SSG Landers.

Amateur career

Cron attended Mountain Pointe High School in Ahwatukee, Phoenix, Arizona. He played for the school's baseball team as a catcher,{{cite web|author=Kyle Odegard |url=http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/varsityxtra/article_5ee241b1-a851-5654-8d4c-b16af714a84e.html?mode=jqm |title=Kevin Cron: Swatting his way into the record books – VarsityXtra – EVTNow |publisher=Eastvalleytribune.com |date=October 7, 2011 |access-date=July 12, 2014}} and had a .560 batting average in 2011, his senior year. He set Arizona state high records for home runs in a season (27) and a career (60). He was named to the USA Today{{'}}s All-USA high school baseball team.{{cite web|author=Jim Halley, USA TODAY High School Sports |url=http://www.usatodayhss.com/amfam/article/all-usa-where-are-they-now-kevin-cron |title=ALL-USA Where Are They Now: Kevin Cron |work=USA Today High School Sports |publisher=Usatodayhss.com |access-date=July 12, 2014}} Prior to the 2011 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft, Baseball America ranked him as the 133rd best prospect available.{{cite web|last=Skoda |first=Jason P. |url=http://www.ahwatukee.com/sports/article_5d5946cc-8e48-11e0-9e5d-001cc4c03286.html |title=Siblings C.J. and Kevin Cron are both expected to go high in Major League Baseball's amateur draft – Ahwatukee Foothills News: Sports |publisher=Ahwatukee.com |date=June 5, 2011 |access-date=July 12, 2014}} He was selected in the third round of the draft by the Seattle Mariners,{{cite web|last=Garcia |first=Jose E. |url=http://www.azcentral.com/sports/preps/articles/2011/06/08/20110608mountain-pointe-kevin-cron-drafted-by-seattle-mariners.html |title=Mountain Pointe's Kevin Cron drafted in 3rd round by Seattle Mariners |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=June 8, 2011 |access-date=July 12, 2014}} but opted not to sign.

Cron enrolled at Texas Christian University (TCU), where he played college baseball for the TCU Horned Frogs baseball team. He suffered a back injury that cost him playing time as a freshman, but batted .338 with six home runs and 34 runs batted in (RBIs) in 43 games. As a sophomore. Cron struggled, batting only .208, with two home runs, and 20 RBIs. After his sophomore season, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL),{{cite web|url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=462399&seasonid=21954 |title=#31 Kevin Cron |publisher=pointstreak.com |accessdate=September 23, 2021}} where he improved his performance,{{cite web|url=http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130712/SPORTS/130719930 |title=Cape League: Kevin Cron gets fresh start |publisher=CapeCodOnline.com |date=July 12, 2013 |access-date=July 12, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714160622/http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20130712%2FSPORTS%2F130719930 |archive-date=July 14, 2014 }} Cron's .350 batting average was second in the CCBL, and he was named the west division's most valuable player in the league's All-Star Game. He hit six home runs in 2014, his junior year, including one in the 2014 College World Series. He was named the first baseman on the College World Series All-Tournament Team.{{cite web|last=Nyatawa |first=Jon |url=http://www.omaha.com/vanderbilt-s-swanson-named-most-outstanding-player/article_60498308-fce8-11e3-a27d-0017a43b2370.html?mode=jqm |title=Vanderbilt's Swanson named most outstanding player – Home – Mobile |publisher=Omaha.com |date=June 25, 2014 |access-date=July 12, 2014}}

Professional career

=Arizona Diamondbacks=

The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Cron in the 14th round of the 2014 MLB draft, and signed.{{cite web |last=Stevenson |first=Stefan |url=http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/06/21/5917990/tcu-mainstays-leaving-horned-frogs.html |title=TCU mainstays leaving Horned Frogs after stellar careers | Dallas-Fort Worth Sports News – Sp |publisher=Star-telegram.com |access-date=July 12, 2014 |archive-date=September 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140909134747/http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/06/21/5917990/tcu-mainstays-leaving-horned-frogs.html |url-status=dead }} Cron made his professional debut with the Missoula Osprey of the Rookie-level Pioneer League,{{cite web|url=http://www.ahwatukee.com/sports/article_d3c93e4c-fbc4-11e3-9bfe-0019bb2963f4.html |title=Mountain Pointe trio begin pro careers – Ahwatukee Foothills News: Sports |publisher=Ahwatukee.com |date=June 24, 2014 |access-date=July 12, 2014}}{{cite web|last=Emery |first=Mark |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-84142560 |title=Cron upholding family name in Missoula | MiLB.com News |publisher=Minor League Baseball |access-date=July 12, 2014}} and received a midseason promotion to the Hillsboro Hops of the Low–A Northwest League.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-93034676|title=Cron's stick sends Hops into Finals|website=Minor League Baseball|access-date=July 5, 2018}} Cron finished 2014 with a combined .291 batting average along with 12 home runs and 45 RBIs. He played for the Visalia Rawhide of the High–A California League in 2015 where he batted .272 with 27 home runs and 97 RBIs, and the Mobile BayBears of the Double–A Southern League in 2016{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-189884208|title=BayBears' Cron plates five, ties career high|website=Minor League Baseball|access-date=April 26, 2019}} where he batted .222 with 26 home runs and 88 RBIs.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/player/kevin-cron-605196 |title=Kevin Cron Stats, Highlights, Bio | MiLB.com Stats |publisher=Minor League Baseball |access-date=October 1, 2017}}

After the 2016 season, the Diamondbacks assigned Cron to the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League. In 2017, Cron played for the Jackson Generals of the Southern League,{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/baseball/jackson-generals/2017/06/08/jackson-generals-crons-batting-average-matching-his-home-runs/379664001/ |title=Jackson Generals' Cron's batting average matching his home runs |publisher=Usatoday.com |date=June 8, 2017 |access-date=October 1, 2017}} and was named the league's most valuable player{{cite web|url=https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/image/upload/d_people:generic:headshot:67:current.png/w_180,q_auto:best/v1/people/111111/headshot/67/current |title=Kevin Cron Named Southern League MVP |publisher=Minor League Baseball |date=August 30, 2017 |access-date=October 1, 2017}} after batting .283 with 25 home runs and 91 RBIs.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/player/kevin-cron-605196|title=Kevin Cron Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|access-date=January 16, 2018}} The Diamondbacks assigned Cron to the Reno Aces of the Triple–A Pacific Coast League in 2018 where he spent the whole season hitting .309 with 22 home runs and 97 RBIs.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/kevin-cron-slugs-two-more-homers-drives-in-six-for-reno-aces-283725594 |title=Aces' Cron cracks two more homers |publisher=Minor League Baseball |date=June 30, 2018 |access-date=July 5, 2018}} The Diamondbacks added Cron to their 40-man roster after the 2018 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2018/11/20/arizona-diamondbacks-moves-protect-against-another-rule-5-loss/2074857002/ |title=Arizona Diamondbacks' moves protect against another Rule 5 loss |publisher=Azcentral.com |access-date=April 26, 2019}} He began the 2019 season with Reno.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/kevin-cron-tim-locastro-hit-trifecta-for-reno-aces-306603000 |title=Cron, Locastro both hit trifecta for Aces |publisher=Minor League Baseball |access-date=April 26, 2019}}

On May 24, the Diamondbacks promoted Cron to the major leagues. At the time of his call up, Cron was leading all of the minor leagues with 21 home runs and 62 RBIs.{{cite web|url=https://www.azsnakepit.com/2019/5/24/18638663/diamondbacks-promote-1b-prospect-kevin-cron|title=Diamondbacks promote 1B prospect Kevin Cron|author=Michael McDermott |publisher=SB Nation|website=azsnakepit.com|date=May 24, 2019|access-date=May 24, 2019}} He made his debut that same day in an 18–2 win in San Francisco over the Giants. In 71 at bats he hit .211/.269/.521. He led the minor leagues in home runs in 2019, with 39, and was second in RBIs, with 107.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?request=1&type=bat&year=2019&group=Minors&sort_by=HR |title=2019 Register Batting Leaders |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |date=1970-01-01 |access-date=2019-11-09}}

On October 31, 2020, Cron was released by the Diamondbacks organization and his rights were sold to a team in Nippon Professional Baseball.

=Hiroshima Toyo Carp=

On November 16, 2020, Cron officially agreed to a one-year, $1.1 million deal with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball.{{cite web

| title = Strikes deal with Carp

| url =https://www.rotowire.com/npb/player.php?id=1788

| website =rotowire.com

| date = November 16, 2020

| access-date =November 19, 2020 }}

In 42 games, Cron hit 6 home runs and earned 16 RBIs while striking out 47 times. He became a free agent after the season.

=SSG Landers=

On December 4, 2021, Cron signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the SSG Landers of the KBO League.{{cite web|url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20211204000900315|title=KBO's Landers sign ex-MLB hitter Kevin Cron

|publisher=English.yonhapnews.co.kr |date=December 4, 2021 |accessdate=December 18, 2021}} Cron played in 67 games for SSG, batting .222/.255/.420 with 11 home runs and 35 RBI. He was released on July 8, 2022.

=Oakland Athletics=

On November 3, 2022, Cron signed a minor league deal with the Oakland Athletics. He began the year with the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators, playing in 10 games and hitting just .133/.152/.156 with no home runs and 6 RBI. He was released by the Athletics organization on May 1, 2023.{{cite web | url=https://www.milb.com/transactions/2023-05-01 | title=Transactions }}

Personal life

Cron's father, Chris Cron, was an MLB player and his brother C. J. Cron also plays in MLB. The Crons are cousins with Chad Moeller. Chris managed Kevin with Reno in 2019.{{cite web|author=Jim Krajewski, Reno Gazette Journal |url=https://www.rgj.com/story/sports/2019/04/02/reno-aces-game-crons-baseball-coming/3294536002/ |title=Reno Aces manager Chris Cron to coach his son, Kevin Cron this season |publisher=Rgj.com |date=2019-04-02 |access-date=2019-11-09}}