Gophers' coach says BHS player good fit
COLLEGE BASEBALL
College coaches are prohibited by NCAA rules from commenting publicly on recruits until a prospect's signed Letter of Intent is received.
University of Minnesota baseball coach John Anderson was on the phone Wednesday as soon as a signed tender was received from Brainerd's Kyle Crocker.
Anderson said Crocker's athleticism, standing out in three sports, piqued their interest.
"We love 3-sport athletes, we love athleticism, we recruit athleticism," Anderson said. "We like guys who excel at three sports. His athleticism enticed us.
"He's a left-handed hitter, we're looking for left-handed hitters. It's hard to find middle infielders who hit left-handed. We love his bat. We think he has a chance to be a middle of the lineup player for us someday."
John Anderson
Anderson said the Gophers project Crocker as a second baseman, possibly a left fielder.
"His arm strength needs to improve, and it will," Anderson said. "Once he gets time to work on his baseball skills, as he grows and fills out and focuses on baseball, his arm will get better. It improved in the summer, from what we saw in the spring. That will also dictate where he ends up playing."
Anderson believes Crocker has the potential to play immediately.
"It's a year and a half before he plays his first game here, that's a long way away," Anderson said. "We don't anticipate (red-shirting) being the case with him, but it's always an option. It depends on where you're at, where do you fit?
"He has five years to play four. We've had success with red-shirt kids, but it's different for everyone. This year we played a true freshmen in left field. We had three starters that were red-shirt freshmen. We don't make any decisions until we get close to the start of a season, until he's had a chance to measure up and compare to the other options we have here.
"My guess is he can come in and help us as a freshman, but we'll have to wait and see."
Anderson said he was impressed with Crocker's decision to stay close to home.
"He hasn't been someone who runs around to showcases and all-star games," Anderson said. "I was impressed that he stayed home and played for his community and his hometown. We always say if you have enough ability they will find you.
"He has great makeup. He's a winner. He's a good fit for us, academically and athletically. He's a typical Minnesota student-athlete that we've had success with. He's a multi-sport guy, a great kid, who works hard. We think he'll be a leader in our program as he grows and matures the next four years."