Nationals Select RHP Aaron Crow In First Round Of MLB Draft

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Nationals Select RHP Aaron Crow In First Round Of MLB Draft
06/05/2008 3:47 PM ET
Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals today selected University of Missouri right-handed pitcher Aaron Crow in the first round (ninth overall) of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden, Vice President of Baseball Operations and Assistant General Manager Mike Rizzo, and Director of Scouting Dana Brown made this joint announcement.
Crow, 21, was rated the No. 2 pitching prospect (No. 5 overall) and was recognized as the college prospect with the "Best Fastball" in this year's Draft by Baseball America. He went 13-0 with a 2.35 ERA in 15 starts this season en route to being named a Golden Spikes Award finalist, the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and a Louisville Slugger First-Team All-American. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound junior at the University of Missouri tossed four shutouts and struck out 127 batters with just 38 bases on balls in 107.1 innings. His school-record 13 wins led all NCAA pitchers, and his 127 strikeouts were sixth-most in the nation. Crow was a semi-finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and the Roger Clemens Award this season, and at one point worked 43.0 consecutive scoreless innings, the fourth-longest such streak in NCAA history.
"Aaron Crow is a potential top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher, who has three solid pitches - including a mid-90s fastball, a quality slider and a changeup - and has exceptional command," Bowden said. "I give credit to Mike Rizzo, Dana Brown, Bob Boone and our entire scouting staff for once again securing such a remarkable talent with the ninth overall pick in the Draft."
Over his three seasons at Mizzou, Crow compiled a 23-8 record with a 3.27 ERA in 52 games (46 starts). The right-hander had a breakout season as a sophomore last year, earning the "Friday Night Starter" tag and leading his club with nine wins, 90 strikeouts, 117.2 innings pitched and a school-record 18 starts. He went 9-4 with a 3.59 ERA and was a First-Team All-Big 12 Conference selection. He participated in the Cape Cod League following his sophomore season and was recognized as its top prospect by Baseball America, after leading the circuit with a 0.67 ERA.
"Aaron could develop into the top pitcher chosen in this year's Draft," Rizzo said. "He has poise, confidence and exceptional talent, to go along with his work-horse mentality. He's a young pitcher who has the potential to log a lot of innings and win a lot of games for the Nationals."
This year marks just the second time in modern Draft history (1965-present) that the second pitcher selected was taken after the first eight picks. The other occurrence was during the 1973 Draft, when left-handed pitcher David Clyde went first overall to the Rangers and right-handed pitcher Lew Olsen was selected ninth by the Royals.
"He is an aggressive pitcher, who isn't afraid to go after hitters," Brown said. "Aaron has a confident demeanor. He is mature beyond his years, and has all the tools to be successful at the top of a major league rotation."
Crow was born in Topeka (KS), where he attended Washington Rural High School. He went 4-2 with 53 strikeouts and a 1.71 ERA as a senior, earning All-State and All-Centennial League honors. He is a business major at the University of Missouri.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.