The Pittsburgh Pirates took a familiar name in the ninth round of the 2012 MLB Draft, selecting shortstop D.J. Crumlich from UC Irvine. Crumlich was taken by the Pirates last year in the 38th round, but opted to return to Irvine for his senior year.
He’s got good hands and a strong arm on defense, although the knock on him last year was that he lacked range. He also lacks power, which puts his future as more of a second baseman or a utility player.
Crumlich hit well in his senior year at Irvine, with a .324/.402/.405 line in 222 at-bats. He had excellent plate patience, with a 9.9% strikeout rate, and a 10.2% walk rate. His numbers were a slight improvement over last year, when he hit for a .293/.396/.387 line, again in 222 at-bats.
The slot price for the ninth round pick is $129,100, and Crumlich probably won’t command the full amount, especially as a college senior.
