Tim Parsons / Tahoe Onstage
The Arizona Diamondbacks are expected to call up Reno Aces first baseman Kevin Cron, according to John Gambadoro of 98.7 FM Arizona Sports and Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.
Cron, 26, is expected to serve as a first baseman and pinch hitter with the Diamondbacks, Gambadoro reported. Cron is batting .339 with 21 home runs, 62 RBIs and 42 runs with Triple-A Reno this season. He leads the minor leagues in homers and leads the Pacific Coast League in RBIs. Cron places second in the PCL with a .800 slugging percentage and 1.237 OPS.
Son of Reno Aces manager Chris Cron, his call-up to the Arizona desert was a dream come true.
Manager Chris Cron
“Hopefully it will come someday when I bring (Kevin) into the office and call him up,” Chris Cron said at the beginning of the season. “Just tell him the situation at hand. It’s a dream of mine, too. I haven’t really thought of it yet, he’d be up there right now if it was up to me. … When that time comes, I’ll be looking forward to it.”
A 14th round selection by Arizona in the 2014 MLB Draft, Cron can help bolster a depleted Dbacks’ infield. After a scorching-hot start in April, Christian Walker has slumped to a .197 batting haver over his last 30 plate appearances. Third/first baseman Jake Lamb has yet to fully recover from a Grade 2 left quad strain.
Cron is best suited for hitting fastballs high and inside the zone, where he uses his 6-foot-5, 245-pound frame to generate most of his power. His right-handed swing has a lot of moving parts, his right elbow sticks straight out to complement a low leg kick up to the numbers of his uniform. Once Cron sees a suitable pitch, his quick hands immediately make hard contact to lift the ball in the air – and out of the ballpark more times than none.
Cron doesn’t aim for the fences at hitter-friendly Greater Nevada Field. He has settled for an opposite-field grounder down the first base line on multiple occasions.
“It gives me that flexibility,” he said. “Being able to drive the ball to all sides gives yourself an opportunity to be off and still give yourself a chance to make something happen.”
Cron’s call-up to The Show has occurred sooner than expected, but the slugging first baseman has taken off in his first full season with the Aces.
Kevin Cron’s brother, Minnesota Twins first baseman/ designated hitter C.J Cron, is in his sixth season in the Major Leagues.
-Isaiah Burrows
Note: Right-hander Taylor Clarke is expected to make his second career start with the Dbacks against the San Francisco Giants on Saturday, May 25. Clarke sports a 3-1 record with a 7.22 ERA with Reno this season.
Related story: It’s a family affair with Chris and Kevin Cron.
