The White Sox selected Crochet with the 11th overall selection of the
2020 MLB draft out of the
University of Tennessee. Crochet was called up in September by the White Sox to become the first MLB player in six years to reach the big leagues in the same year in which he was drafted.[1][2]
As a true freshman at Tennessee in 2018, Crochet appeared in 17 games with 11 starts, posting a 5–6 record with a 5.51 ERA and 62 strikeouts.[8] In 2019, his sophomore year, he went 5–3 with a 4.02 ERA over 18 appearances (six starts), missing the SEC Tournament after suffering a broken jaw in his last regular season start.[9][10] After the season Crochet was invited to training camp for the
United States Collegiate National Baseball Team,[11][12] and entered his junior season as a first team preseason All-American by Baseball America and on the watch list for the
Golden Spikes Award.[13][14][15] Crochet missed the first three weeks of the season due to arm soreness,[16] then appeared in one game before the college baseball season was cut short due to the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Professional career
The White Sox selected Crochet in the first round, with the 11th overall selection, in the
2020 Major League Baseball draft,[17] and he signed a contract on June 22, 2020, that included a $4,547,500 bonus.[18]
On September 18, 2020, Crochet became the first player from the 2020 MLB Draft class to be promoted to the major leagues. He is the 22nd player to go straight from the draft to the majors without playing in the minor leagues, and the first since
Mike Leake in 2010 and was the first player to be promoted in their draft year since
Brandon Finnegan in 2014.[19] With the
2020 Chicago White Sox, Crochet appeared in five games, not allowing a run in six innings pitched while consistently throwing 100 miles per hour (160 km/h).[20][21] He came out of the bullpen to strike out both batters he faced in Chicago's 6–4 loss to the
Oakland Athletics in the decisive Game 3 of the
2020 American League Wild Card Series before leaving with forearm tightness.[22] Crochet had his first full season in 2021, when he recorded a 2.82 ERA with 65 strikeouts in 54+1⁄3 innings. Crochet would miss the entire 2022 season after undergoing
Tommy John surgery on April 2.[23]
In 2023, Crochet made his return from surgery, pitching in 13 contests and recording a 3.55 ERA with 12 strikeouts across 12+2⁄3 innings pitched.[24]
On March 18, 2024, Crochet was named the White Sox's
Opening Day starting pitcher.[25]