Matt Cronin
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I caught a quick look at Cronin, the Nationals’ fourth-round pick in 2019 from the University of Arkansas. He’s a high-floor prospect that could move quickly through the system as a polished college reliever. Cronin was assigned straight to Low-A and might see Potomac by the end of his first pro summer. The lefty works with a high-effort mechanical operation, though the moving parts in his delivery add deception. The fastball worked 91-to-93 mph in my look, a tick down from where I saw him with the Razorbacks this past spring. His off-speed pitch is a hard upper-70s curveball with tight bite and consistent down action. Cronin seems to generate a high rate of spin on both pitches, as his heater took off over barrels up in the zone and the breaking ball flashed sharp. He can keep both for strikes in best sequences but doesn’t have the look of a ‘pen arm with pinpoint control. With average velocity and a decent two-pitch mix, Cronin probably doesn’t have the stuff to pitch in leverage innings. His realistic upside is a solid 6th or 7th inning reliever that could fill a role fairly soon. |
