Cron family waits, relaxes as MLB draft looms Monday

June 5, 2011 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


A large day looms Monday for a couple of huge baseball talents in the Chris Cron family as the 2011 Major League Baseball first-year player draft begins a three-day run June 6-8.

Those talents are Cron lads C.J., and younger brother, Kevin, Mountain Pointe High school graduates.

C.J. Cron pitched and caught for Mountain Pointe High, graduating in 2008 and playing the last three seasons at the University of  Utah where he was a freshman all-American his first year and an all-American the last two. C.J. Cron was selected Mountain West Conference player of the year for the recently completed regular season, had the third best batting average in the country (.434) and is a finalist for other national collegiate honors.

Kevin Cron, the consensus prep player of the year in Arizona in 2011 and also a pitcher and catcher, helped lead  the Pride to their first-ever state baseball title. He broke state records for home runs in a season with 27 this year (his own record) and 53 for his career. One or both may hear their names called Monday, certainly C.J. Cron will. Kevin likely won't have to wait until later than early Tuesday in the three-day affair.

Kevin Cron said he and his brother, mother and sister will  and spend the draft at their local training center of choice, Bar Fitness in Ahwatukee. Father Chris, a former major leaguer himself and presently the manager of the Double A Erie Seawolves, a Detroit Tigers farm team, won't be able to join the family while tending to his duties in the Pennsylvania town.

"The owner is opening it up for us," Kevin Cron said. "We're just going to relax and have a little party during the draft.....

"My brother is projected to be a top-20 pick. I"m going to keep an open mind. See how things go."

Kevin Cron has signed to play at Texas Christian in the fall. C.J. obviously didn't hurt himself going the college route for three years at Utah as his accolades and draft projection attest.