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| 2,479 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,479 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Draft  | Top Prospects | 5/16/2011

50 in 50: C.J./Kevin Cron

C.J. Cron
1B-C / Utah
 
Bats-Throws:                R-R
Height/Weight:             6-4/230
Hometown:                   Phoenix
Previously Drafted:       White Sox ’08 (44)
Birthdate:                     Jan. 5, 1990
 
Kevin Cron
C-1B / Mountain Pointe HS
 
Bats-Throws:                R-R
Height/Weight:             6-5/250
Hometown:                   Phoenix
College Commitment:  Texas Christian
Birthdate:                     Feb. 17, 1993
 
SCOUTING PROFILE: C.J. Cron and his younger brother Kevin are two peas in a pod in more ways than one. Beyond their obvious family connection, both players have remarkably similar track records and profiles—right down to the significant and disabling leg injuries they incurred last summer, which cost them valuable exposure in the scouting community. The Cron brothers are built along the same massive physical lines (C.J. is 6-4/230, Kevin is even bigger at 6-5/250) and the exceptional raw power they can generate with their big frames puts them among the elite home-run hitters in the 2011 draft class. Both have been catchers throughout most of their evolving careers, though they almost inevitably will end up at first base in professional baseball.
 
C.J. was primarily a catcher in his first two years of college at the University of Utah, but struggled to refine his receiving and blocking skills, and had difficulty staying on top of his throws consistently. In the wake of a partial tear in a knee ligament last summer, Cron’s full-time transition to first base this spring was a well-timed move as it has enabled him to concentrate mostly on hitting, and Cron has responded by becoming possibly the most-feared offensive player in this year’s college draft class. He led Utah in batting (.438), homers (14) and RBIs (55) through games of mid-May.
 
Kevin, meanwhile, was a catcher throughout his recently-completed career at Phoenix’ Mountain Pointe High (C.J.’s alma mater), and scouts say it is just a matter of time before he, too, makes a transition to first base. Though he has solid-average arm strength, he has a slow transfer and does not move especially well behind the plate. Like his older brother, Kevin is an offensive player, first and foremost, and systematically demolished Arizona prep home-run records this spring (plus some of C.J.’s old school records in the process). He finished with 27 homers on the season, easily topping the prior record of 22, set in 1999 by Desert Ridge High’s Corey Myers (the fourth overall pick in that year’s draft) and tied a year ago by Cron himself. He also hit 59 long balls over his career, 15 more than the old Arizona standard, and ended the 2011 season with a batting average near .600. For all of his prowess as a power threat, Cron was the winningest pitcher this season for Mountain Pointe. He out-dueled Gilbert High’s Stephen Tarpley, possibly the best high-school pitching prospect in Arizona for this year’s draft, by a 2-1 score in a playoff game with a fastball that topped out at 92 mph. He subsequently led his team to the state 5-A/Division I title by going all eight innings of a hard-fought, 7-6 win in the championship game. He struck out 14, but also went an uncharacteristic 0-for-4 in the game. Cron avenged his team’s loss in the final a year earlier, when he clubbed his then-record-tying 22nd home run, even as he played that game with an aggravating stress fracture in his left foot. Though he did not have to subsequently undergo surgery, he was forced to rehab the injury the remainder of the summer.
 
The same fate befell C.J., who injured his knee in the Cape Cod League, just as he was scheduled to join Team USA’s college national team.
 
Both brothers, who are the sons of former major leaguer Chris Cron, currently the manager of Double-A Erie in the Detroit Tigers system, have exceptional hands for hitting. Combined with sound hitting mechanics and their big frames, they can seriously juice balls. The two are distinct in their own ways as hitters, though, as C.J. is considered the better overall hitter of the two, while Kevin has greater natural raw power. C.J.’s swing is quick and powerful, and he has serious raw power to all fields, along with an acute sense of strike-zone discipline. Kevin also has easy raw power but it is more prolific. When Kevin gets ahold of his pitch, he is more likely to put more loft on the ball, and has cleared his share of light towers in his young career. C.J.’s power has more of a line-drive trajectory, but he is so strong that he can go deep to any part of the park. Both players are projected to be prominent picks in this year’s draft—C.J. is the top-rated college talent in Utah, Kevin the top-rated high-school player in Arizona—but the elder Cron stands the better shot of going in the first round. Kevin’s draft stock may be suppressed a bit because his signability could be a little trickier. He’s a solid student (3.96 GPA) with a scholarship offer to Texas Christian. With his family’s background in the game, plus his brother’s progression from a 44th-rounder in 2008 to potential first-rounder this year after three prolific seasons in college, he may be in no hurry to begin his professional career. Regardless of when Kevin signs, though, either now or in three years, the Cron brothers could become one of the most prolific brother acts of the draft era.
 
Projected Draft Position: C.J. / Mid-to-late first round; Kevin / Second to third round.
 
--ALLAN SIMPSON
 
Perfect Game Events Attended
 
C.J. CRON
       None
 
KEVIN CRON
    2009 PG National Championship (Upperclass)

Draft | Rankings | 6/19/2026

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Tyler Henninger
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Tournaments | Story | 6/19/2026

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Perfect Game Staff
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Aiden Weishaar (2029, Geneso, Ill.) physical power bat put together one of the most productive offensive performances of the event, showing big impact off the barrel with advanced strength and leverage through the swing. Collected six hits including two doubles and two home runs while driving in 13 runs, consistently doing damage in run-producing situations. Creates loud contact with present pull-side juice and projects for significant power as the frame and strength continue to mature. Middle of the order offensive profile with the ability to change the game with one swing. Also stood out on the mound with a dominant 7 inning performance, punching out 11 hitters while working efficiently throughout the outing. Fastball ran up to 86 mph with good life through the zone and showed the ability to consistently attack hitters and miss bats. Highly intriguing two-way prospect whose combination...
Tournaments | Story | 6/19/2026

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Kinley Kitchens
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One of the most anticipated events on the summer travel baseball calendar returns this week as the 2026 Perfect Game 14U WWBA National Championship gets underway in Hoover and the surrounding Birmingham area. Now in its 19th year, the tournament has established itself as the premier event for 14U players across the country, annually attracting some of the top young talent in amateur baseball. This year’s championship will feature 129 teams competing for a national title, continuing a tradition that has seen organizations such as East Cobb Astros, Team Elite, USA Prime, SBA Bolts National, and defending champion ZT National Prospects take home the trophy. As always, the field is loaded with elite prospects, many of whom are already becoming familiar names within the Perfect Game community. Starting off strong with Christopher Cabrera, the No. 1 overall player and No. 1 third baseman...
Tournaments | Story | 6/19/2026

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Perfect Game Staff
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Tournaments | Story | 6/19/2026

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Emily Hicks
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This weekend, 11 teams will take the field for the 2026 17U BCS Challenge, a three-day event that brings together programs from across the country for a full slate of pool play and bracket action. With games beginning Friday and a champion crowned Sunday, the format leaves little room for slow starts, making every inning important from the opening pitch. The field features a mix of established programs and rising teams. With so many evenly matched rosters, there’s not much separation heading into the weekend, which puts importance on pitching depth, defensive consistency, and timely hitting. Pool play will quickly determine seeding, and even one loss can shift a team’s path heading into bracket play. One of the teams expected to be in the mix is Hawaii Elite 2G 17U National, a group that is 6-3 overall and ranked as “Honorable Mention” on the Perfect Games...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 6/18/2026

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Erica Beach
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PG Stars Over Florida Showcase Clearwater, FL June 13-14, 2026   CLEARWATER, FLORIDA- Perfect Game Softball made its official debut in the state of Florida this past weekend at Eddie C. Moore sports complex. The weather was perfect, and the atmosphere was right for some great softball. We had many college coaches of all levels attend and our National Scouting Director was on hand to evaluate and highlight the athletes. We are excited for future events and the ability to promote and highlight the great athletes in the southeast! Below we highlight the 14U division where we had teams representing three states.     14U Division   Zoey Salas (2030, RHP/1B Windsor, CO) of the Colorado Angels 14U Breed was a standout player all weekend. She was a strong two-way player who proved to be a consistent force on both sides of the ball. Offensively, this left-handed hitter starts...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 6/18/2026

PG Aggieland Showcase

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PG Aggieland Showcase College Station, Texas June 13-14, 2026 Scouts: Brynn Baca & Karlie Milburn COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS- Perfect Game Softball was excited to return to College Station for the second annual Aggieland Showcase last weekend.. Some great competition was seen over the three age groups. We had two scouts on site to evaluate and highlight some of the athletes who caught their eyes. Thank you to all teams and players who competed so hard! Below we highlight those athletes who impressed our scouts. 18U Division Elizabeth Posada- Elizabeth Posada is a 2028 two-way player from Houston, Texas, competing for Aztecs Premier who brings an intriguing combination of offensive upside and athletic versatility. At the plate, Posada recently went 4-for-8 on the weekend, continuing to show consistency and offensive awareness. She sets up with a slightly open, wide stance and does a...
Tournaments | Story | 6/18/2026

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Alyssa Golden
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The fifth annual PG City of Palms Championship is set to take place in Fort Myers, Florida, from June 19-22, featuring teams from the 15U-18U age divisions. The four-day event will showcase some of the top talent in the state, including several nationally ranked prospects who have already made their presence felt this summer season. Before tournament play begins, here’s a look at some of the highest-ranked players expected to compete this weekend. Leading the group is catcher Nico Ayars in the 16U division. Ayars enters the weekend as the No. 135 player nationally, the No. 3 catcher in Florida and the No. 20 catcher in the country. Through 22 games this summer with Turn 2 Garcia, the right-handed hitter owns a .887 OPS while batting .306 with a .438 OBP and a .449 SLG. Ayars has collected 15 hits while driving in 12 runs and scoring 13 times. Ayars’ teammate, right-handed...
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Dave Durbala
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Juco | Story | 6/18/2026

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Blaine Peterson
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Pitcher of the Year: Nathan Leffel - RHP - Fresno City College 2026 Stat Line: 89.1 IP | 12-1 | 1.91 ERA | .83 WHIP | 118 K An outstanding individual pitching season in California JUCO baseball this spring. A model of consistency on the mound making starts in January through May for Fresno City. Worked over 89 innings on the mound and made 14 starts where he threw at least 5 innings. Ranked in the top 5 of California JUCO in wins, ERA and strikeouts. And one of the only pitchers in all of JUCO to reach the benchmarks of 10+ wins (12), a sub 2.00 ERA (1.91 ERA) and 100 strikeouts (118 K). A consistent and dominant presence on the mound for a team that went 40-5 this past spring. Congratulations to Nathan Leffel, 2026 Perfect Game JUCO Pitcher of the Year. Ryan Bradford | FR | OF@JCCCBaseball Everything I have from this spring starting with HR’s 31 & 32 today. This is...
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