Even though Cooper Criswell only spent the 2018 season pitching for the UNC baseball team, he was a crucial part of that College World Series run that ended against – who else – Oregon State.
Criswell was part of a loaded, 2018 Diamond Heels pitching staff that included future MLB draft picks in Tyler Baum, Austin Bergner, Josh Hiatt, Brett Daniels and Rodney Hutchinson. Criswell’s six wins tied Daniels for second on Carolina, while his 2.99 ERA (earned run average) was also second.
Criswell also happened to be one of those 2018 MLB Draft picks, with the Los Angeles Angels taking him in the 13th round. The former Diamond Heel played one game with the Angels, spent 11 games with the Tampa Bay Rays over the last two years and – on Wednesday, Dec. 13, signed a 1-year deal with the Boston Red Sox.
Cooper Criswell is a side-armer ish.
88mph fastball
84mph changeup
83mph cutter
76mph slider pic.twitter.com/SSU6qcPjIu— Boston Strong (@BostonStrong_34) December 13, 2023
As you can see from his pitch arsenal above, Criswell is more of a finesse pitcher. The slider appears to be his go-to pitch, with a majority of his strikeouts in the above video (if you can see it) coming from the breaking ball.
Criswell struggled in major league action with the Rays last year, recording a loss and 5.97 ERA, but he also picked up a win and struck out 27 batters. He enjoyed more success with the Triple-A Durham Bulls, pitching to a 4-4 record, 3.97 ERA and striking out 80 batters.
2024 is a brand-new chance for Criswell to showcase he can be a valuable MLB pitcher, starting with Spring Training in February. He’ll join a Red Sox staff that finished 21/30 teams with a 4.52 team ERA.
Seeing former Diamond Heels in the pros makes me happy. Seeing them succeed in the pros, however, is the cherry on top.
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