8 — Friday, March 27, 2015
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Cronenworth: Two skills, one player
By NATHANIEL CLARK
Daily Sports Writer
Jacob Cronenworth stars as both a first baseman
and closer for the Michigan baseball team. But there
was a time when that was far from a certainty.
When Cronenworth first arrived in Ann Arbor in
the fall of 2012, he was six feet tall and 150 pounds, a
far cry from the prototypical baseball prospect.
“We weren’t sure about (Cronenworth),” said
Michigan coach Erik Bakich. “We weren’t sure if he
was just a pitcher or just an infielder, so we let him
do both.”
But Bakich saw that Cronenworth played hockey
at St. Clair High Schoo (Michigan) as well as for
Team USA in the 2009 National Team Identification
Series. The rough physical nature of hockey requires
players to be fearless, and Cronenworth fit the bill.
“Normally where I’ve recruited before, when
you found a kid who played high-school football,
you found a type of toughness,” Bakich said. “In the
Upper Midwest, that’s the hockey mindset. I like
recruiting guys that play multiple sports.”
Cronenworth’s toughness ensured that Bakich’s
concerns faded quickly. In the offseason, he added
an extra 20 pounds of muscle to his frame.
The growth paid dividends right away. At the
plate in 2013, he hit .320 with 41 RBI — good for 10th
in the Big Ten. In the process, he reached base in 21
consecutive games and posted a 16-game hit streak.
The strong play was enough to earn him a spot on the
Big Ten All-Freshman Team and All-Big Ten second
team honors. He was even named
a Lousiville Slugger Freshman
All-American.
His fearlessness paid off on
the mound, too. Cronenworth
finished 2013 with 23.1 innings
pitched, seven saves and a 1.93
ERA. He surrendered a scant five
walks during the season.
Yet while he is certainly
pleased that he exceeded Bakich’s
early expectations, Cronenworth
insists that he does not take too
much pride in that fact. Which
may come from his family includ-
ing two hockey players — one of
whom was a U.S. Marine.
“I like to stay humble about
everything,” Cronenworth said.
“(The coaching staff) has treated
me very well, and I’ve put in the
time to be in the position that I
am. I thank them for that.”
Friday, Cronenworth — the
man who was once unsure that
he would even have a position
to play for the Wolverines — will
make his first pitching start for
Michigan against No. 20 Mary-
land. In the wake of last week-
end’s humiliating three-game
sweep at the hands of Nebraska,
Bakich felt the team needed a
spark, and that Cronenworth is
just the man to deliver it.
“I just told (Cronenworth) to
close every inning,” Bakich said.
“He’ll blow it out for as many
innings as he can go.”
Cronenworth is approaching
the challenge just as he has every
other in his life: with the confidence and toughness
he gained from hockey.
***
It would be a misnomer, though, to say that
Cronenworth came out of nowhere when he joined
the Wolverines. His characteristic fearlessness pro-
pelled him to become a four-time varsity letterwin-
ner as a two-way player for St. Clair. He also made
the All-State first team twice, in 2011 and 2012.
But it was Cronenworth’s junior season that sticks
out from his high-school career. At the plate he hit
.564 with 18 doubles and 46 RBI, and on the mound
he posted a 10-0 record and a 1.82 ERA. In the
Saints’ 4-1 victory in the Division 2 state champion-
ship game, Cronenworth pitched a complete-game
three-hitter.
“That whole season was one of the greatest expe-
riences of my life,” Cronenworth said. “Nearly every-
one on that team was a junior or a senior, and we grew
up playing little-league baseball together. We always
stay in touch since most of us play college sports.”
At Michigan, Cronenworth proved his freshman
year was no fluke. Last year, he pitched 25.2 innings
over 18 contests, notched 12 saves — a single-season
record for a Michigan pitcher — and put up a 1.79
ERA in the process.
“I just try to have a good routine every time I
come to the park,” Cronenworth said. “I try to stay
consistent.”
As for his time at the plate, while his 2014 bat-
ting average was a somewhat disappointing .268, he
made up for it by doing the little things. He started
all 60 games, drew 41 walks, placed 11 sacrifice
bunts, hit four triples and stole 19 bases. His hockey
discipline came in handy.
Cronenworth’s relatively low batting average
from 2014 didn’t phase him, though. He just went
right back to work with the same tenacity he has
always had.
As a result, this season so far has been even more
successful for Cronenworth. He is currently batting
.312 with six doubles — the same number he hit in all
of 2014 — a home run and 18 runs batted in.
“(Cronenworth’s) plate discipline and strike-zone
knowledge are outstanding,” Bakich said. “He’s
really turned into a complete player. It’s rare to come
across a two-way player like Cronenworth, because
it’s hard to do.”
His fearless didn’t fade with time. It has only
grown over the years.
***
Cronenworth’s dual threat has gained him both
recognition for his play and interest from big-league
franchises. This year, he was named a Preseason
First-Team All American by two different organiza-
tions. He also was named the sixth-best MLB draft
prospect in the Big Ten by Perfect Game. In short,
people are taking notice of this fearless athlete.
“You have to be very gifted to be a great two-way
player,” Bakich said. “You can’t focus 100 percent on
either hitting or pitching. Jacob is naturally gifted at
both.”
And Cronenworth has no shortage of gratitude
for the opportunity to play two positions.
“I love playing both positions,” Cronenworth said.
“Kudos to the coaching staff for letting me do this. It
could go either way in the future.”
Still, he refuses to dwell too much on the future,
preferring instead to simply focus on the Wolver-
ines’ season.
“Right now, I’m in my college season,” Cronen-
worth said. “We’re in the midst of starting Big Ten
play which is very important for us. What happens
in June will happen.”
***
Through it all, Cronenworth has always been able
to count on the support of his family. He credits his
father, Charles E. Cronenworth, for inspiring him to
play baseball and for helping to instill the tough, dis-
ciplined attitude that he carries to this day.
“My dad had a heavy influence on my athletic
career in general,” Cronenworth said. “I model a lot
of what I do after what he did.”
Cronenworth’s family is also responsible for his
love of hockey. Both his father and grandfather,
Charles L. Cronenworth, played hockey at Michigan
Tech.
The elder Cronenworth was even offered a try-
out with the New York Rangers in 1944, but instead
chose to enlist in the United States Marine Corps
where he obtained the rank of First Lieutenant.
Toughness runs in the family.
“My biggest hockey influence was my grandpa,”
Cronenworth said. “He taught me how to skate.”
But of all of Cronenworth’s fans, none match the
dedication of his grandmother, Lorraine. She has
been to every one of his games. She isn’t afraid of
weather, travel or anything else. She just wants to
see Jacob play. In many ways, Lorraine’s fearless-
ness is just like Jacob’s.
“She’ll be sitting right in the first row,” Cronen-
worth said. “Rain, snow, wind, sun shining, cold —
she’s here every game. I really appreciate her coming
out to support me.”
The appreciation extends beyond just Cronen-
worth himself, though.
“My grandma always brings cookies for the team,”
Cronenworth said. “They love it. It’s awesome.”
While Cronenwroth will fill in as Michigan’s
starting pitcher Friday, he’ll most likely remain the
team’s closer and first baseman.
But with Cronenworth, you never really know.
He’s never been afraid of taking on new tasks,
whether it’s a new position or a new sport. His atti-
tude toward being the Wolverines’ starting pitcher
will be no different.
Inside Bakich’s deepest
team of Michigan tenure
By DANNY VARGOVICK
Daily Sports Writer
After finishing near the middle of the pack in each
of Michigan coach Erik Bakich’s first two seasons
at the helm in Ann Arbor, expectations are higher
this year for one simple reason: the roster is bet-
ter. Below, the Daily breaks down the Wolverines’
improved roster for the 2015 season.
Outfield
On offense, it all starts with senior centerfielder
Jackson Glines. Coming off a second-team All-Big
Ten performance last year, Glines’s sweet line-drive
swing hasn’t disappointed this season. He hasn’t
shown the doubles power that he did last year when
he had the third-most in the conference, but he’s still
hitting an astounding .453 — leading the Big Ten by
50 points — and owns a 1.082 OPS.
Outside of Glines, junior left fielder Cody Bruder
arrived in Ann Arbor this year and has immediately
held down a corner outfield spot. He’s second on the
team with a .330 average, but he’s closer to the mid-
dle of the pack among regulars in terms of on-base
percentage and slugging percentage.
Senior right fielder Kevin White has been the
main starter in the other corner outfield spot oppo-
site Bruder. He has just 51 at-bats on the season com-
pared to Bruder’s 91, even though White currently
owns a higher on-base percentage and slugging per-
centage than Bruder.
Infield
Junior first baseman Jacob Cronenworth plays
Robin to Glines’ Batman in the lineup. Cronenworth
has led off every game this season, getting on base
at a .418 OBP. He excels at drawing walks and is
the fastest player on the team, according to Bakich.
Cronenworth, listed at just 167 pounds, has played
mostly first base this year despite experience in the
middle infield. Bakich says that having a middle
infielder play first improves the team’s defense dras-
tically and allows him to be creative with bunt cov-
erages.
Freshman second baseman Jake Bivens has
been a revelation since being thrust into the every-
day lineup due to junior shortstop Travis Maezes’s
injury. He doesn’t hit for much power — he has just
four doubles and no triples or home runs on the sea-
son — but he’s hitting .304 mainly because he barely
strikes out. His six whiffs are lowest among the reg-
ulars, and he has either been walked or hit 17 times,
which ties him with Cronenworth for the team lead.
This makes the slap-hitting left-hander an attractive
option in the second spot against righties.
Senior shortstop Eric Jacobson has hit ninth all
year, but impressed with a .298 average. The cap-
tain is the ultimate team player and quintessential
coach’s kid and moved over to shortstop following
Maezes’s injury. He has done everything Bakich
could have expected from him so far, but there is
reason to be concerned: He has walked only once
this year and has just one double, so if his batting
average on balls in play — currently .347, which is
likely unsustainable — dips, his effectiveness could
be limited.
Junior designated hitter Carmen Benedetti
boasts the most consistent power on the team and
hits cleanup. Benedetti is second on the team in slug-
ging and leads the team in RBI with Cronenworth
and Glines setting the table in front of him.
Starters
The starters are talented and young for Michi-
gan. Sophomore left-handed pitcher Brett Adcock,
sophomore right-handed pitcher Keith Lehmann
and freshman right-handed pitcher Ryan Nutof have
been the Wolverines’ top three starters, while fresh-
man Jayce Vancena figures to get midweek starts.
Adcock is a power pitcher who will get his fastball
all the way up to 94 miles per hour. Bakich described
his slider as a “swing and miss pitch.” He also throws
a change and a curve.
The team’s Opening Day starter, Adcock sports a
5.40 ERA on the season. His impressive 8.78 strike-
outs per nine innings is mitigated by his 7.76 walks
per nine innings.
He has been as hot and cold as any pitcher could
possibly be. He started the season out slowly, then
was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on
March 2 for his two-hit, 11-strikeout, complete-
game shutout of Siena. He then went ice-cold again
against Nebraska when he allowed six runs in 1.2
innings.
Lehmann can get his fastball up to 91 miles per
hour, but its effectiveness is based more off its move-
ment than its velocity. Bakich called Lehmann a
“sinker-slider guy who’s also got a curveball, cutter
and changeup.”
Junior left-handed pitcher Evan Hill is expected
to return from injury soon. He led the Wolverines
in innings pitched last year and posted a shiny 3.24
ERA, so his return will undoubtedly be huge.
Relievers
In the bullpen, Cronenworth returns as closer.
Despite his talent at the plate, Bakich says that
Cronenworth’s future is on the mound. He has a 2.79
ERA on the season and has the ability to come in at
the end of games and get some swings and misses,
evidenced by his 10.24 strikeouts per nine innings,
while still limiting walks.
Top to bottom, this squad is the deepest team
Bakich has had at Michigan, and he returns almost
all of his top players, so it’s not hard to see why
expectations are high in Ann Arbor.