Shane Baz named 2022 Crash Davis Award winner

Starting pitcher Shane Baz has missed most of the 2022 baseball season due to injuries. It began in spring training when the right-hander underwent elbow surgery to remove loose bodies from his right pitching elbow.

Finally beginning his season in MiLB in mid-May, Baz was electric over four starts, allowing just eight hits across 13 innings with a 20/4 K:BB ratio.

That prompted a call to the big-leagues. After a rough first outing, Baz went on a four-game stretch in which he allowed just three runs and 16 hits over 22.1 innings with a 26/6 K:BB. During that stretch his BAA was a paltry .195 and he produced a 1.21 ERA.

Given his first shot with the Athletics in the WFBL Majors, Baz delivered a Win and Quality start in Week #13 at Alabama. He allowed just two earned runs on 10 hits across 11.2 IP with 13 strikeouts, helping lead a 10-1 romp over the host Farmers.

But that would prove to be the 23-year-old's only appearances this year with the big club. Three starts later in MLB he was routed. It turned out that his elbow was barking, and he would be shut down.

Diagnosed with an elbow sprain, he was given an orthobiologics injection and shut down for two months. A visit to a specialist revealed that this was not related to his March surgery.

Finally ready to begin a throwing program next week, Baz will continue his attempt to recover without surgery. Should Tommy John ultimately be needed, he would miss the entire 2023 campaign.

Despite all of that, the Athletics saw enough during the time that he was available to name him as this year's Lawrence 'Crash' Davis Award winner as the organization's top prospect.

"Sure, we have a bunch of other talented youngsters who produced" said GM Matt Veasey. "But our staff felt that Baz is as good and has as much talent and potentional as anyone who was eligible. And, to be honest, we also felt that under the circumstances, it was good to give him this vote of confidence."

A number of the A's top young players became ineligible when they surpassed MLB rookie eligibility this season, which is a criteria for the club. Those included pitchers George Kirby and MacKenzie Gore and infielder Bryson Stott.

Others considered but ultimately losing out to Baz were Triple-A outfielder Kyle Stowers, Double-A infielders Edwin Arroyo and Deyvison De Los Santos, and Double-A pitchers Mick Abel and Griff McGarry.