Sherman pitcher Kyle Crick signs $900K Giants contract

July 21, 2011

VYPE MAGAZINE - Dallas


By David McNabb

The San Francisco Giants gain hard-throwing Sherman right-hander Kyle Crick but TCU loses a key member of its 2011 signing class. With a signing bonus of $900,000, Crick was paid nearly $200,000 more than Major League Baseball's recommended slot for the 49th overall pick of the June draft.

“When you have a chance to sign for life-changing money, you have to,” Sherman coach Art Senato told the Sherman Herald-Democrat. “I’d jump at it immediately. It’s something you have to do. He’s going to school in the minor leagues, and he’s getting what he wanted. He’s got to go to work, learn his craft and sharpen his skills. One day we may see him in a major-league uniform.”

Crick (6-4, 220) changed raised his arm angle with a change in his throwing motion last summer and his stock began to raise for the pro draft as his fastball went from the mid 80 MPH to the low 90s.

In his senior season at Sherman, Crick had five outs in which he allowed one hit or less. He was 7-2 with a 1.11 ERA in 13 starts. Crick was projected as a possible late first-rounder heading into the draft. He was taken by the Giants in the "sandwich" round between the first and second rounds as free agent signing compensation for losing free-agent infielder Juan Uribe to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Upon drafting Crick, Giants special assistant John Barr said his fastball, high-speed cutter and developing changeup created a strong evaluation.

"Very big, strong, physical -- what you picture to be those big Texas right-handers," Barr said. "We did a lot of work on him, and we were excited he was there for us."