Aleksandar Kruhek

Aleksandar Kruhek

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 170 lb.

• Born March 15, 1996

Biographical Information

Aleksandar Kruhek has pitched for the Croatian national team.

Kruhek had a 5.91 ERA and went 2 for 7 for Croatia in the 2012 European Junior Championship Qualifier. In the same event two years later, he went 2-0 with no earned runs in 11 innings against Slovakia and Great Britain, batting .368 and driving in 7 runs in 5 games while Croatia won the event. He was among the event leaders in ERA (3rd; two teammates had 0.00s in more innings), slugging (tied for 7th with Mario Gottschall), RBI (tied for 6th), wins (tied for 1st with Franko Vrlić Kovačić) and lowest opponent average (.056, 1st).

He then made Croatia's senior national team for the first time, at the 2014 European Championship. He debuted against Spain, relieving Christian Sket with a 13-2 deficit in the 5th. He hit Jesús Golindano then retired Jesús Ustariz and Blake Ochoa, both veterans of the minor leagues. He then gave up three hits in a row to Leo Hernandez, Franklin Tavarez and Daniel Martinez to bring in two runs before Oscar Angulo hit into a force. In the 6th, he walked Daniel Sánchez and former major leaguer Fernando Martínez singled before Golindano homered to end the game at a 18-2 mercy rule decision. His other outing came versus Great Britain, relieving Vrlić Kovačić in the 8th with a 5-0 deficit. He retired Ben Pearson, plunked Josh Rapaport and walked Zack Wiley. Richard Klijn hit into a force but Chris Berset drew a walk and Kruhek hit Maikel Azcuy. Darko Kvaternik took over and two runners scored, unearned. He still finished with a 32.40 ERA for the event; only Nikol Chermoshentsev and teammate Dejan Marin were higher.

His brother Nino Kruhek had joined him on the team by the 2016 European Championship. He worked two games again. Versus France, he relieved Danijel Levak in the 5th with a 8-0 deficit. He allowed a single to Luc Piquet, walked Dylan Gleeson and Norbert Jongerius, gave up a single to Maxime Lefevre and hit Felix Brown to make it 10-0. A wild pitch scored Jongerius then Frédéric Hanvi doubled in two more. He recovered to get three in a row - former minor leaguer Rene Leveret, Bastien Dagneau and Ernesto Martínez. Vrlić Kovačić replaced him on the hill in the 6th. He also faced Italy, relieving Matko Dabo in the 3rd with two on, a 13-3 deficit and one out. He allowed a RBI single to Mattia Reginato and walked Alessandro Vaglio, then his brother had a passed ball to score a run. He walked Erick Epifano and Mattia Mercuri to bring in another then Stefano De Simoni hit into a run-scoring force, an error on the play scoring Vaglio. Nick Nosti flew out but a wild pitch made it 15-3. Kruhek retired former major leaguer Alex Liddi to end the inning. He cruised through the 4th, though, retiring Alex Sambucci, Jairo Ramos Gizzi and Vaglio with only a Reginato walk marring the frame. In the 5th, he struck out Epifano but hit Mercuri. De Simoni, Nosti and Liddi singled to make it 16-3 then former major leaguer Alex Liddi singled as well. Ross Vukovich relieved and allowed a sacrifice fly. For the event, his 27.00 ERA was second-highest on Croatia, but was not one of the 10 highest among all countries.