Chris Cron

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Christopher John Cron

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Biographical Information[edit]

Chris Cron had a major league career of twelve games. A first baseman, he came up with the 1991 California Angels and batted .133 (2-for-15) in six games, followed by six games (0-for-10) with the 1992 Chicago White Sox. He had several good minor league seasons, particularly in Triple A, and hit .267 with 172 homers in a dozen seasons. Originally drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 1984, Cron homered in his final career at bat for the Nashville Sounds on June 8, 1995. He retired after the game and was named manager of the Bristol White Sox.

Since then, Cron has been a skipper for over a decade in the Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies, and Detroit Tigers organizations. He managed the Birmingham Barons in 2006 and the Great Falls White Sox/Great Falls Voyagers from 2007 to 2010. From 2011 to 2013, he was manager of the Erie SeaWolves. In 2014, Cron moved to the Arizona Diamondbacks organization as minor league hitting coordinator [1]. He remained the hitting coordinator though the 2018 season before opting to manage again in 2019. Cron was scheduled to manage Reno in 2020 before the season was cancelled due to COVID-19. During Cron's years of managing, he won Manager of the Year honors twice - Carolina League (1998) and Pioneer League (2008). He led his teams to eight playoff appearances (1997-1998, 2005, 2007-2010, 2013) and won the Pioneer League Championship in 2008. In 2021, Cron was the Diamondbacks' minor league field coordinator.

Cron moved to the Oakland A's in 2022 when he was named assistant hitting coach and he repeated that role in 2023. His title changed to hitting coach in 2024 alongside the other hitting coach Mike Aldrete.

His son, C.J. Cron, made his big league debut in 2014. Another son, Kevin Cron, joined him in 2019. Since Chris was managing Kevin with the Triple A Reno Aces in the Diamondbacks chain at the time of his call-up, he got to inform Kevin that he was headed to the majors.

Year-by-Year Managerial Record[edit]

Year Team League Record Finish Organization Playoffs
1995 Bristol White Sox Appalachian League 28-39 7th Chicago White Sox
1996 Hickory Crawdads South Atlantic League 55-85 14th Chicago White Sox
1997 Hickory Crawdads South Atlantic League 76-64 4th Chicago White Sox Lost in 1st round
1998 Winston-Salem Warthogs Carolina League 79-60 2nd Chicago White Sox Lost League Finals
1999 Birmingham Barons Southern League 73-67 4th Chicago White Sox
2000 Colorado Springs Sky Sox Pacific Coast League 74-68 6th Colorado Rockies
2001 Colorado Springs Sky Sox Pacific Coast League 62-79 14th Colorado Rockies
2002 Colorado Springs Sky Sox Pacific Coast League 58-86 4th Colorado Rockies
2003 Great Falls White Sox Pioneer League 38-38 3rd/2nd(tie) Chicago White Sox
2004 Kannapolis Intimidators South Atlantic League 69-70 10th Chicago White Sox
2005 Winston-Salem Warthogs Carolina League 77-64 3rd Chicago White Sox Lost in 1st round
2006 Birmingham Barons Southern League 59-81 4th/4th Chicago White Sox
2007 Great Falls White Sox Pioneer League 51-24 1st Chicago White Sox Lost League Finals
2008 Great Falls Voyagers Pioneer League 39-37 4th Chicago White Sox League Champs
2009 Great Falls Voyagers Pioneer League 42-34 3rd (t) Chicago White Sox Lost in 1st round
2010 Great Falls Voyagers Pioneer League 47-28 1st Chicago White Sox Lost in 1st round
2011 Erie SeaWolves Eastern League 67-75 9th Detroit Tigers
2012 Erie SeaWolves Eastern League 57-84 12th Detroit Tigers
2013 Erie SeaWolves Eastern League 76-66 3rd Detroit Tigers Lost in 1st round
2019 Reno Aces Pacific Coast League 66-74 10th Arizona Diamondbacks
Totals 20 Seasons 1,193-1,223 1 League Championship

Related Sites[edit]