Conner Crumbliss

Conner Richard Crumbliss

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 8", Weight 175 lb.
• School Emporia State University
• High School Arkansas City High School

• Born April 19, 1987 in Wellington, KS USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Outfielder Conner Crumbliss has played in the Oakland Athletics minor league system since 2009 (through 2014). He has a penchant for drawing walks that often leads to high runs scored totals and a high on-base percentage. From 2010 to 2013, he had at least 80 walks each season, with at least 120 BBs twice (leading the minors both times), and scored at least 75 runs each year, with two totals over 90. His OBP eclipsed .400 each campaign from 2009 to 2012. He has also displayed good speed, stealing at least 20 bases three times, and some pop, whacking over 10 home runs twice.

Crumbliss played for Emporia State when they finished second in the 2009 Division II College World Series. He hit .297 with 30 doubles and 30 steals as a senior and finished as the school's career leader in hits, runs and doubles. The Oakland A's took him in the 28th round of the 2009 amateur draft, one round before Mike Zunino. The scout was Yancy Ayres. He spent the summer as a 2B-CF with the Vancouver Canadians (.293/.425/.405, 49 BB, 40 R, 11 SB, 2 CS in 57 G) and Kane County Cougars (.280/.438/.400 in 14 G). He was second in the Northwest League in walks (3 behind Vince Belnome) and fourth in OBP (between Jason Ogata and Edinson Rincon).

With the 2010 Kane County Cougars, he fielded .982 at 2B and hit .271/.421/.371 with 126 walks, 30 doubles, 95 runs and 24 steals in 32 tries. He led the Midwest League in both runs (four over Wade Gaynor) and walks (28 ahead of Jamie Johnson) while placing third in OBP (behind Mike Trout and Jason Hagerty). Scooter Gennett won honors as the MWL All-Star second baseman, though. Among A's farmhands, Crumbliss led in walks (30 ahead of Tyreace House), was 4th in runs and led in OBP. Among all minor leaguers, Conner led in walks by 22 over Francisco Mendez. Baseball America rated him as having the best strike-zone discipline in both the MWL and in the A's chain.

With the Stockton Ports in 2011, he produced at a .268/.404/.378 clip with 96 walks, 75 runs and 24 steals in 31 tries. He was 7th in the California League in OBP (between Gary Brown and Anthony Aliotti) and led in walks (8 ahead of Daniel Carroll). In the A's chain, he led in walks (3 more than Jermaine Mitchell), was third in OBP (behind Mitchell and Brandon Allen) and tied for sixth in swipes. He was third in the minors in walks, behind Robbie Grossman and Jaff Decker.

Playing primarily left field with the 2012 Midland RockHounds, he hit .257/.414/.391 with 94 runs, 120 walks and again 24 steals (caught 8 times); he had 14 outfield assists. He was on the Texas League leaderboard in OBP (second, .002 behind Jermaine Curtis), steals (7th), walks (32 more than #2 Jon Singleton) and runs (tied for first with Singleton). In the Oakland minors, he led in runs (7 ahead of Dusty Robinson), walks (34 more than Michael Taylor and A.J. Kirby-Jones) and OBP (.009 ahead of Taylor). He was 4th in steals, between Eliezer Mesa and Taylor. He led the minor leagues in walks again, 10 more than Ryan Still.

He reached Triple-A for the first time in 2013 and hit .136/.297/.356 with 3 home runs, 11 RBI, 11 runs, a steal and 12 walks for the Sacramento River Cats. He spent most of the year with the RockHounds (.280/.405/.432, 69 BB, 66 R in 92 G). He was third in the TL in OBP, behind Aliotti and Mike O'Neill. He tied Aliotti for third in the A's chain with 81 walks and was 4th in OBP (.389). He began 2014 with the Double-A RockHounds.

Sources

• Emporia Gazette
• Baseball America