Nino Kruhek

Nino Kruhek

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 170 lb.

• Born February 15, 1997

Biographical Information

Nino Kruhek has played in Croatia and Germany and for the Croatian national team. His brother Aleksandar Kruhek has been his teammates both in Croatia and on the national team.

Kruhek was 3 for 8 with 3 walks, a run and 4 RBI for Croatia in the 2014 European Junior Championship Qualifiers. He was with Croatia for the 2016 European Championship as a 19-year-old, getting into one game, a blowout loss to Italy. Replacing Philip Smith at catcher, he struck out against Ludovico Coveri, Filippo Crepaldi and Gianfranco Rizzo. In the 2017 U23 European Championship, he was 0 for 13 with a walk and 8 whiffs, fielding .939.

He was 1 for 15 with two walks, a steal, two runs and a RBI for Vindija Varazdin in the 2018 Federations Cup, fielding .913. He played for the Hamburg Knights in the German minors in 2019, hitting .281/.281/.328 and going 1-4 with a 6.62 ERA. He played SS, 3B and P mostly. In the 2019 U23 European Championship, he was 1 for 12 with 3 runs and a RBI.

Kruhek was back on the Croatian team for the 2019 European Championship, seeing limited time. He replaced Fran Stančić Vidrač in left late against Belgium, then played in left against Austria. He only got two plate appearances against Alex Seidl, with a walk and a ground out, in a mercy rule loss. He was one of three pitchers lit up in a 21-0, 4 1/2 inning mercy rule loss to France. Replacing Ross Vukovich in the 2nd after the first eight batters reached, he allowed 9 hits, 4 walks and 13 runs (11 earned) in 1 1/3 IP before Ante Ćurković took over; Kruhek stayed in as the right fielder and grounded out against Yoann Vaugelade. Finally, he pinch-ran for Smith in the second loss to Austria. He had the 2nd-highest ERA in the event, ahead of Erik Marqvardsen 74.25 to 81.00.