Big arm, big commitment.
Eli Crecilius has more than earned his recent ride to the University of Arkansas, and showed that and then some at the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series National Combine this July in Nashville.
Next stop? The Main Event.
Fenway Park.
“I’m excited to get to pitch in a historical stadium that hopefully one day, I’ll be back and be able to pitch on the same mound again,” he said.
The six-foot-one, 215-pound righty used a fastball, slider and changeup mix — with the heater sitting between 87-89 miles per hour — to earn his way to Fenway, and is currently slated to pitch in relief for the Orange Team in Game 1 of the scheduled doubleheader there on Saturday.
While it’s mostly a matter of finding innings where you can at events on the amateur circuit, the Arkansas native says he’s eager to show the laundry list of big-league scouts and execs in attendance that he wants to take the ball every fifth day in the future.
“I’m looking to show a starter-type build that can command the game,” he said. “Showing that I’m able to throw 3 pitches for strikes and put them where I want them to go.”
Crecilius was first seen earlier this year at The Farm Scout Day, where he drew physical comparisons to long-time big-leaguer David Weathers where he earned high marks for both his stuff and willingness to compete.
“The experience of Future Stars Series has been amazing to watch myself grow into,” he said. “Being able to play in front of great players and coaches that are there to help me along my journey.”
Since both then and his appearance at Shelby Park in July, Crecilius has been putting in the work to improve his game, adding strength to an already big frame to find some gains in his fastball.
“I have been working on getting stronger and getting as explosive as possible to be able to keep climbing in velocity standpoints,” he said.
Since 2003, he has covered multiple World Series and has worked high-profile events ranging from the MLB All-Star Game to the World Baseball Classic. In addition to his role working for the Future Stars Series that he's held since 2017, Ashmore currently serves as the beat writer of the Double-A New York Yankees affiliate, the Somerset Patriots, as well as national hockey writer and New York Jets game day beat reporter for The Trentonian.
A regular contributor to Baseball America, Ashmore has worked seven Super Bowls, 11 Stanley Cup Finals, the 4 Nations Face-Off, the NBA Playoffs, College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Frozen Four, Daytona 500, major UFC events and much more as he approaches 3,200 games covered in his career.
An avid card collector and sim racer, he lives with his wife, Sarah, their son William, and their beloved dog, Bailey, and cat, Smokey.
