Sports

Update: A's Make Pro out of Aptos Alum Bobby Crocker

Crocker will head back up north to play professional baseball for the Oakland Athletics.

As Patch reported Tuesday, 2008 Aptos High School graduate Bobby Crocker was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the fourth round of the 2011 MLB Draft.

Crocker was also taken by the A's back in 2008, when he was a senior at Aptos, but declined to sign after being picked in the 38th round.

Three years later, Crocker has a trio of seasons at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo under his belt and consistently improving hitting stats that have clearly kept Oakland's attention.

Find out what's happening in Capitola-Soquelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This season, Crocker hit .339 with 64 hits, five home runs, 20 RBI and nine stolen bases. His most impressive stat, however, is his perfect fielding percentage, the product of having made zero errors all season.

"It's well-deserved. He's put in an awful lot of work to put himself in this position," Cal Poly baseball coach Larry Lee told Patch on Tuesday.

Find out what's happening in Capitola-Soquelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In 2010, Crocker's sophomore season, he finished the year hitting .424 over his final 19 games.

"Bobby continued to get better on a yearly basis and he's been our hardest worker since he's been here," Lee said. "He's really set the tone for the rest of the players in the program."

Born in Soquel and raised in Aromas, Crocker's landing in Oakland could barely be more fitting.

"It rarely works out like that, but I think it's a good organization to be in," Lee said.

Randy Kramer, Crocker's coach at Aptos High School, is now a scout for the Toronto Blue Jays. Kramer spoke with Crocker as he was being drafted on Tuesday.

"Obviously being a Bay Area guy, he wanted to go to a Bay Area club, so he's really excited," Kramer said. "He comes from a great family and now it gives them an opportunity to ... watch him at the Coliseum, or wherever the A's end up playing."

According to Kramer, Crocker was also on the Blue Jays' draft radar, but Oakland took him off the board before Toronto had a chance at him. 

As of Tuesday afternoon, Lee and Crocker had not spoken, but had exchanged texts of congratulations.

Lee fully expects Crocker to sign with the club and enter its minor league system. "It will just be a matter of time" before he is officially contracted with Oakland, Lee said.

Kramer said that given Crocker's baseball ability, he will make his way to the Major Leagues sooner than later.

"I think he has the tools and skills to do it." Kramer said. "I have no doubt he'll make it to the Big Leagues, barring injuries."

The Aptos baseball community is "thrilled" about the news, Aptos High School Athletic Director Mark Dorfman told Patch Wednesday morning.

"It's not just an exciting moment for Aptos baseball, but it's even more exciting for Bobby, because he's a remarkable young man. We coudn't be happier for him," Dorfman said.

A lifelong Oakland fan, Dorfman is elated at the possibility of seeing Crocker suit up in the green and gold. But long before professional baseball was in the cards for Crocker, Dorfman said it was football that seemed like the logical choice.

"He was a dynamite football player. We were all disappointed when he elected to forgo football his senior year and just concentrate on baseball, but we all understood it," Dorfman said. "He was electric. He was one of the most exciting football players to come through the program in a long time. He came in his senior year to focus on baseball, though. We knew he was a special athlete." 

As of this publishing, Crocker could not be reached for comment. Stay tuned to Patch for his take on the jump from Aptos to college to the professional ranks. 


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