Indians pitchers Kyle Crockett, Dylan Baker claimed off waivers

Relief pitchers Kyle Crockett and Dylan Baker have been claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers, respectively.

Crockett, 25, debuted with the Cleveland Indians in 2014 when he pitched a career-high 30 innings pitched and allowed just six runs for an ERA of 1.80. His production — and his innings as a result — slipped over the next three seasons as he threw just 35.1 innings between 2015 and 2017 with 20 earned runs allowed. The baby-faced reliever should serve well as an effective LOOGY somewhere, especially a rebuilding team like the Reds.

While Crockett has been a perfectly fine reliever, it’s his fellow waiver claim-mate that had all the potential. Dylan Baker, also 25, has been with the Indians organization since he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, but he has yet to pitch above Double-A, and he’s only thrown 12.2 innings at that level. His slow development can be attributed to a series of injuries that started with a broken fibula in 2014.

Baker came up as a promising starting pitcher, posting a 3.63 ERA over 143.2 innings in 2013, his first season out of rookie ball. Various arm injuries suffered in January, which he discussed in an interview with our own Brian Hemminger in May, prompted the Indians to shift him to the bullpen for 2017, where he he once again showed flashes of his potential with 10 strikeouts and just one walk over his 12.2 Double-A innings.

Both players were previously placed on waivers to place prospects on the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 draft.