How Jaxson Crull fought his way into a meaningful role for OSU baseball
When the baseball season began, senior outfielder Jaxson Crull wasn’t a name generating a lot of buzz in the Oklahoma State offense.
The Cowboys had plenty of big bats bringing excitement, but Crull, a senior from Bixby, seemed destined to hold his usual role as one of coach Josh Holliday’s first options off the bench.
But by early March, Crull began to emerge as far more than a speedy defensive option in late-game situations.
Over the last seven weeks, he’s been a regular starter in the outfield, and one of Holliday’s regular options as the Cowboys’ leadoff hitter, tasked with getting on base ahead of those aforementioned big bats of Carson Benge, Nolan Schubart and others.
But it’s not just his .425 on-base percentage or his .290 batting average that have made him a viable option atop the batting order. He has been productive well beyond just getting to first base.
As the 17th-ranked Cowboys hit the road for a three-game series at Kansas State, set to begin at 6 p.m. Friday in Manhattan, Kansas, it’s likely Crull will be on the top of the lineup card at least a time or two.
Some early season injuries opened the door for extra playing time for a variety of players, and Crull ran with his chances, earning more action with his performance even after starters like Schubart got healthy.
“The injuries have given people an opportunity to stay ready, because when the door opens, your team is counting on you to step in,” Holliday said. “Every time somebody has gotten injured, somebody has responded to the opportunity, and that’s what teammates do.
“The kids who have stepped in have done that. There have been some moments and at-bats accumulated that, without those injuries, we wouldn’t know as much about our team. That being said, the injuries are tough.”
Crull came into the season with one home run, five doubles and 17 RBIs in 115 career at-bats, but in 69 at-bats this year, he has three homers, five doubles and 15 RBIs, appearing in 28 games with 18 starts.
He has stolen three bases and hasn’t committed an error defensively, often playing center field.
“It’s been awesome this year getting that chance,” Crull said of his regular playing time. “I’ve had that opportunity all four years I’ve been here. I’ve gotten to help the team in different ways.”
Crull credits those previous moments on the field, whether as a defensive replacement, a pinch runner or a situational hitter, for preparing him for this season.
“The game’s slowed down a lot for me,” he said. “It goes really fast when you go here at first. It’s a big jump from high school to college, or even summer ball to college. We have great competition. Being able to have the experiences and keep working hard.
“Sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel seems pretty far away, but as it gets closer, the experience is paying off and I’m happy I stuck with it all four years here and helped the team win.”