KNOXVILLE, TN – APRIL 05, 2019 – Pitcher Garrett Crochet #34 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the game between the Mississippi State Bull Dogs and the Tennessee Volunteers at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Caleb Jones/Tennessee Athletics
Former Tennessee pitcher Garrett Crochet posted a career-best season with the Boston Red Sox in 2025. He racked up an 18-5 record in 32 starts for the organization and recorded a 2.59 ERA in more than 200 innings on the mound. Crochet solidified his status as one of MLB’s best statistical pitchers, and the analysts are in agreement.
ESPN’s Buster Olney put together a list of his top pitchers in the majors on Monday, with Crochet landing at No. 4 on the list. Crochet only trails Detroit pitcher Tarik Skubal, Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes, and Los Angeles’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the rankings.
“Boston got everything it hoped for from the left-hander after making a blockbuster deal with the Chicago White Sox and signing Crochet to a six-year, $170 million contract,” Olney writes. “Crochet led the AL in innings (205⅓) and batters faced (814), and led the majors in strikeouts (255). He had a strikeout rate of 31.3% and a ground ball ratio of 48.3%; there wasn’t much for hitters to swing at.”
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The Red Sox gave up four talented prospects in exchange for Crochet in a massive trade deal in December 2024. Just a few months later, in March 2025, Crochet took the mound as Boston’s Opening Day starter. Four days after his opening win over the Texas Rangers, Crochet signed his six-year contract extension with Boston to make him one of the 10 highest-paid pitchers in the sport.
Crochet hit some memorable career milestones during his first year with the Red Sox. He made his second career All-Star roster in July, he recorded his first career shutout after the All-Star break in a 1-0 victory over the Rays, and he tallied his 500th career strikeout the next month in August. Crochet also pitched the opening game of the Red Sox’s AL Wild Card series against the Yankees, going for nearly eight innings on the mound while only allowing four hits and one earned run. He struck out 11 players as the Red Sox took the opening game.
Crochet was also named an All-MLB First-Team selection following the 2025 season.
The Mississippi native was drafted in the 34th round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of high school, but chose to sign with the Tennessee Volunteers instead. His first season in Knoxville was also the first season under head coach Tony Vitello. He spent three years with the Vols’ program, but the final season was cut short due to both injury and the COVID pandemic.
Crochet made a good decision, though. He bumped up his draft stock in a massive way and was taken with the 11th overall pick by the White Sox in the 2020 MLB Draft. He spent his first four years with the White Sox organization before being traded to Boston in December 2024.