Narciso Crook
Narciso Crook is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder for the Gastonia Ghost Peppers of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He has previously played in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs.
Early life
Crook began playing baseball at 11 years old after moving to Trenton, New Jersey, from the Dominican Republic when his mother married former professional football player Al Darby. He played prep baseball at Trenton Central High School, from which he graduated in 2012, before moving on to Gloucester County College.Career
Cincinnati Reds
Crook was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 23rd round, with the 705th overall selection, of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft. On July 5, Crook signed with the Reds. He made his professional debut in 2014 with the rookie–level Arizona League Reds, hitting.255/.313/.423 with 4 home runs, 20 RBI, and 12 stolen bases in 42 contests. He spent the 2015 season with the Single–A Dayton Dragons, playing in 105 contests and hitting.236/.270/.383 with 9 home runs, 47 RBI, and 13 stolen bases.Crook returned to Dayton in 2016, playing in 23 games and batting.244/.311/.402 with 3 home runs and 7 RBI. On May 24, 2016, it was announced that Crook would miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. He spent 2017 with the High–A Daytona Tortugas, but was limited to 36 games in which he hit.213/.275/.360 with 4 home runs and 17 RBI across 36 games. After Crook was placed on the disabled list on May 19, 2017, he did not make an appearance for the remainder of the year. Crook began the 2018 season with Dayton, progressing to Daytona and the Double–A Pensacola Blue Wahoos later in the year. In 103 games, he accumulated a.266/.344/.415 batting line with 6 home runs and 44 RBI.
In 2019, he began the year back in Double–A with the Chattanooga Lookouts, but was quickly promoted to the Triple-A Louisville Bats after 24 games. In 84 games for Louisville, he hit.273/.329/.484 with a career–high 10 home runs, 35 RBI, and 9 stolen bases. Crook did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He elected free agency following the season on November 2, 2020.
Crook re–signed with the Reds organization on a minor league contract on December 4, 2020. Returning to action in 2021, Crook split the year between Chattanooga and Louisville. In 100 total contests, he slashed.244/.355/.451 with career–highs in home runs and RBI. He elected free agency following the 2021 season on November 7, 2021.