Jimmy Crooks Bio
James Dale Crooks II, known professionally as Jimmy Crooks, is an American professional baseball catcher who plays in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals. Born on July 19, 2001, he entered professional baseball after being selected by the Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB Draft and reached the major leagues for the first time in 2025. A product of the Texas amateur circuit, Crooks built a strong collegiate resume before quickly climbing through the St. Louis minor-league system.
Early Life and Background
Jimmy Crooks attended Trinity High School in Euless, Texas, where he developed as a catcher and drew attention from college and professional scouts. The Dallas-Fort Worth area has long produced skilled position players, and Crooks benefited from the region’s competitive high school baseball culture during his formative years.
After completing high school, Crooks continued his baseball path at McLennan Community College, a program in Waco, Texas, known for sending players to four-year programs and professional baseball. His performance there established him as a polished catching prospect with both offensive upside and defensive reliability.
Path to Baseball
Crooks transferred to the University of Oklahoma, where he competed in one of the strongest college baseball conferences in the country. His time with the Sooners allowed him to refine his approach at the plate and his game-calling behind it, preparing him for the rigors of a professional schedule.
In the summer of 2021, Crooks played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League, a respected showcase league that regularly features top amateur talent. The experience against high-level competition strengthened his profile ahead of the 2022 MLB Draft.
Jimmy Crooks Career
Early Career (2022)
The St. Louis Cardinals selected Crooks in the fourth round with the 127th overall pick of the 2022 MLB Draft. He made his professional debut that same season with the Single-A Palm Beach Cardinals, appearing in 23 games and posting a .266 batting average. The assignment provided an early test of his offensive consistency and his receiving skills against older competition.
Minor League Progression (2023–2024)
In 2023, Crooks spent the majority of the campaign with the High-A Peoria Chiefs and also appeared in one game with the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds. Across 115 total appearances, he hit .271 with 12 home runs and 73 runs batted in, demonstrating the power potential that had marked his amateur career. Following the regular season, he played for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League, an assignment typically reserved for upper-level prospects.
Crooks opened 2024 with the Double-A Springfield Cardinals and turned in one of his strongest professional seasons. In 90 games, he batted .321 with 11 home runs and 62 runs batted in, cementing his status as one of the organization’s top catching prospects and putting him on the verge of a major-league opportunity.
St. Louis Cardinals Era (2025–Present)
Crooks began the 2025 season at Triple-A Memphis, where his offensive production continued to impress the Cardinals’ front office. On August 29, 2025, St. Louis selected his contract and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time. That evening at Great American Ball Park, he caught the last two innings against the Cincinnati Reds without recording a plate appearance, and the Cardinals went on to win 7-5 in 10 innings.
Two days later, on August 31, Crooks made his first MLB start against the Reds and delivered an immediate milestone, launching a solo home run off Cincinnati pitcher Sam Moll for his first major-league hit. The moment marked a memorable arrival and signaled the power-hitting profile the Cardinals had long valued in his development.
Notable Events and Milestones
Crooks’ first MLB hit, a home run in only his second appearance, stands as the signature early moment of his big-league career. His rapid rise through four levels of the minor leagues, culminating in a promotion less than three years after being drafted, highlights the organization’s confidence in his long-term role as a catcher.
Jimmy Crooks Career Wins
As a position player, Jimmy Crooks’ statistical milestones are measured in offensive production rather than wins, and his career is defined by batting averages, home runs, and runs batted in across each level of professional baseball. His climb from Single-A to the major leagues within three seasons underscores the consistency of his performance.
Minor League Highlights
Crooks batted .321 with 11 home runs and 62 RBI in 90 games for the Double-A Springfield Cardinals in 2024, his most productive full professional season. Across 115 appearances in 2023 with the High-A Peoria Chiefs and Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, he hit .271 with 12 home runs and 73 RBI, and he closed his debut year with the Single-A Palm Beach Cardinals by batting .266 in 23 games.
Other Performances
Crooks’ summer experience with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2021 remains a notable pre-professional achievement, placing him among elite amateur players in a long-running showcase league. He later extended his development with the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League after the 2023 season.
Jimmy Crooks Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Jimmy Crooks’ family background is limited, and detailed records about his parents and any relatives in professional baseball are not widely documented. His full name, James Dale Crooks II, suggests a family naming tradition, though further specifics have not been publicly verified.
2025 Season Performance
Crooks opened the 2025 campaign at Triple-A Memphis, where he continued to produce offensively and remained on the Cardinals’ major-league radar. His promotion on August 29, followed by a first MLB hit that cleared the fences two days later, gave him an immediate storyline within the organization’s late-season plans.
By joining the Cardinals during a stretch run, Crooks positioned himself to gain valuable big-league experience behind the plate and to contribute to a club competing into the final weeks of the season. His combination of power at the plate and a steady defensive approach offered St. Louis a fresh option at catcher.
Looking ahead, Crooks’ performance in the closing weeks of 2025 is likely to shape the Cardinals’ catching depth chart and his standing heading into the following spring training. Continued offensive output and steady game-calling could accelerate his path toward an expanded major-league role in the seasons to come.