Major League Baseball Pitcher Takes Chess Dedication Seriously

Imagine being a minor league baseball pitcher—waiting and hoping for a call one day that pulls you up into Major League Baseball. Then you hear a knock on the door and know that the manager of your AAA team has come to tell you that the day you have been waiting on has finally arrived. 

Declan Cronin And Chess

How quickly do you open the door? You might move somewhat slowly if you are Declan Cronin playing a rapid game on Chess.com against his brother. A win on the chessboard is just as important as a strikeout on the mound.

The game ended in a loss because Cronin's game time ran out while he was talking to Justin Jirschele, his manager, who had come with the news that the Chicago White Sox wanted him to report immediately for their at-home stand against the Cleveland Guardians. Should he pack his bags immediately or play another game?

Fortunately for the White Sox, he put his passion for chess on hold—but only briefly. “I love playing chess. It gives me an outlet, something good to do when I’m not on the field. When I have an hour or two free, I’m playing chess,” he confessed in a phone interview with Chess.com.

NM Jeremy Kane found and annotated the game that Cronin was playing as White when he got the news:

“I've certainly got the ‘chess bug’ and have been studying, learning, and playing as much as I can,” he added.

Cronin’s dedication to his chess game caught the attention of ESPN's Jeff Passan, a baseball columnist, who tweeted even before Cronin first stepped on the mound in Chicago.

Love a great call-up story, and the White Sox's newest reliever, Declan Cronin, certainly has one.

Cronin was a 36th-round pick. Signed for $2,500 out of Holy Cross. He had 4 minutes remaining in a 15/10 online chess game against his brother when he heard a knock at his door.…

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 28, 2023

Complimentary Chess Lessons

So impressed is Chess.com with Cronin’s interest in chess and dedication to improving that he has been gifted complimentary lessons with FIDE Master James Canty III, the popular event commentator and respected coach for many players, particularly beginners and young ChessKids.

About the lessons, Cronin said: “That’s exciting, and I’m very grateful. I’ve been learning on my own, and I like to see the progress that I’m making.”

On July 28, the White Sox officially announced that Cronin would be joining the team.

Prior to tonight’s game vs. the Cleveland Guardians, the #WhiteSox selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Declan Cronin from Class AAA Charlotte.

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 28, 2023

Chess And Baseball

When Cronin got to Chicago, he was ready for his MLB debut. On the mound for the Sox for the first time on July 30, Cronin gave up one hit in the two innings that he pitched in relief. How nervous was he in his first Majors game?

“There was a lot of anticipation. After the first pitch, I was OK—then it was just another baseball game. I was feeling more normal,” Cronin said. His first pitch is recorded in the following video. (The information in the tweet is incorrect; Cronin gave up just one hit, not two.)

Showtime 🟣⚪️@dcro_11 (Glendale '22) has made his Major League debut for the @whitesox. The Holy Cross alum went two innings and allowed two hits #AFL22 pic.twitter.com/pl4jfvGZ4Y

— MLB's Arizona Fall League (@MLBazFallLeague) July 30, 2023

The first out for a pitcher is also a calming, reassuring moment—much like winning the first game in a rated chess tournament. “After the first out, I knew I could relax,” he said. Clinching his first out in the Majors—Cronin got Cleveland’s Oscar Gonzalez to line out to right field—has been preserved for posterity by MLB with the following image.

Favorite Chess Time Control

The day after his MLB debut he was back on Chess.com to play five-minute blitz games. However, his favorite time control is 15+10. “I really like rapid games. They give me more time to think, but when I have only a little time, I play three- to five-minute games on my phone,” Cronin said.

When he plays his brother Brian, who is four years older, he prefers a slower time. Their games are more like teaching moments—no wonder he didn’t want to answer the door. “I like to see games through to the end, even if I’m losing. My brother is very helpful. He’s more like a mentor than a true competitor. He tells me when I’m making a bad move,” Cronin added.

Taking Chess To Baseball Clubhouse

Before landing in Chicago, Cronin played in the minor leagues for several years, most recently with the Charlotte (N.C.) Knights. To its clubhouse, he added a chessboard, pieces, and clock.

“The guys are really getting into it (playing chess). A ton of guys are playing before game time. Lots of them are learning on the fly. When they can’t get on a board, they’re on Chess.com too,” he said.

Cronin’s arrival in the Majors has been celebrated by family and friends as well as his past teams. In college, he pitched for Holy Cross, and he is the first player from that team to play in an MLB game since 1977.

Crusader history made. @dcro_11 made his Major League debut for the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, throwing two innings out of the bullpen!

📸 Mackenzie Hudson / @whitesox #GoCrossGo pic.twitter.com/6gt4VMW9Pq

— Holy Cross Baseball (@HCrossBaseball) August 1, 2023

Even his high school took to Twitter to celebrate his big-time status. No former player from Regis High School in New York City has ever advanced so far.

Congratulations to Declan Cronin ‘15, who has been called up to the Chicago White Sox and with his first appearance would become the first Regian to play in a Major League Baseball game. Cronin, a right-handed pitcher, was drafted by the White Sox out of Holy Cross in 2019. pic.twitter.com/wSKHdek5zq

— Regis High School (@RegisHighSchool) July 28, 2023

Being Ready For Chess (or Baseball)

As a reliever, Cronin is never sure when he’ll be called on next. “It all depends on the game situation and who the manager wants to bring in from the bullpen. I have to stay ready,” he said. 

When the Sox need him, let’s hope he’s not on his phone playing a blitz game.