Just a few short weeks ago, 18-year-old Brewers left-handed pitching prospect Frank Cairone was hit head-on by a vehicle that ran a stop sign in his home state of New Jersey. Cairone was airlifted to a hospital where he was treated for serious injuries.
The road to recovery seemed like it could be very long, but thankfully, he seems to be progressing down that road. On Tuesday, Cairone posted a video of himself lightly tossing a baseball against a wall, signifying he’s progressed enough for some light baseball activities.
While there’s clearly still a ways to go until Cairone is ready for game action, considering where he was just a few weeks ago, this is tremendous news.
The full extent of Cairone’s injuries haven’t been made publicly known. The Brewers issued a statement at the time of the car crash, but there’s been no official word on just what all he’s gone through in the aftermath of the accident.
It’s unknown just how long he’ll be out of action, and it’s unlikely we’ll get any answers on that until he makes his way down to American Family Fields of Phoenix for spring training. Pitchers and catchers are due to report next week, but given Cairone’s circumstances, his arrival could be delayed.
The Brewers drafted Cairone with the No. 68 overall pick in the 2025 Draft out of Delsea Regional HS in New Jersey. They signed him away from a Coastal Carolina commitment with a $1.1 million signing bonus. Cairone joined the list of young, projectable, high-upside pitchers that the Brewers have added to their farm system in recent years.
Once Cairone is healthy enough to pitch this season, he’s likely to make his professional debut and start the year with the Arizona Complex League Brewers and ultimately spend time with the Low-A Wilson Warbirds.
