Brewers Prospect Frank Cairone Posts Encouraging Update After Collision

[markedman5]

 

[Cowbell]

How awful.  This sounds quite serious and concerning.  Thinking of Frank and his family.  It’s times like these that really puts things into perspective.  

[Lathund]

Awful news. The way it's worded make me fear the worst, really hoping to be wrong on that count. 

[MudcatsfaninBrunsCO]

Definitely not what you want to see right before the season starts. Praying it's not as bad as it's made out to be.

[ARobsBrewCrew]

2 minutes ago, Jake McKibbin said:

https://tributesnowinfo.site/frank-cairone-baseball/

Really hoping this isn't true

It should be noted that the few tributes and obituaries (I saw at least three of which) were all posted 5-10 hours before the Brewers statement and so the organization’s update(s) are the only source one should trust at this point.

[ARobsBrewCrew]

Latest update was that he was med flighted to Atlantic City Medical Center on Friday night.

[Jim Goulart]

The AI-generated obituary-related reports that came out many hours prior to the team release are all insidious and evil. Please give them zero weight until any official reports are provided, and of course, hopefully official reports with promising positive news.

[Joseph Zarr]

Slightly more information via MSN via the Daily Voice of Camden, NJ:

Quote

 

Frank Cairone, the MLB draftee and former top high school pitcher, is not at fault for the New Jersey crash that left him critical, police said.

 

Cairone, 18, of Franklinville, was heading south on Fries Mill Road when a vehicle traveling east on Williamstown Road failed to stop at the posted stop sign just before 10:20 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 2, Franklin Township Police Chief Matthew Decesari tells Daily Voice.

The minor league Brewers pitcher and team's 26th ranked prospect was airlifted to Atlantic Care Medical Center in Atlantic City with severe injuries, the chief said. He remained hospitalized as of press time.

I don't want to fuss with the text. Bullet points:

(1) Reported to have been airlifted in Critical condition

(2) Not at fault

(3) Apparently a driver ran a stop sign

(4) Currently no apparent drugs or alcohol involved in crash

May we all maintain positive healing thoughts and prayer for Frank's family and close ones. May he make it through this trial getting the best and most impactful care ensuring his recovery. This is every parent's absolute worst nightmare. I can't even fathom facing this situation with my children.

[Austin Tatious]

Only eighteen years old. Praying for the best.  

[ARobsBrewCrew]

With the blessing of someone very close to Frank Cairone, I was asked to share this with our community in order to set the record straight from some of the disgusting stories (AI-generated for the most part) that have been put out:

“If anything he would want everyone to be reassured that he’s doing okay and not some fake news that’s spreading around.”

Frank and a passenger were hit head-on by a vehicle that ran a stop sign.  The passenger is awake and suffered less severe, but still significant injuries and is currently recovering in the hospital as well.  As for Cairone:  

”… the bleeding in his brain stopped and they are just waiting for the swelling to go down, but keeping him on medicine, decreasing it every day until he wakes up so he’s not so confused (when he wakes up). Yesterday, the doctors said they are very optimistic, and how they think he’s going to have (a) full recovery, it’s just going to take time. He’s already ahead of the game, breathing on his own and moving around a lot. He was also starting to open his eyes just a little bit. (We) just need our boy to wake up.  I know that he couldn’t wait to go back to Arizona.  I really hope he gets back to himself and back on the mound one day!”

I will forward any other updates here (aside from those put out by the Brewers organization) that this individual shares with me (with their continued permission).

[duewizard]

38 minutes ago, ARobsBrewCrew said:

With the blessing of someone very close to Frank Cairone, I was asked to share this with our community in order to set the record straight from some of the disgusting stories (AI-generated for the most part) that have been put out:

“If anything he would want everyone to be reassured that he’s doing okay and not some fake news that’s spreading around.”

Frank and a passenger were hit head-on by a vehicle that ran a stop sign.  The passenger is awake and suffered less severe, but still significant injuries and is currently recovering in the hospital as well.  As for Cairone:  

”… the bleeding in his brain stopped and they are just waiting for the swelling to go down, but keeping him on medicine, decreasing it every day until he wakes up so he’s not so confused (when he wakes up). Yesterday, the doctors said they are very optimistic, and how they think he’s going to have (a) full recovery, it’s just going to take time. He’s already ahead of the game, breathing on his own and moving around a lot. He was also starting to open his eyes just a little bit. (We) just need our boy to wake up.  I know that he couldn’t wait to go back to Arizona.  I really hope he gets back to himself and back on the mound one day!”

I will forward any other updates here (aside from those put out by the Brewers organization) that this individual shares with me (with their continued permission).

Thanks for the clarification. We're all pulling for him. I'm glad the doctors are optimistic.

Sidenote: absolutely disgusting stuff to generate fake AI reports of someone's death for internet points

[Ro Mueller]

Thank God. May all involved make a full recovery in body and spirit.

Thank you so much for sharing. I had feared much worse and could only pray.

[MudcatsfaninBrunsCO]

11 hours ago, ARobsBrewCrew said:

With the blessing of someone very close to Frank Cairone, I was asked to share this with our community in order to set the record straight from some of the disgusting stories (AI-generated for the most part) that have been put out:

“If anything he would want everyone to be reassured that he’s doing okay and not some fake news that’s spreading around.”

Frank and a passenger were hit head-on by a vehicle that ran a stop sign.  The passenger is awake and suffered less severe, but still significant injuries and is currently recovering in the hospital as well.  As for Cairone:  

”… the bleeding in his brain stopped and they are just waiting for the swelling to go down, but keeping him on medicine, decreasing it every day until he wakes up so he’s not so confused (when he wakes up). Yesterday, the doctors said they are very optimistic, and how they think he’s going to have (a) full recovery, it’s just going to take time. He’s already ahead of the game, breathing on his own and moving around a lot. He was also starting to open his eyes just a little bit. (We) just need our boy to wake up.  I know that he couldn’t wait to go back to Arizona.  I really hope he gets back to himself and back on the mound one day!”

I will forward any other updates here (aside from those put out by the Brewers organization) that this individual shares with me (with their continued permission).

Thank you for the update. I will be praying still. 

Dear Lord, 

We ask that you be with Frank as he recovers from his injuries so he can continue his journey to the Brewers. It's all in your hands. In you name I pray,

AMEN

[Ro Mueller]

 

[Steve Drumwright]

Frank Cairone, a left-handed pitcher who was a second-round draft choice by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2025, is in a New Jersey hospital following a car crash on Friday.

In a statement released Saturday, the Brewers said, "Frank is currently being cared for at a hospital in New Jersey with the support of his family. The Brewers’ thoughts and prayers are with Frank and his family during his difficult time." No other information has been released.

According to NJ.com, Cairone was injured during the collision new his home in Franklinville, N.J. Cairone had to be flown to a hospital in Atlantic City, N.J., for treatment, a source close to the family told NJ.com. Police said Cairone was driving a vehicle when another driver failed to stop at a stop sign and slammed into Cairone's car. 

Cairone is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound left-hander who was taken by the Brewers with the 68th pick of the 2025 draft, a supplemental choice the Brewers received for not signing 2024 pick Chris Levonas, a right-handed pitcher also from New Jersey who instead honored his commitment to Wake Forest. Cairone, who turned 18 in September, signed for a $1.1 million bonus instead of going to Coastal Carolina, but did not make his professional debut, instead spending time at the Brewers' complex in Arizona.

Cairone is the 26th-ranked prospect in the Brewers' system, per MLB Pipeline.

View full rumor

[Jim Goulart]

It’s a paywall article but confirmation that Cairone’s girlfriend was the passenger injured, with her status included in the comments ARobsBrewCrew shared above. Thinking of her as well.

 

[ARobsBrewCrew]

More positive news to share from the individual close to Cairone:

- Making good progress

- Attempted to speak yesterday for the first time since the accident

- Moving around in bed without much issue

- Stood up for the first time today

[Team Canada]

16 hours ago, ARobsBrewCrew said:

More positive news to share from the individual close to Cairone

It's really nice that they're willing to provide updates to this community. Hooray for positive progress here.

[Joseph Zarr]

21 hours ago, ARobsBrewCrew said:

More positive news to share from the individual close to Cairone:

- Making good progress

- Attempted to speak yesterday for the first time since the accident

- Moving around in bed without much issue

- Stood up for the first time today

Simply incredibly hopeful news. Praise be!

[zurch1818]

Thanks for the updates. Pulling from my personal experience with my dad, this is all good news and very encouraging. In short, my dad was cutting a tree down with my brother and part of the tree hit him in the head while it was falling. Why he didn't follow the escape plan like my brother is something that still crosses my mind to this day. He was knocked unconscious and had to get med flighted to UW-Madison. I was with him until the ambulance got there. That drive to Madison was so stressful.

They kept him in a medically induced coma for a while and then he eventually slowly started coming back to it. He was so confused and not coherent for a few days. It was 2006 and he said Uecker and Mike Hegan announced Brewer games. He also said he was in the hospital because my mom threw a brick at him and also my mom was having a baby (my youngest sibling was 16 at the time). Then a week later he was more himself. Once I heard he set a record for balancing a checkbook in his rehab (he's an accountant by trade), I knew it was possible for him to make a full recovery. There is a 6 day period where my dad has no memory. 

When he got out of the hospital, he had to wear a neck brace and he constantly mentioned that he just got mentally tired doing basic things. It took him a while to even get back to work full-time.

With all this said, I hope Frank is able to make a full recovery like my dad did. It's amazing how much I can recall from something that happened 20 years ago.

[biedergb]

Hopeful for all the best to this young man, wishing he has a full recovery first and foremost and that he is able to live out his dream of professional baseball.

And a huge thank you to whomever it is that is willing to speak to ARobs to relay the information. Thanks @ARobsBrewCrew for posting this. Hopefully knowing there is a community of die hard Brewers fans spread throughout the country pulling for him will add even a tiny bit to his recovery process. 

I can only dream on the day that we see him on the mound in Milwaukee - could you imagine the story if he is pitching and Marco Dinges is catching, where two young men overcome such adversity in their 19-20 year old years? That would be inspirational.

All the best to Frank, and to his family. Cheers BrewerFanatic minor league fanatics

[ARobsBrewCrew]

I have continued to pass along the heartfelt sentiments shared within this community to the individual close to Frank which they greatly appreciate.  There’s not a ton of new info to update at this point and he has not been able to speak quite yet, but he is walking more and more each day which, of course, is a fantastic sign!

[brewmann04]

Best wishes it seem to be a long road to recovery. Hopefully he lives a good life end. If he never pitches on the mound 

[ARobsBrewCrew]

Some more positive news to share with our community- Cairone has been out of the hospital since last Saturday and is recovering/rehabbing at home.  All things considered, it is an outstanding development for the young man. 
 

I will add that, at this point, with his condition now stable, this will likely be my last update until I have something baseball-related on the talented southpaw to share.  I hope and pray that day comes, and eagerly await the opportunity to share a much more lighthearted baseball update someday.

[MattK]

2 hours ago, ARobsBrewCrew said:

Some more positive news to share with our community- Cairone has been out of the hospital since last Saturday and is recovering/rehabbing at home.  All things considered, it is an outstanding development for the young man. 
 

I will add that, at this point, with his condition now stable, this will likely be my last update until I have something baseball-related on the talented southpaw to share.  I hope and pray that day comes, and eagerly await the opportunity to share a much more lighthearted baseball update someday.

Thank you for all you have put into finding info to share across the community!