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Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Who's The Next Phillies Prospect To Get The Call? Maybe Justin Crawford
Justin Crawford could be the Phillies' next call-up from the minots. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB ... More Photos via Getty Images) It looks like the Phillies are ready to dig into their farm system after calling up pitching prospects, Mick Abel and Seth Johnson, on Sunday. Abel, who aced his audition on May 18 with six-shutout innings against the Pirates in a spot start, will get slotted into the rotation while Johnson could get high-leverage innings for a depleted bullpen that's gasping after losing Jose Alvarado to an 80-game PED suspension. So who will be the next Phillies prospect to get the call? How about Justin Crawford? The 21-year-old kid is peaking right now. In his last 21 games, Crawford is hitting .363 with 11 stolen bases. And overall against advanced pitching at Triple-A this season, he boasts a .338 average with 20 swiped bags while playing supreme defense in the outfield. Check out this sliding beaut: Crawford's skeptics, however, will point to an elevated ground-ball rate (63.8%) and his next-to-nil power (only one home run) as reasons to leave him in the minors. But Crawford, a former first-round pick in 2022, is hardly the second-coming of slap-hitting Juan Pierre. His line-drive rate at 22.7% is the highest of his minor-league career, and his max-exit velocity (110.7 mph) tops that of Phillies centerfielder Brandon Marsh (108.2 mph) for the season. In 2025, another facet to Crawford's game is evolving: his patience at the plate. He's walking 10.7% of the time, up from 6.1% against Double-A pitching last year, boosting his on-base percentage to an elite level at .407. Yes, it's a simple equation: Crawford's superior on-base skills + his blazing speed = immense value for the Phillies. Especially considering that Phils' outfielders are providing so little offense. There is a blockade to Crawford's promotion: The team has not one but two centerfielders in the Marsh-Johan Rojas platoon. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski must know neither Marsh nor Rojas is the answer in center and that Crawford could eliminate the need for a CF platoon if his unbelievable splits carry over to the big leagues. The left-handed-hitting Crawford is batting .306 against right-handers and .455 against lefties this season. And the kid uses all fields; check out this opposite-field flare: For the immediate future, it seems that only an injury to an outfielder would initiate Crawford's call-up. Or they could possibly demote reserve OF Weston Wilson to clear space for Crawford, but that probably won't happen because Wilson is one of the few right-handed hitters on the bench. But the Phillies are skidding, losing four in a row. And Dombrowski may figure out a way to get Crawford on the big club. When Phils called up Abel and Johnson, it's obvious the team wants to infuse the pitching ranks with some youth. And if they're looking to do the same with the lineup, it's easy to see the next move: Call up Crawford to provide a spark.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Phillies Prospect Justin Crawford Could Make Debut This Summer Amid Brandon Marsh's Struggles
It looks like the Philadelphia Phillies could be calling up Andrew Painter sometime in the near future. Whether that's in the next week or two, a month, or at the end of the campaign, the Phillies will eventually bring him up. However, there are other prospects the Phillies will eventually have to make a decision on. With the outfield playing as poorly as it has, Justin Crawford could be a legitimate option to make his debut this season. Advertisement Only 21 years old after being drafted by the Phillies in the first round of the 2022 MLB draft, Crawford has played well every step of the way in the minors. At Triple-A Lehigh Valley, he's currently hitting .318 with an 806 .OPS, stealing 14 bags and hitting 10 doubles. He has elite speed, is excellent defensively, and would bring the Phillies a different look to their lineup, something they could use. Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh (16) against the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Hartline-Imagn Images When examining some of the Phillies' prospects, including Painter and Crawford, Geoff Mosher of Philly Voice predicted that he could be up in the majors during the summer, adding that he hit his first home run on Thursday night. Advertisement 'Another Phillies top prospect who could be in the majors this summer, outfielder Justin Crawford, slugged his first homer on Thursday night also,' he wrote. Similar to Painter, the Phillies bringing up Crawford without guaranteeing him Major League at-bats daily wouldn't make much sense. It's like if the Phillies brought up Painter and couldn't guarantee he'd be in their rotation. Ultimately, the young players still need reps, and the Phillies have to offer them that. If not, staying in Triple-A might be a better plan for their long-term future. Related: Phillies Predicted to Add Blue Jays Ace After Aaron Nola News
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Phillies Top Prospect Justin Crawford Could Make Debut 'Soon'
The talk of the Philadelphia Phillies' farm system is typically about Andrew Painter and Aidan Miller, and rightfully so. However, a few other players in the Phillies' prospect system could make their debut sometime soon. Advertisement One of those players is Justin Crawford, a left-handed hitting outfielder who has proven throughout his time in professional baseball that he has the tools to be an above-average big league player. Only 21 years old after being selected in the first round of the 2022 MLB draft, Crawford, a product of Bishop Gorman, has continued to swing the bat at a high level this season, hitting .318 in Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Justin Crawford (80) runs home to score against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fourth inning at Charlotte Sports Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images His power numbers haven't been great during his time in the minor leagues, but Crawford does everything else at a high level and has the tools to change the game with his speed and defense. Advertisement Factor that in with his above-average batting average, above-average OPS, and Crawford should be somebody the Phillies lean on over the next decade. According to CBS News Philadelphia's Jeff Kerr, there isn't a rush to get him to the big leagues, but he added that the time will come soon for Crawford. 'There is no rush to get Crawford to the big leagues, even though he's accelerating that clock with every passing hit. Crawford could be the Phillies' center fielder at some point this season, but that talk has died down with the improved play of Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas, who currently occupy the position for the big league club... 'That time will come for Crawford soon,' he wrote. Advertisement If the Phillies deal with an injury to Brandon Marsh or Johan Rojas, he seems like the next one in line to potentially get a chance. Whether it be a long-term chance remains to be seen, but it'd be surprising to see the Phillies bring him up for a spot start without guaranteeing that he can have long-term at-bats. Related: Phillies Trade Idea Replaces Beloved Outfielder With 30 Home Run All-Star Slugger
New York Times
10-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Phillies minors notes: Justin Crawford's drive, Otto Kemp's dream, Moisés Chace's velo drop
ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Around the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, they talk about Justin Crawford's sometimes ugly, sometimes unconventional, sometimes annoying swings as a source of pride. Crawford, 21, is the youngest player on the team. He is one of the youngest in the entire International League. He probably should not be here. He probably should not be hitting .318/.386/.411 in his first 145 plate appearances at Triple A. Advertisement This is what they love about Crawford: He competes. And, while that might sound like a derogatory term to compliment someone without enough talent, teammates and coaches insist otherwise. Crawford has fouled off more pitches (146) than any player in Triple A. He has innate bat-to-ball skills. This is part of his game; he'll often have a 10-pitch at-bat that drives the opposing pitcher mad. It might result in a groundout. Maybe he'll shoot the ball down the left-field line. He's walking at a career-best rate. It's not always pretty. So far, it's working for Crawford, even against Triple-A pitching. 'I'm honestly still kind of making adjustments,' Crawford said. 'I mean, it's not really easy. But just trusting my routine, my approach and just doing everything that I've done to get here has just helped me stay even-keeled.' The Phillies nudged Crawford to Triple A because they thought he could handle it, but also because they believed some adversity could help his development. Rival evaluators are split on Crawford because of a swing tailored to produce groundballs; his ground-ball rate remains one of the highest in the minors. But it's hard to convince a player to make adjustments when he's having success. So the Phillies have let it ride. 'He's one of the most competitive kids we have,' Phillies farm director Luke Murton said. 'And one of the most talented kids we have. He is unorthodox. And there's been unorthodox guys in the big leagues. And all he does is keep having success. Is somebody ready for a level, or are they not ready? Nobody really knows until they get there and they do it. I think the biggest thing with him, I felt like as a group, we really trusted the person. We trusted that if it doesn't go how he wants it to go, that he can handle it mentally. And if it does go great, then it's icing on the cake. 'He's done tremendous. He continues to make adjustments. He gets better and better every day, every year. So we're excited about where he's at right now.' GO DEEPER For Phillies' Justin Crawford, day in left provides full-circle moment as he makes own way Few farmhands generated as much buzz in the season's first six weeks as 25-year-old infielder Otto Kemp, an undrafted free agent from tiny Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) University, who is hitting .331/.423/.662 at Triple A. Kemp ranks near the top of the International League in every offensive category. Advertisement 'He's gritty,' IronPigs manager Anthony Contreras said. 'He asks the right questions. He's trying to get better every single day. He's coming to me asking for early work. He's doing all the little things that a professional is supposed to do.' Evaluators project Kemp as an offensive-first bench player. His current path to the Phillies is only as a replacement if someone in the majors suffers an injury. Kemp is limited defensively; his bat is what will carry him. Kemp has feasted on fastballs at Triple A. He is hitting .340 with an .800 slugging percentage against them. The average fastball velocity he's seen is 92.2 mph, according to Statcast data. The average major-league fastball is 94 mph. That he's this close to the majors is remarkable. The last undrafted hitter signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent to reach the majors with them was infielder Jeff Grotewold, who had 75 plate appearances in 1992. (This does not count foreign players, who are not eligible to be drafted and are signed as amateur free agents.) Other undrafted amateurs have played in the majors with the Phillies — Chris Coste, originally signed by Pittsburgh, is one. Daniel Nava, Rod Barajas and Ramón Martínez — all signed by other organizations — are the only other draft-eligible but undrafted Phillies hitters in the last 30 years. The most successful undrafted hitters across MLB in the last 20 years are Nava, TJ Friedl, Mike Brosseau, Mike Ford and Chris Colabello. So it's not unprecedented. But it is rare for all 30 clubs to miss on a draft-eligible player. 'Going undrafted, it was kind of a stab to the heart, honestly,' Kemp said. 'I didn't really know exactly what pro ball looked like after that. I didn't really have anybody I knew that went into pro ball. So I didn't know what that road was going to look like, which is kind of the beauty of it. Life can take you a lot of different ways that you don't necessarily think or dream of. So it's been a cool process to see. Look back four years ago when my name didn't get called and seeing where I'm at, that's the beauty of dreaming.' Kemp is expected to play only third base and left field. He's started 13 games on the right side of the infield this season and only three in left field. By the time Moisés Chace struck out 13 batters and permitted one hit in a stellar six-inning outing last Aug. 31 at Double-A Reading, the Phillies had a decent idea they'd add the righty to their 40-man roster. He came to them last summer in the Gregory Soto trade with the Baltimore Orioles. He threw hard. His fastball graded well on stuff metrics. He was a rising prospect who cracked some industry Top 100 lists. Advertisement He has not resembled that pitcher in 2025. Chace, 21, is back at Reading. He has a 3.00 ERA in 15 innings with 17 strikeouts and 11 walks. But his fastball velocity has had a sharp decline. Chace pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings on Wednesday at Binghamton, but his fastball sat 90.7 mph, according to another club's data. He topped out at 92.7 mph. Last season, Chace's fastball averaged 94.4 mph. He touched 97 mph at times. His fastball has averaged at 90.8 mph this season. The Phillies were concerned when Chace reported to his first big-league spring training not in the best pitching shape. It's unclear how much he threw in the offseason, or if he threw at all from a mound while at home in Venezuela. The organization does not believe he is hurt, so it has continued to pitch him. 'In all honesty, we're searching for answers,' Murton said. 'I don't have answers.' Murton was in Binghamton this week and saw Chace pitch. The Phillies were willing to be patient and had hoped the velocity would return by now. It hasn't. Chace represents one of the farm system's bigger disappointments thus far; had he come to camp looking like the pitcher from last summer, he might have reached the majors by now as a reliever. 'When you don't have the answer and he's not hurt, you keep throwing him,' Murton said. 'The silver lining is, when the velocity comes back, he's learning how to pitch with lesser velocity. Which will help him in the long run. That part I'm excited about. But I wish I had a better answer.' • The Phillies were excited to receive righty Eiberson Castellano back from the Minnesota Twins, who had selected him in the Rule 5 draft but did not keep him on their big-league roster. Castellano returned to Double-A Reading and made a strong impression in April, striking out 16 batters and walking two in 15 innings. The Phillies were prepared to make Castellano a full-time reliever. But he went on the injured list last week with a strained right shoulder. The injury is not considered serious, but it'll cost him a few weeks. Advertisement • It's been a struggle for spring standout Gabriel Rincones Jr., who is batting .230/.282/.377 at Triple A. He's produced against righties, but is 3-for-31 with no extra-base hits and seven strikeouts against lefty pitchers. Rincones might have the best raw power in the system; he took a prodigious batting practice Thursday afternoon. He projects as the strong side of a platoon in the majors. • No one needed a strong April like Mick Abel did. He slogged through 108 2/3 innings of a 6.46 ERA in 2024 and tumbled down the prospect rankings. But, in 2025, the 2020 first-round pick has 42 strikeouts and 17 walks in 39 1/3 innings with a 2.75 ERA. It hasn't been perfect, but it's been better. Rival evaluators have seen a more composed pitcher who is competing. 'I see a different presence on the mound,' Contreras said of Abel, who turns 24 in August. 'I see the little boy in him kind of leaving. I see him turning into the man that he's naturally going to turn into. You can just hear it in his voice when you're having conversations with him. That's what's exciting. 'I think he knows what he can do. He's starting to get deep in ball games, hold his velocity, throw his breaking balls for strikes. There are so many positives to what his season looks like so far. Now it's just stay healthy, stay on track, do what you've been doing.' • The pitcher to watch at High-A Jersey Shore is Alex McFarlane, who has not allowed an earned run in his past three starts (12 1/3 innings) with 15 strikeouts and four walks. McFarlane, who turns 24 in June, missed all of 2024 as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. His fastball is sitting 95 mph in 2025. He's incorporated a splitter into his arsenal. Rival evaluators see him as a future reliever. • Numerous teams asked the Phillies about Aroon Escobar in trade talks last summer despite Escobar being sidelined for much of the season by shin splints. He's played only 49 games stateside. But Escobar hits the ball hard and is considered one of the organization's best prospects. He shows an advanced approach at the plate. Advertisement Escobar is a stocky 20-year-old second baseman. He's batted .309/.427/.526 at Low-A Clearwater this season. 'He's been tremendous,' Murton said. 'He's done just everything. Defensively, he's gotten better. Offensively, he continues to improve. We're excited about what he's doing.' (Top photo of Justin Crawford: Jonathan Tenca / Cal Sport Media / Associated Press)
CBS News
09-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Phillies prospect Justin Crawford knocking on the door of the majors after hot start with Lehigh Valley
Justin Crawford has only been in the Lehigh Valley for five weeks. Hard to tell given how well the Phillies' No. 2 hitting prospect has acclimated himself to Triple-A, a move he initially didn't see coming. Crawford only played 40 games in Double-A Reading, yet the Phillies thought they had seen enough to bump the 21-year-old outfielder up a level. Crawford has played just 30 games for the IronPigs, yet hits beyond his years. "I think I'm obviously still kinda making adjustments. It's not really easy," Crawford said. "But I've kinda been just trusting my routine, my approach. Doing everything that I've done to get here has helped me just stay even keel. I'm taking it one at-bat at a time." Through those first 30 games, Crawford has hit .323 with 41 hits on the young season — an average of 1.4 hits per game. He's stolen 10 bases and driven in 13 runs while scoring 19, striking out 29 times and walking 14 times (9.9% walk rate). His OPS is at .805, the same number as last season when Crawford breezed through High-A Jersey Shore and Double-A Reading. Crawford has been the top of the lineup presence the IronPigs have needed. "He's a young kid playing at the highest level," IronPigs manager Anthony Contreras said. "He has a knack for just finding the barrel. To some, it might look unorthodox the way he kinda goes about it, but he has this knack of spoiling pitches and extending these ABs that allow him to see more pitches. "When good hitters can do that, he puts himself in a good position." Crawford is 11th in the International League in average, tied for 11th in stolen bases and fourth in hits. There are still parts of Crawford's game he's learning, yet he's playing like a seasoned vet in Triple-A rather than a 21-year-old rookie. "Obviously, it's definitely better," Crawford said of Triple-A pitching. "I think just facing older guys that have been in the big leagues, have big league time. They're finer. They have more of a game plan, trying to pitch to me and get me out. "The pitchers are just more fine. They paint the corners a little bit more. You don't get as many middle heaters as you would normally get at the lower levels. They put the ball where they wanna put it." There is no rush to get Crawford to the big leagues, even though he's accelerating that clock with every passing hit. Crawford could be the Phillies center fielder at some point this season, but that talk has died down with the improved play of Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas — who currently occupy the position for the big league club. Crawford is knocking on that door to the major leagues. He's not putting any pressure on himself to get there either. "I really truly don't think about it," Crawford said. "I'm kinda self-focused on just trying to get a hit in my next at bat, to be honest, and playing defense. I don't let my mind go there. Whenever it does, things just don't go the way I want. "I kinda always figured to stay as present as possible and just worry about the next pitch. That's kind of helped me stay in the moment." That time will come for Crawford soon.
