The Philadelphia Phillies are off to a blazing hot start currently (7-3) and leading the NL East. The now perennial World Series contenders have plenty of talent led by superstar Bryce Harper. But, as their current roster gets older, the franchise has positioned themselves with some nice talent that’s expected to lead them into the future.

Juston Crawford Is Close To Breaking Through To Majors 

One of those future building blocks is outfielder Justin Crawford, who after only 180 plate appearances since his stint at High-A Jersey Shore, has been promoted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Crawford, 21, is on the fast track to the majors. His ascension comes as a result of his success at every level of the club’s farm system and his strong showing this spring at big-league camp. The son of former MLB player Carl Crawford is showing the chops that made his pops a household name during his 15-year playing career.   https://youtu.be/wHHVs7xGFug

 

Phillies Brass Raves About Crawford

Crawford’s rise isn’t all that surprising, although the speed at which he’s made the leap is. According to Phillies player development director Luke Murton, the speedster is more than ready.

“I think there’s going to be a learning curve for him in Triple-A, but I think he’ll go up there and play well. But there’s an opportunity to learn and get better, and at the end of the day, we think to help the Philadelphia Phillies in the future, the next best step for him is Triple-A.” RELATED: The Phils Are In The Market For An Outfielder And Bullpen Help” | Phillies No.3 Prospect Justin Crawford Identified As Club’s Top Trade Piece  

Crawford’s Performance Will Dictate Call Up To Majors

With Crawford the future in centerfield, Murton will be looking to see if he’s ready to make that jump which would mean that current Phillies players Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas could be on the way out or relegated to a bench role.

“We tell guys all the time, it doesn’t matter where you start, it matters where you finish. Justin playing in the big leagues or not playing in the big leagues, starting in Triple-A or Double-A honestly doesn’t really make a big difference. Think about it, a couple years ago, Rojas came from Double-A to the big leagues. It’s not, ‘This gets [Crawford] closer to the big leagues.’ It’s more like, ‘Hey, it’s better pitchers, it’s a little bit more talent.’ It’s closer to the big leagues from a performance and talent standpoint, so we want to challenge him and put him in the best environment to be challenged and thrive.”   https://youtu.be/8CkPSftMiG8

 

Crawford Swinging A Hot Bat To Begin Season

While it’s an early sample size, Crawford’s jump to Triple-A hasn’t affected him at all. The Phillies No.3 ranked prospect is swinging a great bat through nine games with a .325/.357/.425 (.782 OPS) slash line. He’s also recorded two triples, six RBI and four stolen bases.

The 17th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft slashed a respectable .316/.372/.442 over 953 plate appearances the last three seasons. He also stole 99 bases while displaying elite All-Star level defensive play in centerfield.