The Philadelphia Phillies have a dilemma and to be honest it’s a good one. The club’s No.3 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No.68 overall prospect, Justin Crawford is ready for his big league call up, but the Phillies currently have nowhere for him to get consistent play.

Justin Crawford Caught In A Logjam In Phillies Outfield 

Currently leading the NL East the Phillies (76-57) are also tied for the third-best record in the NL with the Cubs, trailing only the Brewers and Dodgers, the Phillies have the look of a World Series contender. Led by former 2X NL MVP Bryce Harper who’s seemingly coming into his own as of late, and slugger Kyle Schwarber who’s (45) homers are tied for first in the NL with Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani, along with ihis MLB-leading 110 RBI.

 

With everyday players Brandon Marsh and Max Kepler holding it down in the outfield, it’s been difficult to just bring Crawford up to the majors with no guaranteed everyday playing time. In fact, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski recently spoke on Crawford ….

“Really, it comes down more on how the player’s playing- and then the opportunity that they have,” Dombrowski said. “You want to know that they’re going to play. You’re not going to bring up a young kid and just have them sitting on the bench. They’ve got to come up and play.”

Both Marsh and Kepler are currently on one-year deals with the club, so in essence Crawford will likely be an everyday starter heading into the 2026 MLB season.

Crawford Believes He’s Ready

Speaking with reporters recently, the 2022 first-round pick expounded on why he feels he’s ready for his call up to the majors.

“Most definitely,” Crawford said about feeling ready to contribute with the Phillies if called to make his MLB debut. “Like I said, it’s not in my hands … they make that decision. I feel ready. Obviously they know best, and whenever they decide to make that decision is when they make it. But I feel good, and I feel like I just have to continue to show up every day and continue to do what I do and just stay in the moment most importantly.”

Crawford Has Been Raking In Triple-A

During his time in Triple-A, the speedster has hit over .330 while carrying a strong OPS. Crawford’s elite defensive skills are also another reason he feels he’s ready for the majors.

As the Phillies prepare for the run to the postseason, they could look to bring Crawford up in September if they see fit