The Philadelphia Phillies have the best record in the majors (65-41) which includes Monday’s ugly 14-4 loss to the New York Yankees.
Monday’s beating, only magnified the club’s biggest weaknesses which is help in the outfield and bullpen.
With the MLB trade deadline Tuesday at 6PM, team brass must decide if they’re going to attempt to add an arm to the pen or an extra glove in the outfield.
Phillies Willing To Part Ways With Justin Crawford ?
In order to pull any deal the Phillies might have to be willing to part ways with one of their top three prospects.
The name that’s being mentioned most is the club’s No.3 prospect Justin Crawford. Losing Crawford isn’t ideal, but blessed with a strong farm system the Phillies could afford to lose Crawford if the move helps them reach and possibly win their first World Series since 2008.
The team lost the 2022 Fall Classic to the Houston Astros and are positioned to make another run at baseball in October. But in order to do so it may mean parting ways with a talented piece of their future.
The Phillies have three prospects that all teams would love to have, but the team reportedly isn’t willing to part ways with their top two. In fact, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com says he believes Crawford would be the one dealt.
“Top prospects Andrew Painter and Aiden Miller are close to untouchable, and while Crawford, the Phillies No.3 prospect, is also highly regarded within the system, it’s possible he could moved in the right deal.
“The Phils are in the market for an outfielder and bullpen help, so if the right controllable piece comes along, the 20-year-old Crawford could be part of the package.”
Crawford Was Recently Promoted To Double-A
The talented Crawford dazzled during his time with the club’s Single-A affiliate, Jersey Shore BlueClaws.
The speedster batted .301 with 88 hits, six home runs, 35 RBI and 27 stolen bases in 29 attempts. For his play Crawford the son for former major leaguer Carl Crawford was selected to participate in the MLB Future’s Gams during All-Star Weekend.
Fresh off his solid showing in the Future’s Game performance where he went (1-3) and made two amazing catches in the outfield, Crawford didn’t disappoint his Double-A debut with Reading. In that game he went 3-4 with a single, two doubles, a walk and of course a stolen base his signature. He also displayed the speed and range in centerfield with two more highlight-worthy catches.
Now he’ll wait and see if he’s moved prior to Tuesday’s deadline. If so, it’ll likely take a deal that blows away the Phillies in their quest to make a long, deep playoff run.
Being the son of former MLB player Carl Crawford, Philadelphia Phillies No.4 ranked prospect Justin Crawford has the pedigree necessary to succeed in the game of baseball.
Crawford’s unique skill set made him the 17th overall pick of the 2022 MLB Draft, one which saw seven MLBbros selected in the first round including a record three in the first five picks. Crawford’s claim to fame besides being the son of a former major leaguer is his unreal speed and consistent bat.
After a strong 2023 season with Low-A Clearwater (69 Games) and High-A Jersey Shore (18 Games) which saw Crawford bat .316 with three homers, 64 RBI, 116 total hits, 47 stolen bases in 55 attempts and an on-base percentage of .383, Crawford has entered 2024 without missing a beat. That was never more evident than in his recent four-hit performance, which was the third of his minor league, but first with Jersey Shore.
Crawford’s outstanding day also helped boost his average this season to .304 with two homers, 11 RBI and 11 stolen bases thus far this season.
He can hit, he can fly 💨
No. 68 MLB and No. 4 Phillies prospect Justin Crawford had a perfect 4-for-4 performance in yesterday's Jersey Shore win, including 2 home-to-first sprints at 3.84 and 3.91 seconds 🤯 pic.twitter.com/AMtfcfMjVK
— Phillies Player Development (@PhilsPlayerDev) May 8, 2024
Crawford Possesses Elite Speed
In a preseason MLB poll which asked executives which prospect they believed possessed the most speed, Crawford was the choice with over 19 percent of the vote. That’s easy to see when you consider he’s stolen 68 bases in 80 attempts in just over two seasons. Speed is in Crawford’s blood, his dad Carl swiped 480 based in his career, and even led the American League in the category on four different occasions.
MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis raved about Crawford’s speed as a minor leaguer saying this….
“Justin recorded 60-yard dash times in under 6.2 seconds on the high school showcase circuit and used his quickness to steal 47 bases in 54 attempts and to turn enough grounders into singles to rank seventh in the Minors during his first full pro season.”
Justin Crawford was 4-4 tonight for the BlueClaws as they’ve won SIX straight 🔥 pic.twitter.com/dQpfcrZwxr
Firmly entrenched with the Phillies High-A affiliate (Jersey Shore) the belief is Crawford will spend this season there with a possible late season call-up to Double-A if team brass sees fit. Crawford’s current expected time of arrival to the majors is 2026, so there’s definitely no need to rush for the dynamic speedster.
Something to keep an eye is Crawford’s name being mentioned in a possible trade for former Miami Marlins All-Star Jazz Chisholm Jr. While it’s speculation and rumor at the moment it’s definitely something to keep an eye on.
The talent pool of up-and-coming MLBbros is as good as it’s been in quite some time, so choosing these five elite diamond miners wasn’t as easy.
James Wood, Washington Nationals, OF
The 6-foot-6 and 240-pound power hitting prospect ranks No.7 on MLB prospect rankings list. Wood enjoyed a very productive 2023 season with time split between Single-A Wilmington and Double-A Harrisburg.
Wood showed he’s much more than a power hitter, as he batted a solid .270 with a .536 slugging percentage and .899 OPS. His 26 homers were expected, but his 28 doubles and eight triples, 91 RBI and 65 walks are indicative of his potential as a pure hitter. A guy with refined hit tools who can also power surge, like St. Louis Cardinals phenomJordan Walker.
For his efforts the Nationals No.2 prospect was named the club’s Minor League Hitter of the Year.
Needs Improvement: Woods will need to cut down on the strikeouts (173). That’ll need to change prior to his expected call up sometime in 2024.
Termarr Johnson, Pittsburgh Pirates, 2B
Johnson was pretty electric during the 2023 season. Starring for Single-A Bradenton and High-A Greensboro, Johnson put together a quality season at the plate batting .244 with 18 homers and 59 RBI.
He also tallied 85 total hits and scored 83 runs. One of Johnson’s best traits is his plate discipline. He was able to draw 101 walks, which boosted his on-base percentage to .421. The Pirates have a budding difference-maker at second base.
Johnson’s expected arrival with the Pirates isn’t until 2025, but the anticipation and eagerness around the organization is growing daily. Big things are expected of the former No.4 overall pick. Johnson was named the Pirates Minor League Player of the Year.
During an in-season interview a reporter made reference to Johnson bulking up and getting stronger, the 19-year-old phenom responded with this.
“I’m glad you can see it. I don’t know how much it is, but it’s definitely a good bit.”
Needs Improvement:Much like Wood, Johnson must clean up the 120 strikeouts he posted.
Justin Crawford, Philadelphia Phillies, OF
Being the son of former MLB player Carl Crawford means the bloodline is there. And in 2023 Justin didn’t disappoint one bit. The budding Phillies outfield prospect showed why he was taken with the 17th pick of the 2022 MLB Draft.
The club’s No.3 ranked prospect and MLB’s 77th-ranked prospect batted a remarkable .344 in stops between Single-A Clearwater and High-A Jersey Shore. Crawford also drove in 64 runs and accumulated 47 stolen bases and 32 walks.
Not expected to be called until 2026, Crawford has all the tools to be get an earlier call up to the big leagues. When he was drafted Crawford told reporters this in his introductory interview: “I think I have a high IQ for the game. I take a lot of pride in that and I thank my dad a lot for that.”
Needs Improvement: His low homer numbers (3) are not a cause for concern because he swings a good bat and as he matures and gets stronger that number should increase.
Victor Scott II, St. Louis Cardinals, CF
Scott, the Cardinals No.4 ranked prospect behind the likes of Masyn Winn, Tink Hence and Chase Davis, could be the game’s next great defensive centerfielder.
Victor Scott II spent the 2023 season between High-A Peoria and Double-A Springfield, where he swung a great bat and played elite defense.
A .290 batting average to go along with 166 hits, including 20 doubles and ten triples, 94 stolen bases and 95 runs scored, are numbers that have the Cardinals organization excited.
Needs Improvement: His power numbers and plate consistency will increase as he moves up the pipeline.
Cam Collier, Reds, 3B
The son of former MLB player Lou Collier looks the part, and the belief is he’ll only get better with time. “Bam Bam” recently turned 19-years-old and had a solid season at Single-A Daytona where he batted a respectable .246 with 68 RBI.
While the home run numbers (6) were low, Collier’s swing and power projects well to the next level as he matures and continues to grow into his imposing frame.
The Philadelphia Phillies are fresh off a surprise run to the World Series, and while they came up short losing to the Houston Astros in six games, the future is very bright in the “City of Brotherly Love.”
With Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto and Aaron Nola leading the franchise, the belief is they’ll be fighting for NL pennants for years to come.
Especially when the Phillies talented pipeline of prospects are ready to join the big boys. One of those prospects is 2022 first-round pick and No.17 overall pick Justin Crawford, who’s currently ranked as the team’s No.3 prospect behind hurlers, Andrew Painter and Mick Abel.
https://youtu.be/8CkPSftMiG8
Justin Crawford Has Undeniable Pedigree
Crawford is the son of former MLB star Carl Crawford and a distant cousin to Seattle Mariners shortstop JP Crawford, so the lineage is there, and the former Bishop Gorman star seems to be ready to attack his development full speed ahead following a whirlwind, but solid shortened first season.
Crawford Talks Being Drafted And Then Playing Almost Immediately
Meeting with reporters prior to his 2023 minor league debut with the Clearwater Threshers, the Phillies Single-A affiliate, the 19-year-old outfielder reflected on last summer, and how it came at him fast.
“The whole process was kind of hectic because once you get to draft day, you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Crawford said. “It was a whole bunch of excitement and nerves at the same time. But once everything was said and done, I couldn’t be happier going to Philadelphia.”
Crawford is currently batting .317 with 10 homers and 10 stolen bases and has shown a real knack for identifying pitches and making quality contact to all parts of the field.
His talent is undeniable, and it has Threshers manager Marty Malloy salivating over his star pupil.
“The talent, the ability, the speed, the excitement, it’s a lot of fun to watch. I wouldn’t want to be the opposing manager. … Seeing the growth with only one spring training, it’s been fun.”
Crawford Settling In And Adjusting To Daily Nuances
When you dad is a former 15-year major leaguer, that in itself is an advantage most players just aren’t afforded, Justin knows that and doesn’t take it for granted.
He said he’s leaned heavily on his dad, and the most important thing he’s tried to make him understand is it’s a marathon not a sprint, and to take it one day at a time.
Easier said than done for a 19-year-old with the skillset of Crawford, but he’s also a very cerebral young player.
Crawford says he tries to find a “happy medium,” to balance the good and bad days.
“I feel like if I’m able to that, the season will go a lot smoother,” Crawford said. “You’ll play better, and it won’t be too much of an emotional roller coaster.”
Crawford joins a Phillies organization who’s best player Bryce Harper is from the Vegas area. As well as shortstop Bryson Stott who played at UNLV, which is near the Bishop Gorman campus.
The 2021 MLB Draft produced five promising first-round Bros. It was a huge improvement over past drafts and indicated an upswing in the Black talent pipeline that baseball has been trying to resuscitate.
The 2022 Draft was a different beast. And a watershed moment for the MLBbro community. The draft featured a significant amount of Black players taken in the first round. This was not only exciting for Major League Baseball, but it further advanced the new era in which an emphasis has been placed on Black players once again impacting America’s pastime.
Former Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees legend CC Sabathia is a former MLBbro, one of the last two Black Aces (Black pitchers to win 20 games), along with David Price. The Melanated Mound Marauder is totally enjoying the recent uprising in exposure of Black and brown players, especially with his son Carsten Sabathia about to embark on his college career at Georgia Tech.
CC Sabathia and NBA icon Lebron James have partnered together to produce a two-part docu series that will cover the pre-draft process of some future MLBbros that were drafted in 2022 and one whose future is yet to be determined.
The series will be titled ‘New Wave: Baseball’s Next Generation.’
However, the docu series will follow four of those Black players; Termarr Johnson and Justin Crawford, who are currently in the minor leagues. Also, Jayson Jones and RJ Austin, both of whom elected to go to college. It should be noted that Justin Crawford has MLB pedigree being the son of former All-Star Carl Crawford, and the cousin of MLBbro J.P. Crawford. Not only will it highlight these four stellar young players but it will shed light on a monumental draft.
MLB Diversity Programs Advancing The Game
Major League baseball, to its credit, has been making strides to address the decline of the Black MLB player in the past two decades. Sabathia, along with his wife Amber, wanted to share the stories of these four Black athletes, along with their successes and failures and challenges encountered as they strive towards this ultimate goal in their career paths.
These four players, and their documented stories will help provide an in-depth look at the journey of a Baby Bros trying to break through in a league where less than 7 percent of the rosters have MLBbros.
Seeing these talented ballers go through the steps towards MLB excellence could undoubtedly inspire more representation for young Black kids around the nation. This series will shed light on two players that are on the fast track to stardom, while also showing the different paths that players take on the road to MLB.
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