TBOH Phillies Top 10 Prospects

TBOH 2015 Phillies #1 Prospect – J.P. Crawford (Tony Farlow/Four Seam Images)

1 – J.P. CRAWFORD, SS

J.P. Crawford was the Phillies 1st Round pick as the 16th overall selection in the 2013 MLB Draft out of Lakewood HS in California. A product of MLB’s RBI program, Crawford is a natural shortstop who signed a USC commitment before getting drafted and turning pro. He will stay at that premium position, and projects to be the Phillies shortstop of the future, possibly as soon as 2016. He hit .308 with a .405 on-base percentage and 14 steals at two levels in his first pro action after signing in 2013. This past year, Crawford continued to advance, hitting .285 with a .375 on-base percentage with 11 homers and 24 steals across two more levels. Turning just 20 years old in January of 2015, it’s likely that Crawford advances to AA Reading either right away or as the season moves along. It’s about finishing school time now for J.P. Crawford. He has an advanced eye at the plate, good speed, fields his position exceptionally. He is tall, leading some to speculate that he could move into the outfield. While that’s possible, the Phils clearly are committed to trying him at shortstop for as long as possible. He and Franco could be a dynamic left-side infield combo for the Phillies throughout the 2nd half of this decade and into the 2020’s.