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Phillies: MLB.com names Phillies worst first round pick of the last decade

By George Stockburger

SECAUCUS, NJ - JUNE 5: Commissioner Allan H. Bud Selig at the podium during the MLB First-Year Player Draft at the MLB Network Studio on June 5, 2014 in Secacucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
SECAUCUS, NJ - JUNE 5: Commissioner Allan H. Bud Selig at the podium during the MLB First-Year Player Draft at the MLB Network Studio on June 5, 2014 in Secacucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 05: J.P. Crawford #2 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a single against the New York Mets during the fifth inning of a game at Citi Field on September 5, 2017 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. The hit was Carwfords first MLB hit. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

Larry Greene, Mitch Grueller, and Shane Watson are all the definition of busts, but each of them were also supplemental picks, thus coming late in the first round. Philadelphia received the 39th overall pick for losing Jayson Werth to Washington and took Greene one pick ahead of Jackie Bradley Jr, six picks ahead of Michael Fulmer, and 14 picks ahead of Blake Snell.

Greene, a high school bat, never played above Single-A and finished a career .224 hitter.

Grueller and Watson were late compensatory picks in the 2012 MLB Draft after Philadelphia lost Raul Ibanez and Ryan Madson in free agency. Watson was taken one pick ahead of Lance McCullers Jr. and a couple of slots ahead of Matt Olson. Grueller was taken before top catching prospect Carson Kelly and pitcher Alex Wood.

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Another candidate could have been J.P. Crawford, once considered among the top prospects in baseball. After two injury-plagued seasons with the Phillies Crawford was shipped to Seattle for Jean Segura.

Crawford certainly falls under the more disappointing prospects in Phillies history, let alone the last decade. His bat never caught up to the greatness of his glove, and the injuries certainly didn’t help. Philadelphia would have loved for Crawford to have taken the reigns last year after trading Freddy Galvis, but it was never meant to be.

Next. Jose Quintana a trade option for Philadelphia. dark

In the article that precluded the biggest first round busts, Aaron Nola was named the Phillies best first round pick of the last decade. Hopefully prospects Adam Haseley, Mickey Moniak, and Alec Bohm can someday rival Nola for that title.

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