With such a unique skillset as Justin Crawford possesses, it seems that scouts are having a tough time getting a read on his projections. Deservedly, the young star is getting more and more people on his side.
In the newest release of MLB Pipeline's Top 30 Phillies prospects, the 21-year-old ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the system, holding his spot from 2024 right behind two of the premier young talents in baseball: Andrew Painter and Aidan Miller. This comes off the back of his No. 63 overall ranking in the Top 100 prospects earlier this year.
Many evaluators are undecided on whether Crawford's frame, power and durability will catch up to his elite contact and speed skills. Early on this spring, Crawford is already getting at-bats and is much more included in the everyday activities of the team than in previous years. Instead of being a top prospect learning from the veterans at camp, Crawford began carving out a role for himself before being sent down to minor-league camp on March 4.
I’ve been really encouraged by Justin Crawford’s spring so far. The swing looks smooth.
— Luke Arcaini (@ArcainiLuke) February 26, 2025
Working some really nice ABs even when he’s not hitting. pic.twitter.com/gNmpV8kziN
Phillies' Justin Crawford retains his No. 3 ranking in MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 update
Like the beforementioned skepticism from scouts, the high ground ball rate and low launch angles don't project well for today's type of MLB player. However, the son of former major leaguer and long-time Tampa Bay Ray Carl Crawford worked extremely hard in 2024 to shape his swing into a better bat path.
Someone with a similar skillset and makeup who has been able to unlock the extra-base hits through a fluid, connected swing is Arizona Diamondbacks star Corbin Carroll. After 49 games and only four home runs during his first two professional seasons, the then 21-year-old's scouting report looked almost identical to that of Crawford at this point.
Tool | Crawford grade | Carroll grade |
|---|---|---|
Hit | 55 | 60 |
Power | 40 | 45 |
Run | 75 | 70 |
Arm | 55 | 55 |
Field | 55 | 60 |
Overall | 55 | 55 |
The next season, in 2022, Caroll broke out in the minor leagues, making his way all the way up to Triple-A and slugging over 1.000 in 93 games. Crawford has a few inches on him, standing at 6-foot-2 and already has a bit more weight than Carroll did.
MLB Pipeline's newest ranking bodes well for the long-term future of the Las Vegas native. If Crawford can continue to build on his work last season and increase exit velocities while elevating the ball, he could find himself in the midst of a breakout year similar to that of Caroll in 2022. While some scouts might not want to put all of their eggs into the Justin Crawford basket just yet, his raw talent is enough for many to buy in.