The Philadelphia Phillies may already be one of the fastest teams in the league. They stole a grand total of 141 bases during the 2023 MLB season, ranking them third in the National League and seventh in MLB. Well, the rich are about to get richer. One of the Phillies' top prospects has recently been voted to have the best speed tool in a poll of executives from all 30 MLB teams.
That promising speedster? None other than their top outfield prospect Justin Crawford.
Crawford garnered 19 percent of the votes, beating out Baltimore Orioles prospect Enrique Bradfield Jr. (16 percent) and St. Louis Cardinals prospect Victor Scott II (14 percent). That's high praise for what MLB executives believe of Crawford’s abilities. Especially considering Scott tied for the minor league lead in stolen bases with a whopping total of 94, which was double Crawford's total.
These guys can fly!
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) January 10, 2024
MLB execs weigh in on which prospects have the best tools: https://t.co/Wk2NWtawc4 pic.twitter.com/dewcgPTkPG
Drafted in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft and currently ranked third in the Phillies' top prospects list according to MLB Pipeline, scouting reports have already bestowed Crawford with the potential of becoming a solid five-tool player in the near future. As the son of former MLB star Carl Crawford, who was also a known speedy player himself, the genes appear to have carried over to the next generation to continue their family tree dominance on the basepaths.
Last season with the Phillies Low-A Clearwater Threshers and High-A affiliate Jersey Shore BlueClaws, Crawford swiped a combined total of 47 bases while being caught only eight times. More importantly, he was able to produce solidly at the plate as well, batting .332 with an .859 OPS, along with 71 runs scored, 22 doubles, eight triples, three home runs, and 64 RBI. His fielding remains a work in progress, though, as he committed seven errors in 153 chances for a .954 fielding percentage.
Crawford also received votes from the MLB executives as one of the most underrated prospects, tied for third with four percent of the votes behind Seattle Mariners prospect Colt Emerson (11 percent) and Tampa Bay Rays prospect Xavier Isaac (seven percent). This makes it all the better for when he eventually explodes onto the scene for the Phillies, as opposing teams may underestimate his abilities and surprising potential.
He may be a couple more seasons away from making his highly-anticipated major league debut, but Crawford is definitely one exciting prospect that Phillies fanatics won’t want to miss.