It's been quite a whirlwind week for Philadelphia Phillies No. 3 prospect Justin Crawford. Since being selected in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Phillies out of high school, the talented 20-year-old outfielder has quickly established himself as not only one of the most exciting prospects in the Phillies system, but in all of Major League Baseball.
When MLB Pipeline released its Top 100 Prospect rankings update in July, Crawford made a nice little jump to No. 55. Selected along with teammate and fellow top prospect Aidan Miller to represent the Phillies in Saturday's MLB Futures Game, Crawford turned heads with a strong performance for the NL squad, going 1-for-3 at the plate, in addition to making some highlight reel catches in left field.
Just like dad!@Phillies prospect Justin Crawford makes a diving catch in left field in the #FuturesGame. pic.twitter.com/pyGvXXMzr6
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) July 13, 2024
Crawford's second Future's Game appearance is now in the books, and when he returns to the organization this week for game action, he'll have to rent a moving truck because he won't be returning to the Jersey Shore BlueClaws.
Phillies top prospect Justin Crawford rewarded for strong season with promotion to Double-A
The Phillies clearly thought the talented youngster had nothing left to prove at High-A when it was announced earlier this week that Crawford had earned a well-deserved promotion to Double-A Reading. There's little doubt about his readiness for a new challenge when you look at the strong numbers Crawford put up as a member of the BlueClaws.
In 70 games, Crawford hit .301, with 88 hits, six home runs and 35 RBI. His speed is elite, evidenced by his 27 stolen bases, 14 doubles and four triples on the season. Moving Crawford up to Double-A will be a good challenge for the youngster, as he'll get the chance to face off against more advanced pitching. It likely won't be long before he enters into the Phillies' future outfield conversation.
Crawford certainly has all the raw tools to be an impactful MLB player. Featuring a skillset that mirrors that of his father, former four-time MLB All-Star Carl Crawford, and with his promotion to Reading now official, Crawford is only a couple of steps away from becoming an MLB player himself.
How long will Phillies fans have to wait until they see Crawford patrolling the outfield at Citizens Bank Park? If his rapid ascent through the minor league system offers any proof, the wait probably won't be a long one.