Former Major League Star’s Son Among Philadelphia Phillies Rising Stars

The Philadelphia Phillies have a quartet of prospects in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100, which was released on Friday.

Jul 8, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; National League Futures designated hitter Justin Crawford (13) of the Philadelphia Phillies hits an RBI sacrifice fly against the American League during the second inning of the All Star-Futures game at T-Mobile Park. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

When the Philadelphia Phillies made outfielder Justin Crawford their first-round pick in 2022, they were picking a player with a Major League pedigree.

Crawford is the son of another former first-round pick, Carl Crawford, who enjoyed a long, productive career in the Majors.

Since he was selected, he’s been considered among the Phillies’ top prospects. When MLB Pipeline released its new Top 100 prospects for the 2025 preseason, Crawford was one of four Philadelphia prospects to make the list.

Two of the selections were also among Baseball America’s Top 100, released earlier this week — pitcher Andrew Painter and shortstop Aidan Miller.

Painter was ranked No. 8 while Miller was ranked No. 27. Crawford was ranked No. 64 while catcher Eduardo Tait was ranked No. 93.

A former Phillies prospect, Starlyn Caba, who was traded to Miami as part of the Jesus Luzardo trade, was ranked No. 81.

The left-handed hitting Crawford has batted .300 or better each of his last two seasons in the minor leagues, including a .313/.360/.444/.804 slash line with High-A Jersey Shore and Double-A Reading. He hit a combined nine home runs and 61 RBI, along with 42 stolen bases.

He also played in the MLB Futures Game, along with Miller. MLB Pipeline projects the 21-year-old Crawford as a 2026 call-up.

Philadelphia signed Tait for $90,000 out of Panama in early 2023 as part of its international signing class. He reached full-season minor league baseball before his 18th birthday.

He’s batted .300 or better in each of his two minor-league seasons, including a .302/.356/.486/.842 slash line with the Florida Complex League Phillies and Class-A Clearwater. He also hit 11 home runs and 73 RBI. MLB Pipeline projects him as a 2028 call-up, putting him in line to be an eventual replacement for J.T. Realmuto.

Miller, the Phillies hope, should be ready to join them sometime this season after not pitching in the minors in 2023 and 2024 due to Tommy John surgery and recovery.

The 2021 first-round pick has a career record of 6-2 with a 1.48 ERA in 26 minor league starts, most of which came in 2022 when he pitched his way all the way to Double-A Reading. He has 167 career strikeouts against 25 walks.

Miller was the Phillies’ first-round pick in 2023, and he reached Double-A Reading last year. Late last year he temporarily bypassed Painter as the organization’s No. 1 prospect.

Across three different affiliates last season, Miller slashed .261/.366/.446/.812 with 11 home runs and 60 RBI in 102 games.