Expectations Sky-High for Phillies Top Prospect Entering Potential Rookie Season

There may be too much hype building up around the top prospect in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.

Philadelphia Phillies player wears a Phillies hat with the No. 24 on the side before a game. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

For any first-round pick, there are expectations. But certain first-round picks create more buzz than others. Enter Justin Crawford.

Ever since the Phillies made him their first-round pick in the 2022 MLB draft, the Bishop Gorman High School product out of Las Vegas, Nev., has put the Phillies and their fans in watch mode. Yes, some of that has to do with his lineage. He’s the son of former All-Star outfielder Carl Crawford, who was a productive player for more than a decade. In many ways, he’s built in his father’s image.

President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski juiced up the hype train earlier this month when he told reporters that “We're going to give him an opportunity and have him play a lot.” That basically told everyone that Crawford is almost a lock for the opening day roster.

Based on the offseason, MLB.com named Crawford its prospect to watch for the Phillies in 2026, even though the organization’s top prospect, pitcher Andrew Painter, is also a near-certainty to make the roster.

Justin Crawford as Breakout Prospect

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There will be pressure on Crawford based on the need at his position. He plays center field and the Phillies have struggled for offense there the past couple of years. Johan Rojas returns, but he’s a light-hitting, defensive center fielder. Harrison Bader, who played some center field last year, is in free agency and is unlikely to return. Philly probably won’t have back Max Kepler, either and they’re trying to trade Nick Castellanos to make room for Adolis Garcia in right field.

Crawford will get plenty of chances, whether it’s in center field or left field, the latter position his father played. The younger star has the flexibility to play both. He has the offensive make-up to give the Phillies something they don’t have in their lineup consistently — a quality bat with eye-popping speed on the basepaths and in the field.

The bat is ready. Crawford hit at Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2025. In his age 21 season and his third full minor league season he won the International League batting crown, a sign that his bat has matured to the point where it can help in the Majors now.

His bat has been productive at every level. His lifetime slash in the minor is .322/.385/.446. He’s not a home run hitter, though 10-15 a year in the Majors is possible. But he’s a terror on the basepaths and has a great glove. He is an elite base stealer who has taken at least 40 bases in each of his three minor league seasons. He has a .979 fielding percentage over three seasons with just 11 errors.

The stars are lining up for Crawford to make a big impact in 2026.