The Most Likely Phillies Player to Be Traded Isn't Who You'd Expect

Who might be a surprise choice of Philadelphia Phillies players that might get traded?

Jun 12, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Philadelphia Phillies hat on the field during batting practice before a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Philadelphia Phillies have not had an ideal start to the second half of the season, dropping their first two series against the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now, with the trade deadline quickly approaching, upgrades will have to be made. 

While the Phillies have been playing very well, this is a group that has some lofty goals for the playoffs. Philadelphia wants to be a World Series contender, and while they are one of the best teams in the National League, there are levels to being a contender, and the Phillies need to be better. 

There has been plenty of discussion about some of the needs for Philadelphia. Currently, help in both the starting rotation and the bullpen appears to be the top needs to address, but that will be costly. 

The Phillies don’t have one of the stronger farm systems in baseball, and that could impact who they try to acquire. However, they do have one player in the majors who it wasn’t that long ago that he was considered to be one of the top young players in the system. 

Justin Crawford Could Be Surprise Player Dealt

Jul 9, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Justin Crawford (2) bats against the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While a lot of the talk surrounding players who could be dealt has centered around Gage Wood for the Phillies, it wasn’t too long ago that Crawford was one of the top prospects in the system. 

The young outfielder has been a starter for Philadelphia for most of the season, and while the results have been mixed, he is still a young developing player. So far this season, he has slashed .257/.304/.344 with three home runs and 17 RBI. 

While the numbers in the majors might not be overly impressive just yet, he was a really good hitter in Triple-A last year, slashing .334/.411/.452 with 46 stolen bases. 

He has showcased some of that speed in the majors with 13 stolen bases, but getting on base consistently has been a bit of an issue for him. However, in June, he looked a lot more comfortable at the plate, slashing .307/.333/.360. 

Crawford is never going to be a big power hitter in the big leagues, but he is more than capable of being a solid contact guy that can hit the ball in the gap for extra bases. 

Overall, even though the outfield is going to be seen as one of the needs for the team, they could find a rental replacement for an affordable price and use Crawford to help secure some bigger fish on the market.