Phillies Top 30 Prospects No. 3: Justin Crawford Makes His Debut

This is the twenty-eighth in a series of stories breaking down the Philadelphia Phillies’ Top 30 prospects heading into 2026.

Despite struggling in Spring Training, 2022 first round pick Justin Crawford made the Phillies’ Opening Day roster in 2026, going 2-for-4 with a run scored in his big league debut. A rangy center fielder who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 188 pounds, Crawford benefits from top-of-the-line speed, stealing at least 40 bases in each of the last three minor league seasons.

Both his arm and fielding check in at an average 50-grade on the 20-80 scale prospect evaluators use, but he could easily develop into a Gold Glove-caliber defender on the strength of his speed alone. His father, Carl, spent nine seasons in the big leagues, stealing 480 bases and winning a Gold Glove in 2010; his cousin, J.P. Crawford, played his first two seasons with the Phillies and won a Gold Glove in 2020, so Justin Crawford has plenty of experience to lean on through those ties.

Still just 22 years old, Crawford continues to refine his approach at the plate. That’s not to say he didn’t begin as an excellent hitter: he slashed .332/.392/.467 during his first full season in the pros, earning a promotion to High-A Jersey Shore near the end of the campaign, and hit north of .300 in each of the past three seasons. Crawford also began to exhibit more power without turning into a swing-and-miss hitter.

He hit seven home runs across 112 games with Triple-A Lehigh Valley last season and drew 58 walks. While he doesn’t clear the fences much, he’s logged more than 20 doubles in his first three full professional seasons and can punish teams with his legs once aboard, making him an electric watch at the ballpark.