Phillies raise the stakes, give Justin Crawford the call to Triple-A Lehigh Valley

The Phillies aren’t playing it safe with Justin Crawford. And that’s a good thing.

Despite turning just 21 in January and logging fewer than 200 plate appearances above High-A, the Phillies are sending their No. 3 prospect to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to start the 2025 season.

Pretty big statement on not just about where Justin Crawford is right now, but where the Phillies believe he’s headed. You don’t skip a level unless the organization believes you’ve got the mental makeup and physical tools to handle it. And from the sounds of it, Crawford’s got both.

Justin Crawford shows off his elite speed in Spring Training

Justin Crawford on his horse 🏇

The @Phillies' No. 3 prospect gets from home to third in 12.4 seconds in Spring Breakout. pic.twitter.com/Gyuxurc3b8

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 14, 2025

“He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do,” Phillies player development director Luke Murton said. “The biggest thing with Justin is that he’s a very talented kid, and he’s a very tough kid. He’s a competitive kid.”

Translation: He’s not just fast — he’s wired right, too.

Justin Crawford’s Résumé So Far

The numbers are loud. Since being taken 17th overall in the 2022 draft, Crawford has slashed .316/.371/.442 over three seasons in the minors, swiped 99 bags, and played elite-level defense in center field. That’s an outfield cornerstone profile, full stop.

He even held his own in big-league camp this spring, going 4-for-11 with two steals and just one strikeout in eight Grapefruit League games. Small sample, yes — but no stage fright.

There’s one knock, and it’s a familiar one: he hits the ball on the ground a lot. Like, a lot a lot. His ground-ball rate hovered near 70% last season, while the big-league average sat around 42.7%. But when you’re as fast as Crawford, those worm-burners still turn into hits.

Justin Crawford has 70-grade speed.

He gets into third standing up on this triple off Hunter Barco ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/EcRaNmQetw

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) March 14, 2025

The Phillies aren’t worried — they see the trend line moving in the right direction, with that rate slowly ticking down. And they believe that as his swing matures, he’ll unlock more line drives, more gaps, and maybe even a little pop.

Why Send Justin Crawford to Triple-A Now?

Murton made it clear — this isn’t about proximity to the big leagues. It’s about challenging Crawford in the right environment. The pitching’s sharper. The scouting is tighter. And the margin for error is thinner. That’s the whole point.

“It’s not, ‘This gets him closer to the big leagues,’” Murton said. “It’s more like, ‘Hey, it’s better pitchers, it’s a little bit more talent.’”

In other words, Triple-A isn’t the on-ramp. It’s the test lab and if he handles it the way the Phillies think he can, well… the center field picture in Philadelphia could get crowded real fast.

The Bigger Picture: Marsh, Rojas, and the Clock Ticking

Right now, center field is held down by Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas. But both still have question marks. Marsh needs to stay healthy and consistent. Rojas, while dazzling with the glove, still has to prove he can hit enough to be an everyday guy.

If Crawford hits the ground running in Triple-A — and keeps running, literally — he’s going to be in that conversation before long. Maybe by July. Maybe sooner if injuries or struggles open the door.

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The Phillies have said it before: It’s not about where you start, it’s about where you finish. Ask Rojas, who jumped straight from Double-A to Citizens Bank Park in 2023.

The Phillies didn’t take the easy route with Justin Crawford. They took the ambitious one. And that says everything about how they view his future.

Justin Crawford not just a prospect anymore. He’s one level away from becoming a big-league problem for opposing pitchers. Keep your eyes on Lehigh Valley. The next call could be the one that sticks.

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