Outfielder Carl Crawford was known for his blazing speed and defensive prowess during his 15 years in Major League Baseball from 2002-16.
Crawford’s son, Justin, is one of the top prospects in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. Just like his father, Crawford patrols the outfield. The left-handed hitter was the 17th overall draft selection in 2022.
According to The Athletic’s Charlotte Varnes, the 22-year-old will likely be the Phillies Opening Day centerfielder. If Rob Thomson pencils Crawford into the lineup, he would become the youngest Phillies outfielder in 46 years.
Crawford is learning from one of the best
Crawford’s outfield mentor is Eric Davis, a former two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove Award winner who hit 284 home runs and stole 349 bases in an illustrious 17-year career spent with six organizations, but mostly the Cincinnati Reds.
“He [Crawford] wants to get better,” Davis told Varnes. “Like, you don’t have to tell him two or three times what he’s trying to do. Sometimes you’ve got to remind him when to do it, but you don’t have to keep reminding him. That’s one of his biggest attributes: He’s a sponge.”
Phillies fans hope Crawford can take what he’s learned from Davis and apply it to the field come March. He’s already shown great ability at the plate, hitting .334/.411/.452 with seven home runs and .863 OPS in 112 games last year at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
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