Ex-Gorman star settling in with Phillies organization
Justin Crawford said the time leading up to the 2022 MLB draft went by so fast it was like a blur.
After finishing his high school baseball career at Bishop Gorman, Crawford began preparing for the draft. A highly touted center fielder, his name was appearing high on draft boards.
Less than a month after his last high school game, Crawford was taken by the Philadelphia Phillies with the 17th pick in the first round.
“The whole process was kind of hectic because once you get to draft day, you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Crawford said. “It was a whole bunch of excitement and nerves at the same time. But once everything was said and done, I couldn’t be happier to be going to Philadelphia.”
Crawford, 19, is beginning his first full season of professional baseball with the Clearwater (Florida) Threshers, the Phillies’ Single-A affiliate. Entering Saturday, he is hitting .289 with five RBIs and six stolen bases in 10 games.
“The talent, the ability, the speed, the excitement, it’s a lot of fun to watch,” Threshers manager Marty Malloy said. “I wouldn’t want to be the opposing manager. … Seeing the growth with only one spring training, it’s been fun.”
After being drafted, Crawford went to Philadelphia to sign his contract and then to training camp in Florida with the rest of the club’s draftees.
“I was a little nervous, just not knowing what to expect,” Crawford said. “But once I got down here and started playing, it kind of went back to being a little kid. And remember that this is the game I’ve been playing my whole life. It really became a lot of fun.”
In August, Crawford played in 11 games for the Phillies’ Rookie League team and hit .297. He was then brought up to Clearwater and appeared in five games.
He said there was an adjustment period coming up to Single-A, especially with better pitching.
After the season, Crawford returned to Las Vegas to work on his hitting. He hit sliders and off-speed pitches off the batting machine to prepare for this season.
Crawford has relied on advice from his father, 15-year MLB veteran Carl, as he’s making his own journey to the big leagues. His father has reminded him of the importance of taking everything one day at a time with the long grind of the baseball season.
Crawford said that approach is helping him find a “happy medium” to combat the good and bad days of the season.
“I feel like if I’m able to do that, the season will go a lot smoother,” Crawford said. “You’ll play better, and it won’t be too much of an emotional roller coaster.”
Crawford isn’t the only player in the Phillies organization with Las Vegas ties, joining Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper (Las Vegas High and College of Southern Nevada) and shortstop Bryson Stott (Desert Oasis and UNLV).
Crawford said he spent time hitting with Stott in the offseason and spent time with Harper during spring training.
“It’s something that’s really cool,” Crawford said. “That Vegas connection is definitely real.”
Malloy praised Crawford’s speed and power and is seeing his arm strength improve. He said the biggest challenge for Crawford is adjusting to playing every day. Malloy has seen Crawford embrace that challenge “with open arms.”
“That grind is there now,” Malloy said. “He’s understanding how to get through it because he plays a premium position. … The future is bright. We know his ability.”
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on Twitter.
