Phillies’ Justin Crawford Sees Improvement After Addressing Flaws
Outfielder Justin Crawford made a big leap this season. The 20-year-old batted a combined .313/.360/.444 with nine home runs and 42 stolen bases in 110 games between High-A Jersey Shore and Double-A Reading.
But perhaps more impressive was the way he addressed his flaws.
Crawford’s biggest obstacle has been hitting the ball in the air. In 2023, his groundball rate bordered on 70% and was highest in the minor leagues. In 2024, he dropped that figure to 61%.
The Phillies see it as progress, and a signal that the 2022 first-rounder has an aptitude for making adjustments as he moves through the system.
“We’re always searching for better quality of contact, right? Everybody is,” Phillies GM Preston Mattingly said. “Justin’s no different. He’s consistently looking to hit the ball harder, on a line more. And I think he’s done that this year.
“It’s not like it’s a quick fix overnight, where we make this change, and he starts hitting fly balls. We’re taking the long-term approach. More balls on the line, which is going to lead to catching more balls out in front, which could mean more balls in the gap, which, obviously, with his speed, turns into doubles and triples.”
Crawford’s bat path is quite flat, but the Phillies have been hesitant to change it thus far, because he’s seeing results and is a career .316 hitter in pro ball. They like that he’s making a lot of contact, and is hitting the ball harder, but a time may come when the lefthanded hitter needs to make a change.
For now, the main focus is pitch selection. Phillies minor league hitting coordinator Jake Elmore has encouraged Crawford to hone in on his damage zones. Being more selective has helped him.
“Justin sees a lot of success when he gets the ball up in the zone,” Elmore said. “So that’s been some of the messaging to him. I’d rather you chase a pitch up than a ball down. Because something really good can happen up.”
