Stock Watch: Phillies Hope Time Off Will Help Fix J.P. Crawford

J.P. Crawford has not produced at Triple-A. That’s true this year as well as last. Through 159 games at Lehigh Valley, he had hit just .231/.329/.322 with nine home runs.

VERDICT

Crawford has the tools to be a big leaguer—now he just needs to hit.

Stock Is Headed:

Despite those numbers, he still has his believers in the scouting community. His stock has certainly dropped—at some point a player has to perform—but it’s hard to find scouts who have washed their hands of him completely. Scouts who have watched Crawford this year see a player stuck in a bit of mental quicksand who’s having trouble adjusting to what is certainly a bevy of instructors in his ear at all times.

But even in the midst of Crawford’s struggles, the scouts still see the tools to point to future big league success, projecting all his tools, except speed, as at least average.

The Phillies gave Crawford a 10-day mental break in early June, and during that time he worked to quiet his pre-swing mechanics and get himself in a better position to hit. He has enough raw power to project double-digit home runs if everything clicks, and he is a solid defender at shortstop in all facets.

The International League hasn’t been kind to Crawford, but he’s still just 22 years old. He’s got the time and the tools to rebuild his faded prospect status.