Phillies Finally, Officially Find Long-Term Answer in Centerfield with Justin Crawford Promotion
Mar 14, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Justin Crawford (80) reacts after scoring a run against the New York Yankees in the third inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Phillies officially have their new starting center fielder.
Over the past decade-plus, one thing has plagued the Philadelphia Phillies’ lineup. For whatever reason, it seems as though they can never find an answer in centerfield.
From Adam Haseley, Nick Williams, former No. 1 pick Mickey Moniak, Odubel Herrera, Roman Quinn, Scott Kingery, Christian Pache, and Johan Rojas, the Phillies have had quite the long list of players man center over the years.
Finding suitable center fielders has been quite the challenge, as even players like Brandon Marsh, who has been a prominent starter for the team over the past half-decade, have been pushed out of center field due to inconsistent hitting and non-top-level defensive play.
For an MLB-level centerfielder, a player has to be one of two things. A dominant defensive player, or has an incredible bat that makes up for not as great defensive play. The top-level players can do both, and the Phillies seem to finally have a player like that in Justin Crawford.
According to ESPN Baseball Insider Kiley McDaniel, Crawford has been notified that he will make the Phillies opening day roster for this upcoming season. Crawford is the No. 3 prospect in the Phillies system and the No. 53-ranked prospect in all of baseball, according to MLB.com. He will wear No. 2.
Crawford, a former first round, 17th overall, back in the 2022 MLB Draft, out of Bishop Gorman High School in Nevada, is the son of former MLB All-Star, Gold-Glover, and Silver Slugger Carl Crawford. Carl played 14 years in the majors, playing for the Tampa Bay Rays, the Boston Red Sox, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was also a member of the Rays team in 2008, who were defeated in the World Series by the Phillies.
Justin Crawford, like many of today’s MLB stars, has a major league pedigree in his blood. From Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Bo Bichette, and Bobby Witt Jr., Crawford joins a major list of second-generation MLB players. While not every player who comes from MLB nepotism has worked out in the majors, it seems that many use that leg up on the competition to their advantage.
From a young age, Crawford had the opportunity to watch how his dad played, watch how he worked out, watch how he went about being a major league center fielder, and learn from one of the best over the last 20 years. Having that to his advantage is a huge plus, and now at 22 years old is going to get his opportunity in the show.
As a player, Crawford is exactly the kind you want on your team. A near spitting image of his father, he brings elite speed and outfield defense, while also bringing a high contact rate at the plate. In today’s MLB, with the skills Crawford possesses, it’d be no shock at all if he one day reaches the 40’s or 50’s for stolen bases in a season, and the near 200 hit marks in a season, just like his father.
While his speed, defense, and contact hitting are a plus, the thing that Crawford has struggled with is his power, opposite-field hitting, and ground ball issues. The power will likely never be top of the league, as even his dad never hit 20 home runs in a season, and the ground ball and opposite-field hitting have improved.
However, his skill set is exactly the type of player that the Phillies need on their roster, and joining this current group may be the thing that helps Philadelphia get over the World Series hump.
The Phillies have the power. From Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and Adolis Garcia, the Phillies will hit their fair share of home runs this season. Trea Turner, Alec Bohm, and J.T. Realmuto all will be around 15-20 homers each, maybe more, but the thing this lineup lacks is true contact and average hitters.
Turner is the best mix of both, but even he has his down periods. Crawford, on the other hand, his entire role: getting on base, hitting singles, and stealing a bunch of bases. He’ll likely be the nine hitter in the lineup, and his presence at the bottom of the order will only help the top of the lineup. It’ll create more opportunities for runners on base, bring in more runs, and that could mean the difference in multiple wins.
On top of having a contact bat, Crawford in center field will allow Brandon Marsh to play his natural position in left field. Marsh isn’t the worst defender in the world and will only look better with Crawford playing to his left.
Last year, many thought Crawford was ready for the majors, but the Phillies never pulled the trigger and instead traded for Harrison Bader. Bader played great, and many wanted him back in centerfield for 2026. However, the Phillies let him leave in free agency, and while some were upset, to me, this just showed the confidence the team has in Crawford and his ability to man the outfield for their team moving forward.
It may have taken a little longer than they wanted it to take, but the Phillies finally have their answer in centerfield.
Matt Brown
Matt has been a Philadelphia sports fan all his life and spent four years at Penn State University majoring in Broadcast Journalism and minoring in Sports Studies. He previously covered Penn State’s field hockey, men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball teams while writing for a Penn State blog called Onward State. He has now covered the Phillies, Eagles, and Sixers for Philly Sports Reports since October 2024 and wants to pursue a career in Sports Journalism.
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