Feb 25, 2025; Port Charlotte, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Justin Crawford (80) breaks his bat as he reaches on a fielders choice against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fourth inning at Charlotte Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Phillies are in No Hurry to Promote Two Top Prospects

Originally posted on Philadelphia Phillies on SI
By Ryan Boman | Last updated Aug 14, 2025 1:40 PM ET

The Philadelphia Phillies' farm system boasts some of the most promising prospects in all of Major League Baseball. And any Philly fan knows that two of the jewels of the organization's pipeline are outfielder Justin Crawford and pitcher Andrew Painter.

As the season has progressed and the Phillies look poised to win another National League East division title, many fans have wondered if they were going to get a glimpse of either prospect -- or possibly even both.

President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski has been extra protective of prized prospect Painter. He knows of the 22-year-old hurler's potential, which is why he wouldn't trade him at this year's deadline. It's also why he'll likely opt to hold the righthander out of Major League action in 2025.

"Well, because I think he's really good ... is really what it comes down to," Dombrowski said in late July. ""I think he is a premier starting pitcher ... is what he projects to be. Again, he's coming off of basically missing two years. [Having] Tommy John surgery... a lot of times after you throw like he has, it even takes another year to get back to where you were."

Looking Toward 2026

Likewise, Justin Crawford has put up impressive enough numbers that he could warrant a September call-up just like Painter. But the Phillies don't want to rush him or put any undue pressure on a young player that they see as a potential superstar.

Crawford, the son of former MLB All-Star Carl Crawford, has a lot of his father's traits. He hits for contact and has good speed. Playing for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in the Triple-A International League, he's hitting .331 with 37 steals through 96 games played.

At the same time, Justin Crawford is still only 21, and the team is taking that under consideration. He still has time to develop, so exposing him to Major League pitching right away could stunt his development.

On the flip side of that reasoning, Crawford could step in for a struggling Brandon Marsh on the Phillies roster. But the team also knows that a September call-up would mean it wouldn't count against Crawford's service time, allowing the Phillies to have him under team control for an extra year.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia Phillies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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