When will J.P. Crawford be called up to the Philadelphia Phillies?

 The Philadelphia Phillies have a plethora of quality prospects in their farm system. Some of which, came out of the trade that sent Cole Hamels to the Texas Rangers. At the very top, however, is their shortstop of the future, J.P. Crawford. Crawford is expected to be a star when he hits the majors and as long as he is in the minors, will lead this group of talented players as the prospect with the most upside.Crawford was drafted out of high school in 2013 with the 16^th overall pick. Coming out of the draft, he was known for his excellent glove in the field and was projected to be capable of remaining at the shortstop position throughout his career.

The 21-year-old has been very consistent in his progression through the minor leagues. While his glove is something that is nothing short of stellar, it may be his plate discipline that really sets him apart from many players in the minors. Walks aren’t exactly a sexy stat, but getting on base is the name of the game. Crawford has one of the best eyes in the minor leagues. He knows how to work the count and rarely has at-bats where he looks out of place.

Right now, Crawford doesn’t seem to have a whole lot of power. In fact, with three seasons in the minors he has only hit a total of 21 home runs. While this may be considered a weak point, many scouts believe that his power will improve, as he gets older and more developed. Crawford was recently called up to the Iron Pigs, the Triple-A team of the Phillies minor league system. Although he started off slow, it seems he is starting to get adjusted to the new level.

Right now, the Phillies are in no position to be rushing prospects to the big leagues. This is a team that isn’t going to be in a playoff race this season and should let J.P. Crawford, along with the rest of their prospects; take as much time as they need in order to get ready for the majors. With all that said, expect to see some of Crawford up with the Phillies sometime this September and the full-time starter by the beginning of the 2017 season.