Justin Crawford (baseball) facts for kids

Justin Carl Crawford, born on January 13, 2004, is a talented American baseball player. He plays as an outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He is known for his speed and hitting skills on the field.

High School Baseball

Justin started his high school baseball journey in California. He attended Rolling Hills Preparatory School for his first year. Later, he moved to Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada.

During his junior year, Justin was an amazing hitter. He batted for a .525 average. This means he got a hit more than half the times he was at bat! In his senior year (2022), he continued to shine. He hit .503, had five home runs, and helped his team score 52 runs. He also stole 20 bases, showing off his speed. The Las Vegas Sun newspaper even named him their Male Athlete of the Year.

Justin was a top player that many teams wanted. He first planned to play college baseball at the University of Arizona. However, he later decided to play for Louisiana State University instead.

Starting His Professional Career

Justin Crawford was a highly-rated player coming out of high school. The Philadelphia Phillies picked him in the first round of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft. He was the 17th player chosen overall. On July 25, he officially signed with the Phillies. He received $3.89 million to join the team.

Justin began his professional journey in August 2022. He played 11 games with the Florida Complex League Phillies. This is a team for new players just starting out. Soon after, he moved up to the Single-A Clearwater Threshers. He played 5 more games there. In his first short season, Justin hit for a .241 average. He also stole 10 bases, showing his speed right away.

Moving Up the Ranks

In 2023, Justin started the season back with the Clearwater Threshers. His excellent play earned him a spot in the 2023 All-Star Futures Game. This game features some of the best young players in baseball. In mid-August, he was promoted again. He joined the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, a higher-level team.

Between the two teams, Justin played 87 games. He had a fantastic batting average of .332. He also hit three home runs and helped score 64 runs. He stole an impressive 47 bases that season! For his great performance with Clearwater, he won two awards: the Florida State League Most Valuable Player Award and the Top MLB Prospect Award.

Justin started the 2024 season with the BlueClaws again. In July, he was promoted to the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils. This was another step up in his career. He was also chosen to play in the All-Star Futures Game for a second time. In that game, he got a hit and made an amazing diving catch. For both the BlueClaws and Fightin Phils, he hit .313. He also hit 9 home runs and stole 42 bases.

Playing for His Country

Justin also plays baseball for the United States national baseball team. In 2024, he played in the 2024 WBSC Premier12 tournament. This is a big international competition. Justin started all 9 games in center field for the U.S. team. He batted .250 and hit one home run. The U.S. team won the bronze medal in the tournament. Justin said that playing for his country was a dream come true for him.

Family and Baseball

Baseball runs in Justin's family! His father, Carl Crawford, was also a professional baseball player. Carl played for 14 seasons in Major League Baseball. Justin's second cousin, J. P. Crawford, is also a professional baseball player. J.P. was also a first-round pick by the Phillies, just like Justin. He currently plays for the Seattle Mariners.