LOS ANGELES — The first two picks Sunday night in the Major League Baseball draft were the touted sons of former All-Star outfielders.Justin Crawford, an 18-year-old center fielder and son of former Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox star Carl Crawford, was the Phillies’ choice in the first round. He was ranked 18th in Baseball America’s predraft rankings.
The slot value for the 17th overall is $3.79 million. The Phillies, who forfeited their second-round pick because they signed Nick Castellanos as a free agent, have $6.3 million to spend on signing bonuses, the 27th-largest pool among the 30 teams. Crawford is the first position player selected by the Phillies in the first round since infielder Bryson Stott out of UNLV in 2019. He’s the first outfielder taken by the Phillies in the first round since Adam Haseley in 2017. They spent their first-round pick on an outfielder in three consecutive drafts: 2015 , 2016 , and Haseley.
But according to Baseball America, Crawford rose on draft boards with a solid senior season. He demonstrated above-average contact skills and the ability to drive the ball in the gaps.