3 intriguing Phillies prospects earn promotions
As the Phillies continue to battle for a playoff spot and a return to the World Series, thoughts are never too far away about the future of the ballclub. As much as they are focused on winning now, they also have to do what it takes to continue competing in the years ahead.
As per Michael Lipinski of Sports Talk Philly, the Phillies recently promoted three of their prospects. These includes Justin Crawford, Bryan Rincon and Marcus Lee Sang.
While all three prospects are intriguing in their own right, the most important at this time is clearly Crawford. He is currently ranked third among the Phillies' top prospects by MLB.com.
Drafted 17th overall just last year, the 19-year-old has quickly shown what he's capable of. This season he has been tremendous in Low-A Clearwater, and recently played in the MLB Futures Game in Seattle.
Crawford recorded three homers, 60 RBI and 25 walks in 69 games prior to his promotion. This resulted in him producing an outstanding .344/.399/.478 slash line and .877 OPS for the Threshers.
The Phoenix, Arizona native's main asset is his speed, which helps him on both offense and defense. He produced a phenomenal 40 steals, while also showing a good pair of hands in center field with a .950 fielding percentage.
As things stand, Crawford is projected to make the Majors some time in 2026. However, with the combination of his five-tool talent, promising progression and work ethic, don't be surprised if he arrives in Philadelphia sooner.
Joining Crawford in High-A Jersey Shore is Rincon, who is the 30th-ranked prospect in the Philllies farm system. As with his more high-profile teammate, he was drafted out of High School last year.
However, despite -- or maybe because of -- not being selected until the 14th round, Rincon is being described as a sleeper with genuine promise. He has been drawing rave reviews for his patience and discipline at the plate.
In some respects this might not always show up in the stats. For example, the New York native had a .228/.369/.370 slash line and .739 OPS in 81 games this year with the Threshers.
At the same time though, when Rincon has made contact, he's produced eight home runs and 45 RBI. In reference to his patience and discipline, he also manufactured 59 walks.
Where the 19-year-old really excels is defensively, with him viewed as one of the best shortstops in the Minors. As per Lipinski, prior to his promotion he had a .968 fielding percentage and just 11 errors in 798 Minor League innings these past two seasons.
Rounding out the promotions is Sang, who has joined Double-A Reading. He was selected in the 11th round of the 2019 draft by the Phillies.
The 22-year-old has made steady progress through the Phillies farm system. One of the most impressive aspects of this progress, is his improved offensive production the higher he goes.
Along these lines, Sang's output this year in High-A Jersey Shore has him more than deserving of his promotion. In 99 games with the BlueClaws, he produced 8 homers, 53 RBI and 58 walks, on his way to a .268/.372/.424 slash line and .796 OPS.
Defensively, the Laurel, Maryland native offers some versatility, by being able to play all three outfield positions. He is helped by having good arm strength, a durable build and fluid movement.
