CLEARWATER, Fla. — As a kid, Justin Crawford tried to play baseball like his dad — from the batting stance to the number 13 on the back of his jersey.
“When I was younger, I tried to be identical to him and do literally everything like him,” Crawford said.
Crawford has a pretty good example to follow on the baseball field in four-time All-Star and Tampa Bay Rays’ great Carl Crawford.
“As I’ve gotten older and found myself as a player, our games ended up being really similar, which I think is really cool,” Crawford said. “Since I was a little kid, I’ve always looked at his tapes, his film, and the way he played, and wanted to be like him.”
The younger Crawford now plays in Tampa Bay with the Philadelphia Phillies Single-A affiliate Clearwater Threshers. The 19-year-old was drafted 17th overall in the 2022 MLB Draft.
“When I first got drafted and we were coming here, my mom said she remembered coming here for your dad and now we’re coming here for you,” he said. “It was definitely a cool moment.”
Crawford was only four years old when the Rays played the Phillies in the 2008 World Series. He was way too young to remember much from that time, but he does recall following this dad from Tampa Bay to the Boston Red Sox and finally to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Since I was 2-3 years old when my dad put a bat in my hands,” he said. “I was fortunate to grow up in a clubhouse with him and see his daily routine. Ever since I was a little kid, I knew I always wanted to play baseball.”
He also learned that the climb to the top can be a grind.
“Growing up in a big league clubhouse, you’re in the show; you see all the glamor, all the lights,” he said. “It’s pro ball. It’s not easy; you got to work your way up to get up there. It’s a shock in reality.”
Crawford has blossomed into one of the Phillies' top prospects. Through 37 games, he has a .333 batting average and has swiped 23 bases.
He has a contact-oriented swing and utilizes his speed just like his dad.
“I think if you ask him, he’ll say he can still beat me (in a race),” he said. “That’s just not true. If you ask me the truth, I think I got him by a few steps. I for sure got him now. He’s a little older now. I think it would be a real good race getting him in his prime.”
