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Phillies manager Rob Thomson has told prospect Justin Crawford that he has made Philadelphia’s Opening Day roster
The Philadelphia Phillies are entering the 2026 season with high motivation. While they finished this past season with a strong 96-66 record, things did not go as they hoped during the playoffs. This is because the Phillies lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS in five games.
Now, after a disappointing playoff run, the Phillies will be hoping for better results in 2026. The Phillies made multiple moves during the offseason in preparation for the 2026 campaign. Their most notable move was re-signing star slugger Kyle Schwarber to a five-year contract. They also brought in multiple new players like Brad Keller, Adolis Garcia, Jonathan Bowlan, Kyle Backhus, and Zach Pop.
Yet, the Phillies also no longer have several players from last season’s roster. A handful of them are Ranger Suarez, Harrison Bader, Matt Strahm, Jordan Romano, David Robertson, Walker Buehler, and Nick Castellanos. With this, the Phillies undoubtedly have a different-looking roster in 2026.
Now, with the start of the 2026 season almost here, the Phillies have made a big decision involving their Opening Day roster.
Phillies Top Outfielder Prospect Justin Crawford Makes Philadelphia’s Opening Day Roster
According to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, Phillies outfielder prospect Justin Crawford has made Philadelphia’s Opening Day roster.
“CF Justin Crawford has been told he’s made the Phillies Opening Day roster, per source. Crawford is the 69th-ranked prospect in the sport on my latest top 100,” McDaniel posted on X.
Crawford making the Phillies’ Opening Day roster is undoubtedly notable, as he is one of the team’s most exciting prospects. MLB.com has Crawford ranked as the Phillies’ third-best prospect and best outfielder prospect, so there is no question that he is a player who they are hoping will be a major part of their future. Now, with this news, he is getting his first chance on the Phillies’ major league roster.
Crawford spent this past season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley and undoubtedly had a strong campaign. In 112 games with the IronPigs this past season, he had seven home runs, 23 doubles, 46 stolen bases, 47 RBIs, and a .334 batting average. This is after he had a .313 batting average in 110 games split between Single-A+ and Double-A during the 2024 season. With this, there is no question that he has shown a ton of promise in the minors over the years, and it has now landed him this golden chance with the Phillies.
Phillies’ Crawford Has Earned This Opportunity With the Major League Club
When noting that Crawford has been continuing to improve at the minor league level, it is entirely understandable that the Phillies are giving him an opportunity on their major league roster. Crawford has also impressed during spring training, and this was especially the case when he hit a 106.1 MPH triple against Detroit Tigers superstar pitcher Tarik Skubal.
With this, Phillies fans should be very excited to see what Crawford can do at the major league level. The potential for him to be a high-impact player is there, and it will now be fascinating to see how he performs with Philadelphia from here.
Michael DeRosa Michael covers the NHL for Heavy.com. He has professionally covered the NHL since 2017 and has written for other publications like The Hockey News, BetMGM, Athlon Sports, and The Hockey Writers. More about Michael DeRosa
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