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CLEARWATER, Fla. — Bryson Stott met Justin Crawford shortly after Crawford was drafted by the Phillies with the 17th pick in the 2022 draft. It didn’t take long for Stott to start mocking the outfield prospect. He used to call him “my bat,” because Crawford was a lanky 6-foot-1, 175-pounder.
It doesn’t look like Stott’s bat anymore. Crawford set out to add muscle this offseason and arrived at camp this week weighing 191. Stott, the Phillies’ starting second baseman, has seen firsthand much of the work Crawford has put in. He and the Phillies outfield prospect are both from Las Vegas and spend their offseasons there. They began training together regularly this winter.
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Crawford had trained with Stott once before (at UNLV in 2022) and felt he benefited greatly, even after just one day.
He wondered how much he would have gotten in a few weeks.
“After [initial workout] – You know, [he’s my] future teammate – I wanted to get closer to him, make some trades with him,” Crawford said. “Because I can definitely learn a thing or two.
“I think we are similar players. Contact type players first. And I think I can definitely improve on how he sees pitches. So, sitting there and seeing the way he carries himself, the routine of him, the way he actually runs his business, is something I tried to take in.”
From mid-January to early February, Stott and Crawford were together for an hour or two each day. They would work in a local batting cage, in Henderson, Nevada, with Stott’s hitting coach, Jeremy Lidke. Both Lidke and Stott had seen Crawford play long before he was drafted. One of Stott’s friends is a coach at Bishop Gorman High School, where Crawford played.
Stott received an early scouting report (“he’s very fast and will go in the first round”), but knew there were some areas for improvement.
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“He could do his D swing and hit a ball, because he was so fast and his arms weren’t that good,” Stott said. “Which is fine, I mean, it was in the first round. So, he didn’t do that all the time.
“But now he’s a lot stronger and his swing looks a lot better. He is definitely more direct to the ball and hits it directly more often. Looks great. “I’m excited for him.”
Crawford, who turned 20 last month, is coming off his first full minor league season. He began his year at Low-A Clearwater, where he hit .344/.399/.478 in 69 games, and finished it at High-A Jersey Shore, where he hit .288/.366/.425 in 18 games. He combined for three home runs all year, with a 69.7% ground ball rate, the highest in the system.
The Phillies believe the power will come with time and Crawford believes the added weight will help. In the three weeks they worked together, Stott noticed a difference.
“He’s really been in the weight room and knows that’s important, but so is his game: He’s going to steal 60 bases and beat the helicopters in the infield,” Stott said. “So, it’s that fine line of, ‘Yes, I have to gain weight and be healthy, but I also don’t want to lose my game.’
“That said, he’s definitely hitting the ball a lot harder than I remember. And the swing has been cleaned up a lot.”
Stott has given Crawford little pointers on his swing and approach, and has tried to be a resource in any way he can. One quality Crawford has picked up on is Stott’s ability to stay relaxed in games. He’s not afraid to make a joke or laugh, even when he’s on the field.
It’s something Crawford thinks it would be good for him to learn.
“Sometimes you have to be relaxed because it’s a long season,” he said. “And there are ups and downs. I love how quiet it is. I think sometimes I can be almost (I don’t want to say too serious, because that’s just how I am), but I definitely need to take a step back and relax.”
This is easier said than done for a player trying to be the best version of himself. But he’s going to try. Maybe this summer, the Phillies will draft another tall, lanky prospect, and Crawford can give him a nickname of his own, to keep him relaxed, but also to send a message to a young man with a promising future that he belongs.
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