The Philadelphia Phillies may have found a promising path toward unlocking Justin Crawford’s potential, but turning that promise into consistent major-league production will require more than patience.

After giving Crawford an extended opportunity as their primary center fielder in 2026, the Phillies have a clearer understanding of what their young outfielder can do and where he needs to improve. His speed and contact ability offer an intriguing foundation, but his first full major-league season also exposed weaknesses that opposing pitchers could continue to exploit.

Now, with new hitting coach Peter Fatse joining Philadelphia’s coaching staff for 2027, Crawford has an opportunity to take an important step forward.

Rather than completely changing his approach, Fatse wants to help young hitters maximize their existing strengths. That philosophy could be particularly valuable for Crawford, whose athleticism and ability to put the ball in play give him a different offensive profile from many of Philadelphia’s established power hitters.

However, there is one issue the Phillies cannot afford to overlook: Crawford must find a way to get on base more consistently if he wants his speed to become a genuine weapon.

JUSTIN CRAWFORD’S ROOKIE SEASON LEFT THE PHILLIES WITH QUESTIONS

Crawford entered the 2026 season with considerable expectations after hitting .334 in Triple-A during 2025.

His performance in the minors suggested that he was ready for the next challenge, and Philadelphia gave him an opportunity to establish himself in the majors rather than spend another season developing in the farm system.

The results were mixed.

Crawford finished his rookie campaign batting .264/.309/.353, with three home runs, 19 doubles and five triples across 465 plate appearances. He demonstrated an ability to make contact, but his overall offensive production did not consistently translate into the impact the Phillies needed.

Manager Don Mattingly did not describe the season as a disaster. Instead, he suggested that Crawford had managed to keep himself competitive while learning how difficult major-league baseball can be.

That is a reasonable assessment.

Moving from the minors to the majors requires more than reproducing previous statistics. Pitchers have better command, scouting departments identify weaknesses quickly, and young hitters must learn to make adjustments against increasingly sophisticated opposition.

Crawford experienced that transition firsthand.

His rookie season did not eliminate his long-term potential, but it showed why the Phillies need a clear development plan for him in 2027.

PETER FATSE COULD HELP UNLOCK CRAWFORD’S BIGGEST STRENGTH

Philadelphia’s decision to bring in Peter Fatse as its new hitting coach could become an important development for Crawford.

Fatse arrives with experience working alongside young hitters transitioning to the majors. During his time with the Boston Red Sox, he worked around players including Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu and Roman Anthony.

That background could help him understand the challenges Crawford faces as he adjusts to major-league pitching.

Fatse has emphasized the importance of identifying what a player already does well rather than immediately trying to rebuild everything about his swing.

That approach makes sense for Crawford.

The young outfielder does not need to become a completely different hitter to improve. His contact ability and speed already provide the foundation for a productive offensive profile.

The challenge is learning how to use those abilities more effectively.

If Fatse can help Crawford recognize pitches earlier, avoid chasing offerings outside the strike zone and make more authoritative contact, the Phillies could see meaningful improvement without sacrificing the qualities that made him an intriguing prospect.

For a young player still learning the league, that balance could prove crucial.

ONE STAT REVEALS WHY CRAWFORD MUST CHANGE HIS APPROACH

Crawford’s rookie statistics point toward an area that deserves immediate attention.

His 37.6% chase rate ranked in the 12th percentile, according to the figures reported by Phillies Nation.

In simple terms, Crawford frequently swung at pitches outside the strike zone.

That tendency can create several problems.

When hitters chase pitches outside the zone, they are more likely to make weak contact, swing through difficult offerings and fall behind in counts. Pitchers can then exploit their impatience by expanding the strike zone and forcing them to attempt increasingly difficult swings.

For Crawford, the issue is especially important because his offensive value depends heavily on getting on base.

He recorded 27 walks against 82 strikeouts in 465 plate appearances. Those numbers suggest room for improvement in his strike-zone judgment.

A better approach could help him reach first base more often without requiring a dramatic increase in power.

That would give the Phillies another way to generate offense, particularly against pitchers who attempt to neutralize their middle-of-the-order hitters.

Crawford’s development will not be determined by one statistic alone, but his chase rate offers a clear starting point for improvement.

THE PHILLIES NEED TO TURN HIS SPEED INTO A REAL ADVANTAGE

One of the most intriguing aspects of Crawford’s game is his speed.

His sprint speed ranked in the 96th percentile, yet he recorded only 17 stolen bases in 21 attempts during the 2026 season.

That figure highlights an opportunity for Philadelphia.

Speed can change games, but it has limited value when a player spends too much time making outs before reaching base.

Mattingly has identified a more ambitious target for Crawford, suggesting that the young outfielder has the potential to become a 30-to-40-stolen-base player.

Reaching that level would require more than running faster.

Crawford must improve his ability to work counts, recognize hittable pitches and get himself into situations where his speed can pressure opposing defenses.

Once he reaches first base, his athleticism becomes a different kind of threat. Pitchers must pay attention to him, catchers may become more cautious, and infielders have to consider the possibility of a steal.

Those adjustments can influence the game even before a runner attempts to advance.

More importantly, a player who consistently reaches base and steals successfully can create additional scoring opportunities for the hitters behind him.

Philadelphia does not need Crawford to become a power hitter to benefit from his athleticism. It needs him to become a more effective table-setter.

WHY THE PHILLIES SHOULD RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO OVERHAUL HIS SWING

There is an important difference between correcting weaknesses and abandoning a player’s natural strengths.

Crawford’s ability to make contact is valuable. If the Phillies attempt to turn him into a completely different hitter, they risk weakening the very skill that helped him advance through the minor leagues.

Fatse’s approach appears to recognize that danger.

Rather than focusing exclusively on what Crawford does poorly, the new hitting coach wants to understand how the young outfielder can maximize his existing abilities.

That could mean improving his pitch selection, making selective mechanical adjustments or developing a clearer plan for attacking particular areas of the strike zone.

It could also mean accepting that Crawford’s best offensive version will look different from the approach used by power hitters such as Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber.

The Phillies need different players to serve different purposes.

Harper and Schwarber can provide much of the lineup’s power, while Crawford could eventually contribute through contact, speed, baserunning pressure and consistent opportunities to reach base.

The objective should be to make those strengths complement one another.

If Fatse can help Crawford improve his discipline without diminishing his contact skills, Philadelphia could have a more dangerous offensive lineup in 2027.

CRAWFORD’S DEVELOPMENT COULD AFFECT THE ENTIRE PHILLIES LINEUP

Crawford’s progress matters beyond his individual statistics.

Philadelphia’s veteran core has carried substantial offensive responsibility, and the team needs additional contributors if it hopes to build a more balanced lineup.

A productive leadoff hitter can influence how opposing teams approach the entire batting order.

When a fast runner reaches base, pitchers may become more concerned about holding him close. That can affect their concentration and force them to divide their attention between the hitter and the runner.

The next batter may benefit from more predictable pitching patterns or opportunities to drive the ball into gaps.

Crawford does not have to become an elite offensive player overnight for the Phillies to benefit from his development.

Even a modest improvement in his on-base percentage, combined with smarter baserunning, could make him a more valuable contributor.

Philadelphia must also evaluate his defense in center field. An improvement at the plate would not automatically resolve every concern about his overall game, but stronger offensive production would make it easier to justify giving him regular opportunities.

The organization has a potential long-term contributor in Crawford. The question is how quickly it can help him become one.

THE 2027 SEASON COULD BE A DEFINING YEAR FOR JUSTIN CRAWFORD

Crawford’s second major-league season will be important because opposing pitchers now have a full season of information about his tendencies.

They know he can make contact, and they have evidence that he sometimes chases pitches outside the strike zone.

That means the next stage of his development will involve responding to the adjustments opponents make against him.

Can he recognize when pitchers are trying to tempt him outside the zone? Can he force them to throw more strikes? Can he turn more of his contact into line drives and extra-base hits?

Those questions will help determine whether he becomes a regular fixture in Philadelphia’s lineup.

The coaching staff must provide the right guidance, but Crawford also needs to demonstrate that he can learn from his first season and make the necessary adjustments.

His age and athleticism give him time to develop. Nevertheless, Philadelphia cannot afford to treat potential as a substitute for results indefinitely.

The organization has postseason ambitions, and every regular lineup spot must contribute to those goals.

If Crawford makes meaningful progress, he could become an important part of the team’s future rather than simply another young player searching for consistency.

FINAL VERDICT: THE PHILLIES HAVE REASON TO BE OPTIMISTIC, BUT THE WORK STARTS NOW

Justin Crawford’s rookie season was neither the breakthrough Philadelphia hoped for nor a reason to abandon its investment in his development.

He showed enough contact ability and athleticism to suggest that a more productive version of himself remains possible.

Peter Fatse’s arrival gives the Phillies a new opportunity to help him reach that level.

The most important improvements may involve relatively straightforward objectives: chase fewer pitches, reach base more often, make better contact and use his speed to create pressure.

If those adjustments take hold, Crawford could become a valuable complement to Philadelphia’s veteran hitters.

If they do not, questions about his place in the everyday lineup will become harder to avoid.

The Phillies have made their coaching changes. Now they need to turn those changes into measurable progress.