Philadelphia Phillies' top prospect J.P. Crawford made an uneventful Spring Training debut Sunday, when he walked in his only at-bat in an eventual win over the University of Tampa.
Still, seeing Crawford, who is unanimously considered one of the top seven prospects in the league, at-bat in a Phillies' uniform, was exciting for a fan-base that hasn't seen many exciting moments over the past few seasons.
Crawford, who is in his first big league camp, recently spoke to Marshall Harris of CSN Philly, and discussed which player he's 'soaking up information' from.
"I would say (Andres) Blanco. I mean, we take ground balls together and besides he's a great infielder, a great guy. I mean, he's always there to help somebody out."
We discussed a week ago how Joel Sherman of the New York Post listed Blanco as a potential trade target for the New York Yankees, who could be looking to add another body to split time with Chase Headley at third base. However, if Crawford, who is likely to make his major league debut in 2016, views Blanco as some sort of mentor, it would seem to be in the Phillies' best interests to keep him.
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Blanco, who batted .292 and posted a 1.9 WAR in 2015, is one of just a few veterans left on a suddenly young roster. Beyond just helping Crawford adjust to what it's like to be a major leaguer, the 31-year-old may prove to be a valuable clubhouse presence on the team in 2016, and it's important to have those type of pieces in an impressionable clubhouse.
Tim Kelly (@TimKellySports) is the Managing Editor of Philliedelphia.com, focusing on news and features.
