Prospect notes: Justin Crawford’s defensive adjustment, Andrew Painter’s struggles

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The IronPigs are trying to help prospect Justin Crawford get a step up.

Crawford is batting .330 with an .850 OPS as a 21-year-old in Triple-A this season, but his defense in center field has not been perfect. The former first-round pick has worked with the coaching staff at Lehigh Valley to get a better jump on balls to the outfield.

“I think with center field, he’s just continuing to improve on his first step,” IronPigs manager Anthony Contreras said Sunday. “Obviously, routes and angles and things like that are a constant work in progress, but he’s made strides.”

Earlier in the season, Contreras and bench coach Chris “Tank” Adamson, who deals with the club’s outfielders, noticed that the organization’s internal data from April and May showed that Crawford was not taking the most efficient first steps. He’s a fast runner, but that can’t always make up for it.

“If our timing with our feet are off and you’re a half-second behind getting your foot down to get off the ball,” Contreras said, “that’s the difference between falling a step short and not making the catch or getting off the ball and being able to make that shoestring grab.”

Adamson had an idea to combat the issue.

Like most fielders, Crawford had a pre-pitch routine that involved taking steps. Right foot, left foot, then a hop. But that wasn’t allowing him to get all the jumps he needed. However, Crawford has been stealing bases with ease all season, racking up 36 in 94 games. Adamson thought he might benefit from using his setup from the basepaths in the outfield.

“He’s fastest out of a steal break,” Contreras said. “Why don’t we just put him in that natural position?”

Crawford made the adjustment. He now keeps his feet still with a slight crouch as he anticipates the pitch, similar to how a runner waits after he takes his lead. The IronPigs found that his data improved for June and July after changing his stance.

“We kind of figured: Why not put him in that position in the outfield and let him react just like he would if a pitcher was going to the plate?” Contreras said. “So that’s a big improvement for him, and it’s very substantial when you look at the numbers. So when you add that dynamic of getting off on the ball, it gives you better chances of him having better angles and all that stuff. And hopefully it translates into a better performance.”

Of course, it’s not all perfect. On Tuesday, Crawford ran in on a ball that sailed over his head in center. There’s still work to be done at that position, something even Phillies big-league manager Rob Thomson acknowledged following the trade deadline. After Philadelphia acquired center fielder Harrison Bader, defensive specialist Johan Rojas was optioned to Lehigh Valley.

While Rojas is an elite center fielder, Thomson said he’d have to spend some time as a corner outfielder in the minors because “Crawford needs to learn how to play center field.” The two have split time between left and center since.

“Justin has shown that he can play left field and plays it well,” Contreras said.

He might be more suited for left field right now, but Crawford’s ideal landing spot would be in center if he can continue to advance defensively. Whether it’s this season or next, it seems that he is not too far away from debuting with the Phillies. Contreras and his coaches want Crawford to have the best chance to succeed in center field when that happens.

“What people envision him being, I think obviously his skill set is bat to ball, speed and all that,” Contreras said. “And he does play a very sound center field. I think it’s just kind of sharpening the skill set at a young age to make sure that, when he gets his chance up in the big leagues, he’s making all the right decisions, right choices when he’s up there.”

Painter struggles once again

Top prospect Andrew Painter was hit hard for the IronPigs on Sunday afternoon, allowing seven earned runs in 4 1/3 innings in a 9-7 loss to the RailRiders at Coca-Cola Park. The right-hander allowed two home runs: a 436-foot opposite-field shot from Yankees prospect Spencer Jones and a homer on a hanging curveball by Jake Gatewood.

“I think location is the main thing,” Painter said. “Today, my curveball early on was good when it was below the zone, and then a lot of the damage was kind of done on just the middle with the breaking balls. So it all kind of boils down to location and what I’m doing with the fastball, because everything’s going to play off that.”

The 22-year-old allowed nine hits, struck out six and walked two. He was called for a balk. His ERA at Triple-A rose to 5.54 in 16 starts.

In his first season back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in 2023, Painter has shown flashes and raw stuff, but he hasn’t been able to find consistent results. He was expected to be able to contribute at the major-league level by July if all went well. It didn’t work out that way.

While the struggles have been frustrating, Painter said he believes it could ultimately be in his best interest to get knocked down some this year so he can make adjustments.

“It’s just me versus me, trying to overcome these battles and overcome these inconsistencies,” Painter said. “I know I’ll figure it out. And it’s been a little bit. It’s been a little bit. I’ve never faced a failure, so I’m enjoying the process. I mean, it sucks. You always want to go out there and dominate. But just kind of be able to take away stuff from each start and figure out where you can get better.”

Minor-league notes

• Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm (broken rib) began a rehab assignment with Lehigh Valley on Sunday. He’s expected to remain with the IronPigs as they begin their upcoming series on Tuesday in Buffalo, N.Y.
• Starter Aaron Nola (sprained ankle, stress fracture) is expected to make his third rehab start with the IronPigs on Tuesday.
• Reliever José Alvarado (suspension) has made two scoreless rehab appearances for Lehigh Valley. He touched 98.9 mph with his sinker on Sunday and has looked pretty sharp since stepping back on the mound on Thursday.
  
  “I was pretty surprised to see him look like he was in mid-season shape when he came out, touching 97, 98, 99,” Contreras said. “His breaking ball was very sharp, and you could tell that he’s definitely kept himself in shape and stayed ready, which is good to see.”
  
  Alvarado was not made available to reporters after his outing on Sunday.
• Reliever Daniel Robert (blister) was working out with the IronPigs this weekend. He could start a rehab assignment during their upcoming series.
• Outfielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. was placed on the seven-day injured list by the IronPigs on Friday with a sprained left ankle.