How Justin Crawford’s mom helped the Phillies’ top pick step out of his famous father’s shadow

He's learned the intricacies of the game from his father, former All-Star Carl Crawford, but his mother has unlocked the mental side for him.

Phillies first-round draft pick Justin Crawford with his mother Amy Freeman at Citizens Bank Park on Monday.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

by Alex Coffey

Published July 26, 2022, 4:12 p.m. ET

When Phillies first-round draft pick Justin Crawford was about 2 or 3 years old, he would build a baseball stadium in his backyard in Arizona. He dragged benches and tables and chairs to create a dugout, littering it with cups and sunflower seeds, like the big-league players do. There would be a radio booth and a clubhouse. Then, he would step up to his makeshift home plate and imitate his father’s batting stance, his chest out proud, his front leg kicked all the way back, his arms up high, as his fan — his mother, Amy Freeman — cheered him on.

Like his father, four-time All-Star outfielder Carl Crawford, Justin was always athletic and competitive. During the summers, Carl brought his son to big-league ballparks. It gave Justin a deeper understanding of the game, but it also created a misconception — that he would have to be just like his father to be a big leaguer.

That thought gave him a lot of anxiety. Justin got nervous before games, and if he didn’t get a hit, he spiraled. Amy noticed her son struggling, so one day, while they were driving to the ballpark, she told him to close his eyes.

She started speaking words of reassurance. She told him to take deep breaths. “Do you,” she reminded him. You are more than Carl Crawford’s son. You’re Justin Crawford.

Before long, meditation became part of Justin’s daily routine. He realized that if he meditated before stepping up to the plate, those expectations of what everyone wanted him to be would just melt away. It allowed him to focus, which elevated him to new heights.

“When I was younger, that really got to me because I thought I had to be exactly like him, and do everything like him,” said 18-year-old Justin, who signed with the Phillies on Monday after being the 17th selection in the MLB draft last week. “But as I’ve gotten older and matured into the man I am today, I’ve been able to step out of his shadow and show that I am Justin Crawford, not Carl Crawford’s son. And be able to show what I can do.”

Ironically, when Justin stopped trying to be like Carl, around age 12 or 13, the similarities in their games really started to come out. Justin is quick on the base paths, and can run down almost any ball in the outfield. He is athletic enough to make diving catches. He has some left-handed power and is a high-contact hitter. But for the younger Crawford, it was the mindset change — namely shedding his expectation that he has to be the second coming of Carl Crawford — that was the key to unlocking his potential.

Meditation is still a big part of that. Justin meditates every day — with Amy and without her, when he’s on the road — and will continue to be as he begins his professional career with the Phillies. He said he’s learned the intricacies of the game from his father, but it’s his mother who has unlocked the mental side for him.

“When I’m slacking, she’s the one who says ‘Let’s go,’ ” Justin said. “If I have a tough game she’s the one who is like, ‘It’s fine, you’re all right, you’ve got another game.’ She’s helped me stay within myself. And honestly, she’s grown to be my best friend. It’s going to be tough leaving her for a little bit.”

“It’s going to be an exciting next chapter,” Amy interjected. “But I told him — he has to call me every single day.”

“Oh, most definitely,” Justin replied with a grin. “I have no choice.”

He heads to the Phillies’ training facility in Clearwater, Fla., on Tuesday not as Carl Crawford’s son, but as Justin Crawford. And if he ever loses sight of that, he knows who to call.