Phillies prospect updates: Eduardo Tait’s potential, Justin Crawford’s added strength, and more

LOS ANGELES — The Phillies may be in the dog days of summer, but their minor league affiliates are beginning to wind down. The triple A schedule has only 150 games, double A has 138, and high A and single A have 132.

Here’s a look at a few emerging prospects, and some additions from the trade deadline.

For the past two trade deadlines, teams have inquired about 17-year-old catcher Eduardo Tait. The Phillies have not budged, and for good reason. Tait was a sleeper pick — signed for just $90,000 in 2023 — but he has quickly established himself as a prospect.

After hitting .333/.400/.517 with a .917 OPS across 44 games in the Dominican Summer League in 2023, he has hit .318/.371/.521 with nine home runs in the United States this season. Tait was promoted to low-A Clearwater on July 23, and has hit to a .988 OPS over his first eight games.

» READ MORE: Keeping their starting pitchers healthy is key to a World Series run. Here’s how the Phillies plan to do it.

The power is impressive for any minor leaguer, let alone one as young as 17. Tait — who is listed at 6 feet, 175 pounds — hits the ball hard, and his swing naturally generates loft. But Preston Mattingly, the Phillies’ assistant general manager, player development, has been more impressed with Tait’s plate discipline than anything else this season.

In his early transition to the Florida Coast League, Tait got swing-happy and began to chase, but quickly settled in. The same has been true of his transition to low-A Clearwater. He has collected 14 walks over 240 plate appearances — which is more than he had in his 165 plate appearances in all of 2023.

“We knew he needed to control the zone a little bit more,” Mattingly said. “I think he was a guy that swung a lot at everything, because he could hit everything. So, it was just educating him on what pitches to swing at, when to take more chances to hit for power. Just understanding how pitchers are trying to pitch to him has helped.”

It has helped, but Tait has ample time to develop. Sometimes Mattingly has to remind himself of that.

“I’ve never had a 17-year-old in low A ever before,” he said. “He would be a junior in high school. So you think, ‘This guy needs to get better at this.’ But he’s like four years younger than the entire league.”

Castellano, 23, has had some bad luck with lower back and arm injuries over the past few years. But this year he’s been healthy and has made the most of it.

The right-hander was named Phillies minor league pitcher of the month for July, alongside Tait, who was hitter of the month. Castellanos pitched to a 3.66 ERA over that span, with 25 strikeouts to four walks. He was promoted to double-A Reading on July 16. He has posted a 2.81 ERA across three starts with Reading.

The Phillies see him as a starter for now. Castellano was used as a starter and a reliever in 2022 and 2023, but has been consistently pitching out of the rotation in 2024. The improved command has helped him in that role.

» READ MORE: Phillies’ Nick Castellanos sees results after making a situational adjustment to his batting stance

Castellano allowed 28 walks in 50 innings in 2023. He has allowed 24 in 79⅓ innings in 2024.

“That’s been his main thing in the past,” Mattingly said. “He always had really good stuff. Velocity ticked up. But he’s commanded the ball significantly better this year than he has in the past.”

Mattingly sees the improved command as a by-product of Castellano staying healthy.

“He’s been healthy the entire year, and it’s a credit to him, honestly,” Mattingly said. “We brought him into spring training in January, just as a runway, to ramp up his throwing more slowly. He was more consistent with a lot of his work, and it’s led to a lot of success this year. Keeping him on the field has been one of our biggest challenges in the past, but he’s done really well this year.”

Crawford, 20, was promoted to double-A Reading on July 12 and hasn’t missed a beat. The Phillies’ No. 1 pick in 2022 has hit .326/.380/.413 with a .793 OPS in 11 games. Crawford is hitting .305/.353/.435 this season overall, with six home runs. His ground ball rate isn’t as high as it was last season, and his fly ball rate has risen.

The jump from single A to double A isn’t quite as drastic as double A to triple A, but it is still notable that his transition has been this smooth.

“He’s adjusted well to the quality of pitching,” Mattingly said. “You’re still seeing him get to the higher-end velocity, and making good contact with that. And I think the quality of contact has continued to trend upward in a positive manner as well.”

» READ MORE: Phillies prospect Justin Crawford is doing his part to make The Show, with a helping hand from Bryson Stott

Crawford has made a concerted effort to add weight, and is now up to 190 pounds. Mattingly thinks it shows in his swing.

“His swing has gotten a little bit better this year,” he said. “His bat speed has ticked up a little bit. I think the strength has helped him be a little bit more coordinated.

“When you see him, it’s noticeably different how much stronger this guy is. You kind of knew that was always going to happen, you just didn’t know when, but it’s kind of happening before our eyes.”

The Phillies acquired Johnson and Chace from the Orioles in return for Gregory Soto at the trade deadline. Both are right-handed pitchers. Johnson was added to the 40-man roster and is pitching at triple-A Lehigh Valley. Chace has been assigned to high-A Jersey Shore.

Mattingly said both pitchers will be used as starters for now. The Orioles were using Chace out of the bullpen and the rotation, in a piggyback role at times, but now he will be used strictly out of the rotation. Johnson, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2022, will continue to start.

Johnson, 25, has pitched to a 2.88 ERA with 36 walks to 64 strikeouts this season. Chace, 21, has a 3.72 ERA with 32 walks to 82 strikeouts.

“Chace is a mid-90s fastball, carry fastball, with a good slider and a change-up,” Mattingly said. “It’s overall really good stuff. Johnson has a mid-90s fastball. The command is not quite as good as Chace’s, but same quality of stuff.”