Phillies Select Elite Prep Bat in Latest Mock Draft

The Philadelphia Phillies dipped into the prep prospect ranks last year and found themselves a prospect that has already been invited to the MLB Futures Game.

Could the Phillies do it again next month in the MLB Draft in Seattle?

ESPN’s most recent mock draft has the Phillies following up last year’s selection of outfielder Justin Crawford with a prep infielder — shortstop George Lombard Jr. of Gulliver Prep High School in Florida.

With the Phillies selecting at No. 27 overall, this feels like a best player available kind of selection, per ESPN:

The Phillies like to take a swing on prep players with their first pick -- to solid results of late -- and Lombard figures to go in this area. He has the highest universal approval rating of the remaining prep infielders.

Going the prep route has certainly worked out with Crawford. Taken out of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nev., last July, he’s at Class-A Clearwater and had slashed 346/.395/.456/.851 with 32 RBI and 35 stolen bases through his first 46 games. That was enough to get MLB to send him to the Futures Game. Being the son of former MLB star Carl Crawford probably doesn’t hurt.

And while the Phillies went with pitcher Andrew Painter in the fisrt round in 2021, their third-round picks — another prep bats — are among their Top 30 prospects. That’s outfielder Jordan Viars, who is with Clearwater.

The first five picks featured the same five players that have appeared in other mocks, though the order changed slightly. The Pittsburgh Pirates took LSU pitcher Paul Skenes at No. 1 overall. The Washington Nationals took LSU outfielder Dylan Crews at No. 2. The Detroit Tigers selected Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford at No. 3. The Texas Rangers took outfielder Max Clark from Franklin (Ind.) High School The Minnesota Twins selected outfielder Walker Jenkins from South Brunswick High School in Southport, N.C.

The MLB Draft will be held July 9-11 in Seattle during All-Star Weekend.