How Brandon Marsh is helping Phillies rookie Justin Crawford, from gifting suit jackets to road game carpools

CLEARWATER, Fla. — A few days ago, a custom clothing vendor, Lindsey Tamblyn, came to BayCare Ballpark. Brandon Marsh was familiar with her work. When he was in the midst of his first spring training with the Phillies in 2024, J.T. Realmuto bought him one of Tamblyn’s suits.

It made Marsh feel like part of the group. So much so that he “jumped on” Realmuto and hugged him afterward.

When he heard Tamblyn was returning last week, Marsh decided to pay it forward. He walked up to 22-year-old prospect Justin Crawford.

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Marsh told him to pay a visit to Tamblyn, give her his measurements, and pick out any suit he wanted.

“I said, ‘Go, get you a suit, bro,’” Marsh recalled, “‘because God willing we’re going to be in the playoffs again this year. And you’ve gotta look nice.’”

Crawford, who describes his fashion sense as “basic,” picked out a sleek black jacket.

“I told him he didn’t have to,” Crawford said, “but he insisted.”

Crawford appreciated it. This is a big season for him. He is expected to be the Phillies’ opening day center fielder, a position that has been a persistent black hole for the last few years.

If all goes according to plan, he would be the first 22-year-old everyday position player for the Phillies since Jimmy Rollins. It is a lot of pressure for someone who just a year ago earned the right to legally drink.

As a player, Crawford is polarizing. Much has been made of his ground-ball rate, which has steadily lowered as he’s climbed up the minor league ranks, but is still relatively high. In 2023, it reached 69.7% across single A and high A.

Crawford dropped it to 59.4% at triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2025, the lowest mark of his career. He brings elite speed, and above-average contact skills. He hits the ball hard. But fans and pundits alike have questioned whether that matters if he can’t consistently lift it in the air.

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The prospect tries to avoid this chatter. He’s off social media, and has a good support system, full of former major league players: his father, Carl Crawford, his godfather, Junior Spivey, and his hitting coach, Mike Easler.

“When you’re around people who know what they’re talking about, and have done it for a long time, [they] can keep you on that track,” Crawford said. “To be like, ‘No. Forget what those people are saying. Just play your game. Be you.’ That’s probably the best advice I’ve received from anybody.”

The Phillies have provided some support, too. Crawford said manager Rob Thomson called him this past winter. His message was for the prospect to “be himself” and get ready to compete for a starting role in camp.

Thomson followed up after the Phillies signed Adolis García to play right field.

“I called him again,” he recalled, “and said, ‘Look, this signing doesn’t mean anything for you. You’re still grinding for that center-field job.’”

All of these gestures have made Crawford feel more confident this spring, in which he’s hitting .316/.350/.474 through 19 at-bats.

But he’s developed a special kinship with the 28-year-old bearded outfielder.

“Marshy’s a great guy,” Crawford said. “He really took me under his wing, honestly, since Day 1. So that’s someone I’m really fortunate to be around, and play next to, hopefully this year. He’s the best.”

When Marsh was a 23-year-old rookie with the Angels in 2021, he had an abundance of veteran mentors to lean on. There was three-time MVP Mike Trout, Justin Upton, Dexter Fowler, and Jon Jay.

All of these players helped him, in myriad ways, but with the same overarching message.

“I was trying to be Super Man,” Marsh said. “They helped ease the game for me. And I’m just trying to do the same thing for J Craw.”

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With that in mind, Marsh made a point of introducing himself to Crawford early last spring. He went out of his way to make things easier for the prospect, like offering to drive him when the team traveled to different ballparks across the state of Florida.

Thomson doesn’t allow players with less than three years of service time to drive themselves to road games. Crawford didn’t have any service time, so he assumed he’d have to take the bus.

But Marsh presented another option. They’ve continued to stay carpool buddies this spring. It’s allowed them more time to get to know each other.

Of course, there were rules attached. Marsh would be in charge of the music, which in previous years might have meant a lot of Lil Uzi Vert. Now, not so much.

“I still love Lil Uzi,” Marsh said. “But I’ve been on a huge Larry June and Freddie Gibbs kick. So, more of a smooth rap instead of … like, you know, bang your head off the front windshield.

“But yeah, learning to find moments that are calm and stuff like that. I’ve got the aux.”

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Like the Angels veterans did with Marsh, he has encouraged Crawford to not put pressure on himself. To stay true to his game — regardless of what others think.

He’s provided another support system for the young outfielder, within the clubhouse.

To some, buying a suit jacket, or giving a pep talk, or making the two-hour drive to Port Charlotte, Fla., may not mean much. But to Crawford, it does. And he doesn’t take it for granted.

“He’s just super genuine and super welcoming,” Crawford said of Marsh. “Those are the type of guys you want to be around.”