The shortstop for 2018’s Phillies Whiz Kids

For Granny Hamner, aka Granville, the pennant-winning campaign was his best to that point. He batted .270 with 11 homers and 82 RBIs for his third consecutive year of improvement. And while some fans remember him more for his nickname, he had other productive summers as well. His highest average was .299 in 1954, and he hit 21 home runs with 92 RBIs in 1953.

After listening to Andres Blanco‘s advice, Freddy Galvis quit looking over his shoulder regarding his Triple-A replacement. Moreover, he surprised many fans by whacking 20 long balls last season, and he continues to have a knack for clutch hits. Or so it seems. In fact, the thinking now is stellar defense and acceptable offense is livable in light of the slowed progress of his minor league competitor.

For the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, J.P. Crawford averaged .244 in 2016 but had a slow start to this campaign. Since, however, April 23, he’s batting .237 and has improved his plate discipline overall. So, barring any unexpected developments, when will we see the young shortstop? September.