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2015 MLB Draft: With J.P. Crawford In Waiting, Philadelphia Phillies Picking A SS Was A Bad Idea

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2015 MLB Draft, Cornelius Randolph, Philadelphia Phillies,

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While most MLB organizations like to say they are taking the best available player, the most successful ones have a plan that also gives similar weight to areas of need.

The Philadelphia Phillies demonstrated that they are not one of those organizations when they chose Cornelius Randolph, a shortstop from Georgia, as a first-round pick (No. 10 overall) in the 2015 MLB Draft on Monday night. The Phillies currently have a shortstop in Double-A, J.P. Crawford, who Baseball America rates as the team’s No. 1 prospect. Crawford is as close to a can’t-miss prospect as there is and is a projected high-end 15-year starter.

Whether or not that end means a Hall of Famer Ernie Banks or a Hall of Fame wannabe like Jimmy Rollins is a subject of debate. If Crawford winds up between those two, the Phillies will have something special and there is no room for another shortstop to advance through the system. One of the many areas where the Phillies have failed in recent years has been to, as they say in college football, over-recruit at one position. That means often a Cody Asche will have to move from third base to the outfield or a Darin Ruf will have to move from the only position he seems comfortable playing, first base, because both are blocked by other players.

While Randolph is a highly-rated high school player, the Phillies have had bad luck picking high school players from Georgia in the past — notably slugger Larry Greene, who has since fizzled out and is no longer in their system. Greene was the Phils’ 2011 first-round pick, did not report to Clearwater (Fla.) this season and has retired from baseball at the age of 22. You would think the Phillies would have learned something about picking high school players from Georgia by now.

The Phillies do have long-term needs at other positions, notably catching, as steady and dependable Carlos Ruiz has only two or three productive years at best. They would have been better served by drafting an accomplished top-level college catcher, who would have a chance to make it to Philadelphia, than by drafting Randolph no matter how highly rated he is now.

Mike Gibson is a Phillies writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @papreps , “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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