TRENTON - J.P. Crawford and Nick Williams knew of each other before meeting for the first time in June at the Futures Game in Cincinnati. Two of baseball's elite prospects were teammates for the USA squad.
Crawford, the Phillies' top prospect, played shortstop and batted second. Williams, who represented the Texas Rangers, came off the bench to drive in a run. But it was their pregame introduction that proved more interesting than the exhibition game.
"I told J.P., 'Bro, we might be teammates in a few weeks. Maybe a few days,' " Williams said. "And he was like, 'Really?