Hard Work Paying off for Sikes with Blue Crabs
AtL Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

Hard Work Paying off for Sikes with Blue Crabs

Published on July 7, 2026 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs News Release


The Atlantic League is often viewed as a league of second chances. Many of the league's biggest stars are former Major Leaguers who are looking for another opportunity on the game's biggest stage. But so many players spend a long time in affiliated baseball and don't get to take the field with a big league club. For Blue Crabs outfielder Phillip Sikes, that dream of making his MLB debut is still very much alive.

The beginning of the 2026 baseball season was not easy for Sikes. After spending five seasons in the Boston Red Sox organization including time with Triple-A Worcester, he was released in March after spring training.

"I knew my career wasn't done," said Sikes. "I definitely wanted to keep playing right away. The Red Sox are a big-market team and they had a lot of outfielders, so I knew my path up there [to Boston] wasn't going to be easy."

Even though he didn't get the chance to crack Boston's 40-man roster, he still had a strong tenure with the team after being selected in the 18th round of the 2021 MLB Draft.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity the Red Sox gave me to play professionally and I think they put me in a good position to be a good ball player."

After his release, he latched on quickly with Southern Maryland as he signed with the club on May 12. Even before he made his team debut, he started working extensively with Blue Crabs hitting coach Jason Camilli, doing drills and other work before team batting practice.

"He's helping me redefine what makes me a good player and good hitter. It's just getting back to the basics of being loose and athletic."

That work paid off in hardly any time at all. After his first week with the team, he kickstarted a 26-game on-base streak which saw him emerge as one of the Atlantic League's leading hitters. Now through 39 games with the Blue Crabs, he is leading the active roster with nine home runs, a .578 slugging percentage, and a .987 OPS.

Sikes had averaged just over eight home runs per season with a .403 career slugging percentage throughout his Minor League career.

"I've been taking it day-by-day and trusting that, with the coaches that we have, that we have a good plan and we're going to execute."

Making the decision to play somewhere can be a gamble if things don't go as planned, but it was a spot Sikes had been in before.

"I got drafted [by Arizona] out of Pima Community College as a second baseman, but being from Texas and being committed to TCU, I knew I wanted to come back home. I wanted to have some family watch me play and I obviously wanted to go to school and get an education. It worked out perfectly for me. I met my fiancée and I had a great career there. I'm very thankful for Texas Christian University, they helped me develop as a baseball player and to grow as a human."

Earning All-American honors during his final collegiate season helped Sikes get selected for a second time in the MLB Draft and his performance so far with the Blue Crabs will certainly get him on the radar of Major League clubs once again. Even so, he isn't focused on his statistics.

"There's so many highs and lows in baseball, but as long as I'm making sure I can get my work in, I can live with it at the end of the day if my numbers aren't there."

Although his goal of reaching the big leagues is still very much in play, Sikes is simply enjoying his time with a playoff-bound team.

"It's been awesome. I've met a lot of great guys that I'll continue to talk to for the rest of my life. I really enjoy this atmosphere where everybody wants to win and that's where you play your best baseball. I've been missing that for the past few years."

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Atlantic League Stories from July 7, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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