Earlier this week all major league free agents all had their times with their current teams come to an end. On Friday, the same happens on the minor league side. Major league teams have until then to add any eligible player to the 40 man roster that they want to prevent from becoming a free agent. In the case of the Phillies, that is unlikely to happen, but that doesn’t they don’t want any of their free agents back next year. Adding some intrigue this year is that all of the non-40 man roster hitters on Lehigh Valley are free agents, meaning at minimum the Phillies are going to be making some signings to fill holes. First baseman Joey Meneses was already released from his contract so that he could sign in Japan, but here are predictions on the rest of the free agents.
C Logan Moore
Moore is a glove first catcher who has never really hit anywhere and is already 28. The Phillies will need to bring back a couple of catchers as least as camp bodies, and Moore could fit that bill.
C Nick Rickles
Rickles is a year older than Moore with a tiny bit more bat, and less defense. He could be back if Moore isn’t just to give AAA a veteran backup catcher.
C/IF/OF Matt McBride
McBride is a 33 year old journeymen who can function as the 3rd catcher on a AAA team. He hit for some power this year, but is probably not back.
2B Dean Anna
Anna hit well last year with a .271/.367/.341 mark for IronPigs. He is nearly 32 with 662 AAA games under his belt. If they like his veteran-ness he could back, if not his place will be taken by a player functionally similar.
IF Jesmuel Valentin
Valentin is a former 1st round pick who was acquired along with Victor Arano for Roberto Hernandez many years ago. He has missed time due to injury and a domestic violence arrest since joining the Phillies, with his stock peaking in 2017 when he nearly made the team out of Spring Training. The Phillies opting to keep Mitch Walding over him down the stretch should put his value in context. Another team probably will want to take more of a flier on him than the Phillies will.
3B Zach Green
Green is a former 3rd round pick who has missed a ton of time due to injury before having a breakout 2018 season. He is more of a 1B than a 3B, but he is playable at 3B. He doesn’t walk a ton, and can have large strikeout rates, but he has plenty of raw power, hitting 20 home runs and 58 overall extra base hits in 114 games. He is currently blocked in the Phillies system behind Maikel Franco and Mitch Walding, but his real path is as a right handed bench bat. The Phillies will probably want him back, but it might come down to whether another org can offer him a clearer path to the majors.
OF Danny Ortiz, Collin Cowgill, and Ryan Goins
Teams always need replaceable OF fill ins on their AAA teams and spring training rosters. Their replacements are likely to be just as anonymous.
SS Malquin Canelo
At one time Canelo was a pretty good prospect, but after a hot start in 2018, he put up his third straight season of not hitting. He has a little bit of power, plus defensive upside, and is only 24. The Phillies could bring him back and throw him into the AAA SS/UT role (currently a complete roster void), or they could part ways. I don’t see him being a priority for the Phillies to re-sign.
RHP Pedro Beato
Beato has served as the IronPigs closer the past two seasons, collected 68 saves in those two years. His ERA was worse in 2018, but his underlying numbers better. Beato in the closer’s role allows the AAA manager to deploy their prospect relievers as needed. If the Phillies like that arrangement, then bring back Beato for stability makes a ton of sense.
RHP Ranfi Casimiro
The Phillies re-signed Casimiro last offseason and he went out and had the kind of season they expected. He pitched at three levels, swinging between rotation and bullpen, while putting up fine numbers. He is 26 years old and not a major league prospect, but he is the type of player that makes the minor league teams work well. The Phillies have a couple of pitchers that could fit his role next year, and they might bring one of them back rather than the tall Dominican righty.
IF Heiker Meneses
Meneses had the worst hitting year of his career, which is pretty hard for a player with a career average .241 in 884 minor league games. He is a bench infielder at this point, and the Phillies can probably fill that role internally.
OF Jiandido Tromp
The Phillies buried the 25 year old Aruban native in AA to open the year and he had a much worse year than his breakout 2017. He has major league bench outfielder upside, but he will need to really start hitting to make that happen. Personally I would like to see him in the Ortiz, Cowgill, Goins spot, but the Phillies may go in a different direction.
RHP Mario Sanchez
Sanchez spent the 2018 season recovering from Tommy John surgery and wasn’t very good when he came back. He has Mark Leiter Jr upside, but whether he is back or not is entirely up to what the Phillies know about his medicals.
RHP Harold Arauz
Arauz is young at 23, but he now has a long track record of throwing in the high 80s and having middling success with it. His curveball is a solid pitch, but not enough to make him a major league prospect. He could fill Casimiro’s role if they want to be younger with their swing man.
3B Will Middlebrooks
Middlebrooks was a NRI for the Phillies and then spent the whole season injured and rehabbing in Florida. If the Phillies like him around their young prospects, he could get another NRI and could compete for a bench job in the majors or one of the empty spots in AAA.
RHP Alberto Tirado
Tirado is a shadow of the prospect he once was and after a promising end to 2016 he has struggled through two years marred with injuries, ineffectiveness, and a reduction in stuff. He flashed some control to end the hi-A season. He will be 24 on opening day, and as a reliever there is more room for him, but at this point the Phillies know best as to whether there is still major league upside in his arm. If they move on, I think some team will give him a look to see if they can fix him.
RHP Luis Cedeno
The Phillies gave the former Yankees prospect a shot last year, and he was ineffective in Lakewood. His stuff isn’t good enough to say they need to keep him.
Photo of Malquin Canelo by Baseball Betsy