Much of Spring Training excitement has been converted to Bryce Harper watch, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t games that are about to occur. Much of the Phillies roster is locked in place, but that doesn’t mean we won’t get a look at some prospects in games this spring. With the lack of camp competitions (and a generally down farm system) there are not a ton of top hitting prospects in camp. Much of the focus will be on a pair of former first round picks.
*All ranks are recalculated after J.T. Realmuto trade
Top 50 Prospects:
#5 OF Adam Haseley
Haseley was the #8 overall pick in the 2017 draft, and while he didn’t light the world on fire, he hit well. The biggest knock on him as a prospect is that scouts generally don’t think he can play center field and so far his power has been less than ideal for a corner. Some continued swing tinkering could unlock more power for him, but constant swing tinkering was a hallmark of his 2018 season and nothing seemed to fully click. He has a good feel for contact, and once he settled in he showed that he has a good batting eye. He doesn’t really fit in the Phillies’ future plans if they sign Bryce Harper, making him an important trade piece at the deadline. The big thing this spring will be how much power he shows. He should be headed to the minors no matter what he does this spring.
#9 OF Mickey Moniak
Aftera disastrous 18 months in the Phillies system that saw his prospect stock plummet, Moniak rebounded to end the 2018 season. He has gotten bigger and stronger, and is starting to show more power. His hit tool is nowhere near where it was advertised to be, but it is still solid. Spring Training is going to be a real test for him once the minor leaguers start to go their camp, but if he can show that the end of last season wasn’t a fluke, he looks like he is on the path to being a solid major league center fielder. He won’t see the majors in 2019, but he could set himself up for a 2020 look with a good season.
#11 SS Arquimedes Gamboa
The Phillies protected Gamboa this offseason because of his glove at shortstop. Offensively he has been a bit of a mess. He has the raw tools to be solid at the plate, but he has not put it together for more than a month. He is the guy in camp furthest from the majors and likely will be heading to the minor league side as soon as camp opens there.
#19 C Deivi Grullon
With the trade of Jorge Alfaro, Grullon’s position in the organization has gotten a bit clearer. He lacks the overall skillset to really be a major league regular, but his tools are very suited to be the backup to an experienced catcher like J.T. Realmuto. Grullon still needs to polish up some things behind the plate, but he should be an above average to plus defender given some time. At the plate he has good raw power, but his approach can be a bit aggressive at times. He isn’t going to win a job in camp, as he is essentially guaranteed of being the starter in AAA, but a good impression with the coaches and front office could put him ahead of the minor league veterans as a callup should Knapp or Realmuto suffer an injury. Long term, he offers the Phillies a more reliable defensive option as backup catcher than Andrew Knapp.
Outside Top 50:
1B/OF Austin Listi
Listi’s prospect stock is a casualty of the modern era of roster construction. Ten years ago it would be easier to see his role on a major league bench, but now with 4 man benches, that role is gone. He can fake first base and left field, can hit decently well, has solid power, and shows a good approach. The problem is that he provides no defensive value, and all of those skills are behind where starters at those positions are. Listi made a ton of improvements entering his first year of pro ball, but at 25 years old and physically maxed out, it is easy to wonder where the extra skills he needs are going to come from. He just needs to keep hitting and hope for a few injuries or the DH in the NL before just having to continue to hit his way to relevance.
SS Malquin Canelo
Canelo was once a well thought of prospect in the Phillies’ system, but his bat has stalled over the last few years. He has a good, but inconsistent glove at shortstop. Canelo should be able to play all over the infield, but his bat is fringy even for a bench utility role. He is still only 24, so maybe there is some improvement to be made. Canelo isn’t competing for a bench spot in Philly as much as he is trying to beat out players like Andrew Romine, Gregorio Petit, and Gift Ngoepe.
3B Mitch Walding
Walding had a mini-breakout in 2017 in Reading before having a great year in AAA. He got a cup of coffee in the majors where he struck out a bunch and hit a home run. There are a lot of question’s about Walding’s hit tool, but he proven that he has at least average raw power. His ability to play third base, and his left handedness makes him mildly more interesting than Listi as a bench piece, but unless he can improve his hit tool, he is probably a AAAA emergency callup.
OF Dylan Cozens
Dylan Cozens has seen his stock drop every year, even after making some adjustments in 2018. The problem is that he continues to have a fundamental problem, he is a huge person with a longer swing, ok bad speed, and questionable pitch recognition. When he got his major league chance he struck out in over half of his plate appearances. Cozens does some things very well. His raw power might be unparalleled in the Phillies system, and while he isn’t fast, he does move very well and is a good base runner for his size. Much like Walding his left handedness is appealing on bench, as his ability to play both outfield corners, and possibly first base. Cozens is no longer young, as he turns 25 in May, but he isn’t too old to make enough incremental improvements to have some sort of major league role. With how improved the Phillies major league team is and Moniak and Haseley in AA, he will need to show quickly that he still has a future in the organization.