2015 GCL Phillies Roster Guide/Preview

The GCL roster is always full of hope, but the current version could be one of the best in recent memory.  The infield should feature 3 Top July 2 prospects who signed for a combined $2.5 million, all are 17 or younger.  Unlike last year, the GCL roster will be bolstered by some additions from the draft.  There is a good mix of known and unknown throughout the team and overall there are some guys who could jump up prospect lists much like Franklyn Kilome and Elniery Garcia did a year ago.

Pitchers:

Ismael Cabrera – RHP
Cabrera is a product of one year in the DSL system and is a bit old for the level (turned 21 a couple of days ago).  He worked as a starter in the DSL pitching at 89-91, but there is likely no room for him in the grounded GCL rotation.  However this spring he has seen a jump in velocity pitching at 93-94 this May.

Victor Delgado – RHP
A 20 year old starting pitcher out of the VSL.  He was about to throw a lot of strikes last year, but likely in the bullpen this year.

Seranthony Dominguez – RHP
Seranthony was a member of the GCL bullpen last year as a 19 year old, this year as a 20 year old he looks to be a part of the rotation.  This spring he has been sitting 93-96 early in outings before fading to 91-94 in later innings.  Seranthony is not a big guy and has struggling with control both last year and so far this spring.  He is well worth keeping an eye on.

Bailey Falter – LHP – 5th Round 2015
Falter is all projection.  The big lefty has a nice changeup and some feel for a breaking ball, but currently sits in the mid to high 80s.  Falter is unlikely to make any big jumps over the course of this season so the big thing will be how the secondary pitches and command looks.  Don’t get to worked up about the results right now, he is not a finished product.

Edgar Garcia – RHP
Garcia comes stateside at age 18 after a solid year in the DSL.  Due to his youth and size it is likely he will be used out of the GCL bullpen this year with his future being determined by how he does in Fall Instructional League.

Carlos Indriago – RHP
Another older product of the 2014 VSL team.  Indriago throws a ton of strikes but as of last fall was only sitting 88-89 so he probably ends up in the bullpen.

Tanner Kiest – RHP
Kiest was a junior college signee last year who is a reliever all the way.  At 6’3″ 200lbs he has ideal size, and was 91-93 last fall before touching 95 this spring.  He has had some major control issues so it could get ugly at times.

Sutter McLoughlin – RHP – 22nd Round 2015
McLoughlin was the Cal State Sacramento closer this past season.  He has been up to 95 with his fastball in the past.

Sam McWilliams – RHP
McWilliams was the only HS player the Phillies signed last year.  The big righty is all projection with a skinny frame, a messy delivery, and the raw arm strength to hit 94 before last year’s draft.  His velocity was all over the place last year, but mostly in the 80s.  This spring he was 90-91 in May, but there is room for more.  McWilliams should say a good amount of innings this year, the big thing for him will be consistency.

Adonis Medina – RHP
Medina is my popup guy to watch this year in the GCL.  He dominated the DSL last year at age 17 with a 1.4 BB/9, 7.5 K/9 and 1.37 ERA.  Last fall he was 88-89 touching 90.  However, in an outing this May he was 93-96 with a hammer curveball.  He is only 6’1″ 185lbs so this might be the velocity jump already.  If he can hold his stuff into the year he is a guy who could rocket up prospect lists in a similar way to Ricardo Pinto a year ago.  He will also be young for the level and doesn’t turn 19 until December.

Zach Morris – LHP – 24th Round 2015
Big lefty who can sit 90-93 early in outs.  He has a changeup the that will flash plus.  He will work out of the bullpen for the GCL Phillies.

Felix Paulino – RHP
Another potential reliever out of the DSL.  Paulino just turned 20 and was 89-90 last fall and 90-92 this spring.

Jake Reppert – LHP – 27th Round 2015
Reppert was one of the best pitchers in his conference this year.  He is a Seattle Mariners fan and active member of the fan community and is active and quite funny on Twitter as well.  Lookout Landing recently interviewed him.

Will Stewart – LHP – 20th Round 2015
Stewart is another projectable HS LHP like Falter.  He has a bit more present velocity that Falter having touched 91 this spring, but nothing of note about his secondary pitches.  He is very young for his draft class and won’t turn 18 until July.

Horace Stubblefield – RHP – 28th Round 2015
Another giant live armed reliever.

Ranger Suarez – LHP
Suarez throws a ton of strikes, walks no one, is left handed, is only 19, and put up a 1.56 ERA in the VSL last year.  Only problem is that he throws in the mid 80s and at 6’0″ 177 pounds he is not oozing with projection like the HS left handers the Phillies have taken recently.  It looks like they will give him a chance to start and see if the stuff comes along.

Jacob Waguespack – RHP – NDFA 2015
A junior reliever out of Ole Miss, Waguespack was just recently signed as a non-drafted free agent.  He is another giant (6’6″) reliever.

Kevin Walsh – RHP – 21st Round 2015
Another giant college reliever, he struck out 44 in 34.2 innings this year.

Catchers:

Greg Brodzinski – C – 18th Round 2015
College senior catcher.

Edgar Cabral – C – 11th Round 2015
The Phillies like Cabral’s strength and receiving abilities.

Rodolfo Duran – C
Duran was signed this past international signing period and just turned 17 this past February.  He is small for a catcher (5’9″) but has solid contact abilities for his size.

Infielders:

Jose Antequera – SS
Antequera was solid in the VSL last year at age 18 (.267/.318/.327) but I don’t have anything on him.  He likely is in more of a utility role with the other infielders on the roster.

Jonathan Arauz – SS – Top 50 #43
One of the three Latin shortstops the Phillies signed last year, Arauz is also the one of the youngest players stateside right now.  He has the potential for average tools across the board with enough defense to stick at shortstop.  He is not quite the defender that Arquimedes Gamboa is so he might see some time at second base as well.

Luis Encarnacion – 1B – Top 50 #27
Encarnacion was one of the youngest players in the GCL last year and will be 17 for most of this season.  He is now limited to first base where he will need to just mash, but he has shown the ability to absolutely punish baseballs he makes contact with.  He struggles with most of the things that young hitters struggle with (approach, pitch recognition), but a year of at bats as put him in a better place than last year.  He smacked home run in the first game of the season and could see his stock rebound with a good season.

Luis Espiritu Jr. – SS
Espiritu was an 18 year old signed as an amatuer free agent.  He was sent to Williamsport and back again without playing a game.

Arquimedez Gamboa – SS – Top 50 #31
Gamboa was the Phillies top J2 signing last year and the best prospect in Venezuela.  The 17 year old has all the tools to be an above average defender at shortstop.  He shows good contact abilities with both of his swings, and is a plus runner.  It is not the toolsy profile of Arauz, but players who can hit and play shortstop are not common and Gamboa could be a very good player down the line.  He should be the primary shortstop for this team.

Scott Tomassetti – 1B
Tomassetti appears to no longer be a catcher which means his already faint prospect stock is near non-existent.

Luke Williams – 3B – 3rd Round 2015 *(not official)
Williams is not officially signed as the writing of this.  However, the 2015 3rd round pick should be the third baseman for the GCL Phillies.  Despite being such an early pick we really don’t know much about Williams other than his frame is projectable and is a current plus or better runner.  It will be interesting to see if other scouts see what the Phillies saw.

Outfielders:

Jesus Alastre – CF
Jesus Alastre tore up the VSL last year with a  combination of approach, contact, speed, and getting in the way of pitches.  It is a low power, high speed center field profile, so we will see how well he continues to hit.

Juan Luis – OF
Juan Luis has drawn rave reviews all spring.  It is first year of pro-ball and he is a bit old for a signee (19), however those that have talked about him like his swing and think he will grow into more power down the road.  If he hits well enough he could race Randolph for first to earn a promotion to Williamsport.  Defensively he has played both in a corner and centerfield, though on opening day he got the start in center field.

Bryan Martelo – RF
Bryan Martelo was the Phillies other big money Latin signing in 2013 along with Encarnacion, he has a prototypical right field profile with plus raw power.

Greg Pickett – LF – 8th Round 2015
The Phillies went overslot for Pickett in the 8th round of the 2015 draft.  The big left fielder might have had the most left handed power of any high schooler in the draft, but the rest of his game is unrefined.  He may show some extreme flashes both positive and negative this season as he adjusts.

Cornelius Randolph – LF – 1st Round 2015
Randolph was the #10 overall pick in the draft and regarded by many as the best high school hitter in the draft.  Many teams were scared away by his bonus demands and his lack of defined position.  The Phillies believe in his bat enough that they moved him to left field so that they could fast track his bat through the system.  Randolph likely won’t spend the whole year in the GCL and could see Williamsport before the end of the year.

Yunior Reyes – OF
Reyes is a twenty year old outfielder in his first year stateside from the DSL.  He has a lanky and projectable frame.

Henry Santana – OF
See the Yunior Reyes report from above.

Top Prospects:

1. Cornelius Randolph
2. Luis Encarnacion
3. Arquimedez Gamboa
4. Jonathan Arauz
5. Luke Williams

Players I am most Interested in:

It isn’t all about who is on top now, but who will be on top in the future.  Here are the guys I am most interested in hearing about.

• Adonis Medina
• Seranthony Dominguez
• Juan Luis
• Jonathan Arauz
• Greg Pickett