During the Phillies rebuild years the system was full of high minors starting pitchers a break or two away from being a major league contributor. So far the Phillies have been pretty poor at getting those guys across the finish line, with only Zach Eflin, Nick Pivetta, and Vince Velasquez hanging around as reclamation projects now. The Phillies have a fresh set of interesting pitchers to have another attempt at developing into at least useful major league starters. I do want to call out the hitters in the 11 to 13 group, at minimum 11 and 12 are in the same tier as the back of the top 10 prospects.
Index: 1-10 | 11-20 | 21-30 | 31-40 | 41-50
All ages are for major league opening day.
20. Victor Santos, RHP
Age: 19 Acquired: 2016 International Free Agent
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’1” 191lbs
2019 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| LKW (A-) | 27 | 13 | 5-10 | 105.1 | 4.02 | 9.1 | 0.9 | 4.2% | 20.6% |
Role: #4 Starter
Risk: High – Santos is very advanced for a teenage pitcher, and his split changeup gives him a real weapon going forward. There are not a lot of successful right handed starters with below average velocity, and that leaves him with no margin for error.
Summary: After a good 2018 season in the GCL, the Phillies aggressively pushed the 18 year old Santos to Lakewood in 2019. He spent most of the year tethered to Francisco Morales in the BlueClaws piggyback rotation, and despite an unsightly 5-10 record, he had an impressive year for someone of his age. Santos pitches beyond his years, he is a three pitch pitcher with good command. His fastball is below average, hovering around 90, and topping out at 93. He will throw a 2-seamer just a couple of miles per hour slower. His slider is a solid pitch, but his best pitch is a split changeup that just dives away from hitters. The problem with Santos is that, despite his youth, he is essentially physically mature, which leads to concerns about whether his profile actually works at his current velocity. Right now he profiles at the back end of a rotation, but he has enough floor between his control, feel for pitching, and changeup that a small uptick in velocity could translate to a larger uptick in outcome than most prospects. Santos crosses the 100 inning mark in 2019, so he should be unrestricted in any rotation he is in.
2020 Outlook: Santos was very good for an 18 year old in full season ball last year, so a promotion to Clearwater for the season seems like a logical next progression.
ETA: 2022
Previous Rank: 28
19. Enyel De Los Santos, RHP
Age: 24 Acquired: Traded from Padres to Phillies for Freddy Galvis (12/15/18)
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’3” 170bs
2019 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| LHV (AAA) | 19 | 19 | 5-7 | 94 | 4.4 | 7.8 | 1.5 | 8.8% | 21.0% |
| PHI (MLB) | 5 | 1 | 0-1 | 11 | 7.36 | 10.6 | 3.3 | 10.9% | 19.6% |
Role: #4 Starter/Above Average Reliever
Risk: Medium – It was not that long ago that De Los Santos looked like a major league contributor. Unlike most prospects, his path to success is not through improvements as much as it is on just returning to where he was a year ago.
Summary: Coming into the 2019 season, the reports on De Los Santos had been pretty consistent, he had a plus fastball, above average to plus changeup, and a problem finding a good breaking ball. If he couldn’t develop a solid slider or curveball, he seemed destined for the bullpen, where it was expected that his stuff would play up. De Los Santos got off to a strong start in AAA, but spent most of April and May not pitching much and shuttling between the MLB bullpen and the AAA rotation. He was solid in June, but after a poor single start in the majors, the season went downhill. De Los Santos’ fastball was more below average than plus, and his control went backwards. Things went so poorly that he wasn’t a September call-up until the Phillies were desperate for another arm at the end of the month. The chances of De Los Santos starting are lower than they have ever been, and he is going to have to show that his slump was a fluke and not a trend in order to work in a bullpen. Enyel is running out of minor league options, so 2020 will be a make or break season for him.
2020 Outlook: Enyel is off to a slow start in camp because of a hamstring injury, which eliminates any chance he had to sneak in a major league opportunity out of camp. His year will almost certainly start in Lehigh Valley, and it might be in the bullpen.
ETA: 2018
Previous Rank: 7
18. Starlyn Castillo, RHP
Age: 18 Acquired: 2018 International Free Agent
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’0” 210lbs
2019 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| GCL (Rk) | 5 | 4 | 0-2 | 9.1 | 7.71 | 9 | 0 | 17.8% | 22.2% |
Role: #3 Starter
Risk: Extreme – Castillo is an 18 year old pitcher with 9.1 professional innings. He also only has two viable pitches right now. Both those things means he is very risky and very far away.
Summary: Castillo was one of the top pitching prospects in the 2018 July 2 class. The Phillies sent him directly to the GCL, but untimely minor injuries limited his season. Castillo is not lanky or projectable, and is smaller and solidly built. At his best he will sit 92-96, touching 97, but he spent some of the year more down in the lower part of the range. His slider is his best secondary pitch and could be plus long term. His changeup needs plenty of work. Given that he is 18, the lost year does not cause his stock to plummet, but he will need to take a step forward in 2020. His upside is still a mid rotation starter, because his current stuff is still very impressive for a teenager.
2020 Outlook: A good 2019 season might have seen Castillo jump over Williamsport, but his 2019 season was essentially non-existent. Castillo likely will start the year in Extended Spring Training before heading to Williamsport.
ETA: 2024
Previous Rank: 18
17. JoJo Romero, LHP
Age: 23 Acquired: 4th Rd, 2016 Draft
B/T: L/L H/W: 5’11” 190lbs
2019 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| REA (AA) | 11 | 11 | 4-4 | 57.2 | 4.84 | 9.1 | 0.6 | 5.1% | 21.9% |
| LHV (AAA) | 13 | 13 | 3-5 | 53.2 | 6.88 | 11.4 | 1.3 | 13.4% | 15.3% |
| AFL | 8 | 0 | 1-0 | 10.2 | 0.84 | 5.1 | 0.8 | 9.5% | 11.9% |
Role: Above Average Multi Inning Reliever/#4 Starter
Risk: Medium – If Romero can pitch at the level he pitched at in the Arizona Fall League, he should have success, but it was a small sample size and he didn’t miss bats. The biggest next step for him might just be to prove that he can actually get results.
Summary: Romero had a just ok year in 2018 in Reading, and in Spring Training last year his velocity was down, and yet the Phillies started him AAA. A nightmare of a season ensued, with Romero pitching more in the 88-91 range and his secondary pitches performing much worse than they did in previous years. He had a brief resurgence after a demotion to Reading, but he was still well behind where he was at his peak. The Phillies moved him to the bullpen for the Arizona Fall League and his velocity returned, earning him a spot on the 40 man roster this offseason. At his best, Romero will sit 89 to 93 and touch 95, and he will back it up with a plus changeup and a pair of average breaking balls. His control has slipped, but he had above average control in the past. The Phillies seem committed to leaving him in the bullpen for now, and if he can work in that higher velocity range, he could be a solid multi inning reliever. If he has success there, the Phillies could look to stretch him back out as a starter in the future.
2020 Outlook: Despite being on the 40 man roster, the Phillies don’t seem to be looking at Romero as an Opening Day option, meaning he will head to AAA and try to see if he can settle into the bullpen and have success in the role. Unless he bombs, he should get at least a cameo in the majors during the 2020 season.
ETA: 2020
Previous Rank: 6
16. Cristopher Sanchez, LHP
Age: 23 Acquired: Traded from the Rays to the Phillies for Curtis Mead (11/20/19)
B/T: L/L H/W: 6’5” 165lbs
2019 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| BG (A-) | 11 | 4 | 3-1 | 40.1 | 2.01 | 6.2 | 0.7 | 6.8% | 22.8% |
| CHA (A+) | 12 | 6 | 1-0 | 34 | 1.85 | 7.4 | 0.0 | 9.4% | 25.9% |
| DUR (AAA) | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 1.1 | 20.25 | 47.4 | 0.0 | 28.6% | 0.0% |
Role: #3 Starter/High Leverage Reliever
Risk: Extreme – In many ways we really don’t know who Sanchez is as a pitcher. Last year was both his first year in full season ball and his first year showing major league caliber pitches. He has neither had a starters workload or been used as a high leverage reliever. The Phillies are likely to start him in a rotation.
Summary: The byproduct of a strong farm system is that guys with high risk and long lead times can find themselves on the outside come Rule 5 time. In this case, the Rays strength is the Phillies gain, as they shipped an interesting prospect in Curtis Mead out to the Rays for Sanchez on the protection deadline eve. Sanchez was a surprise out of nowhere prospect, having never pitched in full season ball before 2019, despite it being his age 22 season. His quick rise (all the way to AAA) was thanks to a large velocity jump that saw him sitting 94 to 98 by the end of the year and reportedly touching 100. His slider shows promise, but needs work. However, his changeup is flashing plus potential. Sanchez’s control is indicative of a pitcher with limited high minors development. When the Phillies traded for Sanchez, there was a lot of thought they would just move him to the bullpen given his age, but their current plans appear to be to have him work as a starting pitcher. Given how raw he is and his arm strength, his upside in a rotation is very tantalizing. If the starting experiment doesn’t work, the downside is merely that he gets some developmental innings, so the Phillies have little to lose in giving it a try.
2020 Outlook: Despite some early speculation that the Phillies might give him a chance to win a bullpen spot in Spring Training, the Phillies are sending Sanchez to Reading as a starting pitcher. Unless he can’t hold up in the role, the Phillies have every incentive to leave him in a rotation just to get high level innings, and then reassess his future next Spring.
ETA: 2021
Previous Rank: N/A
15. Erik Miller, LHP
Age: 22 Acquired: 4th Rd, 2019 Draft
B/T: L/L H/W: 6’5” 240lbs
2019 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| GCL (Rk) | 2 | 1 | 0-0 | 3.0 | 3.00 | 6.7 | 0.0 | 15.4% | 46.2% |
| WPT (SS) | 6 | 4 | 0-0 | 20.0 | 0.90 | 5.9 | 0.0 | 8.1% | 33.7% |
| LKW (A-) | 7 | 7 | 1-0 | 13.0 | 2.08 | 6.9 | 0.0 | 10.9% | 30.9% |
Role: #3/#4 Starter
Risk: High – Miller has shown high impact pitches in his past, but the rebuilt base fits in more at the back of a bullpen. Miller still needs to throw strikes and have consistency with his secondary pitches over a full season.
Summary: Miller was a popular “steal” in the draft for the Phillies. During his junior year and in the Cape Cod League, Miller flashed a fastball up to 97, a plus slider, and an above average changeup. The problem was his control and consistency. Miller walked 5 batters per 9 at Stanford, and at times during the year the secondary pitches disappeared and his fastball barely broke 90. Miller admitted in pro ball that he could not maintain the higher velocity and locate his pitches. The Phillies worked with him on his delivery, and he has shown much better control, but his fastball has been more in the low 90s, topping out at 94. His secondary pitches were also not as good as they flashed at times in college. Right now, Miller looks more like a backend starter along the lines of Ranger Suarez, JoJo Romero, or Cole Irvin. If he is able to maintain the gains in control he made with the Phillies while regaining some of the high end stuff he has flashed in the past, Miller’s stock could rocket up as a high end #3 starter. There was some thought that Miller could move faster as a reliever, but that does not appear to be a path the Phillies are pursuing right now.
2020 Outlook: The Phillies bumped Miller to Lakewood for a couple of starts at the end of the year, so he is almost certainly headed to Clearwater to open the season. If he pitches well there, he could end the year in AA.
ETA: 2022
Previous Rank: N/A
14. Connor Seabold, RHP
Age: 24 Acquired: 3rd Rd, 2017 Draft
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’2” 190lbs
2019 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| GCL (Rk) | 3 | 3 | 0-1 | 7.1 | 3.68 | 8.6 | 0 | 0.0% | 37.5% |
| CLW (A+) | 2 | 1 | 1-0 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3.1% | 31.3% |
| REA (AA) | 7 | 7 | 3-1 | 40 | 2.25 | 7.9 | 0.5 | 6.3% | 22.8% |
| AFL | 4 | 4 | 1-0 | 17 | 1.06 | 3.7 | 0.5 | 4.8% | 35.5% |
Role: #4 Starter
Risk: Medium – Seabold is almost major league ready, he just needs some more polishing. He has enough fastball velocity to not be as risky as some of the Phillies back end arms, but he will need to rely on his secondary pitches and command to have major league success.
Summary: Late in the 2018 season, the Phillies pitching coach staff in Reading cleaned up Connor Seabold’s delivery, and the right hander looked poised to contribute in 2019. This year did not go to plan, however. Seabold missed a couple of months to an oblique injury, and then was limited for another month as he had to have Spring Training over the summer. Much like Spencer Howard, the Phillies sent Seabold to the AFL to build up innings, but he ended the year woefully short. On the mound, Seabold now sits 90-94 with his fastball and can reach back for 95. His breaking ball and changeup are solid pitches, but neither currently projects as plus. With his simplified delivery, Seabold’s plus control comes through more, and he shows the ability to use all of his pitches throughout the strike zone. His lack of a dominant pitch limits him to a backend starter ceiling, but he could be a solid innings eating #4 as soon as 2021, and a major league contributor in some role in 2020 as he rebuilds his innings load.
2020 Outlook: Given the log jam in front of him and his limited innings in 2019, the Phillies are likely to send Seabold back to Reading to open the 2020 season. He likely will be in AAA early in the season, and whether he reaches the majors will likely depend on team need.
ETA: 2021
Previous Rank: 24
13. Nick Maton, SS
Age: 23 Acquired: 7th Rd, 2017 Draft
B/T: L/R H/W: 6’1” 165lbs
2019 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| CLW (A+) | 93 | 384 | 5 | 11 | 10.7% | 18.5% | .276 | .358 | .380 |
| REA (AA) | 21 | 72 | 2 | 1 | 12.5% | 19.4% | .210 | .306 | .355 |
| AFL | 3 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 7.7% | 46.2% | .333 | .385 | .667 |
Role: Second Division Regular
Risk: Medium – Maton plays good enough defense to play all over the infield, which should allow him to stick on a major league bench. His bat is a little light for an everyday role, but he has shown power growth over the past season, giving hope he might have enough impact to start for stretches.
Summary: Part of what is looking like a loaded 2017 draft, Maton has flown under the radar for the most part. He does not hit for a ton of power, but the strength gains he made mean he might get to that 8-12 home runs a year range. He is athletic, but not a burner or good base stealer. He makes a good amount of contact, but won’t be a batting champion. He has improved his approach and walks at a plus rate, though he could afford to cut down on his strikeouts. The biggest improvement he may have made is becoming a competent defender at shortstop. He won’t win a gold glove, but he could plausibly play there for a stretch when a team doesn’t have a better option. It is hard to see him being a long term starter, but he should be able to play second and third base as well, making him the type of bench player who ends up with 300-400 plate appearances by the end of the year. Despite his youthful appearance, Maton is 23, so he isn’t a high upside kid waiting to break out. He is a long shot to contribute in 2020, especially given the new September rules, but he could make the team as soon as opening day 2021.
2020 Outlook: Maton barely played in AA, so he will start his year off as one of the primary infielders in Reading. He will need to be added to the 40 man roster during the offseason, so a good spring and summer could see him supplant one of the major league veterans on the Phillies’ bench.
ETA: 2020
Previous Rank: 33
12. Kendall Simmons, IF
Age: 19 Acquired: 6th Rd, 2018 Draft
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’2” 180lbs
2019 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| WPT (SS) | 51 | 205 | 12 | 5 | 9.8% | 26.3% | .234 | .330 | .520 |
Role: Solid Regular
Risk: Extreme – Simmons has shown plenty of contact issues at multiple levels, and only a very small time period of putting things all together in Williamsport. He isn’t a polished defender, but he showed enough in 2019 that he should be able to stick on the infield, which takes a lot of pressure off of his offensive performance.
Summary: The Phillies split the money saved on Alec Bohm between two raw high upside high schoolers, Dominic Pipkin and Kendall Simmons. Simmons was a shortstop with a good arm and big raw power. He has an ideal frame for projectable growth and is athletic enough to stay on the infield. His actions and instincts are far from ideal at shortstop, but he has shown more aptitude at second and third base, and it looks like he should be able to stay on the infield. Simmons has plenty of bat speed and is able to use it to generate plus raw power. He has some large contact issues at the plate, but the Williamsport coaches were able to help quiet his swing at the plate, which allowed him to really take off in the second half of the season (.169/.235/.324 4BB:27K before July 27, and .280/.398/.660 16BB:27K after). The midseason improvements bode well for Simmmons’ future, because he still has a lot of swing and miss he needs to reduce in his game. He is still young and he is still far away, but he could be a power first 2B/3B with the right amount of growth. There is a small chance things click even more for him, and given his raw power and athleticism, he could suddenly explode as a top prospect.
2020 Outlook: Simmons should start the year in Lakewood, and possibly move around the infield more than stick at a single position. If his late surge in Williamsport is real, he could get a midseason bump to Clearwater.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: 30
11. Simon Muzziotti, CF
Age: 21 Acquired: 2016 International Free Agent (2015 International Free Agent signed with Boston voided by commissioner punishment)
B/T: L/L H/W: 6’1” 175lbs
2019 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| CLW (A+) | 110 | 465 | 3 | 21 | 6.9% | 12.9% | .287 | .337 | .372 |
Role: Solid Regular
Risk: High – Muzziotti’s glove is major league ready, and he might have the bat the ball skills to make contact now. To be an everyday starter, Muzziotti is going to need to make hard enough contact to at least put the ball in gaps, and right now he does not have that strength.
Summary: The surface level connections between Muzziotti and former Phillies prospect Carlos Tocci are unavoidable. They are both skinny, low strength, Venezuelan center fielders. Muzziotti is more compact than Tocci was and has a better feel for contact. The lack of strength part is definitely true, and Muzziotti does not have a frame that projects to add much power as he matures. He is a plus runner which allows him to turn balls into the gaps into extra base hits. He can get a bit swing happy, but has a solid feel for the strike zone. In the field, he is a good center fielder, who should be at least plus in the long run. His arm was a liability when he signed initially with the Red Sox, but it is now a positive for him. It is unlikely that Muzziotti will ever be an impact player in the majors, but given his glove and contact abilities, he could be a solid regular on a playoff team for much of his career.
2020 Outlook: Given his age and lack of mature physicality, it is likely that Muzziotti just spends the whole year in Reading manning center field. He is likely to see less of an effect on his offensive numbers than some of his more power hitting counterparts.
ETA: 2021
Previous Rank: 12