2020 Top 50 Phillies Prospects: 41-50

I realize that I have not written much this year, at least not here. I could write a bunch about how the Phillies system has some very interesting lottery tickets in the lower minors, or how the top has really disappointed this year. However, I think it is much more interesting to just talk about some players and what their future might look like. There are, as always, numbers in front of them so that I could avoid writing a novel. For those of you who have complained in the past, I have reversed the directionality of which I present it. I will maybe write about some of the guys who missed the list, but no promises.

Index: 1-10 | 11-20 | 21-30 | 31-40 | 41-50 

All ages are for major league opening day.

50. Daniel Brito, 2B

Age: 22 Acquired: 2014 International Free Agent
B/T: L/R H/W: 6’1” 170lbs
2019 Stats:

Team (LVL)	G	PA	HR	SB	BB%	K%	AVG	OBP	SLG
CLW (A+)	103	379	4	6	5.8%	19.3%	.243	.296	.325

Role: Second Division Regular
Risk: Extreme – Despite his raw tools, Brito is going to need to hit somewhere in order to have a major league career, and right now has a three year track record of not doing that.
Summary: No player in the Phillies system combines a more of a disconnect between statistical outcomes and tools than Brito. He is a good defender at second base, and his plus speed makes him a good baserunner. Brito has shown the swing and raw power to be a plus hitter with average power. However, he has been very bad against left handed pitchers, and poor plate discipline and lack of muscle has led to poor contact. If everything clicks, Brito has enough ceiling to be an everyday second basemen, but given the track record of failure, it is very likely his future involves a continued stalling in AA.
2020 Outlook: Given the guys coming up behind him, it might be time for the Phillies to just let Brito sink or swim in Reading and see what happens.
ETA: 2022
Previous Rank: 17

49. Arquimedes Gamboa, SS

Age: 22 Acquired: 2014 International Free Agent
B/T:  S/R H/W: 6’0” 175lbs
2019 Stats:

Team (LVL)	G	PA	HR	SB	BB%	K%	AVG	OBP	SLG
REA (AA)	113	421	3	21	14.0%	26.6%	.188	.305	.270

Role: Glove First Utility Infielder
Risk: Medium – Gamboa has the defensive chops to play plus defense all over the infield, but there is a strong chance he hits like Michael Martinez as his peak.
Summary: The Phillies added Gamboa to the 40 man roster last offseason following a poor Clearwater season. No one expected the young shortstop to mash at AA, but his regression is disappointing. Gamboa is an athletic defender who plays good defense at shortstop, and he has cleaned up some of the mental mistakes he made when he was younger. He is a plus runner who has intermittently shown a high success rate at stealing bases. At the plate he doesn’t entirely lack strength, but Gamboa’s swing lacks impact. His inability to drive the ball has driven up his strikeout rate, and prevented his ability to draw a walk from giving him enough value. Gamboa is still relatively young, but no longer young enough to believe he will work through all of his problems. He has enough glove to have a role as a defensive bench infielder, but even that outcome requires him to be minus at the plate and not a zero.
2020 Outlook: After hitting poorly at AA in 2019, Gamboa will get another crack at Reading, and is likely only to see the majors if the Phillies suddenly need a temporary bench infielder in a crunch.
ETA: 2021
Previous Rank: 11

48. Zach Warren, LHP

Age: 23 Acquired: 14th Rd, 2017 Draft
B/T: L/L H/W: 6’5” 200lbs
2019 Stats:

Team (LVL)	G	GS	W-L	IP	ERA	H/9	HR/9	BB%	K%
CLW (A+)	40	0	1-3	60	3.30	6.5	0.3	14.8%	31.1%
AFL	5	0	0-0	4.2	3.86	1.9	0.0	20.0%	35.0%

Role: Above Average Reliever
Risk: High – Warren has the pitches to be a mainstay in a major league bullpen, but his control still needs a lot of work before he can reach that ceiling.
Summary: The Phillies took a whole host of college arms in the 2017 draft, and as the past two and a half seasons have unfolded, they have popped one by one. First it was Kyle Dohy rocketting to the upper levels, then Addison Russ just putting up sub 2.00 ERAs, and then there was Connor Brogdon going through 3 levels in 2019. Warren looked on pace to do that too, after a dominant 2018 campaign, but injuries and delivery problems derailed his early season. Overall, control problems continued to plague the tall lefty, but by the end of the year he had racked up strikeouts and a respectable ERA. Warren is primarily fastball/curveball, with the heater sitting 91 to 95, touching up to 96, and the curveball a power pitch with good downward movement. He does throw a distinct slider and changeup that help keep him from just being a LOOGY. If he can throw enough strikes, he could be a very useful major league reliever, but that consistency has yet to be something in his arsenal.
2020 Outlook: After spending the 2019 season in Clearwater, Warren will certainly open the year in Reading. A good start might get him pushed to AAA by the end of the season. He will be competing with a lot of his fellow pitchers from the 2017 draft for a limited number of 40 man spots this offseason.
ETA: 2021
Previous Rank: 31

47. Colton Eastman, RHP

Age: 23 Acquired: 4th Rd, 2018 Draft
B/T: R/R  H/W: 6’3” 185lbs
2019 Stats:

Team (LVL)	G	GS	W-L	IP	ERA	H/9	HR/9	BB%	K%
LKW (A-)	5	3	1-2	21	6.00	9.0	0.9	3.4%	28.1%
CLW (A+)	13	12	5-5	75	3.36	8.9	1.1	7.0%	25.2%
REA (AA)	6	4	1-1	32.2	3.03	6.9	0.8	9.2%	22.9%

Role: #5 SP

Risk: Medium – Eastman has solid control and a true plus pitch in his curveball, but a below average fastball is going to make it difficult for him to do anything but live on the margins.
Summary: Eastman looks like the modern analytics pitching prospect. He has good size, and he pitches over the top with a high spin curveball. He can work up in the zone with his fastball, and then attack with the plus breaker. In many ways the formula is similar to former Phillies starter Jared Eickhoff, and Eastman’s curve even has some of the same look as Eickhoff’s. Eastman does have a solid changeup giving him three usable pitches. The problem is that Eastman’s velocity did not show any growth after a year in pro ball. For the year, he sat mostly 88 to 90, touching 91-92. There is still a slight chance he can develop a little more velocity, but it is increasingly unlikely. While the pitch combination works, it is hard for a guy to begin his career at such a low velocity band, and while Eastman has solid command, he is more of a strike thrower than an artist in the zone. Without an average fastball, it is going to be hard to keep major league hitters off of his secondary pitches. Given that his curveball is a good pitch, there is a chance that Eastman is moved to a long relief role where he can feature the pitch more without having to worry about turning a lineup over. For now he will get reps in a minor league rotation, first at Reading and then possibly Lehigh Valley over the summer.
2020 Outlook: Eastman had a 3.03 ERA in Reading, but it was only in 32.2 IP, and that low inning total coupled with the Phillies depth in front of him lines him up for a return trip to AA with a midseason promotion to AAA a possibility.
ETA: 2021
Previous Rank: 38

46. Abrahan Gutierrez, C

Age: 20 Acquired: 2017 International Free Agent (originally signed with Braves in 2016 class)
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’2” 214 lbs
2019 Stats:

Team (LVL)	G	PA	HR	SB	BB%	K%	AVG	OBP	SLG
LKW (A-)	83	322	4	3	8.7%	19.3%	.245	.314	.318

Role: Backup Catcher
Risk: High – Gutierrez has many of the foundational pieces to be a solid backup catcher if he just improves gradually. However, there is a long path from low-A to the majors, and a lot of young catchers don’t have all of those pieces survive the journey.
Summary: Gutierrez was once one of the top July 2 prospects, but ultimately how advanced he was was not a sign of future growth. When the Phillies signed him, after his Braves contract was voided, his star had already faded. He is already physically developed and lacks high end tools. He has better offensive tools than he showed in Lakewood, but nothing that profiles as above average. His glove is polished, but he is not a gold glove defender and his defense is not going to carry him on its own. The combination of offense and defense gives him more of a backup ceiling. He is still fairly young, but as we have seen so far, that doesn’t necessarily mean there is untapped upside.
2020 Outlook: With more catching on the way to full season ball, Gutierrez is likely to be bumped up to Clearwater to once again pair with Rafael Marchan.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: 46

45. Addison Russ, RHP

Age: 25 Acquired: 19th Rd, 2017 Draft
B/T:  R/R H/W: 6’1” 190lbs
2019 Stats:

Team (LVL)	G	GS	W-L	IP	ERA	H/9	HR/9	BB%	K%
REA (AA)	55	0	5-6	56.2	2.54	7.5	0.8	8.4%	34.2%

Role: Middle Reliever
Risk: Medium – Russ lacks the truly dominant pitch or AAA experience to allay any concerns about his stuff working in a high leverage role, however he has a mature arsenal with a history of success.
Summary: Minor league closers are not necessarily top prospects, especially not ones that stay in that role for one team like Russ did for Reading in 2019. Russ has never been a top prospect, and his stuff has never been on par with guys like Kyle Dohy, and he has never been as projectable as some of his younger teammates. What Russ has been is stable and dominant. Some earned/unearned run splits make his first/second half splits seem starker, and he struggled some in August. Russ’ stuff would have looked much better 8 years ago when I started writing, but his fastball sitting 94-96 is more above average than plus for a right handed reliever. His splitter is probably a future plus pitch. Russ is already 25 and physically mature, so any growth on those pitches is likely to come from slight control improvements as well as sequencing and location. While he doesn’t profile as a closer at the next level, Russ is near MLB ready and could contribute somewhere in a bullpen when the Phillies need an arm at some point in 2020.
2020 Outlook: Russ is one of many relief prospects the Phillies will have in AAA that will be Rule 5 eligible at the end of the year. There are plenty of spots to be won in the majors, so a good start could force a call-up, and a bad start could see him buried.
ETA: 2020
Previous Rank: UR

44. D.J. Jefferson, RHP

Age: 19 Acquired: Non-drafted Free Agent 2019
B/T: R/R  H/W: 6’5” 180lbs
2019 Stats:

Team (LVL)	G	GS	W-L	IP	ERA	H/9	HR/9	BB%	K%
GCL (Rk)	5	1	0-1	10.2	1.69	5.9	0.8	9.5%	16.7%

Role: #4 Starter
Risk: Extreme – Jefferson has the frame and arm strength to build from, but lacks the current secondary tools to make him less risky than any other complex level pitcher.
Summary: Coming into his senior year of high school, Jefferson was projected as a first 3 round pick in the draft based on his size and athleticism. The projection didn’t really catch up, and with a commitment to the University of Southern California it looked like he was heading to college when he went undrafted. Surprisingly, he ended up signing with the Phillies as a free agent over the summer. Jefferson is a tall, projectable, athletic right hander which is a very good starting base for a teenage pitcher. In his short stint in the GCL his fastball was in the low 90s, peaking at 94. His secondary pitches still need a good amount of work. Overall Jefferson has a lot of work to do both on the mound and in a weight room, but he is definitely the kind of pitcher that could pop up out of nowhere in a year or two.
2020 Outlook: The Phillies employed a piggyback system in Lakewood last year, so with a good spring, Jefferson could go the way of Dominic Pipkin and jump right to full season ball. More likely, he is held back in the complex where results in Extended Spring Training could make him a late arrival to the BlueClaws or a member of the Crosscutters.
ETA: 2024
Previous Rank: N/A

43. Marcus Lee Sang, OF

Age: 19 Acquired: 11th Rnd, 2019 Draft
B/T: L/L H/W: 6’0” 200lbs
2019 Stats:

Team (LVL)	G	PA	HR	SB	BB%	K%	AVG	OBP	SLG
GCL (Rk)	36	183	2	6	8.0%	30.4%	.224	.283	.320

Role: Average Regular
Risk: Extreme – Lee Sang is a raw high school hitter who has not faced a ton of high level competition. He is going to take time to develop, but the raw tools give him enough impact to potentially play everyday.
Summary: The Phillies took Lee Sang with an early Day 3 pick in the 2019 draft, signing him away from a commitment to St Joes. He is raw as a hitter, and will need to refine his approach and pitch recognition. He has good raw power and a strong arm. He might have enough speed to play some center field, but the arm and power are a classic right field profile if he slows as he fills out. He is going to take some time, but he is athletic and toolsy enough to warrant attention going forward.
2020 Outlook: Depending on how he plays in Extended Spring Training (and how many outfielders the Phillies draft), Lee Sang will either be repeating the GCL or heading north to Williamsport.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: N/A

42. Brett Schulze, RHP

Age: 22 Acquired: 7th Rd, 2019 Draft
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’2” 180lbs
2019 Stats:

Team (LVL)	G	GS	W-L	IP	ERA	H/9	HR/9	BB%	K%
GCL (Rk)	2	0	1-0	3	0	3.3	0	9.1%	27.3%
WPT (SS)	10	5	0-0	23.2	0.38	8	0.4	15.1%	32.1%

Role: Above Average Reliever
Risk: High – Schulze has yet to pitch in full season ball, and his secondary pitches are not those of a dominant reliever. If he can hold his fastball velocity from college, he could move quickly through the system.
Summary: Schulze was the Phillies 7th round pick in the 2019 draft after he saw a big uptick in stuff moving to the bullpen for Minnesota. In college he was reportedly more in the mid 90s, touching up to 98. In pro ball, he was more 91 to 94, touching 95, which is not surprising given the length of the season. The Phillies actually had him starting some late in the year, and it remains to be seen which role they see him in going forward. He has a changeup and curveball, but neither is a carrying pitch. His ERA was stellar for the Phillies, marred only by an earned run in his last appearance. He missed bats in pro-ball, but his control numbers were very poor compared to what he accomplished in college. If the Phillies leave him in the bullpen, there is a chance he could move quickly through the system.
2020 Outlook: The Phillies are likely to jump their relief prospects over Lakewood, now that they have a piggyback starter system there, so as a reliever it is likely that Schulze starts in Clearwater. If the Phillies want to give him a look as a starter, he could fit into a 3-4 inning role in the Lakewood piggyback rotation.
ETA: 2022
Previous Rank: N/A

41. Josh Stephen, OF

Age: 22 Acquired: 11th Rd, 2016 Draft
B/T:  L/L H/W: 6’0” 185lbs
2019 Stats:

Team (LVL)	G	PA	HR	SB	BB%	K%	AVG	OBP	SLG
REA (AA)	113	403	12	7	9.7%	27.3%	.271	.342	.483
AFL	11	39	0	0	7.7%	17.9%	.250	.308	.306

Role: Platoon/4th OF
Risk: Medium – Stephen hit pretty well in AA as a 21 year old. He probably won’t hit enough to play everyday, but with expanded rosters there is more room for a left field only bench outfielder.
Summary: When the Phillies took Mickey Moniak #1 overall, spreading money around in the draft was one of the advantages they talked about. They opened Day 3 of the draft by giving Josh Stephen 3rd round money, proving their point. Stephen was considered to be one of the best HS hitters out of California that year. During his first three years in the Phillies system, he showed none of that promise. To open 2019, he skipped over Clearwater to Reading as a 4th outfielder due to injuries in the system. After playing sparingly the first two months, he would be a regular for the Fightins for the rest of the year. On the surface, 2019 was a huge breakout year for Stephen who held his own as a 21 year old in AA. Under the surface, there were some statistical problems. He was ghastly against lefties, hitting just .189/.274/.378. While his walk rate soared, so did his strikeout rate, with 27.3% representing a career high by far. Playing home games in Reading is always a factor, and his .357 BABIP is unsustainably high for a player of his skill set. That does not mean that Stephen did not experience growth in 2019. His swing looked better, and he did show a lot more ability to work counts and drive the ball. It is reasonable to think, given his swing that he can bring the strikeouts backs down (and he was able to do that during the second half). He should grow into at least average power. He is left field only defensively and probably should learn first base at some point to increase his positional flexibility. The combination of tools gives him MLB hitting upside, but not enough to be a regular in a corner. If a team can use him on the strong side of a platoon he has a path to a solid major league career.
2020 Outlook: Normally a player with Stephen’s AA stats would be a lock to move up to AAA, but with McCutchen’s injury the Phillies may keep AAA full with MLB roster filler to start the year. If he does get pushed down to AA, he should see AAA quickly into the season and he likely will finish his year there.
ETA: 2021
Previous Rank: UR