I feel fortunate that coverage of the DSL has reached a point where I can actually do a preview. That said, this is one of those areas where I do need to call out that this required blending information from watching the 2023 DSL season, 2024 Spring Training, Ben Badler’s Phillies signing review, help from Steve Potter both in his opinions and his sourcing from Phillies officials, and other sources. This is also not a comprehensive look at the two Phillies teams and I will be weaving in opinions on the players that catch my eye into the normal weekly recaps. You can find up to date rosters for the two teams as I update them during the season (White/Red).
Top Prospects
C Anderson Navas (White) – Navas is the pop up prospect of the class. He was already hailed as one of the better players to be signed by the Phillies before the signing period and the hype has carried over afterwards. The thing that stands about Navas is his size, he is listed at 6’4″ by Baseball America and 6’2″ on his MLB page, and looks much more like the 6’4″ with a lanky projectable build that gives some Joe Mauer vibes when he stands next to the umpire and hitter. He catches well for a teenager of his size, and right now there is no reason to move him out from behind the plate (his arm is supposedly a weapon there too). The size and projectability carries over at the plate, where there is some current swing and miss, but you can see in the swing and room for muscle there is future positive power.
OF Jalvis Arias (Red) – Arias got the Phillies highest bonus in the class. He is athletic and physical with big bat speed and raw power. He is sort of built weird for a baseball player with long legs and short torso and neck that gives him a sort of hunched over appearance at the plate. He struggles with offspeed pitches and there is some real questions about his hit tool and swing and miss. The whole package is one the Phillies have missed on a lot in Latin America, so it is one that make me nervous, but if Arias can make contact he is probably going to have offensive impact. He might play some center field this year, but will be in a corner long term.
Hitters to Watch
OF Nathanael Cijntje (White) – The Phillies reportedly gave Cijntje the second highest bonus for any player out of Curacao this year. He is on the smaller side, but is noted to have good speed, power, and athleticism.
SS Maylerson Casanova (Red) – The Phillies signed Casanova for $225,000 this past winter and he has been batting leadoff for the Red team throughout the spring. His glove has looked good up the middle and he has the athleticism and swing where he has some future offensive potential as he matures.
C Cesar Mujica (Red) – Mujica’s $700,000 bonus was the second largest in the Phillies signing class. He has played catcher and first base, but his position in the long term will be catcher. He has struggled at the plate some this spring, and his swing is big and long which has led to some swing and miss. He has power projection and Baseball America points out in their write up that he has the catching intangibles that coaches like.
SS Jose Familia (White) – The Phillies signed Familia for $600,000 and he looks to be the starting shortstop for the White team. He is a tall, lanky left handed hitter with room to fill out in his upper body. It is a bit of a longer swing due to long arms and you can see the future power potential. He isn’t a lock to move off the position, but there is a chance once he fills out he is more of a third baseman.
OF Jorge Julio (White) – Jorge Julio returns to DSL White after hitting just .171/.383/.257 in 16 games last year. He had a good spring training, showing more power than he did last year.
C Alirio Ferrebus (Red) – Ferrebus actually hit very well last year, going .339/.453/.435 in 21 games. Like most catchers he has moved between catcher, first, and DH. He figures to split time with Mujica and is already being placed in a prominent spot in the Red lineup.
OF Jaeden Calderon (White) – Calderon was a decent money signing last year ($150,000) who hit very well for the Red team last year (.276/.414/.463 in 42 games) and figures to be one of the better hitters on the White team this year. He is a hit over defense player and should be in the corner outfield, first base mix.
OF Victor Cardoza (White) – Cardoza was a teammate of Calderon on Red last year and is moving to White full time this year (he was on the White postseason roster). He struck out at a high rate last year, but he did get on base (thanks to 7 hit by pitches), and flashed some power.
OF Samuel Estevez (Red) – Estevez was not one of the big money signings for the Phillies this year, but got right out of the gate as the Red opening day cleanup hitter. He played all across the outfield this spring.
Pitchers to Watch
RHP Eligio Arias (Red) – Arias is an older pitcher (he turned 21 in March) that signed last December. He is enormous (listed at 6’7″ 230lbs) and still has room on his frame as well. His fastball has been up to 96, and sitting a bit lower than that. He has thrown a mid 80s slider as well. He started out as a reliever, but worked 3 innings later in Spring Training.
RHP Pedro Peralta (Red) – Peralta is a small righty with a big arm. He sat 91-95 last with a high 70s breaking ball. The Phillies signed him for $140,000 last year and he struggled as a 17 year old last year. He is working as a starting pitcher this season, but control continues to be a struggle.
RHP Darling Reyes (Red) – Reyes is an older (19) signing this offseason and comes in with a big arm. He has been working as a reliever with a fastball that sits 93 to 97 and a slider around 80. I believe a saw a changeup this spring as well, but whether he continues to use that in a relief role remains to be seen.
RHP Rene Yrish (Restricted List) – Yrish is similar in many ways to Reyes, a shorter RHP with a good arm, however Yrish is age appropriate for the class, having just turned 17 this fall. His fastball is 93-96 with a mid 80s slider and low 80s curveball. He was pitching late in Spring Training, but has been assigned to the Restricted list to begin the year.
RHP Joel Heredia (White) – Heredia is a big (6’6″) righty still growing into his stuff despite being on the older (20) side for the DSL. He pitched out of the Red rotation last year and struggled with his command. His stuff has ticked up a bit this year, up more in the 90-96 range from 89-93 last year. In addition to the fastball, he threw a mid 80s changeup, a pair of breaking balls last year.
RHP Alexander De Los Santos (Red) – De Los Santos is long and whippy despite only being listed at 6’1″. He has plenty of room for physical projection and was one of the youngest players in the org last year, and won’t turn 18 until August. He only appeared in 3 games last year, but is working as a starter this year. Just 87-91 last year, he has been 90 to 94 this spring and there is likely more in his frame.
RHP Orlando Gonzalez (Red) – Gonzalez is a 21 year old who pitched in Mexico before being signed by the Phillies. He does have big stuff, but his fastball is low 90s and he has a slider and changeup, making him one of the more polished arms on either DSL roster.
LHP Raymon Rosario (Red) – Rosario signed over the summer last year, and made it into 5 games with 6 innings pitched. He looks to be getting stretched out as a starter this spring. He doesn’t look like the highest upside pitcher, but he has a fastball at 89-93 with at least one breaking ball (it can be hard to tell if there is a slider and curveball or an inconsistent single pitch from watching video), and feel for a changeup. He will be 19 soon after the start of the season and lacks big projectability, he just looks like a starting pitcher to me.
Looking Ahead and Overall Thoughts
The Phillies did a little less overloading of one roster this year, and the overall crop of players does look slightly down. Some of that has been the changes to the FCL which saw the Phillies promote players they kept down for a little bit. Some of it has to do with the large bonuses to Starlyn Caba and Wen Hui Pan leaving not much carry over high signing bonus talent. The 2024 class is a bit more spread out and mysterious, but the early reports on Navas are good. The thing to watch for both rosters is the pitching. There are more and more big arms popping up and the Phillies do seem to coaxing more out of the arms they have acquired. My assumption is that White will once again be better than Red, but I don’t expect the run of dominance we have had by the White team the last two years to repeat.