Original Post
Top 50 Prospects
1. Mick Abel, RHP
Age: 20
Acquired: Drafted in the 1st Round of the 2020 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’5” 190lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| CLW (A-) | 14 | 14 | 1-3 | 44.2 | 4.43 | 5.4 | 1.0 | 14.3% | 34.9% |
Role: #2 Starting Pitcher
Risk: High – The nature of Abel’s season; minor injuries after a conservative innings ramp, pitch use priorities that emphasized development over results, and a rough ABS rollout in low-A Southeast, didn’t alleviate industry concerns about him being a young pitcher or showcase his skillset.
Summary: Mick Abel is exactly how you would build an ideal high school pitching prospect from scratch. He is tall and athletic, with remaining physical projection. He gets great extension on his pitches and has a good feel for spin. Abel’s best pitch is his fastball, which averaged just over 95 during his time in Clearwater and was touching 97 to 99 in most starts. It has high spin and vertical “rise” movement, with a flat plane, making it a plus to plus plus pitch. Abel already had a plus slider out of high school and pairs it with a changeup and curveball, both with above average projection. Abel’s control struggled at times and was exacerbated by both the ABS system and some forced pitch usage. Unlike most of their pitching prospects, the Phillies had Abel working on specific things each outing, like forcing fastballs in breaking ball counts and vice versa, as well as having starts where a single one of his offspeed pitches was exclusively used. Since Abel’s 2020 high school season was entirely wiped out by COVID, the Phillies were very conservative with his innings, and his whole season was placed on a strict innings and pitch limit, with increasing per game limits as the season progressed. Long term, Abel’s physicality and athleticism should allow him to have solid command and carry a full starter’s inning load. Abel has as much upside as any pitching prospect in the minors, and it takes very little projection to see a front line starting pitcher. Abel did deal with a minor injury during the season, and the Phillies were very cautious with him. He was back healthy and throwing in Instructs, sitting 97-99 in the short outings. The Phillies appeared to be gearing up for a promotion for Abel before the injury, and given his advanced feel for pitching and electric pitch mix, he seems a good candidate to move quickly. Assuming he does not have any more small setbacks, he could actually move very quickly and end the year in AA, finding himself not far away from the majors heading into 2023.
2022 Outlook: There were rumors that Abel was nearing a call up to Jersey Shore when he was shut down, so it should be an easy opening day assignment. Given his electric stuff, a midseason move to Reading is not out of the question. The big question for most evaluators and fans is if the Phillies will just let him fully loose or continue to bring his pitches and innings along slowly.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: 2
2. Andrew Painter, RHP
Age: 18
Acquired: Drafted in the 1st Round of the 2021 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’7” 215lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| PHI (CPX) | 4 | 4 | 0-0 | 6.0 | 0.00 | 6.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 57.1% |
Role: #2/#3 Starter
Risk: High – Painter is a huge, young, right handed pitcher, and that is usually a recipe for future control problems, but Painter has historically had very good body and pitch control. He is already starting to actualize his physical projection, especially when it comes to velocity, and has a starters arsenal of pitches. Most of his risk comes from the development and health pitfalls that exist between 6 innings in the complex and the major leagues.
Summary: For the second year in a row, the Phillies took the high school pitcher who entered the season as the top arm in the class. Painter was eventually surpassed by no fault of his own, falling to the Phillies at the 13th pick. Painter is an enormous kid with a precocious pitch mix. He has a changeup, slider, and curveball that will all get varying opinions between average to plus. In high school he was a tinkerer, so there are some more pitches in his arsenal that probably don’t make it into pro ball. He was more mid 90s in high school and was 94 to 96 in his FCL appearances. However, the news out of Fall Instructs was that he was sitting high 90s and was repeatedly up to 100. He does not have the explosive fastball of Mick Abel and Griff McGarry (high spin rising fastball with low vertical approach angle), but it is still at minimum a plus pitch. It is not entirely surprising to see Painter have a velocity increase, given his size and projectability, but the quickness and scale of the improvement is a huge positive. Like all high school pitchers, his offspeed pitches will need some improvement and sharpening, but he starts with a good base. Despite his size, he has great body control and should have solid command going forward. He lacks some of the high end pitches of Mick Abel, making him less of an easy projection as a front end starter, but he also is just starting his time in pro ball.
2022 Outlook: Painter should open the year as the ace of the Thresher’s staff. He is polished enough that the Phillies might be able to push him to Jersey Shore by the middle of the summer and start fast tracking him through the org.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: N/A
3. Bryson Stott, SS
Age: 24
Acquired: Drafted in the 1st Round of the 2019 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: L/R
H/W: 6’3” 200lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| CLW (A+) | 22 | 95 | 5 | 3 | 23.2% | 23.2% | .288 | .453 | .548 |
| REA (AA) | 80 | 351 | 10 | 6 | 10.0% | 22.2% | .301 | .368 | .481 |
| LHV (AAA) | 10 | 41 | 1 | 1 | 19.5% | 19.5% | .303 | .439 | .394 |
| PEO (AFL) | 26 | 119 | 2 | 5 | 20.2% | 11.8% | .318 | .445 | .489 |
Role: First Division Regular
Risk: Medium – It is less that Stott is medium risk to be a major league contributor, but more that Stott’s lack of a real plus tool means he is going to need almost everything to go right to be an impactful player and not merely a good one. Stott may not be a long term shortstop, but he can play it now and would be a plus defender at second if he has to move there.
Summary: It is rare that college performers with a chance to stay at shortstop slip into the teens in the draft, but that is what happened to Stott in the 2019 Draft as a few teams reached for money savers. He hit fine in his pro debut, but struggled at both the alt site in 2020 and spring training in 2021. The Phillies sent him to Jersey Shore, which he quickly overmatched, earning a promotion to AA. He had a down stretch in July before rallying through August and carrying it over to his two weeks in AAA. He had a bit of a national breakout in the Arizona Fall League, where he and Logan O’Hoppe quite literally walked all over their competition. At the plate, Stott has cleaned up his swing, but it is not particularly fast or loose. He has a good feel for contact, driven by a great feel for the strike zone and approach at the plate. He is very comfortable working long counts and hitting with two strikes. Sometimes the contact forward approach can hinder his ability to tap into his raw power, which is now more all fields than the pull power he showed in college. Due to his slower bat speed, he is vulnerable to high velocity fastballs, especially up in the strike zone. He does recognize offspeed pitches well, and is going to have to survive some of the swing related holes by not chasing. However, he is likely to be a player that is going to get beat by good pitchers executing their pitches, which puts some ceiling on his upside. There has been a lot of debate about Stott’s defensive position. He has improved at shortstop, but he does lack the range and arm strength to be an impact defender there. He doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, and is likely long term to be a player who can play shortstop if needed, but is ideally a plus defensive second baseman who gives a team some positional flexibility and resiliency. There is a chance that if Stott put it together enough, he could make an all-star team in years when he is blessed by the BABIP gods, but his collection of average tools means he is probably hitting in the 6th or 7th spot as the middle infielder for a team with championship aspirations. While he may lack huge upside, Stott has very high major league probability at a position of immediate and long term major league need.
2022 Outlook: The Phillies have said that Stott will get a chance to compete for the opening day shortstop job, but it feels like he is not the favorite right now for it. More likely he goes to AAA to open the year, coming up as soon as there is an injury or ineffective player on the major league infield.
ETA: 2022
Previous Rank: 4
4. Johan Rojas, OF
Age: 21
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in January 2018 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’1” 165lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| CLW (A-) | 78 | 351 | 7 | 25 | 7.4% | 19.7% | .240 | .305 | .374 |
| JS (A+) | 17 | 74 | 3 | 8 | 9.5% | 10.8% | .344 | .419 | .563 |
Role: First Division Regular
Risk: High – Rojas has some concerning hit tool trends, particularly in his recognition of breaking balls. He has made improvements in the area, but it is the linchpin skill to him unlocking the offensive impact he has flashed. On the flip side of offensive risk, Rojas is a high energy player with plus plus speed who could be a near elite defensive center fielder and terror on the bases.
Summary: Not every prospect starts out as a coveted amatuer, some start out getting $10,000 to fill out a DSL team and then flash high end skills. Rojas exploded onto the prospect scene in 2019, making it to Williamsport and flashing high end tools along the way. The Phillies invited him to their big league camp for 2020, but unfortunately he came out of it with some scary ground ball tendencies. Those, coupled with a disastrous ABS rollout, led to a very poor opening month where he hit .200/.236/.305 with just 3 walks (2.7%) to 21 strikeouts (18.9%). From there things took off, with Rojas hitting .286/.362/.460 over the final 4 months with a 9.4% BB% and 17.6% K%, topping it off with a stretch for hi-A Jersey Shore where he hit .344/.419/.563 with 7 walks to 8 strikeouts. Rojas has a very quick bat and a knack for getting the bat on the ball. He still is very aggressive at the plate, and his off speed pitch recognition has improved, but is still suspect. The consequence has been that he has made too much ground ball contact and not tapped into his plus raw power as much. The worry is that the poor contact will continue, and his strikeout rate will balloon as his bat speed won’t be enough to bail him out vs plus major league sliders. If he can swing at the right pitches while continuing to make improvements in his bat path (the Phillies coaches have worked heavily with Rojas on getting him to hit the ball in the air more), he has an impact offensive upside. With the Threshers, he showed consistent hard contact and flashed high end exit velocities as well. On the base paths, Rojas is an aggressive and opportunistic base runner and has the plus plus speed to make it a weapon. The speed carries over to the outfield where he can cover a ton of ground and projects as a plus plus defender with multiple people mentioning gold glove upside. Rojas is still very raw and needs to really put his tools into action on the field more, and the hit tool questions do loom large over all of this. Rojas is an information sponge and hard worker off the field. On the field, his energy is infectious and he is seemingly always in motion and at full speed, making him a delight to watch. His glove gives him a high floor as a defensive specialist, but he has enough upside if it comes together to be a long term impact player for the Phillies.
2022 Outlook: Rojas ended the year in hi-A for 17 games, and while they were very good games, he probably needs some more time there with an eye towards reaching AA by the middle of the season.
ETA: 2024
Previous Rank: 6
5. Logan O’Hoppe, C
Age: 22
Acquired: Drafted in the 23rd Round of the 2018 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’2” 185lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| JS (A+) | 85 | 358 | 13 | 6 | 8.4% | 17.6% | .270 | .335 | .459 |
| REA (AA) | 13 | 57 | 3 | 0 | 1.8% | 15.8% | .296 | .333 | .481 |
| LHV (AAA) | 6 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 8.7% | 17.4% | .190 | .261 | .381 |
| PEO (AFL) | 22 | 100 | 3 | 3 | 21.0% | 15.0% | .299 | .440 | .520 |
Role: Solid Regular
Risk: High – O’Hoppe does everything well physically on the field, and by all accounts has tons of leadership and makeup on and off the field to complement it. He made extraordinary strides with his contact abilities this year, which helps answer the biggest question about him offensively. He feels about as safe as any 22 year old catcher can be to being a long term major leaguer, but he does not have the current tools to be a no doubt starter.
Summary: Due to his physical proximity to Lehigh Valley, O’Hoppe found himself thrown directly from short season ball into the alt-site in 2020, and he took off from there. He has long been praised for his on field leadership and plus makeup, well beyond the usual rave reviews that catchers normally get as team leaders. While never a candidate to move off the position, O’Hoppe has also not been a plus defender behind the plate, and that is still mostly the case. He throws a bit better and he moves a bit more fluidly, but he still has a ways to go to make the physical parts of catcher defense a huge asset. At the plate, his swing and miss stuck out like a sore thumb, with the 27.7% strikeout rate in Williamsport in 2019 looking especially ugly. The Phillies worked with him to reduce the uppercut to his swing and, while a struggle at first, it paid off in the long term. He posted a 20.7% strikeout rate in May, followed it up with an ugly 28.4% in June, and then spent the next 3 months of the season looking like a totally different hitter, going 10.1% (July), 9.8% (August), and 17.5% (September+October) to end his regular season. During this time, it did not entirely seem like the full approach was there, as his walk rate was downright ugly at times, but he topped it off in joining teammate Bryson Stott in a tour of walking force in the Arizona Fall League, posting a walk percentage of 21% to go with a meager 15% strikeout rate. The growth in contact rate and the new swing have not come with a drop in power. O’Hoppe has plus raw power, and can really put a charge into one when he gets a hold of it, but he isn’t a masher. He is more likely to settle into that 15-20 home run a year range (on a catcher’s amount of plate appearances) with a solid number of doubles. While his contact has gotten better, he isn’t an amazing hitter, just a good one, which is plenty fine given his defensive position. The catching position is seeing a resurgence right now, but O’Hoppe’s well rounded skill set makes him a really solid player going forward. Given his rapid improvements and work ethic, there might be another leap in him, but for now he has firmly cemented himself near the top of the system.
2022 Outlook: With J.T. Realmuto entrenched in the big leagues, the Phillies have all the time in the world to just let O’Hoppe develop. He made it to AAA, but he only had 13 games in AA, so it is likely he will get the bulk of his season there. As long as the Phillies have Realmuto, O’Hoppe will also be at the center of every trade rumor.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: 21
6. Griff McGarry, RHP
Age: 22
Acquired: Drafted in the 5th Round of the 2021 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’2” 190lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| CLW (A-) | 5 | 1 | 0-0 | 11.0 | 3.27 | 4.7 | 0.0 | 15.2% | 47.8% |
| JS (A+) | 3 | 3 | 1-0 | 13.1 | 2.70 | 4.7 | 0.0 | 13.0% | 38.9% |
Role: #3 Starter or Late Inning Reliever
Risk: High – McGarry has the best raw stuff in the organization and might be an impact reliever right now, based on his fastball and slider. However, his track record of throwing strikes is essentially limited to 24.1 innings of pro-ball where he just was ok at it. He has the collection of pitches to be a starter, but the control bar will be even higher in that role.
Summary: McGarry was a 4 year starter at Virginia, with the shortened 2020 season making him a 4th year junior heading into the draft. He has always missed bats and struggled to throw strikes throughout his college career, amassing a staggering 131 walks in 134 innings to go with 186 strikeouts. He was lights out to end the college season, but still fell to the 5th round of the draft. What McGarry showed in pro-ball was why he was even in consideration for a day 2 pick. He has an argument for the best raw stuff in the org, including the major leagues, and his arsenal reads like it was designed to check every analytics box. His four-seam fastball sits 93 to 96 and topped out at 98 in pro ball, but has been up to 100 in the past. He has great extension on the pitch to go with a very flat angle, and then tops with very high spin (averaged over 2600rpm in Clearwater) causing explosive rising action. If he can throw it for strikes, it is a plus plus pitch that will miss a ton of bats. His slider and curveball can blend together, with the slider projecting as the better of the two as a mid 80s, high spin, sweeping bat misser. He has flashed an above average to plus changeup in the past, but did not throw many in pro-ball. He also has a distinct two-seam fastball in the same velocity range as the four seamer that he turned to fairly frequently. It is really hard to project his command reaching the point where he could be a front end starter, but it is a front end starter’s collection of pitches. If he can just get to average control, he could be a modern mid rotation starter who will give 5-6 pitch inefficient, but highly effective innings. If he can’t get to the mid rotation starter path, it is likely the Phillies will just fast track him in the bullpen, where he should be able to pitch at the end of games, probably in a multi-inning role. His sharp increase in strike throwing in the pros doesn’t quite make his floor major league reliever, but he really is not far off of being something close to right handed Jose Alvarado. McGarry’s electric pitch mix gives him one of the most impactful ceilings in the system, but the control issues are still scary enough they could come back to sabotage him. Either way, he is a huge steal and draft win for the Phillies.
2022 Outlook: McGarry is a 4 year starter in college who did make 3 appearances in hi-A. If he comes out throwing strikes this spring, they could aggressively push him to AA to start, but it is more likely he gets some more Jersey Shore innings under him. He should reach at least AA by the end of the year, and if he shows the same electric stuff this season, it is not unreasonable that he could help the big league club out of the bullpen down the stretch.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: N/A
7. Luis Garcia, SS
Age: 21
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in July 2017 by the Phillies
B/T: S/R
H/W: 5’11” 170lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| CLW (A-) | 87 | 395 | 11 | 11 | 13.7% | 23.5% | .246 | .356 | .423 |
| JS (A+) | 16 | 70 | 2 | 4 | 14.3% | 27.1% | .224 | .333 | .362 |
Role: Solid Regular Defense First Shortstop
Risk: High – There are a lot of things to like about Garcia, he has a good swing from both sides of the plate, he has plus defensive tools, and he is a patient batter. Once you look a little closer, the facade starts to crack, as his defense is still inconsistent, the strikeout rate is higher (though he does have a much lower whiff% than a lot of his teammates), and his average exit velocity hints at inconsistent hard contact. He is entering his age 21 season, so it doesn’t need to be complete yet, but he is going to need to start to put those pieces together.
Summary: Luis Garcia was thrown into the deep end in 2019, promoted to low-A Lakewood in his second season while not having the physical tools to keep himself afloat. After the missed season, the Phillies returned Garcia to low-A, where he hit much better thanks to strength added during the 18 month baseball hiatus. After the Clearwater COVID outbreak, the Phillies pushed Garcia north to the now hi-A and rebranded Jersey Shore, and they were afraid enough that someone would select him that they added him to the 40 man roster after the season. Garcia’s previous success was predicated on a high contact rate, and in 2021 he showed a more diverse set of outcomes, drawing walks from both sides of the plate while keeping his contact rates up and hitting for a career high in power. Garcia still lacks the strength to be an impact hitter, and while he will show over the fence power, his average contact has a much lower impact than his peers. He is young enough that he should add more strength and bat speed, but he is unlikely to ever be more than an average offensive player. Defensively, Garcia has the tools to be a plus defender at short and second, but he still has too much inconsistency to be that player now. It was a good season, because everything did step forward for Garcia, but he is a far from finished product, and the Phillies just started the clock on his option years.
2022 Outlook: Garcia played 16 games at Jersey Shore and, thanks to the lockout, will be behind on starting Spring Training. He should return to the BlueClaws, but it is probably a priority that he at least ends his year in Reading.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: 7
8. Ethan Wilson, OF
Age: 22
Acquired: Drafted in the 2nd Round of the 2021 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: L/L
H/W: 6’1” 210lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| CLW (A-) | 30 | 117 | 3 | 2 | 8.5% | 21.4% | .215 | .282 | .374 |
Role: Everyday Regular
Risk: Medium – Wilson has shown plus contact abilities and plus power, but not both in the same college season. However, he has a proven track record of providing offensive impact, and there is a decent chance he can do enough of it to overcome his left field only defensive profile.
Summary: Ethan Wilson put himself on the draft map with a monster freshman year at South Alabama. He posted some concerning strikeout numbers in a very short sophomore year, before showing huge gains in contact abilities (8.3% strikeout rate) but a corresponding drop off in power. The goal for Wilson and the Phillies hitting coaches will be to find a way to regain the plus power while also keeping some of the contact gains. Given what he has shown, he is likely not the premier hitter on a playoff team, but someone who could hit 5th to 7th on a good team. Wilson will need to hit, because he is probably left field only long term. He is a good defender out there, but not enough speed for center and not enough arm for right will likely make it his permanent major league home, even if he plays the other positions in the minors. Wilson is a polished college bat with solid upside, and he should move fairly quickly through the minors.
2022 Outlook: As a college performer who did not embarrass himself at low-A, Wilson likely makes the jump to Jersey Shore to open 2022. Given his college track record, it would not be a surprise if he spent the last bit of 2022 at AA.
ETA: 2024
Previous Rank: N/A
9. Matt Vierling, OF
Age: 25
Acquired: Drafted in the 8th Round of the 2018 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’3” 205lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| REA (AA) | 24 | 102 | 6 | 5 | 11.8% | 17.6% | .345 | .422 | .644 |
| LHV (AAA) | 55 | 236 | 5 | 5 | 10.2% | 19.5% | .248 | .331 | .359 |
| PHI (MLB) | 34 | 77 | 2 | 2 | 5.2% | 26.0% | .324 | .364 | .479 |
Role: High End 4th Outfielder
Risk: Medium – Vierling has positional flexibility, including the ability to stand competently in center field for stretches, which gives him a solid base of value. He hits the ball very hard and has historically had a good eye at the plate. Even if he never elevates the ball, he could put up a solid amount of value. However, due to the missed year and some injuries in 2021, Vierling does not actually have a large track record of success.
Summary: Vierling was one of the players that made improvements over the missed 2020 season. Vierling tore through AA, strangely struggled in AAA, and then hit well in the majors with some red flags, all of which has positioned him well for a 2022 MLB role. Vierling’s profile is one of a high floor with a narrow window for high ceiling as well. On defense, he is a good defender in both outfield corners and is passable in center field. While not a boon for his offensive expectations, he can play first base and can technically stand at third base, giving him great flexibility in a bench role. Currently at the plate, he has shown a history of making a solid amount of contact while drawing walks at a good rate, neither of which was true in a small sample size in the majors, but there is no reason to think he can’t get closer to his minor league numbers. Vierling hit the ball extremely hard, both in the majors and the minors, posting the 4th highest average exit velocity on the team, behind Harper, Miller, and Bohm. However much like Bohm, much of that contact was on the ground. While that should translate to a higher BABIP (combination of hard ground balls and high line drive rate), it means his overall impact is capped by the lack of power. That whole package of tools is a 4th outfielder who probably puts up close to the total value of a regular outfielder over a large number of plate appearances. What makes Vierling more intriguing than the normal 25 year old major league 4th outfielder is the exit velocity numbers. He was starting early in the year to elevate the ball more, and then upon reaching the MLB bubble of the majors and AAA, he started to hit the ball on the ground much more. If the new coaching staff can get him to elevate the ball again, he has the potential to not just make an incremental improvement, but he could go from a fringe starter to an impact everyday player. It is not a likely outcome, but it is why Vierling is a popular sleeper in the Phillies system.
2022 Outlook: With the coming of the full time DH, Vierling should be on the major league roster to open the year. He may not officially be a starter at any position, but assuming the Phillies sign a bat first left fielder, Vierling should start most days at one of the outfield positions or first base, as various starters have their day in the DH spot.
ETA: 2021
Previous Rank: UR
10. Simon Muzziotti, OF
Age: 23
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in July 2015 by the Red Sox, contract void by MLB in July 2016. Signed as an International Free Agent in July 2016 by the Phillies.
B/T: L/L
H/W: 6’1” 175lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| PHI (CPX) | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 33.3% | .333 | .333 | .667 |
| CLW (A-) | 3 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 9.1% | 18.2% | .300 | .364 | .500 |
| JS (A+) | 4 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 10.5% | 10.5% | .412 | .474 | .471 |
| REA (AA) | 4 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 5.6% | 11.1% | .313 | .353 | .438 |
| LHV (AAA) | 8 | 32 | 0 | 2 | 15.6% | 12.5% | .200 | .333 | .200 |
| PEO (AFL) | 20 | 83 | 0 | 3 | 18.1% | 15.7% | .254 | .398 | .269 |
Role: Second Division Regular
Risk: Medium – Muzziotti is going to be a plus defender in center field, but he doesn’t project to be a good enough defender that his offensive output will be irrelevant. At the plate, Muzziotti has historically shown a great feel for contact, but has struggled to make contact on the right pitches and hit for any power.
Summary: Muzziotti was stuck in his native Venezuela for most of 2021 on a visa issue. When he did arrive stateside, Muzziotti blitzed through the minors, playing at all 5 stateside levels, most for only a week. Muzziotti has always been a good defensive center fielder thanks to his plus speed, and that has not changed during the lay off. The problem for Muzziotti has always been his impact at the plate, because while he is a career .270 hitter, he has a career .074 ISO and .318 on base percentage. He has been an aggressive hitter throughout his career, and his great feel for contact has meant that his strikeouts have been low, but he has never sported a good walk rate, and much of his contact has been on the ground. Over the missed time, he has gotten stronger, but the Phillies have also been working with him to elevate the ball more. He does show that he can hit the ball with authority, not enough that he will ever be a home run threat, but enough that he should hit more line drives and fewer balls on the ground. This has not only translated to improvements to his swing to drive the ball more, but it has also made him more selective at the plate. He is likely going to be pitched more in the zone at the upper levels and in the majors because of his lack of power, but he has worked on his swing decisions so that he is swinging at the right pitches. The small sample size of this is that on his whirlwind tour of the minors, he walked 9 times to 11 strikeouts and walked 15 times to 13 strikeouts in the Arizona Fall League (both 20 game and 83 plate appearance samples). Muzziotti is unlikely to ever hit above the bottom third of a lineup, but he is starting to show that he could be more than a zero offensively there. It may not be flashy, but he might have enough offensive upside to exceed the second division regular profile and be a sum of the parts 2-3 WAR player on a good team. He has pretty much missed the last two years, but is now in the conversation for best internal center field option in the org.
2022 Outlook: Muzziotti mostly missed the 2021 season, which means that just getting a full season of at bats is paramount. He likely starts the season at AA (where he should have started 2021), but the Phillies are very weak in center field in the majors. Muzziotti’s presence on the 40 man roster means he could suddenly find himself in the major league mix in 2022 or 2023 if he can get on track.
ETA: 2022
Previous Rank: 8
11. Erik Miller, LHP
Age: 24
Acquired: Drafted in the 4th Round of the 2019 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: L/L
H/W: 6’5” 240lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| PHI (CPX) | 2 | 2 | 0-0 | 3.2 | 0.00 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 20.0% | 13.3% |
| CLW (A-) | 2 | 2 | 0-0 | 5.2 | 3.18 | 6.4 | 0.0 | 18.5% | 37.0% |
| JS (A+) | 2 | 2 | 0-0 | 3.1 | 0.00 | 8.1 | 0.0 | 18.8% | 25.0% |
| PEO (AFL) | 6 | 0 | 0-0 | 10.0 | 1.80 | 5.4 | 0.9 | 17.5% | 30.0% |
Role: Frustrating #3/#4 SP/High Leverage Reliever
Risk: High – In pro ball, Miller has shown the ability to both throw strikes more consistently and to throw the ball closer to his college velocity peak. He has done neither of those at the same time, or for very long, as injuries limited his 2021 season greatly.
Summary: Miller fell to the 4th round of the 2019 draft because he struggled to maintain his velocity and control, but had intriguing upside. In his first season, the Phillies had him throwing more strikes, but at a lower velocity. At 2020 Instructs, Miller was one of the standouts, consistently up to 95-96 and throwing strikes. His breakout 2021 season was derailed by an inability to stay healthy, pitching in only 5 regular season games, and then 6 in the Arizona Fall League. Miller’s control wasn’t sharp in 2021, but he only pitched 22.2 innings so the sample is small. His fastball was up to 97.8 according to the Clearwater data, and both his four seamer and two seamer feature high spin. His best secondary pitch is a slider that profiles as plus. His changeup will show plus as well, and his curveball can be a “get me over” pitch as well. Collectively it is a middle of the rotation arsenal, if his control can consistently be average. However, he could end up like Nick Pivetta or Vince Velasquez as the “always hoping they will be better” back end starter. Given his injuries and the control issues, there is a growing chance Miller ends up in the bullpen as the Phillies’ needs outweigh his needed time to develop. He has the arsenal to pitch multiple innings, and in short bursts his stuff probably plays up to high leverage outs. For now, the Phillies need impact starters and Miller needs innings, so the rotation is probably his home for 2021.
2022 Outlook: Miller was slated to make the jump to at least Jersey Shore in 2021, if not all the way to Reading. With a healthy and good spring, the Phillies could start him all the way in AA. Miller will be Rule 5 eligible after the season, and the Phillies are going to need to decide if they want to let him get more time trying to be a starter or just let him loose in the bullpen.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: 10
12. Hao Yu Lee, 2B
Age: 19
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in June 2021 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 5’10” 190lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| PHI (CPX) | 9 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 12.0% | 20.0% | .364 | .440 | .773 |
Role: Plus Bat, Ok Glove Second Baseman
Risk: High – Lee is a 19 year old with some worries about moving down the defensive spectrum and only 9 games of pro ball, normally a recipe for plenty of risk. However, Lee has a long track record of doing what he did since signing, and that is to make a large quantity of hard contact.
Summary: Lee was the top hitter out of Taiwan this past signing period, and the Phillies inked him to a $600,000 deal in June. Lee has long smashed the baseball as an amateur, and when he got into games late in the summer, he did exactly that all the way through instructs. Lee has great bat speed, and it shows in both his contact abilities and power for his age and size. It is still a small sample size since he signed, but all of the public and team measures are extremely positive on his offensive ability. Defense is more of a question. He is listed at second base, and it works for now. He has enough arm that they will likely give him some work at third base as well. Given what teams like the Dodgers have done with some questionable glove/plus bat guys over the years, second base is probably the better position for him long term.
2022 Outlook: Lee only played 9 games in the FCL, but he is almost certainly going to help make the Clearwater infield a place to watch every night alongside Jamari Baylor and Alexeis Azuaje.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: N/A
13. Jordan Viars, OF
Age: 18
Acquired: Drafted in the 3rd Round of the 2021 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: L/L
H/W: 6’4” 215lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| PHI (CPX) | 22 | 64 | 3 | 2 | 17.2% | 18.8% | .255 | .406 | .468 |
Role: Above Average Regular
Risk: Extreme – Viars is a high school hitter with a limited track record against high level pitching. At best he ends up in an outfield corner, but he could end up at first base, and he is going to need to rake to make it work.
Summary: The pandemic created small sample sizes and information gaps. When the Phillies selected Viars in the third round, there was a collective “who?” from the public side of analysis and a “the Phillies got a steal” from some of the team based sources. Viars was only 17 at the time of the draft, but he is fairly physically mature already. He has a very quick short swing that generates at least plus power, and he should grow near to plus plus when he fully fills out. In his brief debut he showed a great feel for contact and good approach. If it all comes together, he could be a middle of the order impact hitter. He will need to at least approach that offensive ceiling, because he is going to either an outfield corner or first base long term. If he can stay in the outfield, it should help take a little pressure off of his bat, but he probably sees time at all three positions this year to maintain flexibility. Based on what he showed in his debut and his general physicality, Viars may be a faster mover through the system, because he won’t be waiting on his glove or muscle to catch up to his other tools.
2022 Outlook: Viars should join what should be a stacked team in Clearwater. He probably will see some time in the outfield and at first base.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: N/A
14. Hans Crouse, RHP
Age: 23
Acquired: Drafted in the 2nd Round of the 2017 Draft by the Rangers. Traded to the Phillies with Ian Kennedy for Spencer Howard, Kevin Gowdy, and Josh Gessner.
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’4” 180lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| FRI (AA) | 13 | 13 | 3-2 | 51.0 | 3.35 | 4.8 | 0.9 | 9.7% | 27.7% |
| REA (AA) | 6 | 6 | 2-2 | 29.2 | 2.73 | 7.3 | 0.9 | 9.8% | 31.1% |
| LHV (AAA) | 1 | 1 | 0-0 | 4.1 | 6.23 | 10.4 | 2.1 | 15.0% | 30.0% |
| PEO (AFL) | 4 | 4 | 1-1 | 16.0 | 5.06 | 6.8 | 1.1 | 13.4% | 35.8% |
| PHI (MLB) | 2 | 2 | 0-2 | 7.0 | 5.14 | 5.1 | 2.6 | 21.9% | 6.3% |
Role: #4 Starter/Multi Inning Reliever
Risk: Medium – On a good day, Crouse will show 2 average pitches and a plus slider, to go along with below average command. Nothing he currently has profiles him as a shutdown reliever, and his lack of command leaves him very much in doubt as a starter.
Summary: Coming out of high school, he was a power pitcher, up to 99 with a high spin rate. He had a more traditional slider and a changeup that lagged enough behind to create a lot of bullpen whispers. A few years of injuries, and a trade that saw him come back for a failed Phillies starting pitching prospect, and Crouse looks totally different. The fastball is now more a two seamer/sinker that is more in the 92-94 range, touching 96, and is no longer a bat misser. His slider is a tighter cutter-like pitch that has become his primary out pitch. His changeup is better than it used to be, but is still his third pitch. Overall, Crouse has a more complete starting pitching arsenal, but he lacks much of the impact that he used to have. The things that remain unchanged about Crouse is his middling command and his eccentric on mound (and off as well) personality. Crouse throws an ok amount of strikes, but he has a herky jerky delivery that gives some deception with not a lot of fine command of his pitches. His delivery itself can be a bit of a show with some added movement, and timing elements can make it difficult on hitters (and Crouse himself). Unless Crouse experiences a resurgence in raw stuff, he is caught in that in-between place where he is probably just a back end starter or multi inning middle reliever. There is a decent probability he can contribute something to the majors, but it might not be that big of an upside. In an ideal world, Crouse is one of those #3/#4 starting pitchers that is a crowd cult favorite despite never being one of the big names on the team.
2022 Outlook: With Zach Eflin likely starting the year behind schedule, Crouse is likely in the competition for the #5 starting pitcher slot out of Spring Training. Given their overall lack of starting pitching depth and his lack of impact reliever upside, the Phillies probably send him to AAA to be the #6 starter in case of emergency.
ETA: 2021
Previous Rank: N/A
15. Micah Ottenbreit, RHP
Age: 18
Acquired: Drafted in the 4th Round of the 2021 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’4” 190lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| PHI (CPX) | 5 | 0 | 1-0 | 6.0 | 4.50 | 9.0 | 0.0 | 12.0% | 16.0% |
Role: #3/#4 Starter
Risk: Extreme – Ottenbreit is all projection. His fastball and curveball have good attributes, and he has a decent changeup for his age. However, his control is still well behind where it needs to be, and he will need velocity and strength growth.
Summary: Ottenbreit is the type of prospect you could have seen going to college for 3 years and coming out of the draft as a high round pick. His fastball is currently up to 94 with good attributes, and he has the frame to fill out and add at least another grade to his velocity. His curveball has high spin and big depth, and right now profiles as his best secondary pitch. He has a changeup that is already usable as well. Ottenbreit’s control has been poor so far, and he will need to find consistency with time. If Ottenbreit can fill out his 6’4” frame and find consistency he has mid rotation upside.
2022 Outlook: With no more short season ball, it makes sense for Ottenbreit to jump straight to Clearwater, rather than wait for the start of the FCL season.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: N/A
16. Francisco Morales, RHP
Age: 22
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in July 2016 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’4” 185lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| REA (AA) | 22 | 20 | 4-13 | 83.0 | 6.94 | 8.2 | 1.2 | 15.4% | 28.2% |
| LHV (AAA) | 2 | 2 | 0-1 | 8.2 | 0.00 | 6.2 | 0.0 | 16.7% | 16.7% |
Role: High Leverage Reliever
Risk: Medium – Whether the ship has sailed already on Morales being a starting pitcher, or if it is still in port for now, he is strongly trending towards a bullpen role. His changeup continues to be more of an idea, and his control as a starting pitcher has been inconsistent.
Summary: Based on positive opinions out of Spring Training and the April Alternate Site, the Phillies jumped Morales over high-A (where he should have spent the 2020 season that never was) to AA. Morales’ raw stuff was plenty good enough for AA, but his control issues cropped up big time and were exacerbated by a Reading defense that was just a disaster for most of the season. The stuff is still there for Morales, his fastball sits mid 90s and touches a bit higher, and would theoretically improve in short stints. His slider continues to be a nasty pitch and is plus plus when he commands it, and he had some of his best success when he used it instead of his fastball as his primary pitch. Morales continues to attempt a changeup, and will occasionally break off one that looks good, but there has been no consistency over the years. Morales has never been an athletic pitcher, but he struggled throughout the year to keep his delivery in sync, often throwing fastballs high and wide, and relying on his slider to get him strikes. He is still only 22, so the Phillies could try the starter thing for one more year, but the fastball-slider combination and his current spot on the 40 man roster means they may have an impact reliever they could tap into. In a bullpen role, an ok strike throwing version of Morales is a frustrating 6th inning arm, but there is some potential for everything to play up in short bursts, and he is a closer level arm.
2022 Outlook: Morales still has two option years remaining, so the Phillies don’t need to make the bullpen move right now, but it should be on their minds. Given that, he probably starts in the Reading rotation, but if he doesn’t show marked improvement, the Phillies should consider starting on the bullpen transition.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: 3
17. Jhailyn Ortiz, OF
Age: 23
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in July 2015 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W:6’3 215lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| JS (A-) | 74 | 303 | 19 | 4 | 9.6% | 28.4% | .262 | .358 | .521 |
| REA (AA) | 21 | 88 | 4 | 0 | 10.2% | 30.7% | .208 | .307 | .377 |
Role: Second Division Regular/4th Outfielder
Risk: High – Ortiz has made himself into a good enough defender that his bat doesn’t need to quite reach the level it used to, but he is still putting up strikeout rates near 30%. He has made incremental improvements each year and still has highly impactful power.
Summary: Ortiz’s prospect star had already faded by the time he put pen to paper with the Phillies. He was a large 16 year old with real swing and miss issues. He had a great 2017 season with Williamsport, but had been largely underwhelming at many levels. The one thing that has been far from underwhelming has been that each year, Ortiz has shown up in even better shape and a better defender. He is not a centerfielder, despite getting some time there, but with his plus arm he might be an above average defender in an outfield corner. At the plate, he cleaned up some eye sight issues and made some approach changes, and the difference was a career high in walks and a decent drop in strikeouts. He is never going to run a low strikeout number, and his batting average will likely always be poor, so starting to get on base more is a good step. Ortiz still has mammoth raw power, and the increase in contact directly translated to a career high in home runs. Ortiz still swings and misses too much, and that likely keeps him from ever being a full time regular, but he is certainly back to trending in the correct direction.
2022 Outlook: Ortiz is on the 40 man roster, but it is unlikely he sees the majors for anything but an emergency. He is on pace to just make slow incremental improvements year over year.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: 26
18. Yhoswar Garcia, OF
Age: 20
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in March 2020 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’0” 150lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| CLW (A-) | 18 | 77 | 0 | 11 | 7.8% | 29.9% | .229 | .299 | .271 |
Role: Everyday Regular
Risk: Extreme – With the age discrepancy and injuries, Garcia is already 20 years old with just 18 games of pro ball played. He should be a good defensive player, but his offensive impact is still in doubt.
Summary: Garcia was supposed to be the Phillies next big international signing, but an age discrepancy and injuries have really limited his time on the field. Garcia lacks present strength, but has the frame to add more. This has led to poorer bat speed that has led to not a ton of impact at the plate. That doesn’t stop Garcia from being very exciting to watch. He has elite speed and is not afraid to use it (he stole 4 bases in pro debut) and should be a plus defensive fielder. He plays hard, but it is clear the time not playing has hurt him. Overall, Garcia is a lot more of a project than initially anticipated, and with the missed time and age change, he lacks the time and projection to comfortably say he will overcome his roadblocks. It is a bit early for a make or break year, but Garcia is going to need to really show something in 2022 or fall off lists.
2022 Outlook: Garcia just needs to spend a full year playing baseball. He should start in Clearwater to open the year, but possibly gets a boost at some point to Jersey Shore.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: 13
19. Jamari Baylor, SS
Age: 21
Acquired: Drafted in the 3rd Round of the 2019 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 5’11” 190lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| PHI (CPX) | 25 | 110 | 5 | 11 | 16.4% | 30.0% | .303 | .436 | .584 |
| CLW (A-) | 15 | 59 | 0 | 1 | 1.7% | 45.8% | .214 | .254 | .232 |
Role: Everyday Regular
Risk: Extreme – Baylor hit the ball hard when he made contact, but had a stretch to open his time in the FCL and after his promotion to Clearwater where he struggled to make contact at all. He is already 21, and the missed season has definitely set him back. However, it does look like his defense has improved to the point where he should stick up the middle defensively.
Summary: Baylor was a pop up guy in his draft year, and fairly raw at the time. An injury, and then the missed pandemic year, set back his timeline and robbed him of much needed development time. When he was drafted, Baylor was a bit of a disaster defensively, but he has made improvements in the area and has a real chance now to stick up the middle defensively. At the plate he makes hard contact and can really punish the ball. The problem has been his approach for stretches of time. In his first 7 FCL games he struck out 18 times to 5 walks, but then he struck out just 15 times with 13 walks in the next 18. He then followed that up with a disastrous 3 series with Clearwater, where he struck out 27 times with 1 walk in 15 games. He is going to make improvements with his pitch recognition and approach, but his ability to stick up the middle defensively while making hard contact gives him a very intriguing ceiling. He is still a long term project, but the arrow is pointing up some.
2022 Outlook: Baylor should join a stacked infield in Clearwater with Alexeis Azuaje and Hao Yu Lee. Given his age, it might make sense to push him, but the important thing will be for him to get a full year of at bats.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: 17
20. Alexeis Azuaje, 2B
Age: 19
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in July 2018 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 5’10” 155lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| PHI (CPX) | 19 | 56 | 5 | 4 | 7.1% | 8.9% | .400 | .509 | .867 |
Role: Everyday Regular at Second or Third
Risk: Extreme – Azuaje is a 19 year old with 66 games of pro ball, none above the complex. He showed a huge improvement (in a very tiny sample size) this year in approach at the plate, but he is an aggressive hitter who probably is not a good defender at a premium position.
Summary: When the Phillies signed Azuaje, he was a speed demon without a ton of power and a lot of swing and miss. He spent 2019 showing the swing and miss and aggression at the plate while also stinging the ball. In his very brief season in the FCL, he dramatically cut down his swing and miss, and just scorched the baseball. He has a real feel for contact, and his small sample recorded exit velocities were not a fluke either. While his numbers have improved, he doesn’t have the advanced approach of some of his peers, and while he hits the ball hard, he doesn’t quite have their bat speed either. Azuaje is still playing shortstop some, but is probably slated for second or third long term. He has a shot to be something interesting, but he is going to need to continue to prove it every level, and so far he has.
2022 Outlook: Azuaje will start in Clearwater, and normally would spend the full season there, but like Luis Garcia this year, he is Rule 5 eligible after the season, which may prompt the Phillies to aggressively promote him.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: UR
21. James McArthur, RHP
Age: 25
Acquired: Drafted in the 12th Round of the 2018 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’7” 230lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| JS (A+) | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 4.0 | 0.00 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 6.7% | 33.3% |
| REA (AA) | 19 | 15 | 2-6 | 74.1 | 4.48 | 9.0 | 1.1 | 7.2% | 24.4% |
| PEO (AFL) | 5 | 5 | 1-0 | 16.2 | 8.10 | 11.3 | 0.5 | 8.5% | 22.0% |
Role: 7th Inning Reliever/#4 Starter
Risk: Medium – McArthur has the type of profile that should take to a bullpen role well, but he has not done that yet and it doesn’t look like he is a lock to head that way to start 2022.
Summary: McArthur was one of the prospects that disappeared into the blackbox of the 2020 missed year and came out looking like a decent prospect. His fastball is consistently mid 90s and up to 97. He has a solid pair of breaking balls and showed some improvement on his changeup. His biggest improvement may have been consistently throwing strikes, a problem that he, like many tall pitchers, had been plagued with for years. The Phillies protected him in the Rule 5 draft because he is absolutely the type of AA starter a team takes and sticks in their bullpen with success. His lack of changeup means that he is probably a reliever long term for the Phillies as well, but their dearth of starting pitching options means his time in the rotation may not be up. Either way, he should see time in the majors during the 2022 season.
2022 Outlook: The Phillies lack of starting pitching depth means McArthur probably starts in the AAA rotation. Given their bullpen needs, he could see that transition come quickly if the Phillies can stabilize the rotation.
ETA: 2022
Previous Rank: 32
22. Dominic Pipkin, RHP
Age: 22
Acquired: Drafted in the 9th Round of the 2018 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’4” 160lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| JS (A+) | 16 | 12 | 4-3 | 58.0 | 4.97 | 9.0 | 0.9 | 10.6% | 25.1% |
Role: Frustrating #4 Starter/7th Inning Reliever
Risk: High – Pipkin is still very much a project that the Phillies just keep throwing at challenges where he is ok, but does not excel. He flashes plus stuff, but he is going to need to start to put the pieces together.
Summary: It has been a slow set of improvements over the years for Pipkin. Once a top high school prospect in his class, Pipkin’s velocity dropped and so did his draft stock. Since then he has regained his velocity, routinely reaching 98 in his time at Jersey Shore. His changeup has been his best secondary pitch for a bit now, but he started to show a slider this year that should move past it and overtake his curveball as his primary breaking ball. He still lacks refinement with all of his pitches, and while he can throw strikes, he still lacks command of the strike zone. He is still lanky and projectable and there is a chance his stuff takes another leap forward, but the missed year means he is already 22. Because the Phillies have pushed him aggressively before and after the COVID shutdown, he will likely open the year in AA and on the fringes of the discussions around the Phillies overall starting pitching depth.
2022 Outlook: It is not a make or break year for Pipkin, but because he should be in AA and is in his last year before the Rule 5 draft, decisions about his future are going to come fast. If he can stay healthy all year and show some steady improvement, he will get more time in the rotation. If he struggles, it might be easier to look at his arm strength and see if he can help you sooner in a relief role.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: 29
23. Christian McGowan, RHP
Age: 22
Acquired: Drafted in the 7th Round of the 2021 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’3” 205lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| PHI (CPX) | 1 | 1 | 0-0 | 1.0 | 0.00 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 75.0% |
| CLW (A-) | 3 | 0 | 0-0 | 4.0 | 0.00 | 4.5 | 0.0 | 7.1% | 35.7% |
Role: #4 Starter/7th Inning Reliever
Risk: High – McGowan is a 21 year old with three years of college, but it is 3 years not against the best competition, making him a bit more raw than your usual 3rd year arm. He does not quite have the full arsenal together to be a no doubt starter either.
Summary: McGowan slipped in the draft due to high bonus demands, but the Phillies stopped that slide and signed him for under what his rumored asking price was. He looks more like a 3rd or 4th round pick, and has more upside than you normally find in that area. He has good arm strength, reportedly up to 99 in college and was up near 97 in pro ball. Like a lot of arms these days he has a distinct 4 and 2 seam fastball, both averaging in that same 92-95 range in his few innings in Clearwater. His slider is his best secondary pitch, but he also has a changeup which he did throw in the small sample size in Clearwater. His fastball and slider give him a very solid fall back in the bullpen, but he has enough arm strength and pitch mix to give him an outside shot as a mid rotation starter if the whole thing comes together.
2022 Outlook: McGowan was a starter in college, and that is almost certainly where he will spend at least the first year of his career. There are a lot of pitchers slated for A ball, and he probably gets the bump to start the year in Jersey Shore and spend most or all of the year there.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: N/A
24. Cristian Hernandez, RHP
Age: 21
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in July 2017 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’3” 180lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| PHI (CPX) | 2 | 2 | 0-0 | 5.0 | 1.80 | 3.6 | 1.8 | 0.0% | 44.4% |
| CLW (A-) | 18 | 15 | 2-7 | 40.2 | 3.69 | 7.9 | 1.4 | 9.6% | 28.6% |
Role: #4 Starter
Risk: High – Hernandez put together a nice season, but by virtue of being a low-A pitcher with injuries in their past, he is never going to be a safe option.
Summary: Hernandez was a bit of the darling of the system early in the season, putting together a string of very good starts. He then was supposed to be in a trade to the Pirates, and then the whole complex got shut down due to COVID, and he only pitched 5 times in the last two months of the season. Hernandez has a pair of distinct fastballs (he leans more on the two seamer), both with decent spin and running up to 96-97 and averaging around 93. He has a curveball and a changeup, both of which are decent. For the most part he has solid control, though there were times where he struggled against himself and the ABS system. None of his pitches are a real plus, but he could have 3 solid pitches and solid control, and that gives him a chance to pitch in a rotation. He will need to put together another healthy season, but he could be fairly quick moving through the system.
2022 Outlook: Hernandez pitched as much of a full healthy year as anyone could in Clearwater. He should be in the Jersey Shore rotation to open the season, and because he is already Rule 5 eligible, the Phillies could look to move him quickly if he succeeds.
ETA: 2024
Previous Rank: UR
25. Mickey Moniak, OF
Age: 23
Acquired: Drafted in the 1st Round of the 2016 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: L/R
H/W: 6’2” 195lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| LHV (AAA) | 99 | 409 | 15 | 5 | 7.6% | 24.7% | .238 | .299 | .447 |
| PHI (MLB) | 21 | 37 | 1 | 0 | 7.1% | 43.2% | .091 | .167 | .182 |
Role: 4th/5th outfielder on the correct side of the platoon
Risk: Medium – Moniak is near MLB ready, but the .238 he hit in AAA coupled with a 43.2% K% in his small sample size in the majors means the floor is not actually safely a major leaguer.
Summary: There is prospect fatigue, and then there is stagnation. Moniak still is mostly the same player he has been throughout his pro career. Over the last few years he has added enough strength that he firmly has above average raw power, and he can tap into it during games. Despite what Joe Girardi said, he is a fine center fielder. He isn’t going to win a Gold Glove, but you can put him out there everyday. His swing is not terrible, but it certainly is not the plus plus hit tool once promised. He has given up some contact ability (and one can argue whether the contact he was making was actually quality) in order to tap more into his power. His biggest issue is his approach at the plate and his swing decisions. When he is locked in, you can see him hunting pitches to drive. However, there are plenty of at bats where he has aggressively put himself into a two strike hole, and he just does not have the zone awareness to battle out of those consistently. Unless he suddenly cleans up the approach and pitch recognition, his ceiling is the strong side of a center field platoon who brings some power and defense, but at the cost of a low on base percentage.
2022 Outlook: Assuming the Phillies acquire some outfielders after the end of the lockout, Moniak likely goes back to AAA to open 2022. He is coming close to being a finished product, problems and all, and that might mean it is time for the Phillies to just look at him as a bench bat. Given the Phillies lack of center field options right now, he can’t be ruled out until they find a permanent answer.
ETA: 2020
Previous Rank: 9
26. Jadiel Sanchez, OF
Age: 20
Acquired: Drafted in the 12th Round of the 2019 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: S/R
H/W: 6’2” 185lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| PHI (CPX) | 7 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 11.1% | 18.5% | .217 | .296 | .217 |
| CLW (A-) | 21 | 83 | 2 | 0 | 9.6% | 16.9% | .297 | .373 | .446 |
Role: Average Regular
Risk: Extreme – Sanchez played in 28 games in 2021 thanks to injuries and a COVID outbreak, so while the sample is impressive, it is about a month of actual at bats.
Summary: Part of the lost pandemic season is that we did not get visibility into player’s physical growth. Over the time away, Sanchez got a little bit taller and bigger, and now really looks the part. He has a nice fluid swing from both sides of the plate. He doesn’t have huge raw power, but he hit the ball about as hard as Johan Rojas did. He has a good feel for contact and an advanced eye at the plate for his age and experience. He can play center field right now, but profiles as a right fielder down the line, and his arm is reportedly behind only Jhailyn Ortiz among Phillies outfielders. Sanchez lacks a big carrying tool, but he is treading close to a guy with 5 average or better tools. If he can pull that off as a switch hitter with a good approach at the plate, that is a really solid player. He has made one leap forward that has put him on the prospect map, and that is going to give him the opportunity to make another.
2022 Outlook: Sanchez did well in his time in Clearwater, but given the small sample size and the outfielders in front of him he likely returns to low-A. Because he does have the experience there, he may be the first to move up Jersey Shore when needed.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: UR
27. Rickardo Perez, C
Age: 18
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in February 2021 by the Phillies
B/T: L/R
H/W: 5’10” 172lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| PHI (DSL) | 43 | 146 | 0 | 3 | 15.1% | 10.3% | .256 | .370 | .281 |
Role: Regular Catcher
Risk: Extreme – Perez has a good approach and feel for contact, and has the defensive ability to stick at catcher. He is an 18 year old catcher who has yet to play stateside, and that puts him an eternity of pitfalls away.
Summary: Perez was the Phillies highest rated international signing in January of 2021. The Phillies sent him to the Dominican Summer League where he hit ok, but lacked impact with just 3 doubles in 43 games representing his whole extra base hit total. He is a good hitter who showed good contact and approach abilities in his pro debut. He is a pretty good defender who will stick at catcher long term. Perez is a young catcher, so it is likely he could take a few years before we have a good feel about his future.
2022 Outlook: Perez should spend the entire 2022 season in the complex, first in Extended Spring Training and then the complex league. It is likely to be a long slow journey for him.
ETA: 2027
Previous Rank: 30
28. Erubiel Armenta, LHP
Age: 22
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in July 2019 by the Phillies
B/T: L/L
H/W: 6’3” 189lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| CLW (A-) | 4 | 0 | 2-0 | 6.2 | 0.00 | 4.1 | 0.0 | 13.8% | 58.6% |
| JS (A+) | 11 | 0 | 0-0 | 14.1 | 3.14 | 6.9 | 0.6 | 16.4% | 44.8% |
| REA (AA) | 1 | 0 | 1-0 | 2.0 | 0.00 | 4.5 | 0.0 | 12.5% | 25.0% |
Role: 7th/8th Inning Reliever
Risk: High – Armenta made it all the way to AA in his pro debut, but he is already 21 and walked 16 batters in his 23 innings this year. However, he is left handed and struck out 49 batters in those 23 innings, making him one of the most prolific missers of bats in the minors last season.
Summary: The Phillies signed Armenta as a 19 year old in July of 2019, a fact when combined with the pandemic means that he made his affiliated ball debut last year and will be Rule 5 eligible after this year. He is a long, lanky lefty with a highly deceptive delivery. Those factors also gave him some problems throwing strikes consistently in 2021. He did miss a ton of bats (he was 2nd in the minors in K/9 for those with a min 20 IP), thanks to a fastball up to 95 with good life and a good changeup. He seemed to be working on adding a slider during Instructs to give himself a third pitch to work with. Armenta is still fairly risky given his control issues, but his ability to get strikeouts wasn’t entirely a fluke, which puts him on the shortlist of best relief prospects in the system.
2022 Outlook: Armenta only pitched 2 innings in AA, so a return trip to the level is fairly obvious. Given the Phillies bullpen needs and his impending Rule 5 status, if Armenta can replicate his 2021 success, he could find himself in Philly soon.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: UR
29. Cristopher Sanchez, LHP
Age: 25
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in July 2013 by the Rays. Traded to the Phillies for Curtis Mead
B/T: L/L
H/W: 6’1” 165lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| LHV (AAA) | 19 | 17 | 5-6 | 73.0 | 4.68 | 7.2 | 0.5 | 14.8% | 27.4% |
| PHI (MLB) | 7 | 1 | 1-0 | 12.2 | 4.97 | 11.4 | 0.7 | 11.9% | 22.0% |
Role: Multi-inning Reliever
Risk: Medium – Sanchez has reached the major leagues, and outside a terrible spot start/opener appearance was actually fairly decent. He is much riskier as a starting pitcher, but he makes more sense out of the bullpen.
Summary: When the Phillies acquired Sanchez for Curtis Mead, he was still very raw as a pitcher. A casualty of a Tampa system with too many players to protect, his meteoric rise through their system in 2019 hid just how little upper minors experience he had. The lost 2020 season meant that the bulk of his 2021 was going to come down to just getting high level innings. At times he looked competent as a starter, but often was undone by poor command or too many trips through the order. He sits 92-95 with his fastball and has gotten up to 98 in the past. He has a solid changeup that has become a bit of a weapon, and will unleash some sliders that will make you think it could be a weapon. In a bullpen role he could ideally stick in the higher range of his velocity, and possibly be less prone to some of the control problems over the course of games. He is very unlikely to reach the high leverage heights that Ranger Suarez did in 2021, let alone the re-transition to the rotation, but he could get the Phillies 2-3 innings and bridge a game from the starters to later innings.
2022 Outlook: Sanchez is probably a long shot to make the team out of Spring Training, but it looks like he might be moving to a relief role, where he could see time in the majors very quickly as the Phillies sort through who is good and who isn’t in the bullpen.
ETA: 2021
Previous Rank: 31
30. Donny Sands, C
Age: 25
Acquired: Drafted in the 8th Round of the 2015 Draft by the Yankees. Traded to the Phillies with Nick Nelson for T.J. Rumfield and Joel Valdez
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’2” 190lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| SOM (AA) | 52 | 215 | 10 | 2 | 7.4% | 11.6% | .253 | .316 | .459 |
| SWB (AAA) | 42 | 165 | 8 | 0 | 9.7% | 19.4% | .272 | .339 | .476 |
Role: Bat First Backup Catcher
Risk: Medium – Sands hit well in AAA, but his contact gains regressed some and his strikeouts increased. His defensive flaw, controlling the running game, is not one that is likely to get better with the implementation of ABS, leaving him as an ok, but not great defensive catcher.
Summary: Sands spent a full 7 years in the Yankees organization before they added him to the 40 man roster this offseason and then traded him to the Phillies. He made large strides in 2021 to both cut down on strikeouts and to drive the ball more, shattering his career high in home runs. He doesn’t project to be a good contact hitter long term, but he hits enough to be a plus offensive player at catcher who should hit for decent power. He has become a solid blocking and receiving catcher, but he allowed 75 stolen bases on 86 attempts (caveats about minor league rule changes apply). His lack of solid defense across the board, and only solid offensive upside makes him more of a backup catcher, where he is not a zero as an offensive bat off the bench. He probably needs a little more time in AAA, but will be in competition for a major league spot all year.
2022 Outlook: Sands is one of 4 catchers on the 40 man roster, and so will need to jockey with Garrett Stubbs and Rafael Marchan for backup playing time. He offers the most offensive upside of the group and could see time in the majors this year if the Phillies need more from a pinch hit/DH role from their backup catcher.
ETA: 2022
Previous Rank: N/A
31. Jose Pena Jr., RHP
Age: 18
Acquired: Drafted in the 6th Round of the 2021 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’3” 200lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| PHI (CPX) | 4 | 0 | 1-0 | 2.2 | 13.50 | 10.1 | 0.0 | 21.4% | 35.7% |
Role: 7th/8th inning reliever
Risk: Extreme – Pena is a high school arm with good arm strength and a breaking ball to dream on, but he already has a lot of reliever warning signs, which leaves him without much margin for error.
Summary: Pena is the high school version of many of the college pitchers the Phillies have brought in over the last two drafts. He does not have a lot of physical projection left, but he was up to 95 in the data set I had, but can reach higher than that with his fastball. The pitch itself has a good amount of spin and the flat angle of attack the Phillies have valued. His curveball has good spin and a lot of drop. He has a changeup, but it lags the first two pitches. Given that he is 18, there is little harm to developing him as a starting pitcher, but if the fastball and curveball click he could move faster in the bullpen. He had some control issues as an amatuer and in the pros ,but a 2.2 inning sample size with all 3 walks in one game is barely a sample.The Phillies have had success getting more velocity out of arms that lack stereotypical projectability, so he is well worth keeping an eye on.
2022 Outlook: The Phillies likely give Pena the full year in the Clearwater rotation to see if he can start and to get some developmental innings under his belt.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: N/A
32. Eduar Segovia, RHP
Age: 21
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in May 2018 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’0” 180lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| CLW (A-) | 17 | 10 | 0-3 | 50.0 | 5.58 | 7.2 | 1.4 | 13.7% | 29.6% |
Role: 7th/8th Inning Reliever
Risk: High – Segovia is still a starter with no experience above low-A, and his season ended on a bad looking shoulder injury. He should be back healthy to start 2022, but he is far away.
Summary: Segovia is a short right handed pitcher without a bunch of physical projection left. He bumped his velocity up to touching 96-97 during the pandemic shortened year, and was able to keep those gains. His slider has plus projection, and he is still looking for a consistent changeup, but threw some sort of split change at times over the season. Like many pitchers in low-A this year, he struggled to throw strikes, and was at times hurt by the ABS system. His season ended when his shoulder seemed to dislocate on a pitch, forcing him to have surgery. He is expected to be back healthy to open 2022. Segovia’s build, coupled with the inconsistent changeup, means he looks like a reliever long term. For now, he should stay in a rotation to find consistency, but like many of the Phillies young arms, the impending Rule 5 draft means the Phillies may need to make some long term decisions about his role soon.
2022 Outlook: While Segovia’s final position looks more and more likely to be in relief, the Phillies do not need to make that move now. Segovia should be in a starting role for the BlueClaws to open the season.
ETA: 2024
Previous Rank: 24
33. Jean Cabrera, RHP
Age: 20
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in July 2019 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’0” 145lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| PHI (DSL) | 13 | 13 | 3-2 | 52.2 | 1.54 | 5.8 | 0.2 | 5.1% | 31.1% |
Role: #4 Starter
Risk: Extreme – Cabrera is a late signing international pitcher who is 20 years old with no stateside pitching experience. He has an interesting skill set and upside, but is still more of a mystery and a project.
Summary: If you followed DSL box scores this season, then Jean Cabrera’s numbers really stood out, but it was truly a surprise to everyone when the Phillies awarded him the Paul Owens Award for pitching this season. However, Cabrera isn’t just a collection of good stats as a 19 year old in the DSL. He has a projectable frame and was up to 97 with his fastball, sitting more in the 93-94 range. He has a slider and changeup, both of which need work. He is very much a project, and one that is a bit older than most of his peers, but he has the strike throwing ability and arm strength to be intriguing. Given that foundation, the Phillies could possibly push him aggressively to Clearwater, instead of waiting for the FCL season to begin.
2022 Outlook: Given his age and pitch control, the Phillies could be aggressive with Cabrera’s development in 2022. Whether they aggressively push him or not, the 2022 season will be about improving his secondary pitches and having success against more advanced hitters.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: UR
34. Andrew Schultz, RHP
Age: 24
Acquired: Drafted in the 6th Round of the 2019 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’4” 195lbs
2021 Stats: Did Not Pitch in 2021
Role: High Leverage Reliever
Risk: High – Schultz is coming back from Tommy John surgery, but pitched in Instructs so we do know the velocity has returned. His control issues were the problem before the injury, and will be the biggest hurdle for him to overcome now.
Summary: Schultz was a bit of a project when the Phillies drafted him. In his debut he struggled to throw strikes, but he ran his fastball up to 100. He had Tommy John in the summer of 2020 and spent 2021 rehabbing. In his return during Instructs he showed a short arm action and electric arm. His fastball was back at 97-99 and his slider was sharp. Control has been a problem back to college, and if he can throw enough strikes he could be a back of the bullpen reliever.
2022 Outlook: Schultz pitched in Instructs after a normal Tommy John recovery timeline, so he should have a normal offseason and then likely will start in high-A Jersey Shore. If his control takes a step forward he could move quickly, but it is more likely a consolidation year with him reaching Reading.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: 47
35. Andrew Baker, RHP
Age: 22
Acquired: Drafted in the 11th Round of the 2021 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’3” 190lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| PHI (CPX) | 2 | 0 | 0-0 | 2.0 | 0.00 | 4.5 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 57.1% |
| CLW (A-) | 7 | 1 | 1-2 | 10.0 | 11.70 | 3.6 | 0.9 | 32.1% | 30.2% |
Role: High Leverage Reliever
Risk: High – Baker walked 12 batters per 9 in his pro debut, including 6 in a row in one appearance. He can run his fastball up to 99 and pairs it with a bat missing breaking ball.
Summary: The way the Phillies draft broke this year, Baker was the only Day 3 player they were able to go overslot for. Supposedly up to 96 in college, Baker was up to 99 in pro ball. It is the high spin, rising movement fastball the Phillies have valued of late. He does have a distinct two seam fastball, two breaking balls that look to blend together, and a changeup he threw 3 of. In a bullpen role it is likely to be simplified to the fastballs and a breaking ball. Baker has historically had control problems, and they seemed to crop up in spurts (he walked 10 batters and hit two across back to back appearances). He was able to get his delivery back under control to end the year on a strong note. Baker has a lot of the characteristics the Phillies have valued under Brian Barber, but in a more high octane package reminiscent of Ken Giles. If he can get his control in line, he could be a late inning relief arm.
2022 Outlook: Depending on how things shake out this spring, Baker could return to Clearwater or could be pushed aggressively to Jersey Shore. With his high end stuff and shaky command, his path is likely to be a bit of a slog until things click, at which point he could move quickly.
ETA: 2024
Previous Rank: N/A
36. Starlyn Castillo, RHP
Age: 20
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in July 2018 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’0” 210lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| CLW (A-) | 6 | 3 | 0-2 | 20.2 | 4.35 | 7.4 | 0.4 | 11.1% | 22.2% |
Role: #4 Starter/7th Inning Reliever
Risk: Extreme – Castillo is only 19, but he is already entering his pre-Rule 5 season having pitched exactly 30 innings in his pro-career and staring down a mostly lost 2022. He still has the two pitch mix to have a bullpen upside, but his time to work through his changeup and control may not be very long when he gets back.
Summary: Castillo was the Phillies top international signing in 2018 as an already physically mature pitcher. He was up to 97 mph as a 15 year old, and that has mostly stayed with his fastball sitting 91-95, touching 96 the last two seasons. Statcast labels his breaking ball a curveball, but it is often called a slider. It is a high spin, vertical pitch in the high 70s-low 80s. His changeup is a clear third pitch, and he didn’t turn to it very often. Unfortunately, Castillo’s season ended after 6 games when an elbow injury led to Tommy John surgery in June. Castillo turns 20 at the end of February, but he will also be Rule 5 eligible after this season, so he should be further along in his development. Castillo still has a chance to start, but the combination of lack of a good changeup and missing development time means that a future in the bullpen is becoming much more likely.
2022 Outlook: With Castillo’s Tommy John surgery happening last June, he should be on a rehab mound over the summer, and with a healthy return, could throw in a few games. The goal will mostly be to make a full rehab this year, leading into a productive 2022-2023 offseason.
ETA: 2026
Previous Rank: 25
37. Gunner Mayer, RHP
Age: 21
Acquired: Drafted in the 5th Round of the 2019 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’6” 190lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| PHI (Rk) | 2 | 0 | 0-0 | 3.0 | 0.00 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 55.6% |
| CLW (A-) | 11 | 7 | 0-7 | 23.1 | 10.03 | 12.0 | 1.9 | 17.6% | 26.4% |
Role: #4 Starter
Risk: Extreme – Mayer is still fairly young, but he only has 34.2 innings pitched since being drafted in 2019. He is a slightly better project than when he was drafted, but he is still more projection than actual tools.
Summary: Mayer had just recently moved to the mound when the Phillies took him in the 5th round of the draft in 2019. He still shows arm strength, with his fastball up to 95.9 per Statcast with spin rates over 2400 rpm. He has a changeup and a curveball, but the curveball spin does not match the fastball spin. He missed bats for Clearwater, but also had a hard time consistently throwing strikes. Mayer had an arm injury that caused him to miss a chunk of the season, and the Clearwater COVID shutdown cost him more time. He is still a projectable project, but he has a lot less margin for error and development bumps than he did 2 years ago. If things start to slide, you can see a scenario where the physical project and velocity potential, combined with shortening him in a relief role, could make for an interesting pitcher given his fastball characteristics.
2022 Outlook: Assuming he is back fully healthy, Mayer should be part of whatever form the Jersey Shore rotation takes. This year isn’t make or break, but he does need to start showing larger steps forward.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: 27
38. Jordi Martinez, LHP
Age: 21
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in January 2018 by the Phillies
B/T: L/L
H/W: 6’2” 185lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| CLW (A-) | 10 | 6 | 3-0 | 32.0 | 2.53 | 7.0 | 0.6 | 8.5% | 26.2% |
Role: #4 Starter/Middle Reliever
Risk: Extreme – Like a bunch of the Phillies young arms, Martinez lacks a complete arsenal and track record. Because of an injury he only pitched 32 innings in 2021. His fastball gets up to 96 and he has a changeup and slider, so there are some starting characteristics, but he is very far away.
Summary: Martinez entered 2021 as a bit of a sleeper prospect. He was an under the radar signing in 2018 ($10,000 in January) and had a poor year in the DSL, followed by 12 innings in the GCL in 2019. The left handed starter can run his sinking fastball (he has a defined 2-seamer as well) up to 96, averaging around 93 on the year for Clearwater. His slider is the better of his two offspeed pitches, but he does throw a changeup. Martinez throws enough strikes that it is not hard to see a starter profile without a ton of squinting. However, he pitched in only 10 games this season (he was in the Threshers’ piggyback rotation) due an injury in early July, and is now 21 and has a career high season innings of 41.1. It behooves the Phillies to keep him in a rotation right now, given he needs innings to develop, but his long term home might be in a bullpen role.
2022 Outlook: If Martinez is back fully healthy, he likely will be part of whatever shape the Jersey Shore rotation takes. The Phillies will likely give him all year in the rotation, but the outcome of his season will likely determine his long term role.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: 49
39. Andrick Nava, C
Age: 20
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in July 2018 by the Phillies
B/T: S/R
H/W: 5’11” 175lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| PHI (CPX) | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 33.3% | .333 | .333 | .333 |
Role: Bat First Second Catcher
Risk: Extreme – Nava doesn’t have defense to fall back on and has missed two years of development.
Summary: Nava hit very well as a 17 year old in the GCL in 2019, but then due to injuries he made only 6 trips to the plate as a 19 year old at the same level. He is a switch hitter with good contact abilities and moderate power. He is not a great defensive catcher, and the missed time has certainly not helped that.
2022 Outlook: He was slated for Clearwater before missing the year to injury, so an actual attempt at the level seems in order. Overall, staying healthy for a full season is the top priority.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: 22
40. Casey Martin, SS
Age: 22
Acquired: Drafted in the 3rd Round of the 2020 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 5’11” 175lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| CLW (A-) | 69 | 301 | 6 | 15 | 9.3% | 22.6% | .223 | .316 | .356 |
| JS (A+) | 29 | 126 | 1 | 2 | 10.3% | 41.3% | .136 | .230 | .200 |
Role: High End Utility Player
Risk: Extreme – Martin’s track record of not hitting is getting long. He still has a lot of tools, and while not a great middle infield defender, he has defensive versatility at premium positions.
Summary: Martin fell in the draft due to hit tool concerns, and after a rough first month in professional ball he seemed to be turning a corner. Upon his promotion to high-A Jersey Shore the wheels fully came off with a strikeout rate over 40% in 29 games. Martin then returned to Clearwater where his numbers continued to be poor. As a proven hitter in the SEC, hitting poorly in low-A sets off a lot of alarm bells. He has solid raw power, but did not consistently hit the ball hard. He is a near elite level runner, but was not a consistent base running threat after May. He currently plays short and second, and it is reasonable he can play third and center field down the line, but he is not a great defender at any of them. A foot injury that eventually required surgery likely made things worse, but it is not the sole reason he batted under .200 for the season. Martin’s potential versatility and underlying tools do give him a path to being an interesting bench player, who can do a bunch of things even if he struggles to have a below average hit tool. His immediate future will be proving he isn’t a zero hit tool player.
2022 Outlook: Martin should be fully healthy for Spring Training and will get another shot at Jersey Shore. He is going to need to put up at minimum a league average stat line to rebuild any sort of prospect momentum.
ETA: 2024
Previous Rank: 12
41. Yemal Flores, OF
Age: 18
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in January 2021 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 5’11” 206lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| PHI (DSL) | 37 | 140 | 2 | 7 | 15.0% | 35.7% | .171 | .307 | .316 |
Role: Average Regular
Risk: Extreme – Flores has very good bat speed that drives plus raw power, but he has a ton of swing and miss and struggles with pitch recognition. He may not make enough quality contact to make it past A-ball.
Summary: Flores was one of the Phillies two big signings in January of 2021. He has big time tools with his bat speed driving plus raw power. He had a strikeout rate over 35% in the DSL and was worse as the season went on. He really needs to work on his pitch recognition and contact abilities, and at 18 has time to improve, but it has not been a great start. It may take a few years for him to get on track, but he has a lot of similar characteristics to Jose Pujols who never could get those things on track.
2022 Outlook: After struggling in his pro-debut in the DSL last year, Flores likely comes stateside where he will be one of the younger players in the FCL. It is likely to be a slow development path for Flores.
ETA: 2026
Previous Rank: 35
42. Marcus Lee Sang, OF
Age: 21
Acquired: Drafted in the 11th Round of the 2019 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: L/L
H/W: 6’0” 200lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| PHI (CPX) | 26 | 96 | 5 | 11 | 7.3% | 26.0% | .273 | .333 | .534 |
| CLW (A-) | 11 | 114 | 0 | 0 | 10.8% | 29.7% | .212 | .297 | .242 |
Role: Average Regular
Risk: Extreme – Lee Sang was very raw when he entered the Phillies system before the lost year, and the missed year of development did help. He still has a long development path ahead of him.
Summary: After missing a year of development, the plan for Lee Sang looks to have been for him to spend the year in the complex, but the COVID outbreak in Clearwater forced him to the Threshers for two weeks where he struggled. A raw, two way player in high school, Lee Sang has a lot of developing still to do and it was clear the complex was where he belonged. After striking out 24 times in his first 18 games of the year, he struck out 12 times in the last 19 and started to consistently drive the ball. He is a good runner who has played all three outfield positions, and he has a strong arm as well (he was over 90mph on the mound in high school). He has good bat speed and solid power. He has the tools to be a solid player, but he is going to be slow moving through the system and it might not always be pretty along the way.
2022 Outlook: After getting a taste of Clearwater in 2021, Lee Sang likely spends the full year in low-A.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: 45
43. Blake Brown, RHP
Age: 23
Acquired: Non-drafted Free Agent signing in 2020 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’1” 195lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| JS (A+) | 33 | 0 | 2-1 | 40.0 | 3.15 | 5.0 | 0.5 | 19.0% | 32.4% |
| REA (AA) | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 1.0 | 0.00 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 40.0% | 20.0% |
Role: 6th/7th Inning Reliever
Risk: High – Brown has big velocity and ok offspeed pitches. If he can throw strikes, he could pitch in late innings. If he can’t throw strikes he will be a frustrating up and down reliever. He could see the full range of Luis Garcia’s career.
Summary: Brown was one of the hard throwing college arms the Phillies brought in as NDFAs after the draft in 2020. He had an up and down time in high-A, walking nearly every batter every other month and sometimes striking them all out. Brown’s best pitch is his fastball, which sits in the high 90s, reaching up to 99 with vertical break. He has a slider and curveball, both of which are average, but give him different looks to righties and lefties. Control has been the problem for Brown in college and pro-ball, with his freshman year 6.2 BB/9 representing his career low. He flashes the ability to be a poor command guy who will still walk his fair share, but not every batter. Brown’s control, coupled with the lack of a plus secondary pitch probably keeps him from a late inning role, but he could be a 6th or 7th inning arm that sometimes is frustrating, but could get key outs.
2022 Outlook: Brown was only in Reading for one appearance due to their COVID skipped series, so a return trip to AA is in the works. If things click he could rise very quickly to the majors, but given that he won’t need Rule 5 protection he may end his year in AAA on the edge of the majors.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: UR
44. Matt Russell, RHP
Age: 23
Acquired: Non-drafted Free Agent signing in 2021 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’2” 190lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| CLW (A-) | 9 | 1 | 2-2 | 17.2 | 3.06 | 8.7 | 0.5 | 5.2% | 28.6% |
Role: #4 Starter/Bulk Inning Reliever
Risk: High – Russell did not have the best numbers in college and mostly pitched out of the bullpen in the pros. He does however have a very interesting starter’s arsenal.
Summary: Russell was a nondescript signing by the Phillies. He doesn’t have a projectable frame, and was a 22 year old red shirt junior (he missed 2019 due to Tommy John). His college numbers at Missouri State did not stand out either, making him look like an org filler signing. His numbers for Clearwater were solid, ending on two very good appearances. What did stand out was his Savant pitch data. Russell features a high spin fastball with excellent vertical movement that sits low 90s and can touch up to 96. His slider is his best secondary pitch and projects as a plus pitch, but he also has a sinker, changeup, and curveball. He should get a chance to start or at least get bulk innings to open 2022, but the fastball-slider combination already looks like a decent bullpen fall back.
2022 Outlook: The combination of injuries, a high volume of low minors starting pitchers, and the Phillies use of piggy backs and 6 man rotations makes it hard to predict where Russell will start. The Phillies do let guys start in the low minors, so it does seem like Russell will at least get a crack at the rotation.
ETA: 2024
Previous Rank: N/A
45. Billy Sullivan, RHP
Age: 23
Acquired: Non-drafted Free Agent signing in 2020 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’2” 195lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| JS (A+) | 5 | 0 | 0-0 | 5.2 | 1.59 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 15.0% | 40.0% |
| REA (AA) | 15 | 0 | 1-1 | 18.0 | 3.00 | 6.0 | 0.0 | 12.7% | 34.2% |
Role: 7th Inning Reliever
Risk: High – Sullivan had success in AA, but a year filled with injuries in his first year pitching after Tommy John raised some red flags. He will also need to tighten up his control to pitch in high leverage.
Summary: After not pitching in 2020 due to the pandemic and rehabbing from 2019 Tommy John surgery, the Phillies pushed Sullivan aggressively first to high-A and then to AA. In AA, he made two separate trips to the IL, and while some were likely cautious following his surgery, he only pitched in 6 games in the last 3 months of the season. On the mound, Sullivan’s velocity was a bit down from his peak, sitting 94-97, but he can reach up to 99. His slider is a tight vertical pitch in the low 80s. Sullivan can miss bats with both pitches, especially working the fastball up in the zone and the slider down. His control was an issue at both levels and was a problem in college at times as well. His control will ultimately be the separator as to whether he is pitching high leverage innings or is a AAAA up and down reliever. If he can take a step forward as he moves another year removed from surgery, he could move quickly towards a major league role.
2022 Outlook: Sullivan will likely return to AA to open the season, and if he can get off to a hot start he could move quickly to AAA and the majors, as the Phillies have both a need for high octane bullpen arms and a propensity to move those arms quickly if they show success.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: 44
46. Ben Brown, RHP
Age: 22
Acquired: Drafted in the 33rd Round of the 2017 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’6” 210lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| PHI (CPX) | 3 | 2 | 1-0 | 4.0 | 2.25 | 4.5 | 0.0 | 6.3% | 18.8% |
| JS (A+) | 4 | 2 | 0-0 | 12.0 | 7.50 | 9.0 | 1.5 | 13.0% | 25.9% |
Role: Backend Starter or Middle Reliever
Risk: High – Brown did not have a clean return from Tommy John surgery, but came back throwing harder in the complex late in the season. He has not really pitched on a starters schedule for a season since 2018.
Summary: Brown was starting to have a breakout season to open 2019, but 4 games in an arm injury led to Tommy John surgery. Brown started back in Jersey Shore, but another 4 games in arm problems sent him back to the complex until he made 3 appearances late in the season. Brown showed a bit more velocity, peaking at 96 in the complex. His sitting velocity was more 92-94 than 88-92, especially in the short complex outings. He still throws a slider, a curveball, and a changeup. Despite all of the setbacks, Brown is only 22 and has the big 6’6” frame that might have a bit more in it. Given the injuries and missed time, the Phillies could give him more time in a starter’s role and let him build back innings, or try and shorten him up and capitalize on the gains he did make in short bursts.
2022 Outlook: Based on missed time, Brown should return to Jersey Shore, but some of it will depend on whether he is a starter or a reliever. The biggest goal of 2022 will be pitching a full year healthy.
ETA: 2024
Previous Rank: 40
47. JoJo Romero, LHP
Age: 25
Acquired: Drafted in the 4th Round of the 2016 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: L/L
H/W: 5’11” 200lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| PHI (MLB) | 11 | 0 | 0-0 | 9.0 | 7.00 | 12.0 | 4.0 | 9.1% | 18.2% |
Role: Middle Reliever
Risk: High – Very boom or bust risk as Romero is coming back from Tommy John surgery. He has already shown success in the majors, so there is little development risk left.
Summary: Romero moved to the bullpen full time in 2020, to mixed success in the majors. The mentality suited him well, and his velocity ticked up with the adrenaline boost averaging over 95 on his fastball. He has been fastball heavy, but still uses a full three pitch mix, with his slider jumping over his changeup out of the bullpen. His control has been suspect at times, and given his injury, it is likely not going to improve until 2023. He injured his elbow in May and had Tommy John shortly afterwards. While it doesn’t feel like he is still a prospect based on his time in the majors, he is only entering his age 25 season.
2022 Outlook: Romero had Tommy John in May of 2021, and so the start of the year will see him rehabbing, with the hope he starts to get into minor league rehab by June or July. If he comes back strong he could be back in the majors in the last month or two of the season.
ETA: 2020
Previous Rank: 19
48. Ethan Lindow, LHP
Age: 23
Acquired: Drafted in the 5th Round of the 2017 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/L
H/W: 6’3” 180lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| JS (A+) | 12 | 10 | 3-6 | 67.1 | 3.21 | 8.7 | 1.5 | 4.1% | 22.2% |
| REA (AA) | 6 | 5 | 0-2 | 17.2 | 6.11 | 9.7 | 2.5 | 13.1% | 27.4% |
Role: #5 Starter
Risk: Medium – Lindow has a starter’s array of pitches, but even for a lefty his velocity is below average and without that increasing or a secondary pitch taking a large step forward, he is not a steady starter.
Summary: It isn’t just that they are 5th round prep lefties, but Lindow has a lot of characteristics reminiscent of Bailey Falter at this point in his career. Lindow throws a lot of strikes, but his fastball is still 88-92 and his secondary pitches are more solid than spectacular. It won’t take a large gain, but another 1-2 mph would go a long way for all of Lindow’s pitches. Right now, Lindow profiles as a depth back end starter who can give some bulk relief innings or a spot start if needed.
2022 Outlook: Lindow will get another crack at Reading to open the 2022 season. He likely will spend the full year there. The Phillies will be desperate for starting depth in 2023, so if Lindow can have a solid season he will position himself for a 40 man spot next offseason.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: 23
49. Nicolas Torres, UT
Age: 22
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in July 2016 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 5’10” 155lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| CLW (A-) | 69 | 262 | 4 | 10 | 13.4% | 26.3% | .239 | .341 | .345 |
| JS (A+) | 27 | 114 | 0 | 5 | 6.1% | 15.8% | .388 | .429 | .447 |
Role: Utility Player With Infield and Outfield Versatility
Risk: Medium – Torres is a utility player who can play up the middle positions, which gives him a lot of paths to the majors. He may not make enough quality contact to force many of those opportunities.
Summary: Torres is a former top international signee in 2016. He had a good first two years of pro ball before scuffling in Williamsport in 2019. His 2021 season got off to a slow start with a possibly ABS aided 2 walks to 21 strikeouts in the season’s first month. He proceeded to get better each month, hitting .295/.387/.388 with 40 walks to 66 strikeouts in 78 games after May. Torres has moderate power and is more of a line drive player. With little impact at the plate, Torres’s play in the field will need to drive him forward. Torres played every position but first and catcher in 2021, and while not ideal at shortstop, he can play there in a pinch. He doesn’t quite have the exact set of skills as Luke Williams, but they have similar ceilings.
2022 Outlook: Torres only played 27 games in high-A so a move to AA is not assured, and he probably will be right on the bubble between the two levels. He likely gets to Reading by at least the middle of the summer.
ETA: 2024
Previous Rank: UR
50. Freylin Minyety, UT
Age: 22
Acquired: Non-drafted Free Agent signing in 2021 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 5’10” 185lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| CLW (A-) | 28 | 104 | 3 | 3 | 13.5% | 22.1% | .286 | .423 | .405 |
Role: Utility Hitter
Risk: High – Minyety doesn’t have a position and does not have enough offensive output to be a positionless bench player. However, he hit the ball enough to make himself into an intriguing prospect.
Summary: Born in the Dominican Republic, Minyety played for 3 years in junior college before the Phillies signed him out of the Draft League. At the plate, he was immediately one of the Thresher’s leaders in hard contact. Minyety does not elevate the ball consistently and does not have the exit velocity peaks of some of his teammates. What he does do is consistently make hard line drive contact. He is currently listed at shortstop, but played second and third in pro ball. He was not great at either, and in Instructs he started to catch. If he can find a couple of positions he can stand (or crouch) at, he offers some interesting bench utility.
2022 Outlook: Given how he hit in Clearwater, Minyety should start at Jersey Shore, but if he is making a real run at catching he could end up held back in Extended Spring Training to work on his defense. His bat could move him quicker than his glove.
ETA: 2024
Previous Rank: N/A
Other Prospects
Hitters:
OF Gavin Tonkel (19) – Tonkel, the Phillies 9th round pick in the 2021 draft can really run and projects to stay in center field. He is a long term project at the plate.
OF Felix Reyes (21) – Reyes is a very physical outfielder who made his pro debut in 2021. His swing and approach is a mess, but he had some of the louder contact on the Threshers roster.
OF Baron Radcliff (23) – Radcliff hits the ball harder than any other prospect in the system, but he often does it directly into the ground. He has a great eye and approach at the plate, but he has too many contact issues to likely ever tap into his raw power consistently.
IF Kendall Simmons (21) – Simmons hits the ball hard, but not consistently at the top end of the spectrum. His contact abilities have stagnated, and he has started to slip down the defensive spectrum again. He still has interesting tools, but the missed year of development, coupled with injuries in 2021, has put him behind his peers developmentally.
OF Carlos De La Cruz (22) – De La Cruz is still long and lanky, and hits the ball very hard. He has not improved his contact abilities, and while he was especially hit hard by the pandemic lost year, he is no longer young enough where he has time to make up for what was lost. The Phillies left him exposed in the minor league Rule 5 draft, showing how much he has slid.
C Chris Burke (20) – Burke is a young, Australian catcher who flashed some interesting offensive skills in his pro debut.
OF Jared Carr (22) – Carr came from a small school, but more of his offense translated to pro-ball than might have been expected. He might be able to play some center field as well. His swing and miss is concerning, but there is enough intrigue to track him as a bench outfielder.
OF Jefferson Encarnacion (20) – Encarnacion missed the season due to injury, but is an interesting athletic outfielder.
IF/OF Matt Kroon (25) – Kroon had an early season shoulder injury and didn’t really start playing everyday in Reading until late July. He took off during the second half, driving the baseball much more. He still has some scary walk and strikeout numbers. The other reason for his breakout is he started playing center field and was playable there, giving him the flexibility to play all three outfield positions plus first and third, opening up an outside chance at a cup of coffee in a bench role.
IF Dalton Guthrie (26) – Guthrie was once a big time college prospect, but an arm injury caused him to fall in the draft. He didn’t hit at any level of the Phillies system and wasn’t great in AA, but got forced up to Lehigh Valley due to players out with COVID and injuries, and had long stretches of hitting the baseball hard. He missed more of August due to an injury. He still has approach and contact issues that make it unlikely he will hit in the majors. He does now play every position but catcher and first base, and is in AAA so a call up is no longer an impossibility.
OF Leandro Pineda (19) – Pineda is an interesting outfielder who did not make a ton of quality contact in the complex, but showed good approach numbers and has interesting physicality.
C/1B Vito Friscia (25) – Friscia was a 40th round pick in 2019 and has mostly moved to being a first baseman and emergency catcher. He hits enough to be a solid minor league org contributor.
1B/ 3B D.J. Stewart (23) – Stewart is a large bodied corner infielder who showed a lot of improvement during the missed year. His lack of athleticism put his ceiling more near solid AA/AAA player than the major leagues.
Pitchers:
LHP Christopher Soriano (20) – Soriano is a short left handed starter who sits about 90, touching 93. He has a high spin sinker, and 4 pitches topped by a big curveball.
RHP Nicoly Pina (22) – Pina was throwing in the high 90s in 2020 before having Tommy John during the pandemic. He was throwing rehab outings in Instructs, but he is a relief only prospect who has not pitched above the complex.
RHP Rodolfo Sanchez (22) – Sanchez is a short right handed starter with a 3 pitch mix. None of his pitches really stand out with his fastball sitting 92-94, touching 95. His control took a step back in 2021, though he did miss more bats (automated strike zone caveats apply). Given his lack of impact stuff in the rotation, he might be served with a move to the bullpen long term to see if his stuff plays up in short bursts.
RHP Colton Eastman (25) – Eastman sits about 90 with his fastball with a good curveball. His command has not held up to pro-ball. His ceiling is an emergency call up innings eater.
RHP Dylan Castaneda (20) – Castaneda is a young, sinker-slider starting pitcher who struggled with his control and injuries in Clearwater.
RHP Jason Ruffcorn (23) – Ruffcorn is an accomplished college reliever with a large group of pitches. He likely needs to tighten up his group of pitches, but could be a quick moving up and down middle reliever.
LHP Zach Warren (25) – Warren continues to throw low to mid 90s with high walk and strikeout rates. His low ERA in Reading hides some underlying problems, but as a left handed reliever he has a chance if he can put things together for a few months.
RHP Victor Vargas (21) – Vargas is a low 90s sinker-slider starter who throws strikes. It is a short slider, and he struggles to miss bats against higher level batters.
LHP Kent Emanuel (29) – Emanuel is an up and down major league reliever, picked up off waivers.
LHP Kyle Dohy (25) – The Phillies once again added and removed Dohy from the 40 man roster. After some injuries and delivery issues, the Phillies sent him to Clearwater where he made large improvements and was in the mid 90s in Reading and dominant down the stretch. However, he was in the low 90s in the majors and his control issues continue to crop up. If he can find consistency, he has a major league future.
LHP Damon Jones (27) – Jones has the fastball and breaking ball to be a major league reliever, but he continues to not throw enough quality strikes, and that leaves him on the fringes of the 40 man roster.
LHP Braeden Ogle (24) – Ogle took a jump forward in relief in the Pirates organizations before being acquired for Abrahan Gutierrez, but regressed hard after the trade. He can reach the upper 90s with his fastball, but control issues have been his undoing. If the Phillies player dev can get him straightened back out, he could be an interesting middle reliever.
LHP Maikel Garrido (22) – Garrido throws hard with big spin on both his fastball and slider. He is up to 98 with his fastball, but struggles to throw strikes and does not project for much improvement in that area.
LHP Scott Moss (27) – Moss is a large lefty who would be better served in a bullpen role, but might be used as rotation depth. He is a project with an interesting slider, but is probably a fringe of the 40 man guy during his last option year.
LHP Samuel Aldegheri (20) – Aldegheri is an interesting Italian lefty who has a 3 pitch mix topped by his low 90s fastball, which was up to 94 this season.
LHP Jake McKenna (19) – Pre-2020 draft McKenna was written up as a high 80s-low 90s type pitcher, but the projectable 6’6” LHP is now in the mid to high 90s. Like many tall pitchers, his control has been a problem. He is more of a long term project, but one with tantalizing projectability.
RHP Manuel Urias (21) – Urias is a tall righty with 3 years of dominant performances in the DSL. He is only entering his age 21 season and currently sits in the low 90s.
RHP Tyler McKay (24) – McKay was a project out of JuCo in 2018, and was largely pedestrian in his first full year in 2019. He had an injury in mid 2021 and went down to Clearwater for some rehab and development. He showed improvement on his return to Jersey Shore, including some dominance down the stretch.
LHP Jared Wetherbee (23) – Wetherbee was a 4 year starter at Elon with a strong track record of missing bats. He is a short (5’10”) lefty who already looks to be moving to the bullpen. He is up to 93 with a four seam fastball with interesting attributes. He also has a curveball and split change.
RHP Alberus Barber (26) – Barber was a NDFA signing in 2019 and put up great numbers in his debut. During training in the lost 2020 season he was throwing in the mid to upper 90s. He never pitched in a game as arm injuries in the spring led to Tommy John surgery. He is once again throwing in his rehab.
LHP Rafael Marcano (21) – Marcano got off to a great start in Clearwater, but things faded down the stretch. He averaged 92 on his fastball and was up to 95, and has some interesting qualities. He also has a changeup and a curveball.
RHP Chase Antle (25) – Antle was part of the 2020 NDFA group of signings. A velocity spike in college had him into the high 90s, but he ultimately missed all of 2021 due to injury. He is back throwing again and has late inning upside if he can get healthy.
RHP Brett Schulze (24) – Schulze was the Phillies 7th round pick in 2019 and put up great numbers after signing (26.2 IP 0.34 ERA – though 7 unearned runs – 17 walks and 37 strikeouts). He missed all of the 2021 season due to injury, though he was back throwing in Instructs with good velocity.
RHP Noah Skirrow (23) – Skirrow missed some time due injury, but put up solid numbers in high-A and poor numbers in AA. He has a starter’s arsenal and a feel for pitching, but lacks impact stuff. He profiles as a AAA depth starter.