2024 FCL Phillies Season Preview

Top Prospects

SS Starlyn Caba – Caba was the Phillies biggest signing in the 2023 International Signing class and has looked every bit what was promised. The standout tool is his glove which is at least plus now and has a chance to be elite thanks to great athleticism and instincts. He has yet to really impact the ball at the plate, and given his size he is likely to never be a slugger. He does have a great feel for the strike zone and pitch recognition to go along with a good feel for getting the bat to the ball. It is likely he develops into more of a back third of the lineup hitter, but one with elite defense.

C Eduardo Tait – Tait was not a major money signing in 2023, but received buzz even before inking his contract. He was one of the youngest players in pro-ball last year and will be on of the youngest players stateside in 2024. He is already solidly built and can get to his power easily, routinely hitting the gaps with doubles and getting the ball out of the park. He still chases a bit much, but at the plate he profiles to hit in the middle of a batting order. The thing that holds him back is his defense behind the plate. He has the tools to stick behind the plate, but he is rough around the edges when it comes to blocking and receiving. The FCL Phillies have a number of catchers, so it is likely that Tait sees time at both DH and first base.

Under the Radar

RHP Wilmer Blanco – Blanco was a late signing in the 2021 class and then spent two years in the DSL, becoming a dominant starter for DSL Phillies White in 2023. He has good size (6’3″) and a starter’s arsenal. His fastball is probably his best pitch right now, sitting 91-94 with good ride. He throws a big high 70s curveball as well as a mid to high 80s changeup. Right now he profiles more on the fringes of the back of a rotation starter conversation, but there is a growth path to put himself more in the mid rotation role.

RHP Alexis De La Cruz – De La Cruz oozes projection. He has drawn body comps to Taijuan Walker, and his big frame (6’6″ 205lbs) at 19 years old hints that there might be more to come than he has shown. He struggled some with control last year, but will sit 90-94 with reportedly higher peaks. In spring training he showed both a 4 seam fastball and sinker. He has a big curveball and a changeup as well. He has more upside potential in De La Cruz than Blanco, but the current version is a little less polished and the fastball just jumps off the screen a little bit less.

IF Aroon Escobar – Escobar was the first Phillies prospect or potential signee to have his familial relationship with Ronald Acuña Jr. touted (they are cousins), when the Phillies signed him for $450,000 back in 2022. Escobar looks thicker than his listed 180lbs, but he handles second and third base fine defensively. He has had a great approach and feel for contact in his two seasons in the DSL, but the power output has been lacking so far. This is notable because Escobar can scald the baseball. He has plus bat speed and can post high end exit velocities, but he has yet to translate that to in game power. If he can consistently make quality contact he has a chance to be an average regular on the infield.

Offensive Expectations

Outside those listed above, much of the hitting talent on the FCL team is relatively unknown. Some notables include catcher Rickardo Perez who was good in 2022 but missed all of 2023 while being suspended by the team. He will reportedly play some first base and was a hit over power player before the suspension. Outfielder Yemal Flores was a big money signing back in 2021 and will be making his 3rd attempt at the FCL level after missing much of 2023 to injury. He has plus bat speed and plus raw power, he just has struggled to make consistent contact.

Behind the plate in addition to Tait, Guillermo Rosario has been a good defender and was able to provide value with his patience, but has not hit for power. Catcher Jorge Mendez struck out just once in 60 PAs last year for the FCL Phillies with a decent overall stat line. Leonardo Rondon was good at the plate last year and probably projects to play more infield than catcher this year.

Joining Caba and Escobar on the infield will be FCL veteran Diego Gonzalez, but also Nolan Beltran a former decent money signing who hit .297/.375/.405 last year in the DSL, Yemil Rosario who has played all over the place and is a bit more walk and strikeout prone, but still had a .785 OPS last year, Juan Villavicencio who has hit for some power in his two years in the DSL but only batted .207 last year, and Jarol Martinez who will likely be playing a lot of first base and has never hit for power but hit .294 in 2022 and .272 in 2023 with great one base.

The outfield, in addition to Flores, will have two Americans in Ezra Farmer (2022 NDFA) and A.J. Shaver (2023 17th round). Shaver is currently the odd man out for Clearwater and is probably the call up when they need another bat. Farmer has hit poorly the last two years in the FCL but only in 20 games total as they have worked on his strength. Joining them will be Manolfi Jimenez who has been ok the last two seasons, Jerffson Peña a sort of projectable outfield who cut his strikeouts dramatically last year and ran a ton the last two years in the DSL, and Junior Marin a big bodied corner outfielder/first baseman that missed most of last year due to injury after being acquired for James McArthur, he is sort of stiff at the plate but has raw power.

Overall a fairly unproven group that has a couple of breakout potential guys around the star level hitters. I expect their “A” lineup to have Caba leading off and Tait batting 3rd.

Pitching Expectations

The Phillies pitching is going to be very interesting. De La Cruz and Blanco will presumably be in the rotation and will be joined by Enrique Segura who lost some prospect shine last year when he struggle at this level, but is still only 19. Segura will sit low to mid 90s with a sinking fastball, slider and curveball combination, and solid changeup all from a funky Aaron Nola-esque delivery. There are plenty of other live arms who will presumably start or get bulk innings for the Phillies this year including Maxwell Hernandez, Adilson Peralta, Danyony Pulido, and Pedro Reyes. All of those pitchers have gotten their fastballs into the low to mid 90s with Peralta and Pulido offering some power and projection. Luis Avila is a power arm reliever to watch. The rest of the bullpen will presumably include some veterans of the last few DSL Phillies White postseason teams in Juan Amarante, Kleyderve Andrade, and Josbel Garcia. Luis Gonzalez has bit less raw stuff, but has been a solid contributor that last few years and seems like he could start or relieve. Recently acquired Benyony Robles will be around to open the season, as well Cam Brown who has been working through health and control problems.

Overall, with the season starting and ending before the draft, the FCL Phillies pitching staff is heavily populated by mostly unknown pitchers from the Dominican Complex. There are a lot of interesting arms in the group and a chance that some of them really pop out over the course of the season. Given the success of DSL Phillies White over the past two seasons, especially on the pitching side, there is a chance the FCL Phillies are quite good on that side.

Looking Ahead and Overall Thoughts

With the schedule change, the FCL Phillies will be a barometer on the Phillies international scouting and development. They have had a ton of success with the White and Red teams in the DSL, but this will be the stateside debut for the vast majority of the team. Watching the DSL teams over the last few years, I think they have done a good job increasing their talent floor, but now we will get to see it on the field. I think they are likely to lean more pitching and defense than slugging offense, but there are a decent number of prominent members of the team who will make contact and they do have a couple of big thumpers.

A reminder as well that the FCL team is going to have rehab players move through, so keep an eye on that as well.