This Week’s Schedule
- Lehigh Valley (9-6) @ St. Paul (5-9)
- Reading (4-5) @ Somerset (3-5)
- Jersey Shore (5-3) @ Rome (4-5)
- Clearwater (5-4) @ Dunedin (5-4)
Hitter Spotlight
OF Dante Nori
9-22 2 2B 1 3B 1 HR 0 BB 5 K 0 SB 3 CS .409/.435/.727
Nori not playing the field due to an arm injury and going 0 for 3 on stolen base attempts this week are out of the normal things for him, but aren’t really concerning. His lack of walks this week, with a decently high strikeout rate, and 4 extra base hits is out of the ordinary. In a small sample, Nori is actually hitting the ball on the ground more this season, and largely has had worse contact quality overall. Much of this has been because he has been much more aggressive at the plate. In the early going his swing rate is up from 46.0% in 2025 to 51.6% in 2026. He has shown more raw power from his improved stance and aggressiveness, but the underlying hit tool metrics falling off is not sustainable either. It is going to be a push and pull between the two sides that will probably play out over the course of the season, so it is too early to read too much into the power numbers or the contact numbers.
Pitcher Spotlight
RHP Luke Gabrysh
1 GS 4 IP 0 H 0 R 0 BB 9 K
In many ways this could have gone to the entire BlueClaws rotation this week (6 GS 25 IP 9 H 4 R 3 ER 8 BB 33 K), but Gabrysh was the standout of the week down at the Shore. Thanks to a wild pitch, Gabrysh struck out the first 7 batters in a row, spanning the first two innings. His velocity is slightly up, and he sat 93-96 throughout his start this week. He was able to beat a couple batters with pure heat, but he had most of his success mixing his high 80s cutter and mid 80s sweeper. Gabrysh mixed in a changeup or two, and he will need to improve that if he is going to start because the fastball shape isn’t great. For now, Gabrysh is going to be developed as a starter and projects as a back of the rotation arm if he continues his upward trajectory. If that doesn’t work, the pair of breaking balls gives him a middle reliever profile, especially if his velocity as another jump in short bursts.
Notes and Thoughts
- It was another dominant start for Gage Wood (3.1 IP 2 H 1 ER 1 BB 8 K). He has been mostly fastball-slider with his fastball too good for this level. His slider was dominant this time out as well. He looks to be capped at about 60 pitches right now as they manage his workload.
- The Phillies have Brad Pacheco and Brian Walters in a piggy back and they went twice this week. Pacheco is averaging about 96.7 mph on his fastballs, using the sinker (in the zone) more than his 4-seamer (for chases). His slider is inconsistent, but looks like a good pitch long term. He hasn’t turned the bat misses into strikeouts, but he has gotten much flatter angle on his 4-seamer which makes it a weapon. He still has a changeup and curveball to work in.
- There was some buzz that Walters was pushing triple digits last camp, but as a starter he has averaged 95.5 and peaking at 97. His stuff has been less interesting with his breaking ball not getting misses. He still looks like a reliever masquerading as a starter, but it looks like the Phillies will let him grow into the role.
- He didn’t miss bats, but Christian McGowan got back on a mound twice this week with sinker, slider, and changeup. He was mid 90s out of the bullpen, which is about where he was as a starter prior to the injuries.
- It was a real struggle for Gabe Craig to start the year, but he has two scoreless outings this week with his slider looking much better.
- It was a real mixed time for Devin Saltiban who had some really poor plays in the outfield, but had a hit in all 5 games he played in this week, and is somehow up to 3 triples in 7 games. He is striking out too much in the early going again, especially against RHPs.
- Sam Highfill got the two start week for the BlueClaws and went 4 hitless innings in his first start and extended that streak to 6 innings in his second start, a 4 inning scoreless appearance. Highfill gets good ride on a low 90s fastball, even if he doesn’t get great plane on the pitch. Without the pitch level tracking it is hard to tell if he is throwing one or two breaking balls, either way he was able to keep the Cyclones off balance.
- There were calls for Felix Reyes in certain corners of Phillies fandom this week, and he did hit .400 this week with 3 extra base hits. He also had 5 strikeouts and no walks which is due to a chase rate that is still over 50%. Reyes makes a lot of contact for a guy who hits the ball as hard as he does, but in the early going the approach leads a lot to be desired.
- It wasn’t out of nowhere that the Phillies called up Seth Johnson when they needed a pitcher this week. His fastball broke 100 this week and he has been averaging over 98. He walked a batter in both appearances this week, but he struck out 5 with his fastball putting up absurd whiff rates.
- Reading got Alex McFarlane into 3 games this week and while he wasn’t completely overpowering, he threw 21 pitches in his last two appearances. In the cold he has been more 95-98, but he is throwing strikes and his breaking ball is eating up AA hitters.
- After signing back in 2024, Tanner Gresham made his pro debut on Wednesday. He was up to 96 early, but faded after his first inning. He threw a changeup, but otherwise threw his slider more than his fastball. Hitters struggled with it both in and out of the zone. If he can’t hold his velocity he won’t be long for the rotation, but he also hasn’t pitched in over a year and you can see why the Phillies are taking a look.
- Camron Hill was a bit adrift as a starting pitcher last year, and then he missed a bunch of bats in a hybrid role in Australia. He is a reliever this year and his fastball has jumped from averaging 89.3 mph to 93.4 mph. He gets a lot of extension with a weird downward plane. He has scrapped all of his secondary pitches in favor of just his slider. He struggles with his control, and has been dominant, but he is weird and left handed.
- The knock on Mavis Graves has been that his fastballs are not particularly good pitches. He was up to 95 in the Spring Breakout, but was 91-94 in his first start, which should help keep them from getting hit hard. What will also help is that Graves barely threw them. In striking out 5 in his 3 innings of work he went heavily to his sweeping slider, cutter, and changeup. He threw all of those pitches harder than he did last year and batters struggled to make contact. If he can continue to pitch backwards he will be in a tight race for who gets promoted to Reading first.
- It has been a solid start for Aroon Escobar who is batting .294 on the season. He struck out much less this week, and has a hit in 8 of 9 games so far. He looks slightly stretched defensively at third on the eye test.
- After being drafted in the 16th round of the 2023 draft, Luke Russo had an interesting 2024 season, but missed most of 2025 due to injury. He kicked off 2026 with a great start (5 IP 1 H 1 ER 0 BB 7 K) for Reading. Russo sat 90-95 with his sinker, and then mixed in a 4-seam fastball, cutter, changeup, curveball, and slider to keep hitters guessing. He doesn’t have big stuff, but he is yet another back end AAAA start type.
- Ryan Degges still falls under work in progress, but he sat 93-95 this week while working in slider and changeup. It took him 50 pitches to go 3 innings due to some iffy command at times, but he went 3 IP 1 H 0 R 1 BB 6 K as part of the BlueClaws dominant pitching.
- On Friday night Marty Gair had a dominant first inning of work, touching 100 and sitting 99. He threw only fastballs and struck out two with a ground out. His second inning of work saw his velocity drop, and his control fall apart leading to two walks and a three run home run.
- Connor Gillispie has made the majors the last two years as a soft tossing righty. He has been mostly nondescript in the minors too. He was signed as depth, but has now gotten a spot in the IronPigs rotation. He isn’t really a prospect, but he is climbing the emergency starter depth chart after not allowing a run across his 13 innings and 3 appearances so far. He is also averaging over 93 mph which is over a mph above last season.
- The Phillies took Richie Cortese in the 17th round from Lander University. His two appearances this week were dominant with 2.2 IP 1 H 0 R 1 BB 6 K. He is throwing his slider a ton and it has been dominant with a spin rate north of 3100 RPM. His fastball has a bit of a weird shape as well.
- Tyler Bowen was taken from Lander 5 rounds ahead of Cortese. He was getting some buzz this spring and is more fastball heavy with a flat angle and velocity sitting about 96 and touching up to 99.
- Braydon Tucker probably still isn’t more than an org arm, but in his second time facing Hartford this week he struck out 10 in 5 innings. He was firmly 91-93 throughout his start, and that makes his sweeper play up better. There is some depth starter potential to him, but for now he helps the Reading rotation be quite competent.
- If you saw Andrew Baker in previous years you might not recognize him. His fastball was mostly 95-96, but he rarely threw it. Instead he is throwing a good looking high 80s cutter as his primary pitch and then mixing in the fastball and a low 80s curveball. He has not walked a batter in his 3 games so far this year.
Injuries and Transactions
- RHP Wilfry Michel signed to minor league contract
- Nolan Beltran (CLW), Orlando Gonzalez (CLW), Nikau Pouaka-Grego (JS), Angel Liranzo (FCL)
- Christian McGowan (CLW), Victor Cardoza (CLW), and Seth Johnson (PHI) assigned to new levels
- Cade Fergus added to Development List
- Jonathan Hogart and Pedro Leon added to 7-day IL
- Kyle Backhus and Steward Berroa optioned to AAA
- Andrew Bechtold transferred to 60-day IL
- Maykol Fernandez and Eduardo Guillen released
- John Spikerman activated from IL
- Steward Berroa acquired for cash
Links and Things
Videos and Posts
Still think Alex McFarlane to pen is little premature. Phillies are relief mode lately and likely because Phillies look loaded on starting pitcher. But not everything should be designed for ML team. Pitchers lose half their trade value when moved from starter to reliever.
The thing with McFarlane is his velocity was down in the rotation and his control kept being a problem, not to mention he hasn’t found a useable change/split. Everything has clicked in the bullpen for him in a way that didn’t work in the rotation. I get your overall point, but he doesn’t have more trade value as a starter because everyone views him as a reliever and his option clock has begun.
To your overall point, it is why nearly everyone in the 2025 draft class is currently starting, including guys like Brian Walters who were viewed as relievers. It is easier to do when a guy is far away from the majors and not right on the edge.