It has not been a great season for the Phillies system, and it starts at the top. Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter both graduated to the majors where they have struggled to varying degrees. Aidan Miller’s back injury has put a grey cloud over the system, and poor performances by top prospects like Aroon Escobar and Dante Nori have not helped that. There have been some improvements and breakouts, but they have been more health bounce backs than true breakouts.
Despite the injury, Miller’s upside keeps him at the top of the list, especially since Gage Wood has been good and not great. Francisco Renteria has been great, but it has also only been a month in the DSL for the 17 year old, and he rounds out the top 3 in the system. The real breakout prospect of the season has been RHP Ramon Marquez whose changeup has carried him to domination across both A-ball levels. There is a bit of gap from Renteria to Marquez, but there is a developing gap from Marquez to #5.
1. Aidan Miller, 3B, Lehigh Valley – Miller’s back issues have put his season and possibly career in doubt, but he still might have the highest ceiling in the org. He has succeeded at AAA, so if he can come back healthy late in the year he may be able to quickly get back on track as an impact player in all aspects of the game. (Preseason #1)
2. Gage Wood, RHP, Reading – The Phillies have been careful with Gage Wood all season as they build his workload up slowly. His development has largely been on the slow side as well. His slider has improved from college, but his curveball has taken a step backwards. His changeup is a work in progress, but improving. His fastball is still one of the best pitches in the system, coming in with a flat approach angle and plus ride thanks to Wood’s armslot and delivery. He has largely sat 95-97, but has touched up to 99, and has used it to dominate low-A and AA hitters. He has proven to be home run prone, which isn’t surprising given his pitch characteristics. We still don’t know if he can hold up to a full workload, but he is slowly trending that way. (Preseason #4)
3. Francisco Reneteria, OF, DSL – Renteria has been as advertised so far. He has hit the ball hard, shown a good approach at the plate with great athleticism and speed. If there are nits to pick it is that he hits the ball into the ground too much and there is some weakness to soft stuff away. If all of his tools come together he has star level upside, there just is still a significant bit of development still in front of him. (Preseason N/A)
4. Ramon Marquez, RHP, Jersey Shore – Marquez broke out last year after being an unheralded international signing, and has made a second jump this season. His velocity is up 2+ mph across the board with his fastball now averaging over 95. His slider has become more of a cutter now, giving him a weapon against righties. His best pitch is a changeup that has good deception and separation from his fastball, that has had some of the best results of any pitch in the minors. His fastball has poor movement and their concerns about whether his whole arsenal continues to dominate against better hitters. (Preseason #14)
Entering the season, it was hoped that Aroon Escobar, Dante Nori, and Matthew Fisher would step forward as top prospects, but both have at best held serve. That sort of pushes them into the mushed group of other fringe top prospects plus a trio of breakout hitters. It isn’t that they are bad prospects, but they are flawed ones. The more depressing side is there is a drop off after them.
5. Aroon Escobar, 2B/3B, Reading – Escobar has struggled at Reading, with an overly aggressive approach leading to poor contact quality. He has swung the other way towards passivity in June, and he needs to find a balance between the two approaches. He has played both second and third, but profiles as a solid bat, offensive oriented second baseman. (Preseason #5)
6. Dante Nori, OF, Reading – Nori was a bright spot coming out of the WBC, but his approach and swing changes only led to moderate power improvements. Despite the ups and downs he is still roughly the same player, a potential league average center fielder who will hit at the bottom of a lineup. (Preseason #6)
7. Alirio Ferrebus, C, Clearwater – Ferrebus combines plus power and contact abilities with an aggressive approach that does not maximize those skills. He is tapping into the power more this year, blowing away career highs in doubles and home runs. He will need to find more patience at the plate against better pitchers, or his batted ball outcomes will likely collapse. His ability to catch is also still an open question, but the Phillies will continue to try and make it work. (Preseason #29)
8. Bryan Rincon, SS, Reading – The biggest thing is that Rincon is now healthy after two injured years. However, that somewhat hides that he has combined hitting the ball slightly harder with a more selectively aggressive approach to much better offensive numbers. His hit tool still has questions, and his ceiling is probably more average offensive contributor than what he has shown so far. His glove is good enough to mean that he could be a regular, but he probably is more a second division starter or good bench piece. (Preseason #44)
9. Griffin Burkholder, OF, Clearwater – Burkholder is another player where just being healthy is a major part of his success. He is an athletic outfielder who will show all 5 tools, including playing center field this year. He has a decent approach, and has made large strides in contact rate, but still has struggled with breaking balls and high velocity fastballs. After essentially a lost season, it will be important for him to both stay healthy and have this type of success higher than A-ball. (Preseason #20)
10. Cade Obermueller, LHP, Clearwater – Obermueller missed the start of the year with mono, and is now mostly fully ramped up. He can reach back for 95, but has generally sat around 93 with a sinker like fastball with poor ride, but good angle. His sweeper is a plus pitch, but there has been little sign of the cutter he was working on. He is ramping up usage of his changeup as righties have hit him better than lefties. There is risk he is a reliever. (Preseason #8)
11. Alex McFarlane, RHP, Reading – The Phillies moved McFarlane to the bullpen late last year and everything clicked. His control struggles at times, and he probably needs to revive his splitter to handle lefties better. However, now armed with two breaking balls (a sweeper joining his slider) and fastballs routinely touching 100 he looks like a future high leverage reliever. (Preseason #11)
12. Moises Chace, RHP, Reading – Nothing has really changed with Chace since the start of the season. He has been throwing bullpens, and his timeline would be throwing in games within the next month if he is still on track. Once he appears in games we will have a better feel for his ceiling. (Preseason #9)
13. Gabriel Rincones Jr., OF, Phillies – Rincones missed the spring with injuries, but largely just looks like a rusty version of previous years. He struggles against lefties, and generally makes good swing decisions, but has some contact issues. He has plus plus raw power, but he doesn’t elevate the ball enough to maximize it. He is a subpar defender, but he hits righties well enough that he should be a major league contributor on the strong side of an outfield platoon. (Preseason #10)
14. Matthew Fisher, RHP, Clearwater – The Phillies started Fisher in the FCL where he struggled to begin with. His fastball has been disappointing, averaging around 91 with poor shape. He has shown interesting breaking balls with good spin, and has worked in a changeup. There has not been any real improvement on his pre draft skills, and he is already 20. (Preseason #7)
There is a small pocket of prospects between the top group and then a long list that stretches on for a while. Like most of the list, it would be a lot better if these weren’t top 20 prospects in a system.
15. Cody Bowker, RHP, Jersey Shore – Bowker can be classified as a weird pitcher. He has been one of the most prolific strikeout pitchers among all minor league starting pitchers (73 in 47.2 innings), while averaging right about 93 with his fastball. It is a weird pitch with outlier approach angle, despite strong sinker movement characteristics, including large amounts of run. It is because his delivery leads to a very low release height. Hitters struggle to hit it in the zone and it gets a decent amount of chases too. His slider and sweeper are getting crushed when batters make contact, and batters have hit every changeup they have swung at. Surprisingly he doesn’t have platoon splits, but when the bases are empty he is holding opposing batters to a .471 OPS, but when there is a man on it balloons to 1.008. It is a weird profile that will likely need to prove it can work at each level. (Preseason #15)
16. Mavis Graves, LHP, Jersey Shore – In repeating Jersey Shore, Graves has improved in every aspect except for home runs (but that may be part of the minor league wide spike in long balls). He is throwing a bit harder too, which makes his whole arsenal play up a pitch. He is showing more confidence and success with his changeup, which has helped him against righties, while his cutter and slider dominate lefties. He looks like a reliever or back end starter, but there are not a ton of guys in either role succeeding in the low 90s with a bad fastball. (Preseason #21)
17. Romeli Espinosa, SS, FCL – Espinosa is one of the youngest players stateside, and has waffled between struggles and holding his own. He is long and lanky with great projection that could lead to plus power and speed at physical maturity. He struggles with breaking balls and inside pitches due to his youth and long levers. The long limbs also lead to some inconsistency on defense. He has a chance to stick at short, but should easily stick on the left side of the infield. (Preseason #22)
18. Juan Parra, SS, DSL – Parra had already cracked the list of prominent international signees when the Phillies signed him for a $550,000 bonus this January. He has not matched Renteria’s output, but is starting to drive the ball more while looking like a very polished hitter for his age. He has a chance to grow into a really solid all around shortstop prospect. (Preseason N/A)
19. Carson DeMartini, 3B, Reading – It wasn’t a great spring training for DeMartini, but he finally hit for power in hit return to AA. Unfortunately, right as he was really heating up he ended on the IL with a wrist injury. There are still plenty of questions about DeMartini’s ability to hit for power and maintain enough contact to make it all work, but the start of this season seemed to be a step back on track. (Preseason #18)
20. Brad Pacheco, RHP, Clearwater – Pacheco showed improvement over the course of last season, but was still largely just an arm speed guy. This season his fastballs are up from 91-95 to 93-97, and with more shape separation he now has a bat missing 4-seamer and contact suppressing sinker. Gone is his loopy curveball, and in is a harder slider and within the last month a new sweeper. His changeup gives him a well rounded arsenal, but he does still lack a real impact pitch. He has mid rotation upside if he continues to grow his feel and velocity, but he probably profiles as more of a backend starter. His velocity jump and breaking balls gives him an interesting bullpen fallback. (Preseason #32)
Only ten more prospects on this update got numbers, but this group expends almost to 50. There are interesting prospects, but not a bunch of ones you can really count on.
21. Matthew Ferrara, SS, Clearwater – Ferrara was signed to an overslept bonus as a 9th round pick and then shown mixed results in his first full year. He has a chance to stick at short, and will flash good power with a pull optimized swing. However, he was an aggressive swinger to start the year that hit fastballs but struggled against off speed pitches. He also shows flashes of power, rather than consistently hitting the ball hard. (Preseason #23)
22. Juan Villavicencio, SS, Clearwater – Villavicencio has piqued the interest of some evaluators over the years thanks to intriguing raw power and the ability to stay up the middle defensively. However, he barely played and stayed healthy the last two seasons, with much of his time spent on the complex team. This year, he has been healthy, and very productive. He has average raw power, good zone contact rates, and a solid approach. He has split time between short and third, and been fine over there. Surprisingly, he has hit lefties fine (if a bit BABIP aided) meaning he isn’t destined for a platoon role. (Preseason UR)
23. Anderson Araujo, C, FCL – Alongside Espinosa, Araujo was the breakout hitter for the 2025 DSL Phillies teams. More of an average raw power hitter, who maximized his contact, Araujo has not had the same success stateside. His ground ball rate is up, and he has just 7 extra base hits in 32 games, while maintaining a pull heavy approach. On the other side, his walks are up and his strikeouts are down. There are questions about his ability to catch, and with a crowded catcher group in the FCL he has only caught 4 times, instead spending a majority of his time at DH. (Preseason #37)
24. Seth Johnson, RHP, Phillies – A full offseason to prepare has seemingly given Johnson an extra gear as his fastball has averaged over 98 in AAA. Hitters still hit it decently well when they make contact, but he is able to compete more in the zone with it. This has let him use his slider more and dominate AAA. He still occasionally mixes in a sinker and sweeper. His improved command and velocity hasn’t always translated to the majors, but he is essentially a major league 6th inning reliever right now. (Preseason #25)
25. Wen-Hui Pan, RHP, Reading – Pan missed the 2025 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. After a rough first appearance, his stuff has largely come back the same or better. He has an upper 90s fastball and a low 80s slider and splitter. The splitter will be his best pitch in the long term, but he hasn’t quite honed in the feel for it to be a tentpole offering yet. If he can hone in the command and secondary pitches, he can be 7th inning reliever. (Preseason #19)
26. Chan-Min Park, RHP, DSL – Park got the largest bonus of any international pitcher this signing period, as the Phillies bought him out of the KBO draft for $1.2 million. He is more of a bet on projection as he is low 90s now with feel for secondary pitches. He reportedly has good control and athleticism, so there is a foundation to build on going forward. (Preseason N/A)
27. Yilmar Samudio, RHP, DSL – Samudio was signed for a decent bonus this winter, and was viewed as an up arrow prospect before his first appearance was dominant. His command has been poor in his last three appearances, struggling with overthrowing and with men on base. Samudio just turned 17 in March and has good physical projection, but already has been sitting 92 to 96, touching 98, with great extension and solid ride. He has a big curveball and firm changeup, but they are both rarely used. (Preseason N/A)
28. Nathan Humphreys, OF, Clearwater – Humphreys was a non-drafted free agent signing last year who looks like a previous season version of Brandon Marsh. He can play some center, struggles vs LHP, and has solid power. He has a patient approach at the plate, and where Marsh is a low contact rate, high BABIP hitter, Humphreys is more high contact, low BABIP. (Preseason UR)
29. Felix Reyes, 1B/OF, Lehigh Valley – Reyes has mashed AAA pitching, and struggled in his brief time in the majors. He has plus plus raw power and plus contact ability with a terrible approach at the plate. If he can ever cut that from terrible to poor, he has a future in a platoon role in the majors because he does hit the ball so hard. He will likely get another chance in the majors at some point. (Preseason #34)
30. Marty Gair, RHP, Clearwater – Gair’s season stats are not particularly great, but things have started clicking for him lately. When on, his fastball sits 98 to 100 with extreme ride and cut from a steep over the top arm slot. He has been up to 102, and has shown much better control this season, while striking out 44% of the batters he has faced. He is still searching for good offspeed pitches, with his primary one being a cutter, but he has also experimented with a curveball. He could be a late inning high leverage reliever, or his control could fall apart again. (Preseason UR)
In no particular order, here are other prospects of note.
- Jean Cabrera, RHP – Cabrera looked like he was going to be the Phillies #6 starter, but his command has backed up and his whole profile has fallen apart. He needs to locate his pitches enough that he can use a diverse arsenal to keep hitters off balance.
- Kehden Hettiger, C – After a positive spring training, Hettiger’s contact rate has been a career low this season while also being BABIP unlucky. The journey for young catchers is never smooth, so it is too early to write him off.
- Luke Gabrysh, RHP – A velocity jump put Luke Gabrysh on the map this spring, but he has struggled every third start or so with the BlueClaws. His biggest weakness is that lefties have a 1.094 OPS against him, while he tears through lefties. With an ok mid 90s fastball and then good slider and cutter, he profiles more as a reliever.
- Sean Youngerman, RHP – Youngerman’s pitches haven’t been crushed, but hitters can sit on his fastball because he can’t throw any of his offspeed pitches for strikes. His fastball is a fine pitch, sitting about 93 with good ride, but poor angle, but it isn’t going to carry and arsenal with no other useable offerings.
- Keaton Anthony, 1B – Anthony has pulled a few more fly balls this year, but largely still combines below average plate discipline and power in a right handed first base only package. If the raw power isn’t going to improve, then the approach must.
- Logan Dawson, SS – Dawson has played short and third for the FCL Phillies, with some amount of bad luck, but a concerning amount of swing and miss. He is passive at the plate, but struggles with offspeed, meaning he is mostly leaving his success at the whims of the pitcher’s control. His uppercut swing has holes and he has not gotten the power rewards from it so far. He is still in his first year, and does have the frame to grow into an interesting prospect in time.
- Braydon Tucker, RHP – Tucker, a former NDFA, has steadily improved year over year. His sinker has ticked up to 90-94 and he protects it with a good cutter/sweeper combination. His changeup is still his worst pitch, but he will throw it. His arsenal is fringy for a major league role, but the feel for the breaking balls might be enough for him to be a low leverage reliever or swing starter.
- Brian Walters, RHP – The Phillies tried Walters in a starting role, but seem to be gradually moving him back to being a reliever. His fastball velocity has not seen a big jump, and he mostly sits around 95. Both fastball varieties struggle to miss bats, and are crushed when batters make contact. He has had more success with his breaking ball or breaking balls, with a sort of muddled slider/sweeper situation existing. There are the components of an interesting reliever, but it might take a more intentional approach to bringing those out.
- James Tallon, LHP – Tallon dealt with an injury, and then has struggled to throw strikes since his return. Batters rarely chase, but they have trouble with his stuff when he does throw strikes. He gets a great angle on his fastball and then pairs it with a sweeper and shorter slider. If he throws enough strikes, you can see him being a real problem in a bullpen role, especially for lefties.
- John Spikerman, OF – For one month Spikerman was healthy and showing much improved contact. His approach was too passive and he didn’t hit for any power, but his strikeout rate was finally getting under control and he was putting up good numbers.
- Devin Saltiban, OF – Saltiban has struggled both at the plate and in the field early in the season. His contact rate is up, but he is swinging more and his contact quality has not been particularly great (though his home park is also hurting him). He needs to find more patience first and then also work on his pitch recognition.
- Sebastian Saenz, C – The Phillies signed Saenz for $200,000 and then immediately inserted him behind Renteria and Parra in their DSL lineups. After a slow start, he has begun to heat up. He has a good left handed swing that shows future solid power. He needs to work on his defense.
- Dayber Cruceta, OF – Cruceta has struggled out of the gate, but is a lanky projectable outfielder who needs to grow into his frame. He will occasionally hit a ball hard that hints at what he can be. He has a good approach at the plate for the DSL.
- Raylin Heredia, OF – Heredia is a better defensive, lower power version of Felix Reyes. He has 35 extra base hits in 71 games and a OPS of .934 against LHPs. He also has 10 walks to 75 strikeouts in that time period as he likely has untenable amounts of chase and whiff at the plate.
- Deivis Velasquez, C – Velasquez signed for $600,000 back in 2025, but missed the year due to injury. He is better at the plate than behind it, showing a good approach and the ability to hit the ball hard. He hits the ball on the ground a bit too much.
- Jonathan Alcantara, IF/OF – The Phillies brought Alcantara stateside this spring, and he has show flashes at the plate, including 3 games in a row with a home run. His approach needs work, and he has struggled against lefties in a small sample size. The interesting thing is that he has gone from shortstop only, to player center field and then all over the infield (though more at second with Dawson and Espinosa at short).
- Robert Phelps, IF – Phelps has moved from short to second and third in deference to the better fielders on the team. He does not hit the ball hard (99.4 mph 90th percentile EV), but he has a great approach at the plate. He is susceptible to offspeed pitches, but overall profiles as a potential bench infielder.
- Nolan Beltran, IF/OF – Beltran has played all over the field for the Threshers, and has shown ok power and contract. He has struggled against lefties and as the season has gone on. If he can put things together he could be a platoon bat with defensive flexibility, but you would prefer that profile in AAA, not low-A.
- Yordanis Guerra, LHP – Guerra has forced himself into the FCL rotation with his work out of the bullpen. His velocity is up, but is inconsistent appearance to appearance in the 90-95 mph range. He has good ride on the pitch, and will occasionally throw a sinker too. His best pitch is a low 80s sweeping breaking ball that can vary from more curveball to a true sweeper. His changeup is still a work in progress. Guerra has good size and feel for spin, so he has interesting future potential.
- Zuher Yousuf, LHP – Yousuf is throwing a little harder this season, sitting about 92 with his fastball with the Threshers. His fastball struggles to miss bats, and he throws it too much now and could benefit from splitting it into more distinct 4-seam and sinker shapes. His slider and changeup have had better success, with his changeup having good fade. The offspeed pitches still need to find a new gear for him to be a real MLB prospect.