Clearwater Threshers Playoff Preview

The Phillies value the playoff experience for their minor leaguers. This year the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Clearwater Threshers, Lakewood BlueClaws, and GCL Phillies East all made the playoffs. The GCL playoffs were over quick, but for the full season leagues, it is just getting started. The 2018 Clearwater Threshers started the year as the power … Read more

The 2017 Draft Is Providing Relief

Every draft pick matters. It is a concept that makes sense on paper, but when you start to see picks come off the board on Day 3 of the draft, it is much easier to see the low minors roster depth than actual talent. While teams can give any player picked after the 10th round … Read more

Clearwater Starting Pitcher Log Jam Shows Diversity in Development

Baseball development does not care for roster construction. In the minor leagues there is one finite constant in development, playing time. When it comes to pitchers, this means starts. Teams have tried to get creative with pitching rotations, with some opting for shorter rotations with piggy back starts, or other like the Phillies have opted … Read more

2017 Eyewitness Evaluation: Sixto Sanchez

Sixto Sanchez 6’0″, 185 lb Bats/Throws: R/R Signed as an International Amateur free agent in 2014 Teams Played for: Lakewood (Low A/South Atlantic League)/Clearwater (High A/Florida State League) Dates Seen: 4/13, 4/30, 7/12, 7/30 Eyewitness Stats: 4 G (all starts), 22 IP, 12 H, 2 R (2 ER), BB, 18 K (22.8%), HBP, 79 BF … Read more

2017 Eyewitness Evaluation: Franklyn Kilome

Franklyn Kilome, RHP 6’6″, 175 lb Bats/Throws: R/R Played for: Clearwater (A+/FSL) and Reading (AA/Eastern) Signed as an international amateur in June 2013 Dates Seen: 8/16, 8/31 Eyewitness Stats: Two starts, 10.2 IP, 13 H, 9 R, 7 ER, 6 BB, 5 K, 2 HR allowed What the Numbers Say Clearwater (A+): 19 G (all starts), … Read more

The Clearwater Rotation Replacements

Last year the Lakewood BlueClaws rode a rotation of Dominican RHPs to the South Atlantic League championship game. This year that core group (Franklyn Kilome, Jose Taveras, Alberto Tirado, and Seranthony Dominguez) was supposed to be the center of the Clearwater rotation. They were joined by 2016 5th round pick, Cole Irvin, a polished 22 … Read more

Minor League Rotation Shakeups

The Phillies entered the season loaded with starting pitching at every level of the minor leagues. Unfortunately injuries to Vince Velasquez, Clay Buchholz, Zach Eflin, Sixto Sanchez, and Seranthony Dominguez, and Elniery Garcia’s suspension left the Phillies rotations thin at every level. The Phillies prospect depth meant that most levels of the system were also … Read more

Where are all the Southpaws?

Last night the Mets lineup in the 6th began Bruce/Walker/Duda, so LH/switch/LH. So Joely Rodriguez, as the only LHP on the active roster, was obviously the choice. But in his brief career he hasn’t been reliable at getting LH hitting. Entering last night, LH hitters: 11/30 (2 XBH), 3/6 K/BB; RH hitters: 8/33 (5 XBH), … Read more