Prospect Spotlight

Quick Winter League Update

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While we wait for the Jimmy Rollins trade to happen, there are still Phillies prospects playing around the world.  Here is a quick look at the best and most interesting lines going on in winter ball. Odubel Herrera – 2B/OF – VWL G AB HR SB BB K AVG OBP SLG 48 185 5 7 … Read more

Dylan Cozens and the Deception of MiLB Splits

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As minor league fans we grasp for hope and improvement in minor league players, and we often grasp on to little pieces of information in an effort to make sense of the chaos.  This ranges from singular scouting reports from a singular person on a singular day or series* to a set of splits on a stats page.  We are just looking for narrative and meaning.  The player that has risen to the top of the narrative pile is Phillies Low-A right fielder Dylan Cozens.

*This is the nature of scouting and why multiple looks and context are important parts of the entire evaluation process.

The narrative coming out of the season was that Cozens built on first half successes into an outstanding second half, and from the surface if we take the triple slash line that looks fairly accurate.

BA OBP SLG
1st Half 0.229 0.282 0.403
2nd Half 0.267 0.324 0.426

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Phillies SP Depth Still Half a Season Away

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Yesterday the Phillies signed Jerome Williams, which was a great signing, but still made us all very sad.  Williams just underlines how thin starting pitching is across baseball as a whole, and just how important it is to develop starting pitching depth as an organization.  In a healthy organization this spot is filled internally by a league minimum salaried 22 year old, but that is not where the Phillies are right now.  Right now the Phillies need innings from their starting rotation, and on the open market those innings aren’t cheap.  But that era is starting to end, the Phillies have pitching depth on the way, the problem is that Spring Training is just too early for them.  That means the Phillies have to fill the gap in the mean time until that depth is there.

When we think about the Phillies starting pitching depth going forward we can think of it in three categories.  In the first you have guys you expect to count on in the rotation going forward.  They may not be front of the rotation arms, but you expect them to be part of the future going forward.  Then you have your rotation filler, the Phillies had a surprise in this category last year when David Buchanan stepped into the rotation from AAA.  The problem with these pitchers is that you are waiting for them to turn back into pumpkins.  Some will continue to build and improve, others just don’t have the stuff to compete in the majors.  Lastly you have your fliers, players that you cannot reasonably expect anything from, but could be impactful if things work out.  The biggest reason pitchers are fliers is injuries, it is just hard to count on players coming back healthy and with their stuff intact.

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Jason Zgardowski Pitching in Instructional Leagues

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As those that read this blog are aware of the Phillies signed a couple of undrafted free agents this summer.  One of those was Jason Zgardowski a 6’5″ RHP, who just turned 21 about 3 weeks ago.  This weekend he posted the following video of him pitching against the Baltimore Orioles in the Florida Instructional … Read more

2014 Lehigh Valley IronPigs Recap

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Team: Lehigh Valley Ironpigs
Record: 66-78
Standings: 6th in the North Division

Top Hitter Stat Lines:

Maikel Franco – 133 G – 16 HR – 3 SB – .257/.299/.428
Tyler Henson – 123 G – 9 HR – 19 SB – .272/.331/.415
Russ Canzler – 112 G – 13 HR – 3 SB – .276/.347/.474

Top Pitcher Stat Lines:

Greg Smith – 157.1 IP – 4.40 ERA – 37 BB – 92 K
Luis Garcia – 46.2 IP – 0.96 ERA – 16 BB – 52 K
David Buchanan – 57.0 IP – 3.95 ERA – 21 BB – 46 K
Cesar Jimenez – 49.2 IP – 1.45 ERA – 15 BB – 46 K

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2014 Reading Fightin Phils Recap

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Team: Reading Fightin Phils
Record: 66-76
Standing: 6th in the Eastern Division

Top Hitter Stat Lines:

Cameron Perkins – 52 G – 3 HR – 5 SB – .342/.408/.495
Jake Fox – 78 G – 22 HR – 0 SB – .308/.383/.591
Kelly Dugan – 76 G – 5 HR – 1 SB – .296/.383/.435
Tommy Joseph – 21 G – 5 HR – 0 SB – .282/.345/.551
Carlos Alonso – 127 G – 10 HR – 8 SB – .272/.367/.396

Top Pitcher Stat Lines:

Ken Giles – 15 IP – 1.20 ERA – 5 BB – 29 K
Adam Loewen – 103.1 IP – 3.31 ERA – 53 BB – 75 K
Colton Murray– 59.0 IP – 2.29 ERA – 22 BB – 60 K
Severino Gonzalez – 158.2 IP – 4.59 ERA – 34 BB – 115 K
Aaron Nola – 24.0 IP – 2.63 ERA – 5 BB – 15 K

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2014 Clearwater Threshers Recap

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Team: Clearwater Threshers
Record: 49-89
Standing: 6th in North Division (First Half), 4th in North Division (Second Half)

Top Hitter Stat Lines:

Peter Lavin – 54 G – 6 HR – 5 SB – .292/.344/.450
J.P. Crawford – 63 G – 8 HR – 10 SB – .275/.352/.407
Roman Quinn – 88 G – 7 HR – 32 SB – .257/.343/.370
Brian Pointer – 123 G – 15 HR – 16 SB – .246/.336/.419

Top Pitcher Stat Lines:

Aaron Nola – 31.1 IP – 3.16 ERA – 5 BB – 30 K
Cody Forsythe – 35.2 IP – 2.27 ERA – 11 BB – 47 K
Mark Leiter Jr. – 64.2 IP – 4.31 ERA – 15 BB – 56 K
Miguel Nunez – 122.1 IP – 4.49 ERA – 44 BB – 95 K

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2014 Lakewood Blueclaws Recap

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Team: Lakewood Blueclaws
Record: 53-84
Standing: 6th in Northern Division (1st Half), 7th in Northern Division (2nd Half)

Top Hitter Stat Lines:

Willians Astudillo – 117 G – 4 HR – 2 SB – .333/.366/.433
J.P. Crawford – 60 G – 3 HR – 14 SB – .295/.398/.405
Andrew Knapp – 75 G – 5 HR – 3 SB – .290/.354/.438
Andrew Pullin – 129 G – 9 HR – 6 SB – .270/.332/.374
Dylan Cozens – 132 G – 16 HR – 23 SB – .248/.303/.415

Top Pitcher Stat Lines:

Yacksel Rios – 102.1 IP – 3.69 ERA – 40 BB – 73 K
Yoel Mecias – 33.2 IP – 3.21 ERA – 9 BB -23 K
Jon Prosinski – 96.2 IP – 3.82 ERA – 24 BB – 52 K
Mark Leiter Jr. – 84.1 IP – 4.28 ERA – 22 BB – 85 K
Julio Reyes – 81.1 IP – 3.65 ERA – 24 BB – 55 K

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