I decided to do a Top 30 list this year because it was as deep as I felt I could go while keeping the integrity of a list. However, 30 is just an arbitrary cut off and there are more players worth talking about. So here is a collection of other prospects I have thoughts about. If there is a player missing, just leave the name in the comments and I will add them to the list.
Order is not reflective of a ranking
Infielders
Jake Scheiner, IF/OF, Age: 23 (Stats)
Scheiner only played one year at a 4 year school after spending his first two years at junior college. Primarily a shortstop in college and a second baseman in his debut, Scheiner has settled in as a four corners (RF, LF, 3B, 1B) player. He might not have enough impact to be an everyday player at any of them, but he can hit, has some power, and has a solid glove. This makes his likely role more of a bench player.
Nick Maton, SS, Age: 21 (Stats)
Maton is a projectable JuCo shortstop. This season he was able to tap into more power, while still not sacrificing too much hit tool. He is not ideal at shortstop and probably fits better as a second baseman long term.
Logan Simmons, SS, Age: 18 (Stats)
Simmons is a big projectable high school shortstop that the Phillies gave an above slot bonus in the 2018 draft. Simmons has some approach and swing issues, but has shown signs of improvement over the course of the GCL season. If he can improve his contact, he has plus raw power to tap into. Simmons’ size and frame make it likely that if he fully fills out he will need to move to third base or an outfield corner, but he is athletic enough that he may be able to stay at short, especially in the beginning of his career.
Luke Williams, IF/OF, Age: 22 (Stats)
Williams has always been an odd prospect. He was a HS SS who was great defensively at 3B, but no power and plus speed. This year, Williams has shown career high power (9 home runs) will playing all over the field (though primarily 3B/LF). His offensive numbers are still poor, but his strange skillset coupled with positional flexibility makes him worth keeping an eye on.
Zach Green, 1B/3B, Age: 24 (Stats)
Green is another HS hitter reemerging on the prospect scene. Green has big raw power and has started to tap into it more. Green’s big problem in his career has been health, and now finally playing games regularly, he is putting up numbers. He does swing and miss a lot, and he is not a great defender at third. Like Mitch Walding last year, he will be a minor league free agent and it seems unlikely the Phillies will add him to the 40 man roster to prevent him from leaving.
Juan Aparicio, C, Age: 18 (Stats)
Another in the long line of Phillies international catchers with good hit tools. He is a former 3B, so there is still some work to do behind the plate. Aparicio needs to improve his approach, but he makes contact at a high rate and flashes good power.
Logan O’Hoppe, C, Age: 18 (Stats)
The Phillies took O’Hoppe in the 29th round of the 2018 draft and then gave the HS catcher an overslot bonus. O’Hoppe has hit since the moment he arrived the GCL. He has solid defensive tools and does profile to stick behind the plate. So far his tools haven’t stood out as huge, more solid than plus, but he looks like he easy steal for where the Phillies took him in the draft.
Austin Listi, 1B/LF, Age: 24 (Stats)
Listi mashed his way through Clearwater and is hitting well in Reading as well. He was a 5 year senior, so he is old for a 2017 draftee. Listi has played the outfield in the Phillies system, but he is probably a Dh/1B. Listi has a stiff, leveraged swing that allows him to tap into above average to plus power. Ultimately, it is unlikely that Listi hits enough to progress above AAA, but he has also only had 50 games in the upper minors.
Darick Hall, 1B, Age: 23 (Stats)
Hall led the organization in home runs last year, and then got off to a hot start in Clearwater this season. Once reaching AA, Hall’s weaknesses vs offspeed pitches became exposed. Hall has plus or better raw power, but so far in his career he has posted high strikeout rates and small walk rates. He is probably an AAA org 1B.
D.J. Stewart, 3B, Age: 19 (Stats)
Stewart was another late round high school pick for the Phillies. He has shown a good glove in his repeat of the GCL. Stewart started out with a good approach, but it has regressed some this year. He will need to add power to profile at third long term.
Outfielders
Matt Vierling, OF, Age: 21 (Stats)
The Phillies 5th round pick in the 2018 draft, Vierling didn’t make any pre-draft rankings thanks to concerns about his track record of not hitting with wood bats. He quickly moved through Williamsport and is hitting well in Lakewood. Vierling will show the potential for 5 average tools, but he may not have enough glove for center field, which puts pressure on his bat to reach its ceiling.
Jan Hernandez, OF, Age: 23 (Stats)
Hernandez has always had raw power, but his career keeps stalling at each level. He now has a defensive home in the outfield. He fits best in right field, but he has played some center. Hernandez still strikes out way too much, and he does not profile as an everyday player. He has flashed enough intriguing ability to be back in the discussion like Mitch Walding the last few years.
Carlos De La Cruz, OF, Age: 18 (Stats)
The Phillies signed De La Cruz as a non-drafted free agent of a New York high school in 2017. He is a complete project as a 6’8” skinny outfielder. He has big raw power, and his home runs in the GCL have drawn some awe. As expected for a raw kid of his size, he swings and misses a ton, and while he has improved against offspeed pitches, there is a lot of work to do. De La Cruz may spend another 2 years in short season ball working through his issues, but he has big potential because of his size and power.
Jose Pujols, OF, Age: 22 (Stats)
Pujols looked like he was on his way to being released this offseason, and instead he mashed through the Florida State League and reached Reading. Pujols’ tools are undeniable, he has plus bat speed, plus plus raw power, and a plus plus arm. This year his approach has gone from “avert your eyes” to poor as he still chases some offspeed pitches, but not all offspeed pitches. Pujols is still a project, but his ceiling is still huge and his rededication to making improvements means there might be another leap in him.
Starting Pitchers
Will Stewart, LHP, Age: 21 (Stats)
Stewart is having a breakout year in Lakewood. His velocity has increased and his changeup has improved, giving him two good pitches. He throws a slider as well, but he mostly is a two pitch pitcher with heavy ground ball tendencies. His extreme arm angle makes him tough on lefties, but could also cause him to be a reliever long term.
David Parkinson, LHP, Age: 22 (Stats)
Parkinson is a solidly built college lefty who will show 3 to 4 average pitches. He has good control and feel for pitching, which has led him to now dominate to levels of competition. He profiles as a backend starter or middle reliever.
Bailey Falter, LHP, Age: 21 (Stats)
Falter was seen as a long term project when the Phillies took him in the 5th round of the 2015 draft. Falter has instead pitched more like a polish college starter. None of his pitches are above average, but he has good control and feel for pitching. While he has yet to add velocity, he is big bodied and only 21, so there may be a jump in there, otherwise he projects as a back end starter.
Manuel Silva, LHP, Age: 19 (Stats)
Silva is a young projectable left handed starter. His fastball is in the low 90s and he pairs it with a good slider. His changeup still needs work, but he still has plenty of projection left and has great feel for a 19 year old in shortseason ball.
Jhordany Mezquita, LHP, Age: 20 (Stats)
Mezquita’s story has been told many times, but he is a legitimate prospect regardless of that. He is a short, solidly built lefty with a fastball that will touch up to 94. His best secondary pitch is his curveball which projects as above average to plus. He still needs to improve his control and changeup or he is likely to end up in the bullpen.
Colton Eastman, RHP, Age: 21 (Stats)
Eastman is the newest member of the Cal State Fullerton to Philly pipeline. Eastman has a below average fastball, but he has good offspeed pitches and of course good command. He profiles as a backend starter and should move quickly in 2019 after spending the rest of 2018 on a limited innings count.
Thomas Eshelman, RHP, Age: 24 (Stats)
Eshelman entered the season as a near major league ready starter, but after a rough first few months, he is still putting his season back together. Eshelman’s below average fastball requires him to be near perfect on the mound. He will mix a below average changeup and curveball, with an above average cutter to keep hitters off balance. At his best, he shows plus or better command and will carve up the strike zone. He still profiles as a backend starter, but that future is a lot less safe than it was last year.
Drew Anderson, RHP, Age: 24 (Stats)
Drew Anderson has been the same pitcher he has been in the past, which is both good and bad. His fastball will reach up into the mid 90s, and his curveball is a good pitch. He made his first major league start this year, but given his lack of growth in command and his changeup, he likely profiles in a bullpen role. He is likely to get a decent look in that role this fall once rosters expand.
Alejandro Requena, RHP, Age: 21 (Stats)
Requena missed most of the year due to an injury, but he has been back with Clearwater and putting up solid numbers. His fastball seems to have taken a slight step forward, but his real strength is a 3 pitch mix that he can throw for strikes. Requena profiles as a backend starter, but if the fastball ticks up a bit more, maybe his future is more interesting in the bullpen.
Ramon Rosso, RHP, Age: 22 (Stats)
Rosso was one of the breakout pitchers of the first half, blitzing through Lakewood on his way to Clearwater. Rosso does not have overwhelming stuff. His fastball will sit in the high 80s, and touch up to 92, but he doesn’t hold his velocity well. His breaking ball is labeled as a slider or curveball, depending on who you talk to, and he can manipulate the velocity and shape of the pitch. He lacks some consistency with it, but it does profile as a plus pitch. Rosso still lacks up a useable third pitch, but he throws a ton of strikes and his delivery provides good deception. Unless his changeup takes a step forward, Rosso profiles more in the bullpen, but there is a chance he can carve out a role at the back of a rotation.
Ethan Lindow, LHP, Age: 19 (Stats)
Lindow is another of the Phillies low minors projectable lefties. His fastball still hovers around 90, but he pairs it with a good changeup, as well as a pair of breaking balls. He has good control, but doesn’t miss a ton of bats. Like many pitchers of his level, the current version of Lindow is not a major league pitcher, so the key will be whether he can add some velocity and refine one of his breaking balls.
Gabriel Cotto, LHP, Age: 18 (Stats)
Cotto is another project for the Phillies. The tall, lanky lefty has touched up to 91 in a showcase, but has been low to mid 80s in pro ball. He has a highly projectable frame and is mostly a blank slate developmentally. It may be 3 years in short season ball before we see Cotto not start a year in the complex.
Dominic Pipkin, RHP, Age: 18 (Stats)
Coming into the year, Pipkin looked like a first round pick, but poor results in the spring made it look like he was going to be unsignable. The Phillies took him in the 9th round and gave him an $800,000 bonus. He has some arm strength and an interesting slider, but the Phillies are going to need to clean up his delivery and help him find consistency. Pipkin has mid rotation or better upside, but like many high school arms, he is very risky.
Ben Brown, RHP, Age: 18 (Stats)
Brown was the Phillies 33rd round pick in 2017 out of a Long Island HS. After poor scouting reports in 2017, Brown has seen his stuff step forward this year. His fastball will touch up to 94, and he has good control of a 3 pitch arsenal. He is 6’6” so he is still very projectable. He will need to improve his secondary pitches and will likely head to Williamsport next season.
Victor Santos, RHP, Age: 18 (Stats)
Santos is an internationally signed, short, 18 year old right handed pitcher, an archetype the Phillies have had success with. Santos is not a big velocity guy like Medina or Sanchez, but he has a good changeup and very advanced control for his age. On the season, Santos has walked 3 batters, all in one start. In those 54.1 innings, Santos has struck out 61. He will need to have his other pitches step forward, but he has a very solid base.
Relievers
Kyle Dohy, LHP, Age: 21 (Stats)
Dohy has had a breakout year thanks to changes in his delivery and the addition of a plus or better slider. His fastball will sit low to mid 90s, and will also throw a changeup. Dohy has been especially tough on lefties, but has struck out batters indiscriminately. He still has control issues, but he could be a late inning weapon for the Phillies has soon as 2019.
Zach Warren, LHP, Age: 22 (Stats)
Warren is primarily a fastball-curveball reliever with a big projectable frame. He had poor results in college, and still has control problems. However, with a fastball that touches 95 and a good breaking ball, he has dominated the low-A level and could be a breakout reliever prospect going forward.
Edgar Garcia, RHP, Age: 21 (Stats)
The Phillies fast-tracked Garcia to the bullpen after a good year in the GCL back in 2015, because he lacked a good third pitch. At his best, Garcia will show a fastball up to 95 and a plus slider, to go with good control. Garcia has consistency issues, but he is still only 21 years old, so there is time for him to iron out his issues. He doesn’t profile as a closer, but his ability to go multiple innings makes him an ideal fit in the modern bullpen.
Tyler Gilbert, LHP, Age: 24 (Stats)
Gilbert moved to the bullpen in 2017, but his stuff did not tick up until the 2018 season. It isn’t just that Gilbert is throwing harder, he has also added a cutter that has given him a weapon against righties. Gilbert has reverse splits this year, which might actually make him less appealing to a leg craving lefties to get out lefties.
Photo of David Parkinson by Baseball Betsy