You can find all of the rankings and other material for this year here.
30. Donny Sands, C
Age: 25
Acquired: Drafted in the 8th Round of the 2015 Draft by the Yankees. Traded to the Phillies with Nick Nelson for T.J. Rumfield and Joel Valdez
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’2” 190lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| SOM (AA) | 52 | 215 | 10 | 2 | 7.4% | 11.6% | .253 | .316 | .459 |
| SWB (AAA) | 42 | 165 | 8 | 0 | 9.7% | 19.4% | .272 | .339 | .476 |
Role: Bat First Backup Catcher
Risk: Medium – Sands hit well in AAA, but his contact gains regressed some and his strikeouts increased. His defensive flaw, controlling the running game, is not one that is likely to get better with the implementation of ABS, leaving him as an ok, but not great defensive catcher.
Summary: Sands spent a full 7 years in the Yankees organization before they added him to the 40 man roster this offseason and then traded him to the Phillies. He made large strides in 2021 to both cut down on strikeouts and to drive the ball more, shattering his career high in home runs. He doesn’t project to be a good contact hitter long term, but he hits enough to be a plus offensive player at catcher who should hit for decent power. He has become a solid blocking and receiving catcher, but he allowed 75 stolen bases on 86 attempts (caveats about minor league rule changes apply). His lack of solid defense across the board, and only solid offensive upside makes him more of a backup catcher, where he is not a zero as an offensive bat off the bench. He probably needs a little more time in AAA, but will be in competition for a major league spot all year.
2022 Outlook: Sands is one of 4 catchers on the 40 man roster, and so will need to jockey with Garrett Stubbs and Rafael Marchan for backup playing time. He offers the most offensive upside of the group and could see time in the majors this year if the Phillies need more from a pinch hit/DH role from their backup catcher.
ETA: 2022
Previous Rank: N/A
29. Cristopher Sanchez, LHP
Age: 25
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in July 2013 by the Rays. Traded to the Phillies for Curtis Mead
B/T: L/L
H/W: 6’1” 165lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| LHV (AAA) | 19 | 17 | 5-6 | 73.0 | 4.68 | 7.2 | 0.5 | 14.8% | 27.4% |
| PHI (MLB) | 7 | 1 | 1-0 | 12.2 | 4.97 | 11.4 | 0.7 | 11.9% | 22.0% |
Role: Multi-inning Reliever
Risk: Medium – Sanchez has reached the major leagues, and outside a terrible spot start/opener appearance was actually fairly decent. He is much riskier as a starting pitcher, but he makes more sense out of the bullpen.
Summary: When the Phillies acquired Sanchez for Curtis Mead, he was still very raw as a pitcher. A casualty of a Tampa system with too many players to protect, his meteoric rise through their system in 2019 hid just how little upper minors experience he had. The lost 2020 season meant that the bulk of his 2021 was going to come down to just getting high level innings. At times he looked competent as a starter, but often was undone by poor command or too many trips through the order. He sits 92-95 with his fastball and has gotten up to 98 in the past. He has a solid changeup that has become a bit of a weapon, and will unleash some sliders that will make you think it could be a weapon. In a bullpen role he could ideally stick in the higher range of his velocity, and possibly be less prone to some of the control problems over the course of games. He is very unlikely to reach the high leverage heights that Ranger Suarez did in 2021, let alone the re-transition to the rotation, but he could get the Phillies 2-3 innings and bridge a game from the starters to later innings.
2022 Outlook: Sanchez is probably a long shot to make the team out of Spring Training, but it looks like he might be moving to a relief role, where he could see time in the majors very quickly as the Phillies sort through who is good and who isn’t in the bullpen.
ETA: 2021
Previous Rank: 31
28. Erubiel Armenta, LHP
Age: 22
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in July 2019 by the Phillies
B/T: L/L
H/W: 6’3” 189lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| CLW (A-) | 4 | 0 | 2-0 | 6.2 | 0.00 | 4.1 | 0.0 | 13.8% | 58.6% |
| JS (A+) | 11 | 0 | 0-0 | 14.1 | 3.14 | 6.9 | 0.6 | 16.4% | 44.8% |
| REA (AA) | 1 | 0 | 1-0 | 2.0 | 0.00 | 4.5 | 0.0 | 12.5% | 25.0% |
Role: 7th/8th Inning Reliever
Risk: High – Armenta made it all the way to AA in his pro debut, but he is already 21 and walked 16 batters in his 23 innings this year. However, he is left handed and struck out 49 batters in those 23 innings, making him one of the most prolific missers of bats in the minors last season.
Summary: The Phillies signed Armenta as a 19 year old in July of 2019, a fact when combined with the pandemic means that he made his affiliated ball debut last year and will be Rule 5 eligible after this year. He is a long, lanky lefty with a highly deceptive delivery. Those factors also gave him some problems throwing strikes consistently in 2021. He did miss a ton of bats (he was 2nd in the minors in K/9 for those with a min 20 IP), thanks to a fastball up to 95 with good life and a good changeup. He seemed to be working on adding a slider during Instructs to give himself a third pitch to work with. Armenta is still fairly risky given his control issues, but his ability to get strikeouts wasn’t entirely a fluke, which puts him on the shortlist of best relief prospects in the system.
2022 Outlook: Armenta only pitched 2 innings in AA, so a return trip to the level is fairly obvious. Given the Phillies bullpen needs and his impending Rule 5 status, if Armenta can replicate his 2021 success, he could find himself in Philly soon.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: UR
27. Rickardo Perez, C
Age: 18
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in February 2021 by the Phillies
B/T: L/R
H/W: 5’10” 172lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| PHI (DSL) | 43 | 146 | 0 | 3 | 15.1% | 10.3% | .256 | .370 | .281 |
Role: Regular Catcher
Risk: Extreme – Perez has a good approach and feel for contact, and has the defensive ability to stick at catcher. He is an 18 year old catcher who has yet to play stateside, and that puts him an eternity of pitfalls away.
Summary: Perez was the Phillies highest rated international signing in January of 2021. The Phillies sent him to the Dominican Summer League where he hit ok, but lacked impact with just 3 doubles in 43 games representing his whole extra base hit total. He is a good hitter who showed good contact and approach abilities in his pro debut. He is a pretty good defender who will stick at catcher long term. Perez is a young catcher, so it is likely he could take a few years before we have a good feel about his future.
2022 Outlook: Perez should spend the entire 2022 season in the complex, first in Extended Spring Training and then the complex league. It is likely to be a long slow journey for him.
ETA: 2027
Previous Rank: 30
26. Jadiel Sanchez, OF
Age: 20
Acquired: Drafted in the 12th Round of the 2019 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: S/R
H/W: 6’2” 185lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| PHI (CPX) | 7 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 11.1% | 18.5% | .217 | .296 | .217 |
| CLW (A-) | 21 | 83 | 2 | 0 | 9.6% | 16.9% | .297 | .373 | .446 |
Role: Average Regular
Risk: Extreme – Sanchez played in 28 games in 2021 thanks to injuries and a COVID outbreak, so while the sample is impressive, it is about a month of actual at bats.
Summary: Part of the lost pandemic season is that we did not get visibility into player’s physical growth. Over the time away, Sanchez got a little bit taller and bigger, and now really looks the part. He has a nice fluid swing from both sides of the plate. He doesn’t have huge raw power, but he hit the ball about as hard as Johan Rojas did. He has a good feel for contact and an advanced eye at the plate for his age and experience. He can play center field right now, but profiles as a right fielder down the line, and his arm is reportedly behind only Jhailyn Ortiz among Phillies outfielders. Sanchez lacks a big carrying tool, but he is treading close to a guy with 5 average or better tools. If he can pull that off as a switch hitter with a good approach at the plate, that is a really solid player. He has made one leap forward that has put him on the prospect map, and that is going to give him the opportunity to make another.
2022 Outlook: Sanchez did well in his time in Clearwater, but given the small sample size and the outfielders in front of him he likely returns to low-A. Because he does have the experience there, he may be the first to move up Jersey Shore when needed.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: UR
25. Mickey Moniak, OF
Age: 23
Acquired: Drafted in the 1st Round of the 2016 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: L/R
H/W: 6’2” 195lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| LHV (AAA) | 99 | 409 | 15 | 5 | 7.6% | 24.7% | .238 | .299 | .447 |
| PHI (MLB) | 21 | 37 | 1 | 0 | 7.1% | 43.2% | .091 | .167 | .182 |
Role: 4th/5th outfielder on the correct side of the platoon
Risk: Medium – Moniak is near MLB ready, but the .238 he hit in AAA coupled with a 43.2% K% in his small sample size in the majors means the floor is not actually safely a major leaguer.
Summary: There is prospect fatigue, and then there is stagnation. Moniak still is mostly the same player he has been throughout his pro career. Over the last few years he has added enough strength that he firmly has above average raw power, and he can tap into it during games. Despite what Joe Girardi said, he is a fine center fielder. He isn’t going to win a Gold Glove, but you can put him out there everyday. His swing is not terrible, but it certainly is not the plus plus hit tool once promised. He has given up some contact ability (and one can argue whether the contact he was making was actually quality) in order to tap more into his power. His biggest issue is his approach at the plate and his swing decisions. When he is locked in, you can see him hunting pitches to drive. However, there are plenty of at bats where he has aggressively put himself into a two strike hole, and he just does not have the zone awareness to battle out of those consistently. Unless he suddenly cleans up the approach and pitch recognition, his ceiling is the strong side of a center field platoon who brings some power and defense, but at the cost of a low on base percentage.
2022 Outlook: Assuming the Phillies acquire some outfielders after the end of the lockout, Moniak likely goes back to AAA to open 2022. He is coming close to being a finished product, problems and all, and that might mean it is time for the Phillies to just look at him as a bench bat. Given the Phillies lack of center field options right now, he can’t be ruled out until they find a permanent answer.
ETA: 2020
Previous Rank: 9
24. Cristian Hernandez, RHP
Age: 21
Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent in July 2017 by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’3” 180lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| PHI (CPX) | 2 | 2 | 0-0 | 5.0 | 1.80 | 3.6 | 1.8 | 0.0% | 44.4% |
| CLW (A-) | 18 | 15 | 2-7 | 40.2 | 3.69 | 7.9 | 1.4 | 9.6% | 28.6% |
Role: #4 Starter
Risk: High – Hernandez put together a nice season, but by virtue of being a low-A pitcher with injuries in their past, he is never going to be a safe option.
Summary: Hernandez was a bit of the darling of the system early in the season, putting together a string of very good starts. He then was supposed to be in a trade to the Pirates, and then the whole complex got shut down due to COVID, and he only pitched 5 times in the last two months of the season. Hernandez has a pair of distinct fastballs (he leans more on the two seamer), both with decent spin and running up to 96-97 and averaging around 93. He has a curveball and a changeup, both of which are decent. For the most part he has solid control, though there were times where he struggled against himself and the ABS system. None of his pitches are a real plus, but he could have 3 solid pitches and solid control, and that gives him a chance to pitch in a rotation. He will need to put together another healthy season, but he could be fairly quick moving through the system.
2022 Outlook: Hernandez pitched as much of a full healthy year as anyone could in Clearwater. He should be in the Jersey Shore rotation to open the season, and because he is already Rule 5 eligible, the Phillies could look to move him quickly if he succeeds.
ETA: 2024
Previous Rank: UR
23. Christian McGowan, RHP
Age: 22
Acquired: Drafted in the 7th Round of the 2021 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’3” 205lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| PHI (CPX) | 1 | 1 | 0-0 | 1.0 | 0.00 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 75.0% |
| CLW (A-) | 3 | 0 | 0-0 | 4.0 | 0.00 | 4.5 | 0.0 | 7.1% | 35.7% |
Role: #4 Starter/7th Inning Reliever
Risk: High – McGowan is a 21 year old with three years of college, but it is 3 years not against the best competition, making him a bit more raw than your usual 3rd year arm. He does not quite have the full arsenal together to be a no doubt starter either.
Summary: McGowan slipped in the draft due to high bonus demands, but the Phillies stopped that slide and signed him for under what his rumored asking price was. He looks more like a 3rd or 4th round pick, and has more upside than you normally find in that area. He has good arm strength, reportedly up to 99 in college and was up near 97 in pro ball. Like a lot of arms these days he has a distinct 4 and 2 seam fastball, both averaging in that same 92-95 range in his few innings in Clearwater. His slider is his best secondary pitch, but he also has a changeup which he did throw in the small sample size in Clearwater. His fastball and slider give him a very solid fall back in the bullpen, but he has enough arm strength and pitch mix to give him an outside shot as a mid rotation starter if the whole thing comes together.
2022 Outlook: McGowan was a starter in college, and that is almost certainly where he will spend at least the first year of his career. There are a lot of pitchers slated for A ball, and he probably gets the bump to start the year in Jersey Shore and spend most or all of the year there.
ETA: 2025
Previous Rank: N/A
22. Dominic Pipkin, RHP
Age: 22
Acquired: Drafted in the 9th Round of the 2018 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’4” 160lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| JS (A+) | 16 | 12 | 4-3 | 58.0 | 4.97 | 9.0 | 0.9 | 10.6% | 25.1% |
Role: Frustrating #4 Starter/7th Inning Reliever
Risk: High – Pipkin is still very much a project that the Phillies just keep throwing at challenges where he is ok, but does not excel. He flashes plus stuff, but he is going to need to start to put the pieces together.
Summary: It has been a slow set of improvements over the years for Pipkin. Once a top high school prospect in his class, Pipkin’s velocity dropped and so did his draft stock. Since then he has regained his velocity, routinely reaching 98 in his time at Jersey Shore. His changeup has been his best secondary pitch for a bit now, but he started to show a slider this year that should move past it and overtake his curveball as his primary breaking ball. He still lacks refinement with all of his pitches, and while he can throw strikes, he still lacks command of the strike zone. He is still lanky and projectable and there is a chance his stuff takes another leap forward, but the missed year means he is already 22. Because the Phillies have pushed him aggressively before and after the COVID shutdown, he will likely open the year in AA and on the fringes of the discussions around the Phillies overall starting pitching depth.
2022 Outlook: It is not a make or break year for Pipkin, but because he should be in AA and is in his last year before the Rule 5 draft, decisions about his future are going to come fast. If he can stay healthy all year and show some steady improvement, he will get more time in the rotation. If he struggles, it might be easier to look at his arm strength and see if he can help you sooner in a relief role.
ETA: 2023
Previous Rank: 29
21. James McArthur, RHP
Age: 25
Acquired: Drafted in the 12th Round of the 2018 Draft by the Phillies
B/T: R/R
H/W: 6’7” 230lbs
2021 Stats:
| Team (LVL) | G | GS | W-L | IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
| JS (A+) | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 4.0 | 0.00 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 6.7% | 33.3% |
| REA (AA) | 19 | 15 | 2-6 | 74.1 | 4.48 | 9.0 | 1.1 | 7.2% | 24.4% |
| PEO (AFL) | 5 | 5 | 1-0 | 16.2 | 8.10 | 11.3 | 0.5 | 8.5% | 22.0% |
Role: 7th Inning Reliever/#4 Starter
Risk: Medium – McArthur has the type of profile that should take to a bullpen role well, but he has not done that yet and it doesn’t look like he is a lock to head that way to start 2022.
Summary: McArthur was one of the prospects that disappeared into the blackbox of the 2020 missed year and came out looking like a decent prospect. His fastball is consistently mid 90s and up to 97. He has a solid pair of breaking balls and showed some improvement on his changeup. His biggest improvement may have been consistently throwing strikes, a problem that he, like many tall pitchers, had been plagued with for years. The Phillies protected him in the Rule 5 draft because he is absolutely the type of AA starter a team takes and sticks in their bullpen with success. His lack of changeup means that he is probably a reliever long term for the Phillies as well, but their dearth of starting pitching options means his time in the rotation may not be up. Either way, he should see time in the majors during the 2022 season.
2022 Outlook: The Phillies lack of starting pitching depth means McArthur probably starts in the AAA rotation. Given their bullpen needs, he could see that transition come quickly if the Phillies can stabilize the rotation.
ETA: 2022
Previous Rank: 32