Each year I look forward to the BA Handbook. From a Phillies’ perspective it is the largest national list of players, which gives me an opportunity to see what others are thinking about some of the lower level players in the organization. Outside of the Phillies, it is a great resource for fantasy baseball as well as picking up after going to a game to familiarize myself where a prospect from another team was to start the year. But enough about why I like the book, and more about what it has to say about Phillies’ prospects.
The lists in the book are accurate as of December 2, but a brief forward to the book updates the movements of traded players. Rule 5 draft picks remain on their original teams in the book so Tyler Goeddel (#22 Rays) won’t be on the list of Phillies prospects. Before jumping into the Top 30 (32), let’s look at the individual Top 50s that the different BA authors put out:
| Player | Ben Badler | JJ Cooper | John Manuel | Matt Eddy |
| J.P. Crawford | 3 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
| Nick Williams | 14 | UR | 34 | 47 |
Jake Thompson did not make anyone’s list. Collectively the BA crew rated the Phillies as having the #8 farm system in baseball behind the Dodgers, Astros, Braves, Red Sox, Nationals, Rockies, and Rangers.
Now on to the prospect list:
- J.P. Crawford
- Nick Williams
- Jake Thompson
- Andrew Knapp
- Jorge Alfaro
- Cornelius Randolph
- Mark Appel (Houston (#8)
- Franklyn Kilome
- Roman Quinn
- Adonis Medina
- Thomas Eshelman (Astros #17)
- Carlos Tocci
- Ricardo Pinto
- Malquin Canelo
- Zach Eflin
- Scott Kingery
- Nick Pivetta
- Dylan Cozens
- Edubray Ramos
- Alberto Tirado
- Aaron Brown
- Deivi Grullon
- Elniery Garcia
- Rhys Hoskins
- Edgar Garcia
- Jhailyn Ortiz
- Darnell Sweeney
- Ben Lively
- Jimmy Cordero
- Tom Windle
- Kyle Martin
- Jose Pujols
The Departed:
- Jonathan Arauz – (Phillies #21 to Astros #22
- Sam McWilliams – Unranked
- Josh Taylor – Unranked
- Chris Oliver – Unmentioned
- David Whitehead – Unmentioned
- Jesse Biddle – Unranked
- Nefi Ogando – Unranked
- Destin Hood – Marlins #31
Some Notes/Thoughts:
- The biggest surprise is Edgar Garcia. Overall the small righty got positive reviews, but BA has him at 93-95 and the reports I got were more 91-93. He pitched in 2015 as a reliever and that is where many think he will stay, he was behind Medina, McWilliams, Ranger Suarez, Bailey Falter, and Felix Paulino for me among the 2015 GCL pitchers.
- Edubray Ramos being 10 spots about Jimmy Cordero is very puzzling to me. I love Ramos, but his stuff is a good grade behind Cordero and when you are talking relievers the impact guy has much more value. BA had Ramos as a 45/High and Cordero as a 50/Extreme which makes it more puzzling.
- I am going to be the low man on Aaron Brown and Dylan Cozens, and I am fine with that.
- Eshelman seems very high given where he was in the Astros’ system, especially with Arauz staying rather static
- I know Hoskins will be low for many, but ask yourself, even if he hits what is he at the major league level. Though BA cites poor defense at first base, which is a first for me hearing any complaints about his fielding.
- I have no clue why many are as down on Nick Pivetta as they are, he is still a big bodied RHP with a fastball up to 96+ and a good curveball. The changeup and control aren’t ideal, but his floor might be as a very good reliever.
- The system is really deep.
Image by Baseball Betsy