This Week’s Schedule
- Lehigh Valley (67-76) @ Syracuse (76-67)
- Reading vs Hartford – Eastern League Division Series
- Clearwater Threshers – eliminated in Florida State League postseason
Hitter Spotlight
6 G 9-22 4 2B 3 HR 6 RBI 1 BB 2 K 2 HBP 1 SB .409/.480/1.000
There is something to be said about Escobar’s wild hacks not leading to the best contact quality, but it was getting downright bizarre that he wasn’t hitting for power given his home park and the minor league ball. So this week he accounted for 22% of his season total in extra base hits to bring his season lines much more in line with his 2025 season. It isn’t going to fully resurrect his prospect value, but Escobar ended up hitting .256/.351/.473 with a 11.2% BB% and 15.2% K% since the start of August. For the season his contact and swing rates are improved and really what we are seeing if some BABIP regression and a few too many ground balls instead of fly balls. He will obviously have the postseason to spotlight and then has a trip to Arizona Fall League before an almost assured addition to the 40 man roster this offseason.
Pitcher Spotlight
RHP Wen-Hui Pan
2 G 2 IP 0 H 0 R 1 BB 1 K
At times this season it has looked like Pan is fully back from elbow surgery, but a lot of it has been a stark reminder of the missed time. He has been solid out of the bullpen for Reading, but there hasn’t been that real dominance. His fastballs is more 95 to 97 with occasional 98s than some more growth that was expected. It isn’t a particularly great shape and gets by with his splitter, which is a good pitch, but is still inconsistent in shape and command. He has struggled with his slider, which is why same side batters are hitting .337/.439/.494 off of him. This is left him feeling more like an up and down arm than a future middle or better reliever. If he can find a good slider and better splitter command he does have a MLB future, but right now he is pitching more like a good AA reliever than a good MLB reliever.
Notes and Thoughts
- The Threshers went out fairly quietly in the postseason. Brad Pacheco held things together in game 1 after a Nestor Cortes start, but the offense didn’t come around. In Game 2 Richie Cortese, Orlando Gonzalez, and Kyler Carmack combined to blow the game later. They had gotten a home run from Matthew Ferrara and a triple from Will Gasparini for a little bit of offense prior to that.
- It was Cody Bowker’s first dud of a start in AA, giving up 5 runs in 5 innings. He gave up 2 home runs, which is 4 in 4 AA starts and 3 in two home starts. His home run to fly ball rate is not quite Gage Wood level, but it is clear he got lucky with Jersey Shore.
- It was another home start with a home run for Gage Wood, but like many it was definitely a combination of the minor league ball and Reading as it was a weak fly ball that kept carrying. Wood’s velocity was a little down, sitting 93-96, and his breaking balls were the worst they have looked in a while. He did throw his splitter more often, and the movement and command looked better than it has when he was only occasionally throwing one.
- With a postseason spot clinched, and Miller up with Reading, Bryan Rincon finally got some time off of his feet. He was out shown by Escobar this week, but hit three home runs of his own, including in the last game of the season. He has certainly sewn up the Paul Owens Award and will be the hitter opposing pitchers are focused on in the playoffs.
- It was highlighted last week that Dante Nori had not had an extra base hit since his first game back with Reading. He picked up two doubles and a triple this week to go with two walks and two strikeouts, in what felt like a vintage Dante Nori week.
- Aidan Miller still isn’t playing 9 innings or back to back days. He did not strike out in his 11 trips to the plate this week, hit a pair of doubles, and attempted two stolen bases. None of this is going to really change minds, but it is good to see him playing and succeeding.
- It was a good week for Carson DeMartini as well as he picked up 4 more extra base hits in a week where he walked more than he struck out and went 8 for 18. Overall he hit .298/.472/.585 with 31 walks and 30 strikeouts in 31 games after returning to Reading from injury. The Phillies have a lot of AFL candidates so it is unknown if he will be one, but it was a really good bounce back end of the season.
- He technically isn’t a prospect anymore, but Gabriel Rincones Jr. hit 3 home runs this week, finally re-finding his power now a month into his return to AAA. He has hit lefties all year, which is just very strange.
- There was a brief stumble by both McGowan and Jimenez this week after Reading clinched, but Mavis Graves was once again dominant (he had an unearned run score without a hit allowed) which makes you wonder if they might look for Graves to close in a playoff game. He last allowed an earned in his first appearance with Reading (on July 29).
- Luis Caicuto had a fun last week of the season. The Fightin Phils backup catcher got to play some second base and left field and went 4-5 with two doubles, a home run, and 4 RBI on the final day of the season.
- Adam Seminaris closed out what was a very successful rotation stabilizing season for Reading. His home run rate was way up from his time in AA last year, which led to a rise in ERA, but he pitched an org leading 138.1 innings with a 4.03 ERA And increased strikeout rate. He might not get into a postseason game, but he is a big reason that Reading made it.
- The only man who might pass Seminaris in innings is Chuck King who has one more start and is 7.1 innings behind him. He now has a 3.97 ERA in AAA after 6 innings of one run ball. The strikeout rate is trending away from actual prospect, but it has been a good year.
Injuries and Transactions
- Ryan Dromboski (REA), Nick Biddison (LHV), Nestor Cortes (LHV), Kevin Warunek (REA), and Keegan Batka (REA) moved to new levels
- Guillermo Rosario activated from Development List
- Aaron Combs added to 7-day IL
- Adam Seminaris, Cody Bowker, and Jordan Dissin added to Development List
- Alex Binelas moved from 7-day to 60-day IL
- Andrew Hoffman activated from 60-da IL
- Payton Henry activated from 7-day IL
Links and Things
Around the Web
- 5 Sleeper NL Pitching Prospects To Watch In 2027 (Cody Bowker and Brad Pacheco) – Baseball America – Geoff Pontes
Videos and Posts