Phillies Minor League Recap (Week 4 4/16-4/21)

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Last Week’s Schedule

Lehigh Valley (6-6) @ Scranton/WB (10-4): W 7-1, L 4-5, L 4-8, W 9-3, L 2-5, W 7-4

Reading (3-6) @ Binghamton (3-5): L 2-3, L 3-4*, W 7-4*, W 8-2, L 3-6, W 5-4

Jersey Shore (5-4) vs Brooklyn (4-5): W 3-1, W 9-0, L 4-6, W 6-3, L 7-9, L 2-5

Clearwater (6-3) @ Dunedin (7-2): L 5-10, W 10-1, L 4-5, W 10-7, W 2-0, W 5-2

*part of a double header

This Week’s Schedule

Lehigh Valley (9-9) vs Charlotte (8-12)

Reading (6-9) vs Somerset (7-8)

Jersey Shore (8-7) @ Aberdeen (6-9)

Clearwater (10-5) vs Bradenton (3-12)

Hitter Spotlight

OF Avery Owusu-Asiedu

5-16 1 2B 1 HR 6 BB 7 K 3 SB

It wasn’t the greatest hitting week for prospects of note, but Owusu-Asiedu got himself back on track and hit his first home run of the year. After not walking in the first two series, he had 6 walks this week and three in last Wednesday’s game. Owusu-Asiedu has swing and missed a ton, which is not entirely surprising given where he was entering the year. He is hitting the ball hard and he is not pounding it into the ground either. The Threshers don’t really have other center field options, but he has made all of his appearances in center and his speed has also been evident on the bases with him going 7 for 7 on stolen base attempts. He obviously will need to cut the strikeout rate dramatically, but this week was a step in the right direction.

Pitcher Spotlight

LHP Mavis Graves

5 IP 3 H 0 R 1 BB 9 K

Graves has flashed higher velocity than he did on Sunday, but he paced himself at an average of right about 91.5 on Sunday, but reached back for 93 still late. His offspeed pitches have been where he has had his more success. He has some of the same problems as Ottenbreit where is his fastball has spin, but is sort of dead zone on movement. He is also pairing it with a harder gyro type cutter/sliders and a more sweeping second breaking ball. By Rob Orr’s pitching model rates both of the breaking balls well (in particular the sweepier pitch). If he can pace himself and throw more around 93 with command, then he is an interesting arm going forward. He still is young and projectable.

Notes and Thoughts

  • You can argue Micah Ottenbreit had the best start of the week, throwing 5 hitless innings. He has essentially missed 2 full seasons since having Tommy John in 2022, and I am not entirely sure what to make of him. His fastball velocity was up a little bit earlier (touching 94.6mph), but the shape is sort of holding it back. It is labeled as a sinker, but it is a high spin one that sort of is more run than drop. He gets high spin on his breaking balls, and his curveball is his best pitch. It feels like it is going to take time for the whole package to take shape, but he is still intriguing.
  • Jordan Viars had himself a game on Wednesday going 3 for 4 with a home run, a double, and two walks. The strikeouts are still present (8 in 24 PAs), but he visually looks a bit better, even if the numbers and contact quality isn’t quite there. He did rip one at 109.1 this week, so the raw strength is there.
  • Aidan Miller was part of the barrage on Wednesday before going 0-5 on Thursday and not playing all weekend after running out a ground ball. He has had his share of weak contact, but also his home run this week was 106.3 mph and 427 feet off the bat. Hopefully he was just sore and will be back soon.
  • Wesley Moore gave up a run in his second appearance of the week, but he still struck out 7 of the 12 batters he faced and is now at 1 walk and 12 strikeouts in 6 innings (52.2% K%). His fastball is still only 90-91, but his high 70s changeup continues to befuddle hitters.
  • Braeden Fausnaught got the two start week for the BlueClaws. His second start did not go as well as his first with 0 walks and 9 strikeouts earlier in the week and 4 walks and 5 strikeouts on Sunday.
  • George Klassen had another great start (5.0 IP 2 H 1 R 0 ER 2 BB 7 K). His command was a bit loose early, but he not only held his velocity (95-97) over the course of the start, but was reaching back for 98.4 late. He was added to the development list after his start as the Phillies juggle the rosters.
  • Jaydenn Estanista’s command was a little more shaky this week (2 walks in 3.1 innings), but he has avoided having any of the complete meltdowns that have been a problem in the past.
  • Mick Abel had a better start, and outside a very bad pitch to Everson Pereira, it would have been a great start. His fastball was more 93-95 (up from his last few appearances). and he held that for more of the start. He through 66% fastballs, which feels more like they are working on them then an actual plan.
  • Christian McGowan made his season debut and had a good first three innings before things started to come apart in the 4th inning.
  • Carson Taylor is in his 3rd year in AA after being taken in the minor league Rule 5 draft by the Phillies. He has not yet played catcher in the Phillies system and it is fair to wonder if the Phillies don’t think he can play there (base runners were 169 and 21 on stolen base attempts against him the last two years). His bat has played so far, though it is worth noting he has 35 PAs against RHPs and 2 against LHPs. It is way too early to look at anything from a prospect side, but he is hitting .364/.432/.788 in the early going.
  • Jean Cabrera continues to have good starts and has a 0.56 ERA on the week. His fastball sat 92-95 this week and his slider looks a bit better this season.
  • Kehden Hettiger had a poor week at the plate (2-15 with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts), but I did want to call out that he played some third base for the short handed Threshers after they had an early game ejection.
  • Saul Teran only got into one game this week, but has become the Threshers’ closer. He is only throwing about 92-93 with a 4-seam, sinker, slider, and changeup, but now in 4 appearances he has pitched 5 innings with 3 walks, but has struck out 11 of the 21 batters he has faced.
  • Eiberson Castellano stepped back in the BlueClaws rotation with another good start (4 IP 1 H 0 R 2 BB 8 K). I have only tracked part of his start, but he was up to 95 in what I have tracked so far.
  • The Phillies appear to be stretching out Michael Mercado. He made a 4 batter appearance earlier in the week, but got the start on Saturday for 3 innings and 36 pitches. He is still throwing more 94-96 in the elongated role. It is still sort of an odd transition.
  • Drew Garrett has been great for the Threshers so far with no hits and 1 run allowed in 4.2 innings. He is throwing in the low to mid 90s with the double breaking ball of a harder gyro slider/cutter and curveball combination that a lot of their arms have.
  • Trey Dillard had one good and one bad appearance this week, but he is consistently throwing mid 90s
  • Much like Dillard, Chase Hopewell didn’t have the best week, but the Clearwater reliever was up 97.5 and averaged over 96 with his fastball.
  • Casey Steward has struggled at times with his control, but he was once again sitting 95 early in his start. The secondary pitches haven’t gotten the results, but he is one to monitor.

Injuries and Transactions

Links and Things

Minor Thoughts

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