Lumping players together as outfielders loses some of the nuance of what makes up a diverse group of players. In the outfield there is room for elite defenders, slow mashers, no power speedsters, and guys who just hit. If you can do multiple things well, you can make yourself into a decent prospect. If you do one of those things well, you could get a cup of coffee on a major league bench. And if you do them all kind of ok and not great, you can dominate AA and yet never get a shot at the major leagues. There is a lot of room for players to move up or down the ranks here, and there will be some notable prospects from this group a year from now.
Corner Outfield
Andrew Pullin 22 y/o 6’0″ 195lbs
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Clearwater (A+) | 123 | 529 | 14 | 1 | 4.5% | 14.4% | .258 | .300 | .396 |
Pullin’s move from second base to left field put a large dent in his value. Pullin tied for the FSL lead in home runs in 2015, but it was at the expense of his doubles so there is still a lot of doubts about his ability to hit for enough power in a corner. Pullin will need to hit and walk at a high level to have a future in left field, and that is not something that a lot of contact oriented second baseman can pull off.
Ben Pelletier 17 y/o 6’2″ 190lbs
Pelletier was the youngest player ever drafted, and signed late with the Phillies. He was one of the top prospects in Canada for the 2016 draft, and 2016 is when his career will really begin as he did not play in any games with the Phillies in 2015. He is big and long with good raw power. Long term he has a prototypical right field profile, but he is so young that it might take a while to know what the Phillies have.
Brian Pointer 24 y/o 6’0″ 190lbs
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Reading (AA) | 92 | 320 | 10 | 7 | 13.1% | 27.8% | .242 | .347 | .421 |
| Lehigh Valley (AAA) | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 25.0% | 50.0% | .000 | .250 | .000 |
Pointer is a tweener profile as he can fake center field, but lacks the defense to play it full time, while his bat is unlikely to work in a corner. Pointer has always been a three outcome player, and his AA walk rate was impressive. He is stuck in an outfield playing time squeeze again and will need to outperform his peers to keep getting playing time.
Bryan Martelo 19 y/o 6’2″ 180 lbs
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| GCL (Rk) | 45 | 145 | 2 | 0 | 13.1% | 24.1% | .220 | .333 | .317 |
Martelo was the Phillies’ second big signing in 2013 (along with Luis Encarnacion) and he showed solid growth in 2015. He is already a good defender in right field with a strong arm. He has average to above average raw power, but he has not yet consistently hit at a level to have it show up in games.
Greg Pickett 19 y/o 6’4″ 215lbs
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| GCL (Rk) | 29 | 97 | 1 | 0 | 12.4% | 32.0% | .179 | .289 | .286 |
Pickett was an overslot 8th round pick for the Phillies in the 2015 draft, and had some of the best raw power among high school outfielders. Right now the Phillies are trying Pickett in the outfield, but his actions and range indicate that his future might be at first base. His approach and swing are poor which has left many evaluators skeptical about his future. Pickett is extremely raw and is going to take some time to develop so it may be many years of struggle before he cracks a prospect list.
Jake Sweaney 21 y/o 6’3″ 180lbs
Sweeney was the Phillies’ 5th round pick in 2013 and struggled on the field in 2013, before moving to the outfield in 2014 and struggling at the plate. He missed the entire 2015 season due to Tommy John surgery. When he was drafted Sweeney was well regarded, but at a less valuable position and 3 years removed from his peak he is now on the fringes of the Phillies’ system. He will be in danger of not making it out of camp this year.
Samuel Hiciano 22 y/o 6’1″ 203lbs
Hiciano had some momentum going into the 2014 season after having a good 2013 in Williamsport, and then had his season in Lakewood cut short. A gruesome ankle injury in spring training ended his 2015 before it began. At his best he offers solid right handed power in left field. Hiciano is now a bit buried in the org and will need to really hit to regain a spot.
Venn Biter 21 y/o 6’1″ 181lbs
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Williamsport (SS) | 58 | 243 | 2 | 9 | 7.8% | 20.6% | .265 | .324 | .374 |
Biter is a master of none (outside of having a great name). He has a solid arm, good defense in left field, some speed, some pop, and has made some contact at times. None of his tools are good enough to offset him being a left fielder and at this point he looks to be org filler.
Center Field
Carlos Duran 21 y/o 6’2″ 170lbs
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Williamsport (SS) | 43 | 180 | 2 | 10 | 7.8% | 22.8% | .247 | .303 | .340 |
| Clearwater (A+) | 4 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 13.3% | 20.0% | .083 | .214 | .083 |
Duran is a player whose scouting reports have outstripped his results. He is a lanky athletic center fielder that brings both power and speed. He needed to bulk up this offseason, and was part of the Phillies’ offseason workout group this winter. He may end up a tweener because his bat does not profile well in a corner.
Jesus Alastre 19 y/o 6’1″ 155lbs
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| GCL (Rk) | 24 | 93 | 0 | 3 | 4.3% | 10.8% | .268 | .326 | .329 |
Alastre brings a lot of speed to center field, which allows him to be a good defender (though he has also played left field). He also makes solid contact, though he lacks power. He also has augmented his batting average with a good on base percentage that is driven by a large number of hit by pitches.
Jiandido Tromp 22 y/o 5’11” 175lbs
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Lakewood (A-) | 113 | 451 | 9 | 10 | 6.0% | 25.9% | .216 | .268 | .354 |
Tromp’s upside is intriguing because he has 70 speed and 60 raw power. Despite a strong end to his season in Lakewood, there are still huge questions about his hit tool, and he strikes out at a prodigious rate. Tromp has now made 3 attempts at Lakewood and it is hard to justify him not making a 4th attempt at it in 2016, but it may be as a reserve.
Mark Laird 23 y/o 6’2″ 180lbs
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Williamsport (SS) | 52 | 224 | 0 | 11 | 12.1% | 10.7% | .285 | .372 | .301 |
Laird was the Phillies’ 9th round pick, and he is in many ways a Ben Revere starter kit. He has decent contact abilities, good speed, and a decent glove in center field, to go with a pitiful arm and non-existent power. His ceiling is defensive replacement in center field, but it will be tough for him to make the majors without being a better hitter given his liabilities.
Reggie Wilson 22 y/o 5’9″ 165lbs
Wilson was a late round (32nd round) senior sign out of a small college. He played in a college league all summer before signing with the Phillies. Because of his late signing he only played in the complex and not the GCL. Wilson is physically small, but his college numbers indicate he has both power and speed. It will be hard to know more about him until spring.
Zach Coppola 21 y/o 5’10” 160lbs
| Team (LVL) | G | PA | HR | SB | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Williamsport (SS) | 58 | 261 | 0 | 19 | 10.7% | 15.3% | .271 | .350 | .284 |
Coppola is the other glove/speed, no power center fielder the Phillies took in the 2015 draft. Coppola might be a 70 runner, but has no power. He does have the frame to add some muscle so there is some hope he grows into more strength. His ceiling is probably defensive replacement/pinch runner, but his speed makes him worth keeping an eye on.