These recaps won’t start in earnest until the minor league season begins, and I cannot promise there will be enough prospect content for each week in March. However, there are prospects in camp playing in games for now.
Notes and Thoughts
- It has been a very good spring so far for Gabriel Rincones Jr. who has three home runs already. He also only has two at bats against lefties, one of which he was overmatched. He has not had a particularly good time of it on defense either. Overall, he looks close to MLB ready with some major strengths and flaws, but there is just not a current path for him without an injury.
- The Michael Mercado of last spring that was touching 99 looks like an illusion and Mercado has struggled this spring with both command and the ability to miss bats.
- Justin Crawford does not look to have taken a big leap forward this offseason, but slow and steady improvement is good to see. If you wanted to see him him rocket to the majors you might be disappointed, but at 21 and entering his 3rd full season he is in a good place.
- Aidan Miller has not looked MLB ready, which is also not surprising. His approach at the plate has been mature and he doesn’t look overwhelmed by the moment, but he is also hitless in 12 trips to the plate. He has made some good and bat plays on defense. Sort of like Crawford he has not used this spring to announce his presence, but also that wasn’t something that needed to happen.
- Jean Cabrera looked good in his one appearance, mostly against the top prospects in a stacked Red Sox org. His fastball movement is not great, but better than expected. His new cutter looks to be an upper 80s type pitch like Aaron Nola’s which is fine given his other breaking ball is a low 80s sweeper. He threw some R-R changeups and that is a pitch he is going to have to lean on.
- Jaydenn Estanista threw a splitter, but there was no video of it.
- Alan Rangel is probably an up and down multi inning reliever/swing man but he is intriguing.
- Otto Kemp, Carson Taylor, and Carson DeMartini have all had a moment against backups.
- Bryan Rincon made a great defensive play while the broadcast was interview Rob Thomson and received an immediate compliment for his glove work.
Pitcher Spotlight – Velocity Readings
You can find all prospect velocity readings over the course of the season on the Phillies Pitch Data spreadsheet.
- Alan Rangel – FA 92-94, SL 83-85, CH 79-83, CU 72
- Braeden Fausnaught – FA 90-91, SI 90-91, SL 79-82, CH 83-85
- Carlos Francisco – SI 91-96, SL 82-85, CH 88-89
- Charles King – SI 93-95, FC 87-88, FS 84-85
- Devin Sweet – FA 91-93, CH 79-80
- Griff McGarry – FA 93-97, FC 88-89, SL 84-86, CH 80
- Gunner Mayer – threw one fastball at 96.6 mph
- Jaydenn Estanista – FA 95-96, FC 87, FS 83
- Jean Cabrera – FA 93-94, SI 93-95, ST 80-82, FC 86, CH 86-87
- Konnor Ash – FA 90-92, CH 84-86
- Max Lazar – FA 92-95, FC 86-89, CU 79-81
- Michael Mercado – FA 95-97, FC 89-92, CH 91, CU 82-83
- Seth Johnson – FA 94-97, SL 84-88, CU 77-78, CH 88
- Tristan Garnett – FA 89 -93, SL 82-87, CH 79-82
- Tyler Phillips – SI 93-95, FA 90-93, ST 82-85, CU 81-83, CH 86-87
- Wesley Moore – SI 90-93, SL 82, CH 78-79
Injuries and Transactions
- Before camp the Phillies released Yemal Flores, among others. The Phillies have had success with low money signings, but now between trades and releases, Rickardo Perez is now the only international signing with a bonus greater than $500,000 from before 2024 still in the org.
- There are still too few infielders stateside, but the Phillies brough a bunch of players over from the Dominican Complexes. Among the notable are RHPs Alexander De Los Santos and Brad Pacheco, both of who made my top prospect list.
- I have plenty of thoughts about Kelly Dugan signing, playing in a game, and then being released. I will say it was good to see him stick with it, and it is sad the contraction of the minors has meant that being a journeyman baseball player just is not a viable career for all but a handful of players.