After a fast start, the Phillies VSL squad has fallen back to a 6-7 record.  With a younger roster the Phillies will probably have less success than last year championships squad, but may still have some prospects.  Several 16 and 17 year olds are getting lots of playing time.  A 16-year-old hitting .230 in this league may end up being a better prospect than a 20-year-old hitting .330.  Unlike last year the Phillies also do not appear to have a dominant starter like Moises Melendez last year.  The two best starters are 20-year-olds Juan Colmenarez and Freddy Ballesta.  Both are having good years, though not as effective as Melendez or Mauricio Romero from last year’s team.  As usual, the team is offensively challenged, though a couple of new signees (Winder Torres and Luis Martinez) are potential solid prospects.

Brief notes on the better prospects and performers are as follows:

Hitters

Winder Torres – 16 years old – Torres is a young outfielder that made a big splash in the first two games with a HR and 3B.  He has tailed off some to hit .244.  7 BBs so far is a plus, however.  Torres has been leading off at a young age.  This is a sign that the Phillies also see him as a real prospect

Luis Martinez – 17 years old – At 6’5″ and 183 pounds, Martinez is one of the Phillies larger position prospects in recent memory, especially in Latin America.  He is also holding his own, hitting .300 with 2 3B so far.  With only 1 BB he is a less disciplined prospect than Torres.  He has been DHing so far, so it is possible he has an injury that is preventing him from playing the field.  He is also an OF.

Bruno Doi – 19 years old – Doi is an OF/1B signed out of Brazil last year.  After a productive 2006 VSL season he failed to merit a promotion, however.  He is hitting .250 so far this year, but solid power and patience give him an OPS of .760.  Doi may be running into a numbers game in the GCL outfield, as a number of the 2006 HS draftees may repeat there next year.  He is the better of the two Brazilian prospects still in the VSL, though Fabio Murakami is off to a nice start at .260.

Yonderman Rodriguez – The top hitter so far is 2B/3B Yonderman Rodriguez who is off to a scorching .404 start.  With 5 2B and 3 SB Rodriguez does have some tools.  His .951 OPS also leads the team.  The big question for Rodriguez is age, however, as 20-year-olds in the VSL are rarely top prospects.

Other to note – Norbert Sosa (age 17) is one of the new signees off to a .286 start.  Benjamin Oviedo (age 22) and Harold Garcia (age 20) are two older infielders playing well and getting lots of playing time.  They are less likely to be prospects, however.

Pitchers

Juan Colmenarez – Colmenarez has been one of the top starters so far, going 1-1 with a 2.62 ERA.  Colmenarez is a smallish LHR (6’1″, 161) with solid peripherals (24 IP, 22 H, 3 BB, 26 K).  At his age, however, he will have to prove he is a prospect.  As a LHP he will get extra chances however.

Freddy Ballesta – Another 20-year-old pitcher, Ballesta is a RHP with solid size (6’3″, 220).  He is 2-1 with a 0.78 ERA so far.  In 23 IP he has given up only 14 H though a 9/15 BB/K ratio is nothing special.  Ballesta is in his 3rd VSL year, so it is doubtful he is a great prospect.

Carlos Medrano – At 6’8″ and 202 pounds, Medrano is a tall, thin LHP who is an intriguing prospect.  At 19-years-old, Medrano is also a little younger than the top starters.  After a good first outing, however, he has been pounded to the tune of a 14+ ERA.  Medrano has lots of work ahead of him to harness his tools, but he is still one to watch.

Kirlian Campo – Campo may be the best pitching prospect on the team, though his stats do not show it.  At only 16-years-old he is getting lots of work.  He is 1-3 with a 5.84 ERA so far (12.1 IP, 8 H, 10 BB, 13 K).  The peripherals are solid excepts for the walks.  He has also been improving after a rough early outing.

Others – Williams Jaspe has returned to throw one scoreless inning so far.  At age 21 his prospect status has dimmed, though the Phillies thought enough to bring him to Spring Training a couple of years ago.  Daniel Lara (age 19, 1-0, 5.60) and Raul Romero (age 20, 1-1, 4.50) are two other starters who are lesser prospects.  Most of the other new signees have not seen much playing time as of yet.

We will check back every few weeks as the season progresses.  Also, the DSL squad opens their season on Saturday.