Phuture Phillies 2016 Reader Top 30 #19

2016 Reader Top 30,

Jimmy Cordero was selected the Readers’ Poll 18th prospect.  He received 100 of 391 votes (25.6%).  He out distanced a closely bunched group of three who contended for second place – Malquin Canelo (48), Nick Pivetta (48), Thomas Eshelman (45).

The Phillies acquired Cordero along with fellow RHP Albert Tirado in a trade deadline deal that saw Ben Revere and cash go to the Toronto Blue Jays on July 31, 2015.

Cordero was assigned to Double-A Reading.  In a small statistical sample of 13 games at Reading, he improved on his Double-A numbers at New Hampshire and equaled or bettered his production at Advanced-A Dunedin .

  • Dunedin A+   – 2.49 ERA in 25.1,   6 BB, 24 K, 2.1 BB/9, 8.5 K/9, 4.0 K/BB)
  • N  Ham    AA   – 2.92 ERA in 24.2, 14 BB, 22 K, 5.1 BB/9, 8.0 K/9, 1.57 K/BB)
  • Reading AA   – 2.12 ERA in 17 IP.   4 BB, 18 K , 2.1 BB/9, 9.5K/9, 4.5 K/BB)

Cordero was signed to a minor league contract as an international free agent by Toronto on January 6, 2012.  The 6’3, 215 lb. RHP was assigned to the DSL academy in his native Dominican Republic.  He pitched for both Toronto’s Rookie level affiliates in 2013 and opened the 2014 season at their full-season A affiliate.  He moved quickly through the Blue Jays organization.  He possessed the ability to post a high K/9 and his BB/9 got better as he improved his control.

Cordero pitch

Cordero is the first reliever voted to the Top 30.  Unlike the pitchers ahead of him who may become relievers at some point, Cordero has been used exclusively in that role for the past two seasons.  He possesses a mid-to-high 90s FB that touches 100+ MPH.  He tantalizes with comps to Ken Giles and is not too far away from deserving that comp with better command of at least one of his secondary pitches – either his slider or his curve.  However, he has not been used in a closer’s role much in the minors, yet.

Top 30 so far:

  1. Crawford
  2. N. Williams
  3. Thompson
  4. Appel
  5. “C” Randolph
  6. Quinn
  7. Alfaro
  8. Kilome
  9. Knapp
  10. Eflin
  11. Hoskins
  12. Kingery
  13. Pinto
  14. Cozens
  15. Tocci
  16. Goeddel
  17. Medina
  18. Cordero

After much angst, I have selected another group of players to add to the prospect poll.  I apologize for my prejudices that ultimately affected who made the cut this time.  As I mentioned earlier this week, I find it difficult to think of certain classifications of players as prospects – upper level backup catchers, first base only, middle relievers, Low-A closers, Low-A second base only.  So, while trying to honor as many requests and write-ins as possible, here they are – Jose Pujols, Victor Arano, Andrew Pullin, Jessie Valentin, Luke Williams, Angelo Mora, and Felix Paulino.

I’m sorry if this excludes one of your favorite choices.  Rest assured that my favorite players aren’t making the list ahead of yours, since most of my faves wouldn’t be considered prospects by you guys. More will be added in the next batch.

Next up is your selection for #19.

47 thoughts on “Phuture Phillies 2016 Reader Top 30 #19”

  1. Canelo. Still sad he never played with Larry Greene so we could get a photo of “Malqui and Larry”.

    Can’t believe they are reviving Full House and not Perfect Strangers. Shame.

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    1. Lively was fairly highly rated before last season. And those who’ve witnessed him pitch note that he pitched much better than his numbers would indicate. Glad to see there’s some voters coalescing around him now.

      At the current vote levels, looks like Sweeney won’t even crack our Top 30, which just seems nuts to me. Someone else had commented, that if we available in the Rule V draft, he very possibly could have gone first overall. And I don’t disagree with that assessment.

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      3. I think Sweeney makes the top 30 barely. Amazing the guys that won’t though, who would have been top 20 three or four years ago

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      4. Lively was a ‘hanging around’ guy when I saw him pitch. I’m not in the camp of those who felt he was better than his stats. He was significantly outpitched by a non-top 30 prospect in the O’s system. Overall, Lively and Cozens disappointed my expectations — Williams, Crawford and Knapp matched them.

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      5. True, Lively rated highly last season, but shouldn’t a full season of mediocre performance knock him down substantially?

        I think in retrospect all the new guys that came in trades–Lively, Eflin, Windle–rankled way higher than they should have. The only one whose position maybe could be justified is Eflin’s. I realize there’s always a lot of volatility in the rankings, but my point is that there’s a natural tendency to overrate the new guys, and to underrate the boring old names you’ve been talking about for years. Point is, now that we’ve had a year to get used to him, Lively looks like a fringe guy who might possibly make it as a back-end starter, I think there are more exciting prospects still on the board.

        I voted for Canelo: decent-hitting shortstops don’t grow on trees, even if he ends up blocked by Crawford he’d have value in a utility role or as trade bait.

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        1. Ugh, I meant “ranked” and not “rankled,” although that’s kind of a funny typo.

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        2. I also voted Canelo again. His bat improved in 2015 and he is the best defensive SS in the system. He could be trade bait, or he could be our starting 2B.

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  4. I went with Lively again. I debated moving Pivetta ahead of him again but I’ve seen Lively in person. I just think there is something there and it will come out this year.

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  5. I like the top 13 here. After that it gets really jumbled by the amount of prospects that are really bunched together in ability. I went with Canelo but Lively got a lot of consideration ( as I have seen him pitch)

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    1. matt13…..what stands out for me with Eshelman is that Houston GM Jeff Luhnow and Dir of Scouting Mike Elias decided to go with him at the 46th pick. Luhnow has a Cardinal pedigree and they evidently saw something in him, that other notables, like Keith Law did not see at the selection of the draft, but BA had him actually higher. I really do not think their intentions was to package him six months later as a trade chip.
      Here is a little on him after the draft.

      http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2015/6/9/8743851/mlb-draft-2015-team-drafts-thomas-eshelman-pick-overall

      “…..he was projected by Baseball America to be taken 26th overall by the Angels, but wasn’t listed before the competitive balance round by either Keith Law or MLB.com. Eshelman may not be as flashy as Carson Fulmer or Dillon Tate, but has some incredible upside in his own right. His fastball sits in the low 90’s, and compliments it with a curveball, slider, and changeup. Out of any pitcher in the draft, Eshelman may have the best command. He struck out 125 batters while walking just six in 123 innings pitched (20.83 K/BB ratio). His future seems to be as a third or fourth starter, but because of his advanced control, it shouldn’t take him long to reach the big leagues. He has the ability to “pitch backwards as needed”, and has an extremely clean and deceptive delivery. He hides the ball incredibly well, and only shows it to the hitter at the very last second before release….”

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            1. Same profile, but Nola is better. Poor man’s because Nola is an early first-rounder, who has met expectations, and is doing well in MLB, whereas Eshelman is a 2nd-rounder, who has barely pitched at all and to so-so stats. They both are reputed to have great command, but at age 22 Nola put up 2.2 BB/9 in MLB with 7.9 K/9 and a 3.59 ERA in MLB, while Eshelman put up 4.4 BB/9, 7.1 K/9 with a 4.4 ERA at age 21 in R and Low-A ball. That is a huge edge to Nola. Eshelman may go gangbusters next season, but I would bet very long odds against his ending his age 22 season in Philly, or even Allentown.

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      2. Thanks Romus, I appreciate that information. It makes him seem even better in my eyes. It was his control that I was really high on, and this seems even better. I think someone in an earlier post said that had we drafted him, he would be more highly rated in our Top 20. And, he may get to the Majors sooner than I thought.

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  8. Going with the plus-glove SS, who will be 21 until September and reached Hi-A last year.

    Grullon, Pivetta, Sweeney, Eshelman, Valentin coming up after Canelo on my list.

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  9. System is so stacked in depth AND quality plus they got the first pick the draft! So excited and can’t wait to follow all the players in the minors and majors this year, season can’t come soon enough

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    1. I know there was a lot of speculation about it, but it’s good to see confirmation that Tirado will be starting this year. If you get a guy with his upside, you might as well give him a chance to reach it.

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    2. That’s a very nice summary. Whether or not Tirado ends up starting, he likely needs a SP’s innings to work on his control and off-speed pitches. If one of the problems is that he throws too hard, there’s nothing like knowing he has to pitch 5-6 innings a game to cause him to dial it back a bit as he paces himself.

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    3. fritz…..Jon Richy has started 29 of 36 games in the minors and the bulk of his games his last two years at UNLV. That will not be anything new for him to be stretched in the spring..

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    4. I saw that, I kinda had the mind set that Tirado is a power reliever – like Cordero. Maybe he will do better as SP

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  11. There had been talk, fritz, about Tirado, but this is confirmation and the first time I have heard Richy as a SP. Also, Hamels was in town raving about Groome. He had some clinic that he still runs in the area, and I think Groome was helping out in some capacity. As we start February, I am getting really excited for Pitchers and Catchers.

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  12. I’m still on Pivetta here but I certainly can understand Eshelman, who I have after Pivetta. I have Ortiz at 30, that makes me feel pretty good about our depth.

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  13. Gabriel Lino probably won’t get the votes, but he probably should be considered for the top 30, and has as much chance at a Major league job as anybody.

    Gabriel Lino: 22, AA, 8.1 BB%, 20.3K℅, .165 ISO, .344 wOBA, 992 fld%, 48 CS%, 2 PB in 271 innings
    Jorge Alfaro: 22, AA, 6.1 BB%, 23.2K%, .182 ISO, .338 wOBA, 987 fld%, 28 CS%, 5 PB in 318 innings

    Lino has been scouted as a good defensive catcher and had similar or better numbers than Alfaro at AA last year.

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  14. Tom Windle, once in relief at Reading, put up some good numbers, as he did in Arizona. Should he perform as well in LHV, he may come up before many currently on the list. I think, to date, he has been ignored here.

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    1. Smaller sample size but the guy in the pen that really impressed me at Reading was Edubray Ramos. As far as arms go he’s one of the prospects I’m most excited to see what he can do with the Phillies.

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      1. Daniel,

        I saw Ramos at Clearwater and was equally impressed. He was on my preliminary Top 20 but I’ve knocked him down a few pegs based on al the discussion here.

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