Report Card–Corner Infield

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Lehigh Valley

Rhys Hoskins, 24, Phils 5th round pick in 2014; .284/.385/.581 in 401AB for Lehigh Valley; 29HR 91RBI; 4SB; 14%BB/16%K; For Phils: .298/.424/.754 in 114AB; 16HR 34RBI; 17%BB/19%K; .240 vs LHP; .315 vs RHP; Combined: 45HR 125RBI; 116 games at 1B with 10 errors (.989); 27 games in the OF with 1 erro.  I cant find enough superlatives to express the level at which Hoskins has impressed this year.  The numbers speak for themselves, but the transition to MLB, while learning to play a new position has been nothing short of exceptional.  Is currently making Babe Ruth look like a minor league home run hitter: Grade: A+; 2018: Philadelphia

Brock STassi, 28, Phils 33rd round pick in 2011; .251/.325/.351 in 179AB; 4HR 23RBI; 10%BB/21%K; .163 vs LHP; .277 vs RHP; .237 last 30 days; For Phils: .167/.278/.295 in 78AB; 2HR 7RBI; 13%BB/24%K; 54 games at 1B without an error; 13 games in the OF without an error; After an outstanding 2016; Stassi came back to Earth this year and leveled off to be the AAAA player he likely is long term.  Plus defense, good batting eye, but ultimately limited enough offensively that I don’t see him sticking with the Phillies; 2017: C; 2018: Stassi is a minor league free agent and will likely go where the best opportunity presents itself.

Hector Gomez, 29, Signed as a free agent in 2017; .236/.260/.425 in 212AB; 7HR 27RBI; 3%BB/20%K; .200 vs LHP; .248 vs RHP; 57 games at 3B with 8 errors (.937); The expectations for Gomez were significantly higher than the production, which was hampered by multiple injuries.  Grade: C-; 2018: Talent pushing upward in the organization, so likely elsewhere

Reading

Damek Tomscha, 26, Phils 17th round pick in 2014; .307/.386/.439 in 362AB between Clearwater and Reading; 11HR 52RBI; 3SB; 9%BB/14%K; .345 last 30 days; 43 games at 1B with 1 error (.997); 51 games at 3B with 12 erros (.907); 13 games in the OF without an error; After a second full season as a 25 year old at Lakewood last season, Tomscha finally moved along to Clearwater and had a lot of success.  He matched that level of success in Reading in his 50 games.  Grade: B+; 2018: Reading

Mitch Walding, 25, Phils 5th round pick in 2011; .236/.327/.516 in 351AB; 25HR 62RBI; 11%BB/32%K; .229 vs LHP; .240 vs RHP; .178 with RISP; 96 games at 3B with 15 errors (.943); Walding completed his 6th year in the organization and most of the trends he started his career with hold true, including striking out a ton and struggles against left handed pitching.   He has become more selective at the plate and hit for a significant amount of power but the .178 average with RISP is troublesome.  He missed about a month injured or he likely would have hit 30HR; Grade: C+; 2018: Walding is eligible to be a minor league free agent if the Phils don’t add him to the 40, which I believe to be unlikely.

Harold Martinez, 27, Phils 2nd round pick in 2011; .211/.279/.297 in 128AB between Reading and Lehigh Valley; 1HR 6RBI; 7%BB/24%K; 13 games at 3B with 2 errors (.935); 17 games at 1B with 3 errors (.976); An unproductive, injury mired season for Martinez.  Grade: D-; 2018: I would be shocked to see him back

Zach Green, 23, Phils 3rd round pick in 2012; .297/.221/.424 in 198AB between Clearwater and Reading; 9HR 27RBI; 6BB%/36%K; .313 vs LHP; .172 vs RHP; 21 games at 1B with 1 error (.994); 27 games at 3B with 2 errors (.969); Green spent most of the first half of the season injured and largely struggled with the bat after returning, albeit showing some of his power.  Played well in the field.  Grade: C-; 2018: Reading

Kyle Martin, 24, Phils 4th round pick in 2015; .193/.288/.383 in 436AB; 22HR 68RBI; 2SB; 10%BB/28%K; .163 vs LHP; .208 vs RHP; .189 last 30 days; 116 games at 1B with 7 errors (.993); Just an awful season with the bat for Martin, for whom there were high expectations entering a hitters park in Reading.  Struggled from beginning to end with the bat.  Grade: D-; 2018: Reading

Clearwater

Wilson Garcia, 23, Signed as a free agent in 2011; .275/.298/.423 in 477AB; 13HR 60RBI; 3%BB/11%K; .264 vs LHP; .278 vs RHP; .324 last 30 days; 87 games at 1B with 3 errors (.996); Garcia was very consistent for the Threshers this season but will likely have trouble as he moves along through the system keeping up with the hitting needed from the position because of his small stature.  Grade: B; 2018; Reading

Darick Hall, 22, Phils 14th round pick in 2016; .270/.334/.533 in 452AB between Lakewood and Clearwater; 29HR 101RBI; 6%BB/24%K; .264 vs LHP, .275 vs RHP; 74 games at 1B with 7 errors (.989); Hall had an outstanding season spending almost all of it in Lakewood, setting the Lakewood record for HR and RBI; Grade: A; 2018: Clearwater; could reach Reading by mid-season

Jan Hernandez, 23, Phils 3rd round pick in 2013; .212/.287/.415 in 316AB; 16HR 35RBI; 8%BB/33%K; .309 vs LHP; .179 vs RHP; .093 last 30 days; 46 games at 3B with 17 errors (.835); 23 games in the OF without an error; A very poor season for Hernandez who struggled at the plate and in the field.  Grade: D-; 2018: His high draft status is what keep him hanging on.  If his time hasn’t run out, back to Clearwater

Lakewood—NOTE–Luke WIlliams is the only player on the Lakewood end of season roster who played the majority of their games at the CR Infield

Luke WIlliams, 21, Phils 3rd round pick in 2015; .216/.269/.264 in 402AB; 1HR 27RBI; 7%BB/19%K; .242 vs LHP; .206 vs RHP; .167 last 30 days; 29SB; 115 games at 3B with 16 errors (.948); Williams offensive numbers do not profile as a third baseman long term.  After hitting .220 without power at WIlliamsport, WIlliams followed that hitting .216 at Lakewood.  That said, he has a ton of speed and is a plus fielder.  Grade: D; 2018: Back to Lakewood

Williamsport

Greg Pickett, 20, Phils 8th round pick in 2015; .271/.343/.403 in 221AB; 6HR 25RBI; 1SB; 10%BB/28%K; .309 vs LHP; .259 vs RHP; .241 last 30 days; 43 games at 1B with 6 errors (.984); After missing 2016, Pickett came back and had a good 2017 and is on course to move up to Lakewood next year; Definite room for improvement in multiple areas, however all in all good production.  Grade: B

Luis Encarnacion, 20, SIgned as a free agent in 2014; .200/.286/.307 in 75AB; 2HR 7RBI; 10%bb/34%K; .207 last 30 days; 3 games at 1B with 2 errors; Encarnacion has been a major disappointment. He only started one game at 1B all season with Williamsport and in that game, committed two errors.  With the bat, he continues to lack plate discipline and has generally been awful.  Grade: F; 2018: Encarnacion is now four seasons in with the Phillies and has regressed to the point of starting just 1 game in the field.  I would be surprised to see him back.

Cole Stobbe, 20, Phils 3rd round pick in 2016; .203/.280/.376 in 197AB; 8HR 22RBI; 2/5SB; 8%BB/31%K; .315 vs LHP; .161 vs RHP; .245 last 30 days; 51 games at 3B with 11 errors (.913); Stobbe showed power but really struggled against right handed pitching all year. He did show that from a fielding perspective, he has the arm strength to play third base.  Grade: D; 2018: I would expect to see him at Lakewood to get some early season AB but then fall back to Williamsport

GCL

Quincy Neiporte, 23, Phils 26th round pick in 2017; .299/.355/.494 in 154AB; 5HR 35RBI; 7%BB/10%K; .273 vs LHP; .306 vs RHP; .281 last 30 days; 29 games at 1B with 4 errors (.984); Neiporte was clearly playing below the level of competition at which he should compete and had a lot of success in the GCL.  Coming from a major college program at age 23, he did what was expected hitting for average and run producing.  Grade: B+; 2018: Sharing time at 1B in Lakewood with Pickett

Edwin Rodriguez, 20, Signed as a free agent in 2014; .211/.257/.368 in 95AB; 3HR 20RBI; 5%BB/12%K; .167 vs LHP; 217 vs RHP; .185 last 30 days; 29 games at 1B with 2 errors (.989); 3 games in the OF without an error; Rodriguez is finishing his second full season in the GCL and his numbers pretty significantly regressed from last season.  Grade: D; 2018: Could get caught in the numbers game.

Keudy Bocio, 18, SIgned as a free agent in 2016; .278/.374/.348 in 0HR 18RBI; 7/8SB; 14%BB/16%K; .316 vs LHP; .271 vs RHP; .269 last 30 days; 21 games at 3B with 8 errors (.849); 14 games in the OF without an error; Very solid at the plate, less so in the field for Bocio who I suspect will move to the OF permanently.  Certainly hit well enough to move up; Grade: B; 2018: WIlliamsport

Jesus Henriquez, 19, Signed as a free agent in 2015; .258/.310/.281 in 93AB; 0HR 11RBI; 1SB; 7%BB/13%K; .261 vs LHP; .258 vs RHP; .324 last 30 days; 13 games at 3B with 1 error (.971); 1 game at 1B without an error; 14 games at 2B without an error; Decent progress for Henriquez during his first season stateside; He profiles more as a 2B longterm.  Grade: C+; 2018: Williamsport

DJ Stewart, 18, Phils 39th round pick in 2017; .195/.267/.293 in 43AB; 1HR 5RBI; 9%BB/26%K; 11 games at 3B with 4 errors (.867); As a 39th round pick, not much was expected and not much was gotten.  I would be surprised to see him back

Jack Zoellner, 22, Phils 9th round pick in 2017; Hit .258 in 31AB in a season cut short by injury; 9 games at 3B with 2 errors.

 

32 thoughts on “Report Card–Corner Infield”

  2. i can envision one of either Darick Hall or Rhys Hoskins having to go and man LF in a few years. Hall has Ryan Howard power.
    Hall………age21 @ LKW…272/340/.533
    Howard…age22 @ LKW….280/367/460

      1. And Nola was a nice pick. Hoskins is a freak! No one has ever seen this so enjoy it people. My sleeper is Luke Williams. I understand the negatives they are glaring, but this kid doesn’t strike out a ton and makes solid contact. He can defend and really run. He is one of a few we need to be patient with. I see the profile concerns but I like the player whom I’ve seen 3 times

        1. There is definitely something intriguing about Williams. Doubtful he’s a 3b but could be a nice utility player. He’s gotta get the average up quite a bit though.

  4. Tomscha, Green and Martin all fighting for playing time on the corners in Reading next year, with Hall breathing down their necks. Should be fun, but noting Tomscha will be 27? Martin wasn’t great—maybe a second go at AA will be better.

    Looks like we gonna need some corner guys for AAA next year on the FA market so maybe they do look at Walding as MiLB FA? I’m not positive how bad Gomez was injured—he looked good during BP while on DL. Think it was just as much a numbers game. Always weary of guys who come into the IL with big HR numbers from other leagues (in this case, Korea). Didn’t get the feel that he was a Wathan favorite.

  5. Thank god for Rhys Hoskins because behind him these guys are absolutely putrid. So many high picks in this group too…

    Always like reading these Gregg so thanks for keeping them up.

  6. D.J. Stewart is a big kid who signed out of HS for a quarter million dollars. He saw limited playing time behind Bocio, Henriquez, and Zoellner at third base. (Zoellner and Guthrie pretty much monopolized the left side of the infield toward the end of the season once they came off the “DL”.) He was a pitcher/shortstop in HS going 7-1 and batting .400 – his one loss was a 2-1 decision in the state semis. He will be at Instructs later this month. Stewart will certainly be back in XST and the GCL next season, IMO.

      1. Hinkie…what I like about him and also Ben Brown….of all of the last 8/9 HS picks in the draft…they were the only two to sign on with the Phillies. Hopefully they can make the most of their opportunity in professional baseball.

      2. Agree, Romus.
        I think they signed Stewart after Billy Sullivan (the Delaware HS pitcher & 28th round pick) opted not to sign. It seems to me they had a good feeling about getting Sullivan inked after meeting with and working him out at CBP a couple of days before the draft.

    3. Agree with Jim regarding DJ Stewart. 39th round pick with a 250k investment. No way they cut him loose after just 1 summer playing limited time. He definitely gets at minimum 1 more year and probably 2

  7. Williams, Stobbe, and Walding all look like failed picks trying to find a 3B prospect. I think Walding will be back and will get a shot at LHV. It would be a smart decision on his part to stay and play at AAA. Williams really needs to move to 2B, he just doesn’t have the bat for 3B. Unfortunately for him though, we have lots of middle infield prospects coming that will surpass him.
    I really like Hall and he’s got terrific power but he has to learn how to hit lefties better. He and Hasely should anchor the Clearwater lineup next year as they both try to hit their way to Reading.
    Encarnacion was a big failure, dollar wise. You can’t hit on all the guys. He won’t be back.
    Is the Instructional list out yet?

    1. Jim said he is coming out with the official list from the Phillies.
      BA has published a preliminary list which someone posted on the other thread … ‘Florida Insructs, Sept 2017’….that is not a complete list.

    3. It would appear you are basing your failed pick comments regarding Williams, Stobbe on their batting averages without any understanding of the players’ tools. Williamsport and Lakewood are tough places to hit especially for kids drafted out of HS who are still developing. Give them time before rushing to judgment. There are certainly examples of young players that struggled to hit in Williamsport that are playing in the big leagues now.

      1. Stobbe’s batting average itself isn’t really the issue, it’s how he got there. A K% that high is a red flag. It’s too early to give up on him but it doesn’t take long to become the next Jan Hernandez either.

  8. It’s funny, I love the wide range of opinions on here but it never ceases to amaze me how we forget some guys will take time. No matter how many examples we see, we are still trigger happy on the “non- performers” right away. The beauty of this thing is just that, we never really know. Makeup goes a long ways and none of us on here know what the makeup of these kids are for the most part. Not sure where I’m going here but it was on my mind

  9. Plus Pat Borders philosophy is that you can’t make many adjustments for them at the short season level. You can just guide them. They have to learn and make their own adjustments. Some will get it in no time others will take years.

    1. Dan Straily, a starter for the Miami Marlins, listed his pitches on the bench before a recent game. A college teammate taught him his slider. A major league teammate taught him his curveball. A minor league coach taught him his changeup.

  10. Interesting little fact and confirmation of the positive fielding reports we’ve all received on Stassi. In the minimal playing time he received, according to Fangraphs, Stassi has generated the most positive defensive WAR at first base. It’s a small sample size, but Stassi could be that rare beast 1-2 WAR defensive player at first. I bet, sooner or later, he catches on somewhere. He’s not a bad player.

    1. His 54 wRC+ says otherwise…

      He’s probably not that bad of a hitter over a larger sample, and he’s probably not a defensive wizard either. SSS and all. FWIW, the qualified dWAR leader at 1B for this season is Joe Mauer at -2.6.

      1. Well, the fielding reports have always said he’s an elite fielder and having seen him, I believe it.

        He never really got it going with the bat this year in a very small sample size, but last year, in AAA, when he started slowly, he came on later and had a 134 wRC+. If he could get enough at bats in the majors, I think he could stick somewhere and be decent, but you need a team to give him a chance. Like, I said, I think he’s not a bad player, but it’s going to be a challenge for him to get the at bats he needs to prove himself. I think, at this point, the only way that happens is if he is with a second division team and he has a great AAA season and gets slotted in by happenstance. It could happen, but the chances of that occurring are probably less than 35%.

        1. I would say they’re less than like, 5%, even though I hate putting arbitrary percentages on things. But he’s a 28 yo minor league 1B with a brief and lackluster MLB resume. Also his wRC+ in AAA this year was 87.

          And even if he’s elite defensively at 1B, I have a hard time seeing how he’s a 1-2 WAR defensive player when the best qualified leader was in the negatives. Even if you drop the threshold to 50 PAs, he’s the league leader and the only other guy above 0 is Victor Caratini. So I think Stassi’s 0.7 is very much due to SSS.

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