Around the System–Corner Infield

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Lehigh Valley

Joey Meneses, 26, Signed as a free agent in 2018; .356/.398/.563 in 87AB; 3HR 13RBI; 6%BB/16%K; .382 vs LHP; .340 vs RHP; .441 in May; 24 games at 1B with 1 error (.994); 1 game in the OF without an error; Meneses has been Lehigh Valley’s most productive hitter in the early going and a very pleasant surprise.

Mitch Walding, 25, Phils 5th round pick in 2011; .288/.413/.510 in 104AB; 5HR 15RBI; 17%BB/26%K; .263 vs LHP; .303 vs RHP; .258 in July; 30 games at 3B with 4 errors (.951); 2 games at 1B without an error; Walding re-signed with the Phils as a minor league free agent and has shown a good deal of growth, particularly in the area of plate discipline.  He has been excellent with the bat and very good in the field.

Matt McBride, 33, Signed as a free agent in 2018; Hitting .167 in 42AB; 2HR 6RBI; 8 games at 1B with 1 error (.981); 6 games caught with 1 error; Not much to speak of thus far for McBride who has come home to play what may be his last professional season

Reading

Kyle Martin, 25, Phils 4th round pick in 2015; .197/.293/.368 in 76AB; 3HR 12RBI; 7%BB/22%K; .200 vs LHP; .197 vs RHP; .158 in May; 20 games at 1B without an error; Martin has continued his ’17 struggles with Reading where he hit .193 right into 2018.  His leash may be short with the draft upcoming and Darick Hall knocking on the Reading door.

Zach Green, 24, Phils 3rd round pick in 2012; .293/.348/.585 in 82AB; 6HR 18RBI; 1SB; 6%BB/36%K; .278 vs LHP; .297 vs RHP; .393 in May; 11 games at 1B with 4 errors (.962); 5 games at 3B with 1 error; Green has actually hit much better on the road than home, taking away the argument that his production is FirstEnergy related.  Still striking out a ton, but has been very productive for the FIghtins.

Damek Tomscha, 26, Phils 17th round pick in 2014; ,323/.410/.535 in 99AB; 5HR 13RBI; 11%BB/14%K; 26 games at 3B without an error; .333 vs LHP; .321 vs RHP; .367 in May; Tomscha has had one of the best starts in the organization this season; The one thing he does not have going for him is his age.  I am hoping he gets a look at LV mid-season.

Clearwater

Darick Hall, 22, Phils 14th round pick in 2016; .289/.372/.595 in 121AB; 10HR 27RBI; 9%BB/20%K; 29 games at 1B with 2 errors (.992); .205 vs LHP; .338 vs RHP; .342 in May; Hall’s name is going to begin sneaking into the conversation as Carlos Santana’s replacement in a couple of years if he continues to progress in the manner in which he has.  I expect to see him in Reading before the end of the season.

Luke Williams, 21, Phils 3rd round pick in 2015; .118/.233/.171 in 76AB; 1HR 5RBI; 12%BB/22%K; 17 games at 3B with 2 errors (.931); 5 games in the OF with one error; .143 vs LHP; .098 vs RHP; .048 in May; Simply brutal production.

Austin Listi, 24, Phils 17th round pick in 2017; .382/.447/.573 in 110AB; 3HR 15RBI; 7%BB/19%K; 5 games at 1B without an error; 3 games in the OF without an error; .372 vs LHP; .388 vs RHP; .417 in May; Listi has been used almost exclusively as a DH and has been outstanding with the bat.

Lakewood

Quincy Neiporte, 23, Phils 26th round pick in 2017; .196/.235/.308 in 107AB; 2HR 11RBI; 3%BB/14%K; 19 games at 1B with 5 errors (.969); .222 vs LHP; .170 vs RHP; .200 in May; Has not shown much at the plate and his glove has been subpar this season.

Jake Scheiner, 22, Phils 4th round pick in 2017; .273/.325/.482 in 110AB; 4HR 12RBI; 8%BB/17%K; 15 games at 3B with 4 errors (.882); 11 games at 1B with 1 error (.987); .309 vs LHP; .236 vs RHP; .351 in May; Scheiner’s potential has shown over the last couple of weeks.

Dalton Guthrie, 22, Phils 6th round pick in 2017; .200/.247/.278 in 90AB; 1HR 8RBI; 5%BB/15%K; 13 games at 3B with 2 errors (.946); 10 games at SS with 2 errors (.938); 3 games at 2B without an error; .149 vs LHP; .256 vs RHP; Guthrie has really struggled trying to come back from injury.

 

 

32 thoughts on “Around the System–Corner Infield”

  1. Any reason why Martin is still on an active roster taking ABs from Hall? I assume they just want him to get so many ABs in Clearwater before the jump to AA?

  3. Hall and Listi to reading by the beginning of june. not super young so move them quicker

  4. What are the thoughts about Walding at this point? K% is worrisome as is age. BB% improving. maybe a bench platoon player. problem is bench spots are becoming scarce with team carring 12-13 pitchers

    1. I don’t think Walding would be a good bench option since the Phillies want their bench guys to play multiple positions.

    2. Agree with Lord – most teams, not just the Phils, need their bench players to play multiple positions and INF need to be able to play SS.

      1. agreed
        but raises the question, do players like walding have a place in modern baseball, if so, how?
        if he cant be a bench player, can he be starter?
        is there a place for a Gregg dobbs like player anymore?

        1. If the Phillies are only carrying 4 bench players (3 non-catchers), it would be tough for Greg Dobbs to hang around. But as I recall, Dobbs played LF and 3B (not well I know). But he was a good PH in his day.

          1. Mitch Walding does play a little first now…they made the switch for him , i suppose, with future versatility in mind, a few years ago in the off-season winter leagues.

            1. If Walding can play 3rd, I don’t see why he can’t play 1st and LF. Maybe RF too. After all, this team has put Hoskins in left and Kingery at short.

              Watching Walding in Spring Training for the first time I thought “now I know why he K’s so much.” That swing looked really long, so I wonder if he could get away with it at all in the majors.

            2. exactly, you look at his growth and its interesting but then you think, ok what the heck do I do with him,? where does he fit in.? you hope he does well enough to maybe be included in a trade package. Balitmore is incompetent so you never know.

    1. Tim…..only seven words….but still cannot decipher
      ‘don’t by’….?????.

  6. I miss the days of the 10 man pitching staff when teams carried a 7 man bench and could carry players who were just good pinchhitters or runners

    1. The reduction in position players has given birth to the Ben Zobrist/Scott Kingery style super utility player – which is actually kind of interesting.

  7. Catch what the hell is so good about kingery. I see a kid who cant hit a fastball and chases. this is the guy the whole site wanted us to trade Cesar obbie cause we had kingery. so far he is a bust. but early

    1. I don’t think it’s unexpected. His K/BB ratio wasn’t good in AAA and he only spent a half season there. Remember that it was a surprise that he even made the big league team out of Spring Training so the simple answer is that he wasn’t quite ready for the show.

      1. My issue is that if they weren’t going to clear a spot for him to play his regular position everyday then they should have started him in AAA to get regular at-bats.

        It’s extremely difficult for a young player to be a super-utility player while also trying to adjust to the major league game.

        1. Could be that too. It’s really impossible to know just how much that’s affected his hitting but I tend to agree. Not only because of the possible effect on Kingery but because it’s been hard to find ABs for all the guys that need them.

      2. My gosh, he’s still early in his career and he didn’t spend a lot of time in AAA. I think he gets plenty of ABs and his flexibility is an extremely important skill and I doubt this is why he is challenged at the plate. My goal for this team was to stick around above .500 long enough so that when they improve (and I feel they will), they could be in the mix in August. I expect a bunch of guys to have very strong second halves of the season, Kingery among them.

        And, Roccom, if you remember, I was one of the few people who was not part of the trade Cesar immediately movement. I still think, in the long run, Kingery sticks at second, but Cesar is so good there is no reason to move him unless they are overwhelmed by an offer which, thus far, probably has not happened.

        1. I Just right now think kingery should be in triple a learning the strike zone. I don’t know how good he can be. But I know how good Cesar is and has been.

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