Sunday, Mike Drago of the Reading Eagle published his yearly prospect survey. Mike requested input from about two dozen industry people who watch or cover a fair amount of games and players among the Phillies’ affiliates. He received 16 responses and used a weighted scoring system to determine a player’s perceived value (first-place votes earning 30 points, second place 29 points, etc.). I was one of the 16 respondents.
We were asked to –
- Rank the top players in the Phillies’ organization from No. 1 to No. 30, based on their present value to the organization and their major league ceiling/potential.
- Consider a player’s age and performance relative to each level he has played.
- Not include players who are no longer with the organization, nor players who appear to be in the majors for the long haul or have had significant big league time (such as: Roman Quinn and Andrew Knapp).
- Consider players who appear to be in the big leagues for a brief time and who are likely will begin next season in the minor leagues (such as: Drew Anderson, Dylan Cozens, Enyel De Los Santos, Ranger Suarez, and Mitch Walding).
So, without further adieu, here is the 2018 Reading Eagle End of Season Prospect Poll (with position, current club, and total points) –
- Sixto Sanchez (P, Clearwater, 475): The right-hander entered the season as one of the top 10 pitching prospects in baseball and remains that, despite a season limited to eight starts due to inflammation in his right elbow. The 20-year-old hasn’t pitched since June 3. He allowed two runs over his final four starts. Overall, he was 4-3 with a 2.51 at Clearwater. Should arrive in Reading in 2019.
- Adam Haseley (OF, Reading, 452): Last year’s No. 1 pick out of Virginia has moved quickly. Batted .300 in 79 games at Clearwater this season and hit even better after arriving in Reading in early July: .316 in his first 39 games, with a .403 on-base percentage and .478 slugging. Polished, smart hitter, though power potential remains in question.
- Adonis Medina (P, Clearwater, 434): Has had a solid, though not spectacular, season at Clearwater, going 10-4 with 4.12 ERA. Still, he’s just 21 and is striking out nearly 10 batters per nine innings with solid control. Likely to open 2019 in Double-A.
- Alec Bohm (3B, Williamsport, 394): Plucked out of Wichita State with the third overall pick in the June draft and signed for $6.9 million, the 22-year-old gives the Phillies a potential power-hitting third baseman. Missed about five weeks with Williamsport after being hit in the knee with a pitch. Hasn’t hit much yet. Expect him to move quickly.
- JoJo Romero (P, Reading, 388): The 21-year-old lefty didn’t get his first win in Reading until his eighth start but showed poise and pitchability over a two-month stretch after that before being sidelined with a strained oblique. Hasn’t pitched since July 14.
- Enyel De Los Santos (P, Lehigh Valley, 386): Might be the surprise player in the entire farm system after being acquired from Padres in Freddy Galvis deal. He was brilliant in his first 16 starts, going 9-3 with a 1.89 ERA. Hasn’t been quite as good since returning from two big league starts.
- Mickey Moniak (OF, Clearwater, 365): For a guy picked No. 1 overall in 2016 he’s been underwhelming, to say the least. At age 20, young for the Florida State League, he has batted .262 with five HRs and six steals in 112 games. Next year, in Reading, will be a big one for him.
- Jhailyn Ortiz (OF, Lakewood, 364): Strikeouts are up and power is down, but he’s just 19 playing his first year of full-season ball in the South Atlantic League. The upside remains high for a guy the Phillies signed for $4 million.
- Ranger Suarez (P, Lehigh Valley, 349): Has pitched effectively at Double-A and Triple-A this season and held his own in a couple big league starts. Not overpowering but throws strikes and is mature beyond his 22 years. Guys like this tend to sneak up and have solid careers.
- Cole Irvin (P, Lehigh Valley, 308): Suddenly the Phillies are awash with lefty starters in the minors, Irvin joining Romero and Suarez. Former fifth-round pick, 24, was named International League Pitcher of the Year after going 13-4 with 2.67 ERA at Lehigh Valley. A strike-thrower with some smarts.
- Luis Garcia, SS, Gulf Coast West, 283
- Spencer Howard, P, Lakewood, 254
- Francisco Morales, P, Williamsport, 208
- David Parkinson, P, Clearwater, 206
- Arquimedes Gamboa, SS, Clearwater, 162
- Cornelius Randolph, OF, Reading, 150
- Dylan Cozens, OF, Lehigh Valley, 144
- Daniel Brito, 2B, Clearwater, 143
- Connor Seabold, P, Reading, 136
- Kyle Young, P, Lakewood, 120
- Deivi Grullon, C, Reading, 116
- Drew Anderson, P, Lehigh Valley, 108
- Kyle Dohy, P, Reading, 100
- Mauricio Llovera, P, Clearwater, 99
- Jose Pujols, OF, Reading, 92
- Austin Listi, OF, Reading, 76
- Will Stewart, P, Lakewood, 74
- Matt Vierling, OF, Lakewood, 61
- Jake Scheiner, 3B, Lakewood, 56
- Rafael Marchan, C, Williamsport, 51
Other top vote-getters
Kevin Gowdy, P, DNP, 49; Addison Russ, P, Clearwater, 49; Darrick Hall, 1B, Reading, 48; Rodolfo Duran, C, Lakewood, 47; Simon Muzziotti, OF, Lakewood, 45; Bailey Falter, P, Clearwater, 40; Jhordany Mezquita, P, Williamsport, 38; Ramon Rosso, P, Clearwater, 38; Edgar Garcia, P, Reading, 36; Dominic Pipkin, P, Gulf Coast East, 33; Ben Pelletier, OF, Williamsport, 31; Colton Eastman, P, Williamsport, 30; Jake Holmes, P, Williamsport, 30
For your enjoyment, here is my response to Mike. I provided far less explanation than in previous years.
- Sixto Sanchez
- Adam Haseley
- Adonis Medina
- Ranger Suarez
- Spencer Howard
- Cole Irvin
- Mickey Moniak
- Alec Bohm
- JoJo Romero
- Enyel De Los Santos
- Jhailyn Ortiz
- David Parkinson
- Luis Garcia
- Connor Seabold
- Bailey Falter
- Dominic Pipkin
- Colton Eastman
- Deivi Grullon
- Mauricio Llovera
- Cornelius Randolph
- Logan O’Hoppe
- Ben Brown
- Carlos De La Cruz
- Rafael Marchan
- Jake Holmes
- Keylan Killgore
- Zach Warren
- Ben Pelletier
- Abrahan Gutierrez
- Kyle Glogoski
Here are the results from the 2017 poll.
- Scott Kingery, 2B, Lehigh Valley, 519
- Rhys Hoskins, 1B, Philadelphia, 479
- Sixto Sanchez, P, Clearwater, 470
- J.P. Crawford, SS, Lehigh Valley, 441
-
Cornelius Randolph, OF, Clearwater, 385
-
Adam Haseley, OF, Williamsport, 384
- Mickey Moniak, OF, Lakewood, 379
- Franklyn Kilome, P, Reading, 371
- Jorge Alfaro, C, Lehigh Valley, 357
- Adonis Medina, P, Lakewood, 326
- Jhailyn Ortiz, OF, Williamsport, 301
- Thomas Eshelman, P, Lehigh Valley, 294
- JoJoRomero, P, Lakewood, 267
-
Carlos Tocci, OF, Lehigh Valley, 244
-
Ranger Suarez, P, Lakewood, 229
- Roman Quinn, OF, Lehigh Valley, 228
- Drew Anderson, P, Lehigh Valley, 218
- Dylan Cozens, OF, Lehigh Valley, 203
- Jessen Therrien, P, Philadelphia, 164
- Seranthony Dominquez, P, Gulf Coast, 146
- Daniel Brito, 2B, Lakewood, 144
- Ben Lively, P, Philadelphia, 137
- Elniery Garcia, P, Reading, 127
- Cole Irvin, P, Reading, 109
- Ricardo Pinto, P, Philadelphia, 108
- Kevin Gowdy, P, (injured), 88
- Spencer Howard, P, Williamsport, 69
- Andrew Pullin, OF, Lehigh Valley, 61
- Jonathan Guzman, SS, Gulf Coast, 56
- Yacksel Rios, P, Philadelphia, 53
Arquimedes Gamboa, SS, Lakewood; Kyle Young, P, Williamsport; Cole Stobb, 3B, Williamsport; Nick Fanti, P, Lakewood; McKenzie Mills, P, Clearwater; Darick Hall, 1B, Lakewood; Jose Taveras, P, Lehigh Valley; Edgar Garcia, P, Clearwater; Alberto Tirado, P, Reading; Connor Seabold, P, Williamsport; Alejandro Requena, P, Lakewood; Jose Gomez, SS, Clearwater; Brandon Leibrandt, P, Lehigh Valley; Mitch Walding, 3B, Reading; Brayan Gonzalez, 2B, Gulf Coast; Jiandido Tromp, OF, Reading; Austin Davis, P, Reading; Raul Rivas, 2B, Williamsport, 3
Here are the results from the 2016 poll.
J.P. Crawford received 9 of 15 first place ballots, and was second on two others. He also received a third, a fourth a fifth and an eighth-place vote. Crawford is the first to rank No. 1 in three straight seasons since we’ve been doing the rankings. Mickey Moniak and Jake Thompson each received two first places, Nick Williams and Rhys Hoskins, one apiece. Forty-six different players received votes.
- J.P. Crawford, SS, Lehigh Valley
- Jorge Alfaro, C, Reading
- Nick Williams, OF, Lehigh Valley
- Jake Thompson, P, Philadelphia
- Mickey Moniak, OF, Gulf Coast
- Dylan Cozens, OF, Reading
- Roman Quinn, OF, Reading
- Cornelius Randolph, OF, Lakewood
- Franklyn Kilome, P, Lakewood
- Rhys Hoskins, 1B, Reading
- Scott Kingery, 2B, Reading
- Andrew Knapp, C, Lehigh Valley
- Adonis Medina, P, Williamsport
- Nick Pivetta, P, Lehigh Valley
- Jhailyn Ortiz, OF, Gulf Coast
- Ricardo Pinto, P, Reading
- Elniery Garcia, P, Clearwater
- Ben Lively, P, Lehigh Valley
- Kevin Gowdy, P, Gulf Coast
- Carlos Tocci, OF, Clearwater
Others receiving multiple votes( in order of vote total): Mark Appel, P, Lehigh Valley; Sixto Sanchez, P, Gulf Coast; Jimmy Cordeo, P, Reading; Cole Stobbe, SS, Gulf Coast; Jose Pujols, OF, Lakewood; Alberto Tirado, P, Lakewood; Alec Asher, P, Lehigh Valley; Thomas Eshelman, P, Reading; Drew Anderson, P, Clearwater; Andrew Pullin, OF, Reading; Cole Irvin, P, Williamsport; Arquimedes Gamboa, Williamsport; JoJo Romero, P, Williamsport; Malquin Canelo, SS, Clearwater; Tyler Viza, P, Reading.
Here are the results from the 2015 poll.
J.P Crawford received 15 of 16 first place votes. Jake Thompson received the other first place vote. Nick Williams received 11 second place votes. Thirty-four players received votes. The results of the poll were as follows.
- J.P. Crawford SS Reading 317 points
- Jake Thompson P Reading 287
- Nick Williams OF Reading 278
- Cornelius Randolph OF Gulf Coast 253
- Jorge Alfaro C Reading 236
- Roman Quinn OF Reading 225
- Franklyn Kilome P Williamsport 215
- Zach Eflin P Reading 197
- Ricardo Pinto P Clearwater 154
- Carlos Tocci OF Clearwater 145
- Aaron Altherr OF Philadelphia 144
- Andrew Knapp C Reading 138
- Jarad Eickoff P Philadelphia 113
- Scott Kingery 2B Lakewood 104
- Nick Pivetta P Reading 93
- Ben Lively P Reading 63
- Darnell Sweeney OF Philadelphia 59
- Rhys Hoskins 1B Clearwater 36
- Alberto Tirado P Clearwater 34
- Malquin Canelo SS Lakewood 29
Others receiving multiple votes( in order of vote total): Matt Imhof, P, Clearwater; Alec Asher, P, Lehigh Valley; Brandon Leibrandt, P,Clearwater; Dylan Cozens, OF, Clearwater; Jimmy Cordero, P, Reading; Kelly Dugan, OF, Lehigh Valley; Jose Pujols, OF Williamsport; Deivi Grullon, C, Lakewood; Willians Astudillo, C, Clearwater; Jesse Biddle, P, Lehigh Valley.
OM. The list: Players with downward stats, on DL for the Year, players with no lengthy professional experience. What the stats and info I read daily I must be watching a different minor system. Base the list like a real list. Eye test and performance with projection as a footnote
Eye test and projection go hand in hand. Like, the reason scouts scout guys is so they can project them.
This kind of accumulative poll is very interesting and useful in evaluating prospects. Certainly there is a decent amount of weight given to draft position and money paid to prospects. So Bohm and Ortiz are a lot higher than statistics show. I started Bohm at #5 when he was drafted. How he played in the short season would dictate moving him up or down. I think he’s played his way to a #7 or #8. If he was a mid-round pick, we wouldn’t even have him in the conversation. Ortiz is a guy who is very very young but has shown me that he has a ton of improvement needed to be a top 10 guy. But seeing night after night an 0’fer with 2 or 3 Ks is very disheartening. But every once in a while he has a 2 for 4 and a HR and you scratch your head and say, what the H-E-double toothpick?
I don’t think anyone on the Eagle’s list doesn’t belong on the top 30. There isn’t any hairbrained pick on the list. Jim’s list also doesn’t have anyone on it that shouldn’t be in the conversation. I think Jim sees a lot of these guys coming through CLW and watches them a lot. He therefore rates them higher than a guy living in PA, who is more likely to see or read about AAA, AA or A ballplayers. The organization is deep and there could be 40 or 45 guys who should be in the discussion for top 30. It’s a lot better than a few year’s back where our poll had a lot of wishin’ and hopin’ to it. There are a lot of guys who have a significant chance of making some noise in the show. It may be brief and it may just be a whisper but the noise can at least me heard.
List. Eye test, skills, mental skills over projection.
#15- mentally shows immaturity. 2015 spring training- called out for immaturity
Additional years shows signals of right of passage along with diminishing hitting skills
#4 position based upon draft position$$. Not enough abs to warrant
#20 Kilome like impressions. Not enough data
Prospect ranking is really like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I though Sixto is an easy consensus #1, but apparently not. David Parkinson who showed Ben Lively and Jose Taveras (both DFAd) like stats and ability jumps in the rankings over some high ceiling prospects. Garcia outside Top 10 and Brito still inside Top 20 despite of better INF prospects like Nic Torres, Jon Guzman, Brayan Gonzalez, etc – there’s no exact science to this methodology — that’s why it is always interesting to discuss.
But cannot ‘see’ Jose Gomez anywhere on the listings? 🙂
@romus – hahaha….even though i don’t fully agree in rankings of some prospects, i know that the final Reading Eagles prospect ranking has some credibility since they don’t have Jose Stinking Gomez in the Top 30. In fact, any Phillies prospect ranking with Jose Stinking Gomez in the Top 30 is questionable. I still can’t find anybody who can justify why Jose Stinking Gomez is Top 30, more so, Top 20 worthy.
I am willing to bet Callis/Mayo will not be placing Jose on the Philllies Pre-2019 Top 30.
They should. I’m only joking when ripping Callis/Mayo, but the Jose Gomez thing is an oversight error on their part.
Yeah…they may get a little lazy about the specific details around the mid-season time frame