You know the drill.
GCL Phillies game was suspended
Williamsport lost 6-1.
Lakewood off.
Clearwater postponed
Reading won 7-6.
Lehigh Valley won 5-1.
Something random. I missed this, but the Phillies signed Drew Rundle a few days/weeks ago, and he’s been at Williamsport. He was a 14th round pick in 2006 by the Cubs, but received a $500K bonus, well above slot. His report back then
Two Oregon-bred outfielders went in the first round in 2005, but both Portland’s Trevor Crowe and Madras’ Jacoby Ellsbury were drafted out of college, not high school. Rundle entered the spring with a chance to join them as first-rounders after a strong summer on the showcase circuit, where he showed the ability to hit off top-flight pitchers in his draft class with good velocity. That momentum didn’t carry over to the spring, though, and his hopes for being drafted highly rest primarily on his athletic ability and his performance last summer. Rundle has changed his approach this spring, spreading out at the plate (with a stance similar to Jim Edmonds’) to gain better plate coverage. He’s not strong enough to generate power from the stance and had only one homer all spring as the draft approached. Unlike Edmonds (or burners Crowe and Ellsbury), Rundle doesn’t profile as a center fielder even though he’s a present average runner, so scouts are seeing a corner outfielder who isn’t showing present power. He has average arm strength, and scouts who like him point out he hasn’t seen much to hit all spring. An Arizona recruit as was Crowe before him, he’s expected to go off the board in the first five rounds.
He was decent from 2006-2008, but really struggled last year. After hitting 10 HR in 2008, he hit just 3 last year. He’s never played above A+ ball, and he’s now back in SS ball, but still interesting. I remember reading about him during the 2006 draft, always interesting to see these guys pop up. Not saying he’s a great prospect or anything, but interesting nonetheless.
Phuture Phillies 