My Christmas/New Years/Birthday/Cinco De Mayo/Hanukah/Kwanza  all wrapped up in one is this Thursday as the Minor League baseball season begins, and just a few housekeeping notes as we enter our 6th full season here at Phuture Phillies. Over 10,000,000 page views later, this site has grown to certainly one of, if not the primary source for Phillies minor league information.  James grew this site with his credibility of verifying information and well thought out analysis.  I hope we continue the tradition he built for years to come.

The huge contributions of Matt and Brad will continue through the 2013 season as they each basically have carte blanche to contribute as they see fit. Brad will be doing the daily box score updates and a feature or two if he can fit it into his schedule.  Matt will continue with player profiles and features and will focus on the upcoming draft as we head into June.  Like I have in years past, I will focus on Lehigh Valley, but with renewed vigor this year as for the first time in the five years I have been covering the ‘Pigs, they have a dozen players that have legitimate shots at appearing on major league rosters if not this year, then next. As much as my schedule permits, I will continue the “Hot or Not” and “Around the System” series that people seem to like,  which gives a good overview of what is happening from top to bottom in the minor leagues.  I am also hoping to get out to several Reading games this year for “in person” analysis of the prospects in Baseball Town.  Continue reading Opening Day Housekeeping →

Catchers: Carman, Numata

Infield: Carmona, Quinn, Charles, Tyler Greene, Walding, Mora

Outfield: Tocci, Pointer, Olmo, Taylor

Pitchers:  Brady, Cooper, Santos, Aizenstadt, Francisco, Guth, Hanson, Inch, Mecias, Nunez, Stefan, Watson, Warner

I have been trying to put together what appears to be the beginnings of the roster for each team through a variety of sources and this is what I think we currently have.  None of this is confirmed, and all is subject to change:

Update: 700 pm–Both rosters are confirmed

Lehigh Valley

Catchers: Joseph and Lerud

Infield: Overbeck, Hernandez, Martinez, Asche, Fields, Orr

Outfield: Ruf, Gillies, Castro, J. Mitchell, Susdorf

SP: Pettibone, Morgan, Martin, Cloyd, Rosenberg

RP: Stutes, DeFratus, Diekman, Savery, Jiminez, Miner, Friend

Reading:

Catchers: Valle, Rupp, and Suomi

Infield: Murphy, Henson, Cartwright, Hanzawa, Duran, Abreu

Outfield: D. Mitchell, Hewitt, Collier, Welty

Starters: Biddle, Colvin, Buchanan, Wright

Relievers: Knigge, J. Johnson, Simon, JC Ramirez, Neris, Sosa, Robles

Fortunes can change in a hurry in minor league baseball, the latest example being the case of P Austin Hyatt, who was released today by the Phils according to Jeff Schuler, the IronPigs beat reporter for the Morning Call.  Hyatt was considered to be a prospect to watch coming into the 2012 season after going 12-6 with a 3.85 ERA in 28 starts for Reading in 2011.

Hyatt’s 2012 was consistently miserable. He went 2-7 with a 6.33 ERA in 11 starts  in Lehigh Valley, with a WHIP over 1.63. He wasn’t a whole heck of alot better for Reading in his 16 starts, going 8-5 with a 4.62 ERA.  In several Lehigh Valley starts I witnessed, Hyatt struggled with his control, running many deep counts and was quite simply, very hittable.

Hyatt, 26, was the Phils 15th round pick out of the University of Alabama in 2009.  His release may actually be a favor to him, as with the glut of young starters the Phils have in Lehigh Valley and Reading, Hyatt may have struggled to get starts. In any event, it looks more and more like the Lehigh Valley rotation will be Pettibone, Morgan, Martin, Cloyd and Cochran, which will be an exciting rotation to watch for those who frequent Coca Cola Park.

Clearing up part of the debate, the Phils have optioned relief pitchers Justin DeFratus and Jake Diekman to the minors.  Both should anchor the back end of the Lehigh Valley bullpen. In other roster moves, INF Josh Fields and RP Cesar Jiminez were re-assigned to minor league camp.  The battle for the last two spots in the bullpen has three pitchers currently attached to it (Valdes, Horst and Cook).

35 players remain in major league camp, with two weeks until opening day.

Over at minor league camp, 1B Chris Duffy and OF Gauntlett Eldemire were released by the Phils today. Duffy, 25, was the Phils 26th round pick in the 2010 draft out of the University of Central FLorida.  A bit more surprising, but not unexpected was that the Phils gave up on ELdemire, their 6th round pick in the 2010 draft. Eldemire simply could not stay on the field, as the often injured outfielder hit .227 for Lakewood in just over 200 AB’s in 2010. The speedy OF did have 18 stolen bases was a one dimensional player, whose dimension was taken away by injury.

Finally, relief pitcher Mike Cisco was threw for both Reading and Lehigh Valley over the past two years was traded to Angels for nothing. Cisco, who is soon to be 26, was the Phils 36th round pick in the 2008 draft and blocked by at least a half dozen relievers ahead of him in the Phils organization.

Time to take another shot at roster projections with two weeks to go until the close of Spring Training.  I made two changes at the major league level and have now included some early thoughts on the Lehigh Valley roster.

Phils

Pitchers: (12); Hamels, Lee, Halladay, Kendrick, Lannan, Papelbon, Adams, Durbin, Bastardo, Aumont, Cook, Valdes.  Cook’s roster spot may be solidifying as starters struggle during the Spring. The Phils need someone who can throw 3-4 innings if necessary.  Valdes, Horst and Diekman are in the race for the last bullpen spot.  Valdes has been very impressive as of late, walking one and striking out 16 this Spring.

Catchers: Kratz, Quintero.  Ruiz suspended for 25 games. Continue reading Roster Projections →

This is the time period where those at the mid to lower levels of the minors begin to get nervous that their time has come, and that news was broken to two today.

Matt Sisto, 23, was the Phils 20th round pick in the 2012 draft.  He was advised today he was released.  The big RHP out of University of Hawaii pitched in Williamsport last year,  going 1-3 with a 3.51 ERA in 24 games.

UCLA product Garrett Claypool was also released today. CLaypool, 24, was the Phils 10th round draft pick in 2010, and after some promising outings in 2011, had his 2012 mired with injury going 3-2 with a 7.30 ERA for Clearwater.

In other news, 2B Cesar Hernandez and P Justin Friend were reassigned to minor league camp, leaving 39 players currently still in major league camp.

The Phillies announced today that five more players were optioned to minor league camp.  The list includes pitchers BJ Rosenberg, Tyler Coyd, Mauricio Robles; Outfielder Tyson Gillies along with Catcher Sebastian Valle.

No real surprises here as the Phils now stand at 41 in major league camp.

The Phillies made their first round of Spring Training cuts today with the following players re-assigned to minor league camp: Pitchers: Adam Morgan, JC Ramirez, Kyle Simon, Joe Savery; Infielders: Michael Martinez and Cody Asche, Catcher: Tommy Joseph and Outfielder: Joe Mather. Joining that group on Monday at the minor league complex will be Pitchers Jonathan Pettibone and Ethan Martin, along with outfielder Zach Collier.  None of these moves were unexpected, although I am slightly surprised Savery’s demotion came so early.

Of the above group, the most impressive in limited action this Spring were Morgan, Joseph, and Asche.

So, a full two weeks of Spring Training games have been played and to start the chatter, here is where I believe things would stand if the season started tomorrow:

Catchers(2): Kratz, Quintero. Ruiz serving his suspension

Infield(6): Howard, Utley, Rollins, Young, Frandsen, Galvis

Outfield: Brown, Revere, Mayberry, Nix, Young.  If Young is not ready for the start of the season, I see Pete Orr making the team, as he can play both the INF and OF and can run.  Ruf simply is too much of a defensive liability at this stage to make the team. He needs to play 50-60 consecutive games in LF in Lehigh Valley. Continue reading Two Weeks In… →