I was going to avoid writing a prediction piece on the minor league season but the major league season has gotten off to a depressing enough start that I started writing some predictions for the minor league season.  I will limit these to positive predictions as it is the time of year for optimism.

1.  As the big league club struggles and prospects get more attention, Reading, Lehigh Valley, and Lakewood all continue to see attendance boosts and coverage by mainstream media as casual fans learn more about the farm system.

2.  Shane Watson dominates Lo-A hitters with his curveball but the Phillies leave him in Lakewood all year to work on fastball command and building arm strength. Continue reading 2013 Minor League Predictions →

So in honor of the first minor league game of the year (even if it was an exhibition) all of the AA and AAA prospects are in the spotlight.

How we got here:

You will have to read Brad’s game recap to find out.

What happened:

All velocities quoted are off of TV which is off of the LHV gun, which according to Eric Logenhagen of Crashburn Alley was slow compared to the gun Jesse Biddle had for the guys tracking pitches.

Brody Colvin:  Looked good, snapped off some good looking curveballs.  The fastest fastball I saw was 92 but he was throwing harder as the innings progressed.  He had a good changeup that was kind of straight but looked good out of the hand.  More importantly he looked in shape and the delivery looked good. Continue reading Prospect Profile: Reading and Lehigh Valley →

News was very slow trickling out of Clearwater regarding the Threshers roster, but is has arrived.  Here it goes:
Catchers: Ludy, Moore, Stumpo

Infield: Serritella, Alonso, Franco, Martinez, Roof, Stassi, Mojica

Outfield: Altherr, Hudson, Perkins

Pitchers: Arias, Erbe, Garner, Nick Hernandez, Klevan, Milner, Murray, Nesseth, O’Sullivan, Paulino, Shreve, Stewart.

DL: Kenny Giles

Hey, there’s baseball today. Feel free to discuss it at length.

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.

If you were watching or listening to yesterday’s game you may have been surprised by the pitcher on the mound in the 8th and 9th inning for the Phillies.  Brandon Erbe is another is a line of former Orioles that Joe Jordan has brought over to the Phillies.  Erbe on the surface appears to be roster filler, but he is a former top starting pitching prospect who is still young enough (25) to be impactful out of a bullpen.

How We Got Here:

Erbe was a 3rd round pick in 2005 out of high school by the Orioles.  He had an ok debut in 2005 but broke out in 2006.  At age 18 in low-A Erbe put up a 3.22 ERA, 47BB, 133 K line in only 114.2 IP (10.44 K/9 at age 18 in lo-A).  He was then rated the #2 propsect in the Orioles system and the #78 player in baseball.  Erbe had a mid-90s fastball, a plus slider, and an improving change up.  Starting in 2007 it went downhill as Erbe battled control and injury problems (still put up a 2.99 BB/9, 9.02 K/9 line in 2008 at age 20 in hi-A over 150.2 IP).  Injuries have really derailed his career and he hasn’t pitched much the last two years.  Erbe’s starting career at this point is over, but the Phillies still signed him to a minor league contract when he hit minor league free agency this year. Continue reading Prospect Spotlight: Brandon Erbe →