Today I wanted to very briefly discuss the three young starters in the system I think have the highest upside. That’s two 2012 draftees, Mitch Gueller and Shane Watson, and recent international signing Franklyn Vargas.
Category Archives: 01. Site Features
Head to Head – Advanced Level Outfielders
Just a couple days away from the crowning of the Reader #1. I have a guess who it might be…(cough Biddle cough cough)…Jesse Biddle. Sorry for the coughing. I’ve been sick.
So today, I’m going to take a brief look at Kelly Dugan, Zach Collier and Tyson Gillies, and where they appear on my top 30.
John Sickels Phillies Top 20 Prospects
Its the season of lists, there are a lot of interesting names and orders on John’s list so it should spark good discussion.
- Biddle
- Morgan
- Quinn
- Joseph
- Pettibone
- Asche
- Ruf
- Martin
- Franco
- Watson Continue reading John Sickels Phillies Top 20 Prospects
Head to Head – Recent College Starting Pitchers
We move on to a group of guys that were 2011-2012 draftees out of big college programs and have thus far been starting pitchers in the Phils organization. I could include Adam Morgan in the group, but there’s not much to debate with him. He’s a top 5 prospect easily after his incredible season and the concensus of the scouting community seems to project him as a mid-rotation starter in the relatively short term.
So who does that leave? I have 3 guys in or near my top 30: Austin Wright at 17, Kevin Brady at 24, and Hoby Milner at 32.
Continue reading Head to Head – Recent College Starting Pitchers
Head To Head – Low-Level Outfielders
In the run up to the Reader Top 30 Poll, I’m going to start a couple conversations about similar players who appear in clusters on my personal, (and still not settled) Top 50. I hope this will help get everyone geared up for voting in the first full week of January.
In the next couple weeks, I’ll take a look at some recent college draftees who’ve stayed as starting pitchers, a couple upper-level outfielders, and lower-level infielders and starting pitchers. But first up: low-level outfielders. Carlos Tocci, Larry Greene Jr., and Dylan Cozens.
General Discussion – Holiday Edition
Wishing everyone a Happy Holidays! (or Halladays as Murray as said) Here is your thread for the news over the holidays. The Reader Top 30 will begin Monday January 7 and we will go 5 a week Mon-Fri followed by the Top 30s of the various writers here as well as a format for all of you to display your personal Top 30s. Then we will be at Spring Training, and time to preview the season and make bold predictions of sleepers and breakout prospects.
Everyone have a safe and happy holidays and hope for a better year in 2013 for the Phillies both on the major league team and especially on the farm! (also whatever player you would like waiting in your stocking for the Phillies this year)
What to Expect in 2013: Relievers
We end the preview of the system with a look at relievers including those still in the minors and the large group of young guys right on the door to the major leagues.
The common saying is that relievers are merely failed starters, in many cases this is true, the Phillies however have been very good at finding college guys who will transition well to the bullpen. The consequence is that the system is stocked with high upside arms who are not that far away from major league contributions.
As always please re-read gregg’s end of season bullpen recaps GCL/WPT, CLW/LKW, and LHV/RDG. Just a note: I have left off players in the bottom level, if you would like see someone added to this list just ask and I can put them on.
Right Handers:
Phillipe Aumont (23) – Aumont may have the best raw stuff of any pitcher in the organization, a 70 fastball, 70 curveball, and a 60-70 splitter. The problem is that it comes along with below average command, due to mechanics that often fall apart. All of Aumont’s pitches have incredible movement, which cause both swings and misses in addition to weak contact. If Aumont can consistently throw strikes he is a back of the bullpen reliever, with elite closer upside. Continue reading What to Expect in 2013: Relievers
What to Expect in 2013: Left Handed Starting Pitchers
The Phillies have always liked their live armed lefty pitchers. The system has a large quantity of left handed pitchers with plus stuff. Tops of these arms are two pitchers with mid-rotation ceilings and the proximity to make them relatively safe bets to meet those expectations. The Phillies hope that one of the young pitchers behind them can establish themselves as more than just an arm but a serious pitching candidate. The good thing about left handed starters is that their floors can be relatively high as long as they can master some fastball control and a good breaking pitch. This is because there is always a need for good LOOGYs, and even more important left handed relievers who can get both left handed and right handed batters out. The Phillies have a history of giving these guys the chance to start until they fail before moving them to the bullpen, some of these pitchers may make it to the majors as starters before reaching their ultimate home in a bullpen.
As always please read gregg’s end of season report cards for the upper and lower minors.
Jesse Biddle (21) – Biddle is the best prospect in the system, a big strong workhorse Biddle has a plus fastball and curveball, and he also has a change up that profiles as at least average as well as a slider and two-seamer that were late additions in 2012. Biddle will face a tough challenge in AA but he has a fairly safe #3 starter profile, but there is plenty of room for him to improve to a #2 starter ceiling if he can continue to make the same size strides he has in previous years. Continue reading What to Expect in 2013: Left Handed Starting Pitchers
What to Expect in 2013: Right Handed Starting Pitchers (Kids Edition)
The Phillies have always liked drafting projectable right handed pitchers with prototypical power pitcher builds. The strategy has had mixed success but it leaves the low minors full of arms with plenty of potential but years and years of development in front of them. In 2012 the Phillies added two more arms with plenty of pedigree with their two supplemental first round picks. If a pitcher has more than a fastball he is ahead of the curve for the most part, and for many pitchers they are far away from their final arm strength and velocity.
I have kept these players separate from the more polished arms because they are at a very different part of their developmental process where they are transitioning from raw arms to pitchers. Many of them will not make it past Lakewood, others are destined for the bullpen, and just maybe there are some solid starters in this group which will emerge.
As always please read gregg’s end of season report cards for the upper and lower minors.
The Kids
Shane Watson (19) – Watson was the Phillies first pick in the 2012 draft. Watson made a brief debut in the GCL, but his season was cut off by by a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. Watson’s fastball sits in the low-90s but he has run it up as high as 96 in high school. Watson’s best pitch is a plus curveball that has tight sharp movement. Watson has shown a changeup but it is still developing at this point and he has tinkered with a cutter. As with most high school pitchers Watson’s command could use some fine-tuning. Watson is advanced enough that he could handle a promotion to a full year at Lakewood. Continue reading What to Expect in 2013: Right Handed Starting Pitchers (Kids Edition)
Baseball America Phillies Top 10 Prospects
Today Baseball America released their Top 10 prospects in the Phillies System. Since the scouting reports are behind the pay wall I will keep the scouting reports to quick paraphrases of Baseball America’s reports.
If you have further questions and are a BA subscriber please go to the chat later today or submit your questions now.
1. Jesse Biddle – LHP – Age 21 -Biddle has drawn comparisons to Andy Pettitte for his strong left handed frame. Biddle’s fastball sits 88-93, he follows it up with a curveball which profiles as plus, an average change up, and a added a two-seamer and slider in 2012. Biddle has a great work ethic and he physically profiles as a workhorse with a clean smooth delivery. Biddle has a very good chance to be a #3 starter but there is a chance that he could profile better if one of his pitches takes a step forward. Continue reading Baseball America Phillies Top 10 Prospects
Phuture Phillies 