Top 20 Phillies Prospects (Mid-2015)

Jack Merlino

The Phillies are terrible. But it's okay (almost), because that means high (and getting higher) draft picks, all picked by a man who knows more (relative to the last guy, anyway) about prospects and potential! This list will account for this summer's draft picks, some of whom are already making early splashes in their young, pro careers.


1. JP Crawford (SS)

Easily the best in the Phils' system and a top prospect in the entire game, Crawford has excelled at every level against pitchers years older, a number that has peaked this year at AA Reading (the average player is 4.5 years his elder). Crawford has the batting prowess and defensive acumen to be a premium shortstop for the Phillies for a long time. Look for him to be an excellent 2-hole hitter. ETA: 2016 Sept call-up.

2. Aaron Nola (SP)

He could be a big-leaguer by the time this article is published. Nola has baffled scouts and analysts: how high is his ceiling? Well, none of his stuff is quite 'explosive'. But it's average, and his control is impeccable. Well, here's a safe prediction: if Hamels is traded and Nola is promoted, he'll be the ace of the staff. Fair? Cool. ETA: 2015. Very soon.

3. Franklyn Kilome (SP)

Surprise! #3 isn't Roman Quinn. Kilome has burst onto the scene by adding 4-5 mph to his fastball, which now sits regularly in the mid-to-high 90's. Those poor short-season hitters. One scout, Matt Winkleman, believes it could one day reach the fabled 100-mph mark. When that's paired with a curveball that has made lots of progress, Kilome oozes projection and has the ceiling of a bona fide, legitimate ace. Do some things need to break the right way? Absolutely. The safer prediction is a #3 or so starter who can strike out 200 batters a year but has control problems that'll force him out of a lot of games earlier than he'd like. ETA: 2019.

4. Roman Quinn (CF)

Here he is. Truthfully, he'd be #3 if it weren't for his uncanny ability to hurt every single part of himself, one spot at a time. With blazing speed that would have him among the 5 fastest big-leaguers and surprising power for a guy of his size, Quinn could one day find himself leading off ahead of JP Crawford and Maikel Franco in front of a packed Citizens Bank Park. The strikeouts were up prior to his injury, around 25% of his at-bats, but expect him to cut down on that even more as he learns his unnatural side of the plate (he's making progress learning to switch-hit) and matures with a leadoff mentality. If he can just stay healthy, he'll be Philly's center-fielder soon. ETA: 2016.

5. Zach Eflin (SP)

Part of one of the only true steals of Amaro's tenure as GM (don't let that Dodgers series fool you; Rollins stinks now), Eflin would be getting Philly's trademarked unrealistic expectations if it weren't for Aaron Nola ahead of him ("Yeah, most professional scouts say he's a #3, but what if he turned into Roy Halladay?") He may actually have better stuff than Nola, but less control (which isn't to say he's wild, just that Nola's control is crazy). He's got a heavy sinker in the mid-90's and solid offspeed stuff. There's potential to be a #2, but #3 is the safer bet. He's another one who'd immediately slot in as the ace if Hamels left, if it makes you feel better. ETA: 2015 September call-up.

6. Cornelius Randolph (OF)

First, how do you not win an MVP award with that name? Between him and Eagles safety Walter Thurmond, Philly might have the best core of professional athletes whose names would have people assuming they were Oxford professors.

As the Phillies' 10th overall pick this June, he was immediately bestowed lofty expectations. He hasn't disappointed early, hitting .276 in the Rookie league with a more-impressive .456 slugging percentage. He says he's modeled his swing after Robinson Cano. If he becomes half that player, the Phils had a steal at #10.

In two years when the guys ahead of him are all promoted, look for him to be a top Phillies prospect that could be 1 or 2 depending on how much you like Kilome.

7. Luis Encarnacion (1B)

Hitting one spot behind Randolph on the GCL team, Luis leads the league in home runs (4) and has an even .500 slugging percentage. Also he can't vote. Because he's 17 years old. Most scouts think he'll have to stay at 1st base as he fills out, but with a lack of 'sexy' 1B prospects on the horizon, that could work out just fine. He's a symbol of the 180-degree turnaround that the Phils' international side of scouting has had in the past few years. Imagine Quinn, Crawford, Randolph, Encarnacion, and Franco rounding out the first five batters in a lineup. Dang. ETA: 2020 (unless he absolutely explodes).

8. Rhys Hoskins (1B)

Hoskins and Encarnacion could flip-flop depending on if you value advancement over potential. Rhys (another sweet name) set the SALLY league on fire early on, which earned him his promotion to Clearwater. After a blistering start, Hoskins cooled off dramatically, but has since leveled off at a respectable .270 average. With an overall average of .310 and 13 home runs so far, Hoskins has fared well in two leagues known for their pitcher-friendly environments. What's most encouraging is that Hoskins' home run rate has remained consistent after the level-jump. Being a former college bat and a 22 year-old, he'll be on the outskirts of impact-prospectdom for most of his minor-league career due to his current level, but late-bloomers are a thing, and he could find himself at Reading soon due to the dearth of legitimate 1B prospects ahead of him. Will he ever be an MLB all-star? Probably not. Could he have a successful career? It's certainly possible. ETA: 2017 (maybe a season earlier, depending on how the Phils move forward with Ryan Howard).

9. Carlos Tocci (OF)

For what seems like an eternity, we were fed the idea that Tocci had stud potential; he just needed to bulk up (hitting balls out of the infield was a bit of a challenge for Carlos for a while). It looks like that finally happened. Tocci, like his teammate Hoskins, tore up the SALLY league and has steadied at Clearwater, sporting a .275 average and a .302 average across both leagues. He's listed at 160 lbs, which means that a particularly strong gust of wind could still blow him away, but that also means there's more space to fill out, and that means even more power (to add to his .392 slg %). His calling card, defense, was described as 'major-league ready'. Let's all agree to be patient. Tocci is 19 years old, and could be in Reading with Hoskins next summer as a 20 year-old. With Quinn a level above, there are zero reasons to rush him. ETA: 2017 September call-up.

10. Ben Lively (SP)

Lots of people like him, and he's fared alright in Reading, but a 3.65 ERA in AA and a career-low strikeout rate (6.5/9 innings) just screams Kyle Kendrick at me. Not that there's anything wrong with that; remember that "he'd be an ace in today's..." phrase that keeps coming up? You can't have Nolas and Eflins pitching every day, and he's better than Seanrome O'Williams, but the ceiling is likely a #4. Think Joe Blanton; for a couple weeks, he could accidentally put the team on his shoulders. That guy hit a home run once, so let's just be hopeful for that. ETA: 2016

11. Ricardo Pinto (SP)

He's generously listed at 6'0'' and is striking out 4.5 batters per 9 innings. Essentially, everyone is pretty much waiting for him to fail so he can just convert to a reliever and be done with it. The problem is he's succeeding as a starter. His season-high ERA is 3.09, which he posted this year for Lakewood before being sent to Clearwater and lowering it to 3.03. He's got a good fastball that can reach 96 mph and a devastation changeup. What he's lacking is a consistent 3rd pitch. The slider he's developing will decide how he's used by the major-league club; a #3/#4 starter, or a solid middle-reliever. ETA: 2017

12. Kelly Dugan (OF)

Similar to Quinn in that he'd probably be higher if not for his injury history. After coming back from a foot injury, he's shown a plus hit-tool, batting .325 for Reading. Though he hasn't gone yard yet this year (he hit one rehabbing at Clearwater to be fair), his knack for hitting balls into the gap has his OPS at .812. Out of the 2014 Reading outfield trio of himself, Aaron Altherr, and Cameron Perkins, Dugan has the potential to be the best all-around player. Think '08 Werth with slightly less power.

ETA: 2016 (2015 September call-up if the Phils outsource their current outfield to the rest of the league).

13. Jose Pujols (OF)

Another guy waaay down the minor-league ladder who needs to work on some things. There's really only one thing Pujols needs to improve, and that's his hit-tool. Though he's hitting .326 early for Williamsport, the strikeouts were and remain a concern. The arm and glove are good, and the power is methodical. He just has to make contact. He does that, the guys above advance, and Pujols will be a top-5 prospect. ETA: 2019

14. Aaron Altherr (OF)

Arguably the most advanced outfield prospect in the Phillies' system, Altherr performed well for a little over a year at Reading, then proceeded to do terrible things to the AAA pitchers he's faced. His even .300 batting average and .500 slg % could have him as the first hitter called up when the dominoes begin to fall at the trade deadline in Philly. Out of the Dugan-Altherr-Perkins trio, he safely has the most power. ETA: 2015.

15. Tom Windle (SP/RP)

It shouldn't have been like this. The other half of the return for Rollins forgot how to throw a strike. After posting a 5.35 ERA and Aumont-esque 5 BB/9 innings, he was moved to the bullpen. Could he become a starter again, in the future? Sure, but the Phils at the very least are probably going to let him fill out the rest of this year in the 'pen to get his head cleared. ETA: 2016 September call-up.

16. Cam Perkins (OF)

If Perkins hadn't completely fallen apart following his 2014 promotion to AAA, he'd likely be on the Phillies' roster over a toilet like Dominic Brown. He hit .216, over a 100 point dropoff from his AA average. Now, he's back in Reading, where's he's been a consistent .260 hitter. This is problematic because his hit-tool was all Perkins really had offensively. Given how Dugan, Altherr, and Quinn are performing, and the presence of Odubel Hererra/Cody Asche in Philadelphia, Perkins could be facing a make-or-break year. The bold move would be to call Perkins up to Philly with enough time to evaluate a decent sample size and see if he can hold his own, which would be better than 2 or 3 other current Phillies could claim. ETA: hopefully 2015.

17. Andrew Knapp (C)

Knapp is the highest catcher on this list, which goes to show the desperation with which the Phils need to get a decent catcher in return for their legitimate trade pieces. Admittedly, Knapp has hit over .320 following his call-up to AA. Somewhere in between there and the .262 avg he gave at Clearwater would probably be his major-league ceiling. For a catcher who is obviously offense first, that is a must. The power is coming along, as is the defense, and the Phils could actually have a decent catching platoon between Knapp and Cameron Rupp. ETA: 2016.

18. Malquin Canelo (SS)

In all fairness to Canelo, you'll never be heard of if you share a system with JP Crawford. That's not to say Canelo isn't trying. He slashed .311 for Lakewood before being snatched by Hoskins and Tocci on their way out and dropped in Clearwater. Since then, he's hit .235. That's not too bad when he was considered all-glove likely-organizational-filler prior to this season. Now he's on prospect lists. Look for him and 2015 draft picks Scott Kingery & Josh Tobias to race for the Phils' 2B job. ETA: 2018.

19. Nefi Ogando (RP)

Ogando makes this list as the only TRUE reliever. He can be seen as a less polished Ken Giles. High-octane fastball and a nice slider. You know who the Phils gave to acquire him? John McDonald. Yeah.

Anyway, the Phillies have gone through enough relievers this season to fill an entire separate roster, and it isn't out of the question that we'll see Ogando soon because he's in Lehigh Valley. ETA: 2015 September call-up at the latest.

20. Deivi Grullon (C)

If he could hit his own foot he'd be in the top 10. On the 20-80 scale of grading prospects, Grullon's arm is an 80. The blocking/framing part of his defense is coming along...and then there's...the bat. It's...not good. If he keeps going at this rate, he could be an uber-Rupp in terms of defense with the same hitting skill. Meh. ETA: 2019

BONUS PROSPECT: Willians Astudillo (C/1B/3B/OF)

Oh my God can he just find a position please? 'Ted' Willians, as the internet has taken to calling him, had the lowest strikeout rate of any player in affiliated baseball last year. That's no exaggeration. In 1550 career at-bats, he's struck out 50 times. That's a 3.2% rate. He walks at only a slightly higher rate, but nobody's perfect, right?

And then there's the D. Not enough power for a corner infield or outfield spot, and not enough defense to catch. Who knows what to do? We can only be sure that the second he's allowed to leave, another organization will turn him into a hall-of-famer. #Phillies.