Top 10 Phillies Prospects from Baseball america

[philliesfiend55]

The top 10 Phillies prospects list by Baseball America was released today. (12/17/12).

RANK-Player - Positiion - Highest level player has played at in career.


1. Jesse Biddle - LHP - Clearwater. FL, PA (high A).
2. Roman Quinn - SS - Williamsport, PA (short season A).
3. Tommy Joseph - C - Reading, PA (AA).
4. Jonathan Pettibone - RHP - Lehigh Valley- Allentown, PA (AAA).
5. Adam Morgan - LHP - Reading,PA (AA).
6. Ethan Martin - RHP - Reading,PA (AA)
7. Cody Asche - 3B - Reading,PA (AA)
8. Makiel Franco - 3B - Lakewood,NJ (Low A)
9. Darin Ruf - LF/1B - Philadelphia (PA) Phillies - MLB - (made major leagues debut Sept. 14, 2012 & played in majors for final 20 days of the season. Recalled form Reading (AA).
10. Carlos Tocci - OF - Gulf Coast League Phillies, Clearwater, FL - (Rookie League).

[Ben Grimm]

Quite a difference from last year's list:

1. Trevor May, rhp
2. Jesse Biddle, lhp
3. Sebastian Valle, c
4. Jonathan Pettibone, rhp
5. Phillippe Aumont, rhp
6. Freddy Galvis, ss
7. Justin DeFratus, rhp
8. Brody Colvin, rhp
9. Jiwan James, of
10. Maikel Franco, 3b

Last year was full of pitchers, but with a couple considered bullpen guys (which isn't a good sign for a top-10). Hitter-wise, a catcher with questionable pitch recognition, a utility infielder, and outfielder with very little power and strikes out too much to make use of his best asset - his legs.

If anything, I'm surprised to see Quinn so high after only being in short season. The highest ceiling kids are quite a few years away still. And if the Phillies don't sign somebody like Swisher this offseason, they'll retain their first round draft pick which will be the highest one they've had in quite some time.

[philliesfiend55]

The most interesting change to me is that C- Sebastian Valle who has been rated as high as #2 in the past has been dropped from the Top 10. He hasn't reached the major leagues yet, but he will only turn 23 in July of next year. Seems like the organization has lost a lot of confidence in him and that now they favor Tommy Josepth as Chooch's successor.
Also:Jiwan James, a former Top 10 guy, was left unprotected at the Rule 5 Draft and he had no takers - something that would have seemed unlikely a year or two ago!
Phillippe Aumont looked very promising in the majors from late August onward last year. He can now be considered a major leaguer and is no longer on the top prospects list.
It's also interesting how the Phillies have discarded their former #1 pitching prospects the last two years in a row in Jared Cossart and Trevor May. They are now banking on Jesse Biddle to be the real deal as well as Jonathan Pettibone, Adam Morgan and Ethan Martin who should fight it out eventually for Phillies rotation spots.
The Phillies front office is enamoured of their two Trade Deadline acquisitions - Catcher Tommy Joseph from the San Francisco Giants and Ethan Martin from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

[Ben Grimm]

The most interesting change to me is that C- Sebastian Valle who has been rated as high as #2 in the past has been dropped from the Top 10. He hasn't reached the major leagues yet, but he will only turn 23 in July of next year. Seems like the organization has lost a lot of confidence in him and that now they favor Tommy Josepth as Chooch's successor.

Some notes on the "future" catchers in the organization from Bill Baer at Crashburnalley.com...

Most notably, there is Tommy Joseph, who came into the Phillies’ system in the trade that sent Hunter Pence to the San Francisco Giants. After slugging 22 home runs and posting a .787 OPS as a 19-year-old with Single-A San Jose, Joseph followed that up with a less-impressive 11 homers and .715 OPS between Double-A Richmond (Giants) and Double-A Reading (Phillies). Joseph also spent 34 of the 108 games he started at first base or as a designated hitter, reinforcing the notion that he won’t be a catcher at the Major League level. It could still happen, but Joseph needs to take some strides defensively first. While he has a strong arm, he struggles at blocking pitches in the dirt.

Sebastian Valle, now 22, has been for a couple years considered the heir apparent to Ruiz. He made it all the way up to Triple-A Lehigh Valley last season after finishing 2011 with Single-A Clearwater, which is very impressive. He also recovered the power that went missing, hitting 17 in total last season compared to just five the year prior. Unfortunately, Valle’s plate discipline lacks, with a career 434-120 (3.6) strikeout-to-walk ratio. Comparatively, Ryan Howard‘s was 588-253 (2.3) during his Minor League career. Valle has the defensive tools necessary to thrive in the Majors, but his offense still needs some work. Plate discipline is not a skill easily learned, and Valle’s is bad enough that it could hamstring his ability to reach the Majors.

Finally, there’s Cameron Rupp. He continued to make improvements in 2012, finishing with career-high offensive numbers across the board. Most impressively, he cut down on strikeouts while walking more and adding more power. Depending on who you ask, Rupp is arguably a better defensive catcher than Valle, which is great news. The bad news? Rupp is 24 years old and hasn’t reached Double-A yet. Some may point out that this was precisely the case with Ruiz many years ago, but Ruiz is the exception rather than the rule. As we learned with Darin Ruf, having success in the Minors doesn’t mean a whole lot if you’re a couple years older than your competition, on average. An optimistic projection for Rupp involves him being a replacement-level regular in the Majors, providing most of his value with defense, game-calling, and intangibles rather than with his bat. In other words, the Phillies shouldn’t rely on Rupp being the catcher of the future.

I don't know if any of these guys are legitimate candidates to be looked upon as the future behind the plate. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Phils try to get Ruiz to agree on some 1-year deals so they can get an annual look at the position, but he'll likely prefer a multi-year deal which should send him to FA as he's getting a bit old.

The lack of near-ready quality really shows on this list - and much of that is probably due to the Phillies having only one 1st round pick in the draft since 2008 (that being Biddle).

Even though there are more hitters on the top-10 list than in recent years, most come with major question marks. Quinn and Tocci played a combined 100 games last season, and neither hit so well as to make one think future star. Ruff is quite old to be considered a prospect, and there are questions as to whether he's a late bloomer or simply dominated his league based on age and his body filling out. I still believe Asche will be a 2B here in 2014 with Franco getting that much closer - I also think Franco's the best hitting prospect in this system.

The Phils have their highest 1st round pick this coming draft since back in '07 or '08, when they drafted Joe Savery at #19. I think that may have been in some of their decision making when it came to signing FAs who were tendered offers (such as Swisher and his name not being linked to the Phils). I've been saying for years that Amaro's tendency to throw money at the problem will quickly catch up to him as doing so waters down the farm system - which it has. It could take a few more years (of good drafting) to replenish to an acceptable level.

[bluesky5]

I often forget that teams have to give up draft picks for signing top free agents.

[Ben Grimm]

I often forget that teams have to give up draft picks for signing top free agents.

There was chatter that the Red Sox didn't go after Swisher because they didn't want the Yankees to receive their 2nd round pick. Sox 1st round is protected since it's top-10, but if true, it just adds to how much these teams battle each other.

[Ben Grimm]

John Sickels from minorleagueball.com just released his Phillies Top-20 list along with comments.

QUICK PRIMER ON GRADE MEANINGS:

Grade A prospects are the elite. They have a reasonable chance of becoming stars or superstars. Almost all Grade A prospects develop into major league regulars, if injuries or other problems don't intervene. Note that is a major "if" in some cases.

Grade B prospects have a good chance to enjoy successful careers. Some will develop into stars, some will not. Most end up spending several years in the majors, at the very least in a marginal role.

Grade C prospects are the most common type. These are guys who have something positive going for them, but who may have a question mark or three, or who are just too far away from the majors to get an accurate feel for. A few Grade C guys, especially at the lower levels, do develop into stars. Some end up as role players or bench guys. Many don't make it at all.

Also note that there is diversity within each category. I'm a tough grader; Grade C+ is actually good praise, and some C+ prospects (especially at lower levels) turn out very well indeed.

Finally, keep in mind that all grades are shorthand. You have to read the full comment in the book for my full opinion about a player, the letter grade only tells you so much. A Grade C prospect in rookie ball could end up being very impressive, while a Grade C prospect in Triple-A is likely just a future role player.

ALL GRADES ARE PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE. No grade is final until January 5th, 2013

1) Jesse Biddle, LHP, Grade B+: Class of the system. Local kid, good fastball, very good secondary pitches, no serious command problems, no durability issues yet. Good bet to be a mid-rotation starter, if not more.

2) Adam Morgan, LHP, Grade B: This guy deserves more attention. Stuff kicked up a notch from college, into the low-90s, and he already knew how to throw strikes and locate his secondary pitches. Can also be a mid-rotation starter. This is an aggressive grade and ranking.

3) Roman Quinn, SS, Grade B-: Blazing speed and knows how to use it well, needs more defensive polish and a better grasp of the strike zone to be a full-scale leadoff hitter, but the 80-speed covers a lot of problems and ensures the Phils will give him plenty of time.

4) Tommy Joseph, C, Grade B-: Has improved defensively, but his reputation as a budding power hitter and possible star seems overblown to me. I see him as more of a decent regular than a cornerstone.

5) Jonathan Pettibone, RHP, Grade B-: Sort of like a pitching version of Joseph or Asche: very solid, good chance to be a successful major leaguer, but not a star. Seems like a durable inning-eating number four starter to me.

6) Cody Asche, 3B, Grade B-: Sweet swing from the left side and defense proved better than expected. Unclear how much home run power he'll show, but like Joseph he should be a solid player.

7) Darin Ruf, 1B-OF, Grade B-: I believe in the bat. Defense and age 26 keep him from elite prospect status, doesn't have further projection, but that's OK since he's already good. I felt Ruf was a nice sleeper pre-season but I did not expect 41 homers and he hit 10 more in winter ball. I thought he was more of a .260, 10-15-homer role player bat, but I can see him as a .280, 20-25 homer guy now.

8) Ethan Martin, RHP, Grade B-: I think the change of scenery away from the Dodgers is useful for him. Upper-rotation stuff, but if command remains shaky he's more of a number four, or a reliever. Still high upside.

9) Maikel Franco, 3B, Grade B-.. Good glove at third base, still working to get his swing in gear to tap his natural power, only 20 years old. Making progress.

10) Shane Watson, RHP, Grade B-: 2012 supplemental first round draft pick is just getting started, has #2-3 starter potential if he puts everything together. Placeholder grade until we see how he adapts.

11) Mitch Gueller, RHP, Grade B-: 2012 supplemental first round draft pick is just getting started, has #2-3 starter potential if he puts everything together. Placeholder grade until we see how he adapts. More athletic than Watson, but also less refined.

12) Sebastian Valle, C, Grade C+: Defense coming along, but really has to get his plate discipline in order. Needs a year of Triple-A, still young at 22. Will the Phillies be willing to go with a rookie platoon arrangement with Valle and Joseph in 2014 behind the plate? Their skills are similar, and their weaknesses.

13) Phillippe Aumont, RHP, Grade C+: Seems ready for a full bullpen trial, though command will wobble.

14) Kenny Giles, RHP, Grade C+: Another hard-throwing reliever, can hit 100 MPH, struck out 111 in 82 innings in A-ball.

15) Austin Wright, LHP, Grade C+: A personal favorite, gained command of 90-94 MPH fastball and big-breaking curve and had solid year in Florida State League. Will move up to Double-A and work on his changeup. If that comes around, he can be a mid-rotation starter. If not, a power reliever.

16) Kevin Brady, RHP, Grade C+: Sleeper prospect out of Clemson had outstanding debut in New York-Penn League, 49/5 K/BB in 39 innings. Throws hard, could be developed as either a starter or reliever. Breakthrough candidate.

17) Justin De Fratus, RHP, Grade C+: Held back by arm trouble but pitched well when healthy, another guy who can slot nicely into the pen this year or next.

18) Kelly Dugan, OF, Grade C+: One of the toolsy guys the Philles like to invest in, .300/.387/.470 line in Low-A is promising, but still has contact woes (122 Ks) to address. Age 22.

19) Kyle Simon, RHP, Grade C+: Sinkerball expert acquired from Orioles, pitched excellently after the Phillies moved him to bullpen and could help quickly in that role. 4.70 GO/AO in Double-A.

20) Hoby Milner, LHP, Grade C+: Finesse lefty from University of Texas features advanced pitchability, possible back-end starter but could move very fast if they use him in the bullpen.

OTHER GRADE C+: Carlos Tocci, OF; Larry Greene, OF; Julio Rodriguez, RHP; Seth Rosin, RHP.

OTHERS: Aaron Altherr, OF; Leandro Castro, OF; Tyler Cloyd, RHP; Zach Collier, OF; Brody Colvin, RHP; Dylan Cozens, OF; Tyson Gillies, OF; Zach Green, INF; Cesar Hernandez, 2B; Austin Hyatt, RHP; Ender Inciarte, OF; Tyler Knigge, RHP; Yoel Mecias, LHP; Andrew Pullin, OF, Cameron Rupp, C; Chris Serritella, 1B; Mitch Walding, 3B.

[philliesfiend55]

I like Sickels' ratings as an alternate viewpoint to Baseball AMERICA'S RANKINGS. He has Tocci unranked while BA ranked him #10. I'd side more with Sickels' version. I'm opposed to ranking anyone, including golden boy, Roman Quinn too highly, if they haven't played in a full season league yet. At the rookie and short season levels, no one is really sure what these kids have got as far as major league skills go.

[philliesfiend55]

John Sickels from minorleagueball.com just released his Phillies Top-20 list along with comments.

QUICK PRIMER ON GRADE MEANINGS:

Grade A prospects are the elite. They have a reasonable chance of becoming stars or superstars. Almost all Grade A prospects develop into major league regulars, if injuries or other problems don't intervene. Note that is a major "if" in some cases.

Grade B prospects have a good chance to enjoy successful careers. Some will develop into stars, some will not. Most end up spending several years in the majors, at the very least in a marginal role.

Grade C prospects are the most common type. These are guys who have something positive going for them, but who may have a question mark or three, or who are just too far away from the majors to get an accurate feel for. A few Grade C guys, especially at the lower levels, do develop into stars. Some end up as role players or bench guys. Many don't make it at all.

Also note that there is diversity within each category. I'm a tough grader; Grade C+ is actually good praise, and some C+ prospects (especially at lower levels) turn out very well indeed.

Finally, keep in mind that all grades are shorthand. You have to read the full comment in the book for my full opinion about a player, the letter grade only tells you so much. A Grade C prospect in rookie ball could end up being very impressive, while a Grade C prospect in Triple-A is likely just a future role player.

ALL GRADES ARE PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE. No grade is final until January 5th, 2013

1) Jesse Biddle, LHP, Grade B+: Class of the system. Local kid, good fastball, very good secondary pitches, no serious command problems, no durability issues yet. Good bet to be a mid-rotation starter, if not more.

2) Adam Morgan, LHP, Grade B: This guy deserves more attention. Stuff kicked up a notch from college, into the low-90s, and he already knew how to throw strikes and locate his secondary pitches. Can also be a mid-rotation starter. This is an aggressive grade and ranking.

3) Roman Quinn, SS, Grade B-: Blazing speed and knows how to use it well, needs more defensive polish and a better grasp of the strike zone to be a full-scale leadoff hitter, but the 80-speed covers a lot of problems and ensures the Phils will give him plenty of time.

4) Tommy Joseph, C, Grade B-: Has improved defensively, but his reputation as a budding power hitter and possible star seems overblown to me. I see him as more of a decent regular than a cornerstone.

5) Jonathan Pettibone, RHP, Grade B-: Sort of like a pitching version of Joseph or Asche: very solid, good chance to be a successful major leaguer, but not a star. Seems like a durable inning-eating number four starter to me.

6) Cody Asche, 3B, Grade B-: Sweet swing from the left side and defense proved better than expected. Unclear how much home run power he'll show, but like Joseph he should be a solid player.

7) Darin Ruf, 1B-OF, Grade B-: I believe in the bat. Defense and age 26 keep him from elite prospect status, doesn't have further projection, but that's OK since he's already good. I felt Ruf was a nice sleeper pre-season but I did not expect 41 homers and he hit 10 more in winter ball. I thought he was more of a .260, 10-15-homer role player bat, but I can see him as a .280, 20-25 homer guy now.

8) Ethan Martin, RHP, Grade B-: I think the change of scenery away from the Dodgers is useful for him. Upper-rotation stuff, but if command remains shaky he's more of a number four, or a reliever. Still high upside.

9) Maikel Franco, 3B, Grade B-.. Good glove at third base, still working to get his swing in gear to tap his natural power, only 20 years old. Making progress.

10) Shane Watson, RHP, Grade B-: 2012 supplemental first round draft pick is just getting started, has #2-3 starter potential if he puts everything together. Placeholder grade until we see how he adapts.

11) Mitch Gueller, RHP, Grade B-: 2012 supplemental first round draft pick is just getting started, has #2-3 starter potential if he puts everything together. Placeholder grade until we see how he adapts. More athletic than Watson, but also less refined.

12) Sebastian Valle, C, Grade C+: Defense coming along, but really has to get his plate discipline in order. Needs a year of Triple-A, still young at 22. Will the Phillies be willing to go with a rookie platoon arrangement with Valle and Joseph in 2014 behind the plate? Their skills are similar, and their weaknesses.

13) Phillippe Aumont, RHP, Grade C+: Seems ready for a full bullpen trial, though command will wobble.

14) Kenny Giles, RHP, Grade C+: Another hard-throwing reliever, can hit 100 MPH, struck out 111 in 82 innings in A-ball.

15) Austin Wright, LHP, Grade C+: A personal favorite, gained command of 90-94 MPH fastball and big-breaking curve and had solid year in Florida State League. Will move up to Double-A and work on his changeup. If that comes around, he can be a mid-rotation starter. If not, a power reliever.

16) Kevin Brady, RHP, Grade C+: Sleeper prospect out of Clemson had outstanding debut in New York-Penn League, 49/5 K/BB in 39 innings. Throws hard, could be developed as either a starter or reliever. Breakthrough candidate.

17) Justin De Fratus, RHP, Grade C+: Held back by arm trouble but pitched well when healthy, another guy who can slot nicely into the pen this year or next.

18) Kelly Dugan, OF, Grade C+: One of the toolsy guys the Philles like to invest in, .300/.387/.470 line in Low-A is promising, but still has contact woes (122 Ks) to address. Age 22.

19) Kyle Simon, RHP, Grade C+: Sinkerball expert acquired from Orioles, pitched excellently after the Phillies moved him to bullpen and could help quickly in that role. 4.70 GO/AO in Double-A.

20) Hoby Milner, LHP, Grade C+: Finesse lefty from University of Texas features advanced pitchability, possible back-end starter but could move very fast if they use him in the bullpen.

OTHER GRADE C+: Carlos Tocci, OF; Larry Greene, OF; Julio Rodriguez, RHP; Seth Rosin, RHP.

OTHERS: Aaron Altherr, OF; Leandro Castro, OF; Tyler Cloyd, RHP; Zach Collier, OF; Brody Colvin, RHP; Dylan Cozens, OF; Tyson Gillies, OF; Zach Green, INF; Cesar Hernandez, 2B; Austin Hyatt, RHP; Ender Inciarte, OF; Tyler Knigge, RHP; Yoel Mecias, LHP; Andrew Pullin, OF, Cameron Rupp, C; Chris Serritella, 1B; Mitch Walding, 3B.

Baseball America and Sickels both penalize older prospects and don't take into account the fact that college-educated players start their careers later and reach the majors at a later age. Some of these older players in the Phillies farm system that went unranked by Sickels include Relief pitchers: Tyler Knigge, J.C. Ramirez, Justin Friend and Mike Cisco; Starting pitchers Julio Rodriguez and Austin Hyatt; infielders Cesar Hernandez, Troy Hanzawa, and Cody Overbeck; and Outfielders Tyson Gillies and Steve Susdorf.

[Ben Grimm]

Baseball Prospectus released their top-10 the other day. They are quite bullish on Franco.

The Top Ten

1. LHP Jesse Biddle
2. 3B Maikel Franco
3. LHP Adam Morgan
4. IF Roman Quinn
5. C/1B Tommy Joseph
6. RHP Ethan Martin
7. 3B Cody Asche
8. RHP Jonathan Pettibone
9. OF Carlos Tocci
10. RHP Shane Watson

[philliesfiend55]

Quinn, Tocci, & Watson must be projected as having very high Ceilings, indeed. Earning top 10 ratings is hard to do in short-season baseball leagues that these three played in last season. Quinn in some studies is ranked as high as the #2 prospect in the farm system - Impressive for a 19 year-old with one professional season under his belt.
Moving the "Must sign" date from mid-August to mid-July will prevent "lost seasons" like Quinn and Larry Greene had in 2011, not signing until mid-August and then being told by the organization not to report to a minor league location until the following season.

[Ben Grimm]

MLB.com released their Top 100 Prospects. Jesse Biddle came in at #60, but maybe a bit surprising is Ethan Martin showing up at #80. It kind of brings to light that the system is still fairly weak compared to other teams - especially with nobody insided the top-50. Prospects are just that... prospects. So, we'll see who shows some promise this season.

[philliesfiend55]

One thing I just picked up on that had previously escaped me is that Venezuelan outfielder, Carlos Tocci is still so incredibly young. He doesn't turn 18 until this coming August 23. He must have a world of potential to be rated in the Top 10 among Phillies prospects by multiple sources at such a young age.
Signed for $760,000 in the Summer of 2011, the Phillies investment in Tocci may wind up being money very well spent.

[Ben Grimm]

John Sickels ranks the Phillies #20 overall among MLB minor league systems. They moved up from #24 last year, but will need to improve a bit more as the guys on the parent club are heading towards expiring contracts will getting a year older...

20) Philadelphia Phillies (24): Strengths: Good pitching depth with Jesse Biddle, Adam Morgan, Austin Wright standing out; they seem to find nice lefties. They also have a habit of finding Tyler Cloyd types that scouts don't like but who get people out. Some nice right-handers too with Ethan Martin and Jon Pettibone nearly ready to contribute, plus considerable bullpen material. Weaknesses: Hitting. Heavy investments in tools players have not panned out. Untoolsy Darin Ruf was a nice surprise though. Not a terrible system, clearly better than the teams behind them.

[Ben Grimm]

Over at Phuture Phillies, they've been putting together a reader's poll to show the Top-30 players in the system. Decent size vote counts (approx 450-600 voters per poll). Here's what they've got so far...

1. Jesse Biddle
2. Roman Quinn
3. Adam Morgan
4. Tommy Joseph
5. Maikel Franco
6. Darin Ruf
7. Cody Asche
8. Jonathan Pettibone
9. Ethan Martin
10. Carlos Tocci
11. Phillipe Aumont
12. Tyson Gillies
13. Shane Watson
14. Larry Greene Jr.
15. Sebastian Valle
16. Justin De Fratus
17. Zach Collier
18. Austin Wright
19. Dylan Cozens
20. Cesar Hernandez
21. Mitch Gueller
22. Mitch Walding
23. Andrew Pullin
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.

[Ben Grimm]

Matt Gelb & Bob Brookover from philly.com put together their top-25 list. The link shows more details about the players as well as comments for each by Joe Jordan, the Phillies' director of player development. Here's the link to the article.

And if you don't feel like reading, here's a quick rundown of the list.

1. Jesse Biddle
2. Tommy Joseph
3. Maikel Franco
4. Roman Quinn
5. Jon Pettibone
6. Phillipe Aumont
7. Cody Asche
8. Ethan Martin
9. Adam Morgan
10. Darin Ruf
11. Sebastian Valle
12. Justin De Fratus
13. Shane Watson
14. Cesar Hernandez
15. Larry Greene, Jr.
16. Carlos Tocci
17. Dylan Cozens
18. Brody Colvin
19. Kyle Simon
20. Tyson Gillies
21. Zach Collier
22. Ken Giles
23. Tyler Cloyd
24. Cameron Rupp
25. Kelly Dugan

[Ben Grimm]

Looking at these lists, I figured I'd toss another into the mix. This player may or may not exist

He's 23 years old and just completed AA ball as he was drafted out of college. This was his second year in the minors and he's played practically every position on the field in his short minor league career...

C - 5 games
1B - 22 games
2B - 71 games
3B - 24 games
SS - 8 games
OF - 69 games

Last season, he hit (look at those bases on balls ) :

  G   PA   AB   R   H   2B  3B  HR  RBI  SB  CS   BB  SO  AVG   OBP   SLG   OPS
 
128  573  448  101 115  14   3   4   52  48  20  109  66 .257  .410  .328  .738

Looking at what the Phillies have available, where would this player rank in their system?

[philliesfiend55]

Matt Gelb & Bob Brookover from philly.com put together their top-25 list. The link shows more details about the players as well as comments for each by Joe Jordan, the Phillies' director of player development. Here's the link to the article.

And if you don't feel like reading, here's a quick rundown of the list.

1. Jesse Biddle
2. Tommy Joseph
3. Maikel Franco
4. Roman Quinn
5. Jon Pettibone
6. Phillipe Aumont
7. Cody Asche
8. Ethan Martin
9. Adam Morgan
10. Darin Ruf
11. Sebastian Valle
12. Justin De Fratus
13. Shane Watson
14. Cesar Hernandez
15. Larry Greene, Jr.
16. Carlos Tocci
17. Dylan Cozens
18. Brody Colvin
19. Kyle Simon
20. Tyson Gillies
21. Zach Collier
22. Ken Giles
23. Tyler Cloyd
24. Cameron Rupp
25. Kelly Dugan

If you used Zero Major Leagues Experience as a prerequisite that eliminates four players from the list who've had brief experience in the Major Leagues. (Cloyd, Ruf, Aumont & De Fratus). Then what four players would you add to replace the guys with big leagues experience for spots 22-25?
I'd pick pitchers Justin Friend & Tyler Knigge and first baseman Cody Overbeck for 22-24 and #25 would be a coin toss between outfielder Leandro Castro and pitcher Julio Rodriguez.

Some veteran players in the Phillies farm system just missing the cut would include Pitchers Austin Wright, Michael Cisco, and David Buchanan, Outfielders Jiwan James and Steven Susdorf, and Shortstop Troy Hanzawa.

[bluesky5]

Looking at these lists, I figured I'd toss another into the mix. This player may or may not exist

He's 23 years old and just completed AA ball as he was drafted out of college. This was his second year in the minors and he's played practically every position on the field in his short minor league career...

C - 5 games
1B - 22 games
2B - 71 games
3B - 24 games
SS - 8 games
OF - 69 games

Last season, he hit (look at those bases on balls ) :

  G   PA   AB   R   H   2B  3B  HR  RBI  SB  CS   BB  SO  AVG   OBP   SLG   OPS
 
128  573  448  101 115  14   3   4   52  48  20  109  66 .257  .410  .328  .738

Looking at what the Phillies have available, where would this player rank in their system?

Who is it?

[Ben Grimm]

Who is it?

It's Ruben Amaro Jr . Look at those walks - which helped him get to the major league level. Apparently, he's forgotten about the value of them when seeing his most recent acquisitions.

On the other hand, it also shows that a .400 OBP kid in the minors doesn't automatically mean he can play at the next level. For those of us who saw Ruben play, it wasn't all that pretty.

[Ben Grimm]

ESPN's Keith Law announced his top-100 yesterday. Not surprisingly, the Phillies are not well-represented (not surprising since Law ranks them as the 27th best system), but found a way to sneak two players on the list. It's pay to view, so I cannot cut n paste the list until I find it somewhere.

What is surprising maybe is that Adam Morgan (#92) ranks higher than Jesse Biddle (#95).

[Ben Grimm]

The top 10 Phillies prospects list by Baseball America was released today. (12/17/12).

RANK-Player - Positiion - Highest level player has played at in career.


1. Jesse Biddle - LHP - Clearwater. FL, PA (high A).
2. Roman Quinn - SS - Williamsport, PA (short season A).
3. Tommy Joseph - C - Reading, PA (AA).
4. Jonathan Pettibone - RHP - Lehigh Valley- Allentown, PA (AAA).
5. Adam Morgan - LHP - Reading,PA (AA).
6. Ethan Martin - RHP - Reading,PA (AA)
7. Cody Asche - 3B - Reading,PA (AA)
8. Makiel Franco - 3B - Lakewood,NJ (Low A)
9. Darin Ruf - LF/1B - Philadelphia (PA) Phillies - MLB - (made major leagues debut Sept. 14, 2012 & played in majors for final 20 days of the season. Recalled form Reading (AA).
10. Carlos Tocci - OF - Gulf Coast League Phillies, Clearwater, FL - (Rookie League).

Figured I'd take a look and see how these kids are doing after the first couple of weeks...

Jesse Biddle (REA) - 14 IP, 3.00 ERA, 10 K, 4 BB, 0.944 WHIP
Looks solid so far. Could see promotion to AAA by mid-season if he keeps it up.

Roman Quinn (LWD) - 75 PA, .246 AVG, .297 OBP, .377 SLG, 5 XBH
We'll see this year if his placement at #2 was based on his projected skills or his age. Had problems fielding the ball during the first week, but has looked a bit better since.

Tommy Joseph (LHV) - 43 PA, .175 AVG, .233 OBP, .350 SLG, 3 XBH
Oof. There are some who believe Joseph is a future IB hiding in catcher's gear. Hasn't done much at all - then again, neither has Valle. Somebody's got to step up if the Phils need to make a decision on Ruiz.

Jonathan Pettibone (LHV) - 9.1 IP, 9.64 ERA, 8 K, 5 BB, 2.143 WHIP
Getting called up to pitch tonight against Pittsburgh. 21 baserunners allowed in just over nine innings - what's more to say?

Adam Morgan (LHV) - 19 IP, 1.42 ERA, 13 K, 5 BB, 0.842 WHIP
Looking great. Could be in Phils rotation late spring or early summer. Maybe he and Biddle advance a level the same day.

Ethan Martin (LHV) - 13.1 IP, 8.10 ERA, 15 K, 10 BB, 1.575 WHIP
Pretty simple. If you're walking almost one per inning, you won't survive. He needs to get his control... under control.

Cody Asche (LHV) - 64 PA, .263 AVG, .344 OBP, .368 SLG, 9 XBH
Not much to get excited about here. I still don't think his power relates well at 3B, and it could show up this season.

Maikel Franco (CLW) - 78 PA, .310 AVG, .372 OBP, .521 SLG, 11 XBH
This is more like it from a power perspective. If he keeps it up, he could be in Reading by the end of the year.

Darin Ruf (LHV) - 61 PA, .250 AVG, .295 OBP, .393 SLG, 6 XBH
Is the chanting for Ruf finally over? Something tells me he's seeing a lot of offspeed stuff in AAA that he didn't face as often in the lower levels.

Carlos Tocci (LWD) - 66 PA, .197 AVG, .246 OBP, .230 SLG, 2 XBH
Not much to go by here since he's so young. Naturally, we'd like to see a bit more output but if he can simply keep pace near the league averages, it'll be a success.

[Ben Grimm]

Another update on the Phils pre-2013 top prospects.

Jesse Biddle (REA) - 36.2 IP, 2.70 ERA, 45 K, 18 BB, 0.927 WHIP (ARROW UP)
Really pitching well. Had a 16-strikout game a couple of weeks ago.

Roman Quinn (LWD) - 138 PA, .228 AVG, .301 OBP, .325 SLG, 6 XBH (ARROW DOWN)
Defense a problem. Has 12 errors already, and that's not acceptable.

Tommy Joseph (LHV) - 72 PA, .209 AVG, .264 OBP, .358 SLG, 4 XBH (ARROW DOWN)
Been slowed by injury.

Jonathan Pettibone (PHI) - 22.1 IP, 3.63 ERA, 14 K, 6 BB, 1.388 WHIP (ARROW UP)
Jonathan Pettibone (LHV) - 9.1 IP, 9.64 ERA, 8 K, 5 BB, 2.143 WHIP
Still up with the Phillies, so he gets an arrow up simply because he's survived. Doesn't impress with stuff, but we saw others get by that way (Worley, Kendrick, etc.).

Adam Morgan (LHV) - 38.1 IP, 4.70 ERA, 28 K, 12 BB, 1.278 WHIP (ARROW DOWN)
A few hiccups in the road as Morgan's allowed more baserunners the past few games. Needs to turn things around a bit, and getting the K-rate up would help.

Ethan Martin (LHV) - 13.1 IP, 5.77 ERA, 34 K, 23 BB, 1.515 WHIP (ARROW UP)
Walk rate still too high. But he did drop his ERA by 2+ runs - giving him a hesitant up arrow. Still needs better control.

Cody Asche (LHV) - 141 PA, .272 AVG, .333 OBP, .416 SLG, 11 XBH (ARROW DOWN)
AVG up very slightly as well as power, but at the expense of getting on base. Jury's still out for me and he could be getting passed over if he doesn't do a bit more.

Maikel Franco (CLW) - 156 PA, .287 AVG, .333 OBP, .517 SLG, 21 XBH (ARROW UP)
Still maintaining power - if anything, he has a better ISO.

Darin Ruf (LHV) - 145 PA, .294 AVG, .372 OBP, .500 SLG, 16 XBH (ARROW UP)
Great past few weeks. Power's up as well as everything else. With the Phils having one of the worst-hitting OFs this year, call-up could be sooner now.

Carlos Tocci (LWD) - 124 PA, .216 AVG, .260 OBP, .241 SLG, 3 XBH (ARROW UP)
Not much different than last update, but at least things are going the right direction.