Phillies Farm System Among MLB’s Most Improved
By Ryan Gerstel
The Philadelphia Phillies farm system has quickly become one of the most improved in all of Major League Baseball.
It wasn’t too long ago that the club’s minor league system was barren of young talent to cultivate into formidable big league players. But over the last year, the Phillies’ front office has made the necessary moves to transform their farm from one of baseball’s bleakest, to one of the sport’s’ strongest and most promising.
On Wednesday, MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo published an article breaking down the most improved farm systems in MLB. While the piece doesn’t specifically rank the systems, the Phillies were the second team mentioned, just behind the NL East division rival Atlanta Braves.
Here is an excerpt from that Mayo piece:
“When Hamels was sent to the Texas Rangers, the Phillies were able to add Jake Thompson, Nick Williams and Jorge Alfaro, all in the current Top 100 list, along with Alec Asher, who made his big league debut in 2015. The bounty for Giles was Mark Appel (Top 100) and Thomas Eshelman (2015 draftee), both in the current Phillies’ Top 30. Vincent Velasquez graduated off prospect lists late this past season, so he technically doesn’t count, but he was a top 100 prospect prior to his big league time with Houston.”
More from That Balls Outta Here
- Philadelphia Phillies bullpen could still struggle greatly in 2023 season
- Philadelphia Phillies: Most impactful transactions in 2022
- How will Rob Thomson manage the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen in 2023?
- How Phillies’ Ranger Suárez is set to build on 2022 postseason dominance
- What can Philadelphia Phillies expect from Bryson Stott in 2023?
Funny thing is, Mayo doesn’t even mention in that quote the player who saw the most immediate success of that Hamels haul, and who promises to be a key rotation member in 2016. I’m talking, of course, about right-hander Jerad Eickhoff.
Since Dec. 2014, the Phillies have added eight players who. according to MLB.com, currently rank among the top 15 prospects in their minor league system.
Moves such as trading ace Cole Hamels and reliever Jake Diekman for six players, and trading closer Ken Giles and a prospect for five arms are the biggest contributors to the farm system’s turnaround. But smaller moves such as trading Jimmy Rollins for two pitching prospects, including Zach Eflin, who currently ranks as the Phillies’ ninth-best prospect, trading Jonathan Papelbon for promising pitching prospect Nick Pivetta, who currently ranks as the club’s 15th-best prospect, and trading Ben Revere for two flame-throwing pitching prospects cannot be overlooked.
Thanks to these moves, the Phillies currently have six players in MLB’s top-100 list of prospects. Those players include:
- J.P. Crawford, who is expected to be one of the game’s top shortstops once he makes the big leagues, which could be later in the 2016 season.
- Mark Appel, a former top overall MLB draft pick who has a legitimate shot at being a frontline starter at the big league level.
- Jake Thompson, who was Texas’ top starting pitching prospect when acquired by the Phillies in the Hamels deal, and who projects to be an above-average number two or three starter in the Major Leagues.
- Nick Williams, who is now the Phillies’ top outfield prospect. He has developed into a solid defender, and has the tools to eventually be one of the team’s most dynamic hitters.
- Jorge Alfaro, who is currently the top catching prospect in all of baseball, and who is the front-runner to become Carlos Ruiz’ long-term replacement.
- Cornelius Randolph, the Phillies’ top 2015 draftee, who at just 18 years of age has the raw tools and talent to blossom into the team’s best hitter when he is fully developed and ready for the Majors.
The talent is certainly there now in the Phillies system, but as is the case with prospects across the sport, nothing is certain. Especially in an enigmatic game such as baseball, where talent doesn’t always translate to success.
But what the Phillies have successfully done is stock up talent, giving themselves more of a margin for error, a better chance percentage-wise to ensure that some of these prospects pan out to be contributors down the road.
New general manager Matt Klentak will look to continue the trend begun by Ruben Amaro Jr. during the final months of the latter’s tenure. While Amaro was criticized for both moves and non-moves that helped decimate that farm system, his later moves are a big reason the turnaround has been so quick. Realization that the team was no longer equipped with enough talent to compete was a long time coming. But like the saying goes, “better late than never.”
The Phillies now possess a Top 10, possibly even a Top 5 farm system in a sport where so much emphasis is put on the cultivation of young talent from within. While the team is not expected to compete in 2016, players such as Crawford, Thompson, Williams, Appel, and Alfaro could all see time on the big club next season. When and if they do, fans will be given a glimpse into the promising future that the Phillies have built over the last year.