Phillies Pharm Report
Welcome to what will become a weekly feature here at TBOH, my “Phillies Pharm” feature. Each week, I’ll be updating Phils fans on the current state of each of the franchise’ minor league affiliates: standings, results, player updates, highlights, etc.
We are now three weeks into the minor league season, and the Phillies’ farm teams are shaping up in some respects as one would have expected, in others, a bit of a surprise.
The most pleasant surprise is the Reading Fightin’ Phils. The AA club is 10-7, and find themselves in second place, just 1 1/2 games behind the front-running New Britain Rock Cats. The biggest disappointments thus far have been the AAA Lehigh Valley IronPigs, who have the worst record in ALL of the International League at 5-14.
The High-A Clearwater Threshers are, like Reading, just 1 1/2 games out of first in the Florida State League Northern Division, trailing just the Daytona Tortugas. Their 10-9 record is a great improvement over last year at this time when they were 3-16! The Low-A Lakewood BlueClaws are 8-10, and are 5 1/2 back already, sitting in 6th place in the Northern Division of the South Atlantic League.
Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA)
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Packed with veteran free agents that were released by other organizations, Lehigh Valley is off to a difficult start. The high point of the offense has been the play of Maikel Franco (3B), who is hitting .338 and leads the International league in doubles with 10 so far this season, while playing outstanding defense at third base. Conversely, rehabbing MLBer Domonic Brown (RF) continues to struggle, hitting only .139 in nine games for the IronPigs.
On the mound, the highlight is Severino Gonzalez, with a 3.57 ERA, which earned him his first MLB start with the Phillies. The biggest surprise on the mound, however, is Phillippe Aumont. Aumont, who was dropped from the 40-man roster this spring, is 1-0 with 1.06 ERA in 17 innings. Even more surprising, he was moved from the bullpen to starter and is proving to be much more successful in that role, at least to this point.
As expected the Fightins’ have been led by outstanding starting pitching. Newcomer Zach Eflin, who has yet to give up an earned run in his first three starts, has led the way. He is 2-0 in his first three starts. Also starting 2-0 is lefty hometown prospect Jesse Biddle. Biddle, who is coming off a very challenging 2014 season, has an impressive 2.76 ERA and averages a strike out an inning. Ben Lively is equally impressive with a 1.42 ERA, and is 1-0 in his first three starts. Aaron Nola, last years’ number one draft pick from LSU, has gone 1-2 with a 3.06 ERA.
“It’s an exciting rotation,” assistant general manager Benny Looper said. “I think our fans, our ownership, all of us, need hope that things are going to get better, and these guys represent that. As with any prospects, some will level off and some will regress—but hopefully these guys will get better. For us to have hope, some of these guys have to step forward.”
Hitting-wise, Reading is lead by 1B Brock Stassi with a .357 batting average, 3 home runs and 19 RBIs. Phenom center fielder Roman Quinn is off to a strong start, hitting .348 with 4 doubles, 2 triples, and 2 home runs. He is currently 3rd in the Eastern League with 8 steals, and leads the league in runs scored with 18.
The one disappointing event was an injury to former minor league Golden Glove winner, 2B Carlos Alonso, who was injured by a Harrisburg Senator’s “take out slide” and is currently sidelined with a knee injury. He is on the 7-day disabled list.
Clearwater Threshers (High-A)
The Threshers are the team that never seems to say die. Holding season tickets, last year was one of the most difficult years I have ever witnessed in professional sport. It seemed like they always found a way to LOSE. Even if they managed to push a game into extra innings, they always seemed to come up short. This year is very different. Four of their ten wins have been in extra innings, including an impressive win at home in SEVENTEEN innings.
Threshers Celebrate Their 17th Inning WinOffensively, Dylan Cozens (RF) has driven in 13 runs to lead the team in RBI. The fans in Clearwater have taken to calling him “Clutch” Cozens because he has gone 4-6 with 3 RBIs in extra innings. Leading the team in doubles are Willians Astudillo (C, 1B, DH) who is 3-6 with a walk off in extra innings, and Andrew Pullin (LF) with 5 each.
Threshers’ pitching is another great surprise, with strong starting and relief pitchers. The tops starters are Brandon Leibrandt (1-1, 1.80 ERA in 4 starts) and David Whitehead (1-2, 3.04 ERA in 4 starts). The bullpen has been exceptionally strong, led by Ulises Joaquin 1-0 with three Saves, Edubray Ramos 1-1 with 1 Save, and Mark Leiter, Jr. who is 1-0 with one Save and who has struck out TWENTY in 15 innings out of the pen. The top left handed reliever is Cody Forsythe, 1-0 and he has struck out 13 in nine innings of work.
Lakewood BlueClaws (Low-A)
While the BlueClaws have been hanging around .500, there have been early flashes of brilliance. After completing what looks to be a successful weight training program in the off season, Carlos Tocci (CF) is hitting .338 and leads the team with 11 RBI. Malquin Canelo (SS) is second in hitting at a .333 clip. First basemen Rhys Hoskins has supplied the power with 3 home runs, and has a .290 average.
Lakewood pitching has been led by Tyler Viza, 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA in his first three starts. All of last season, Viza went just 3-17. Ricardo Pinto, 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA, leads the team in strike outs with 18 in 19 innings of pitching. The bullpen has been good as well. Matt Hockenberry has picked up three saves and has yet to give up a run in nine innings of work. Left handed reliever Austin Davis has yet to give up a run in ten innings of relief as the “set-up” man.
Williamsport Crosscutters (Short Season A)
The Phillies “short season” A-level affiliates will begin their season on Friday, June 19th, and wrap up on Monday, September 7th. We’ll begin covering their results when underway, and will bring you any updates of interest here prior to that time as warranted.
Overall, there is hope down in the Phillies farm system. There has been some really inspired team play, and some of the individual players are already beginning to have break out seasons. We’ll be covering it all here at TBOH each week during the spring and summer as the action unravels. If there is anything we’re not covering that you’d like to see us feature, just let us know!