Phillies Rule 5 Draft Possibilities
By Ryan Gerstel
Goeddel was shifted from third base to the outfield in the Rays’ system during the 2014 season.
(Photo Credit: Mike Janes of Four Seam Images per Fansided’s Rays Colored Glasses 2014)
Tyler Goeddel, OF: A 23-year-old third baseman turned outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays’ organization enjoyed a solid 2015 in Double-A, posting a slash line of .279/.350/.433 to go along with a dozen home runs and 72 RBI.
With a 6’4” frame that hints at his power potential, Goeddel also has sneaky speed as evidenced by his stealing 28 bases and legging out 10 triples. From afar, Goeddel is reminiscent of last year’s Phillies’ Rule 5 find Herrera because of his infield background and his offensive numbers, which could be a realistic projection as he moves forward.
Again, the Phillies’ outfield is crowded and needs more of a power-hitting, corner outfield-type of player. Still, Goeddel’s speed and promising bat could be an appealing combination for a Phillies team that is lacking speed on the base paths.
These three players are representative of the options that the Phillies have to consider. The club hit a homerun with Victorino, and may have hit another with Herrera in last year’s Rule 5 Draft. With Klentak now at the helm, the team will look to add another diamond in the rough in this year’s draft. Of the three players mentioned, Blash would be my own front-runner due to his age, power potential, and corner outfield profile.