Phillies Draft High School Shortstop in Third Round of MLB Draft

After drafting high school outfielder Mickey Moniak and right-handed pitcher Kevin Gowdy, the Phillies stayed at the high school level with the first pick of the third round Friday afternoon.

The Phillies selected Cole Stobbe, a shortstop from Millard West High School in Omaha, Nebraska.

Stobbe comes in at 6’2, 200 lbs and hits from the right side of the plate. He hit .437 with 45 hits, and 14 home runs in 34 games. He is committed to play at Arkansas, but signing a contract with the Phillies would officially end that commitment.

Many baseball analysts have projected Stobbe to move away from the shortstop position should he sign a professional contract with the Phillies. Baseball America listed him as a SS/3B prospect and 49th overall on their draft board. Others see him as a second baseman, something the Phillies lack in their system once you get past 2015 second round pick Scott Kingery.

Scouts have said he is a “poor man’s Trevor Story.”

Stobbe and Moniak were both on the Team USA gold medal team in the Under 18 Baseball World Cup in 2015. Hopefully that is a relationship that both can build on as they work their way through the minor league system and hopefully reach the major league level.

The Phillies have a history with developing shortstops into other position players. Last years first round pick Cornelius Randolph played shortstop in high school, but has since moved to the outfield in the Phillies minor league system.

Top prospect J.P. Crawford is currently at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, although he is struggling and you can not project his availability in the big leagues four to six years down the road.

Keep track of all the Phillies draft picks from Round 1 to Round 40 here at That Ball’s Outta Here