Phillies 2016 Draft Picks: How Did the First 20 Fare?
By John Town
Rounds 16-20
Round 16: C Brett Barbier– Barbier was drafted as a catcher from Cal Poly Luis Obispo, but played just seven of his 32 games behind the plate, so that should tell you all you need to know about his defensive future. At the plate, Barbier was much more promising as he hit for a .282/.333/.427 line in his 120 plate appearances. His hit tool showed promise out of college, but he will have to keep hitting if he ever has a chance at the pros.
Round 17: 3B Danny Zardon– Zardon showed serious patience at the plate as he walked 11.4% of the time in the GCL with a .260/.343/.407 line. While he showed some power in college, it was non-existent as he hit just one home run in 36 games. He had a .917 fielding percentage when he played third base, so his future there might be short. As a 21-year old in the GCL, you expect more, but it’s hard to expect much out of a 17th-rounder.
Round 18: RHP Jake Kelzer– Kelzer was drafted three times before finally signing with the Phillies. The Indiana product struggled as he posted a 4.34 ERA and 1.61 WHIP, but he suffered from some bad luck as he allowed a .377 batting average on balls in play. His 2.37 FIP and 9.16 K/9 show some potential, but he may struggle as he reaches the higher level. He only offers an average fastball and a slider that is plus but barely slower than his fastball.
Round 19: RHP Will Hibbs– Hibbs was a virtual unknown coming out of the draft, but he was effective in relief for Williamsport this season. He posted a 1.44 ERA and 0.86 WHIP while allowing opposing hitters a .157 batting average. Hibbs is a monstrous 6’7 weighing in at 245 pounds, so that does help his potential.
Next: Phillies: RHP Kevin Gowdy Could Be the Team's Ace
Round 20: 1B Caleb Eldridge– Eldridge transferred to Cowley CC after playing at Oklahoma State as he got little playing time there. Swing-and-miss concerns plagued Eldridge before the draft, and they proved true upon being drafted. He struck out in a third of his plate appearances in the GCL, which hurt his ability to hit overall. He played in just 12 games, posting a .159/.315/.205 line. He has big raw power, but it didn’t show up at all in-game.