Phillies: Scott Kingery, Tom Eshelman, Nick Fanti named MiLB Players of the Month
By John Town
Phillies prospects Scott Kingery, Tom Eshleman, and Nick Fanti were all named Minor League Baseball’s Players of the Month after stellar Mays.
It has been a strong season for the Phillies minor-league team despite the struggles of the major-league club. Even when the big-league club was struggling in May, the farm teams were surging. Tom Eshelman, Scott Kingery, and Nick Fanti were all named players of the month for May by Minor League Baseball thanks to their strong performances by the club.
Eshelman has been dominant since joining the IronPigs early in May. He had two complete games during May, although one was in a shortened doubleheader. Eshelman had a nine-inning shutout May 31 to close out the month, just the third in IronPigs history. He walked just four batters and struck out 25 over 38.2 innings.
Eshelman came to Philadelphia in the Ken Giles trade after being drafted in second round of the 2015 draft. In 11 starts this season between Double-A and Triple-A, Eshelman has a 2.05 ERA with a 0.91 WHIP.
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Kingery has been lighting the Eastern League on fire this season and will eventually have to be called up. In May, Kingery led the Eastern League in home runs (10), OPS (1.055), and stolen bases (eight). Between May 25-30, Kingery had six straight multi-hit games, hitting two home runs with a 1.482 OPS in that span.
Kingery has 17 home runs in 52 games in Reading so far this year with a .311/.391/.651 slash line. With Jesmuel Valentin out for the season with a separated shoulder, he has to make it to Triple-A sooner or later this season.
Fanti made the jump from the Gulf Coast League to Low-A Lakewood this season at just 20 years old. He has been solid this season, posting a 2.10 ERA, 0.896 WHIP, and 4.46 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
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Fanti was named the South Atlantic League’s Player of the Month after holding a 1.05 ERA and .136 batting average against him through 25.2 innings. The righty gave up 12 hits in four starts, walking just six and striking out 31. The 2015 31st-round pick is making a name for himself this season with Lakewood.