Phillies first-round picks a mixed bag of results in 2017

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DENVER, CO – AUGUST 06: Starting pitcher Aaron Nola #27 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on August 6, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

The Phillies have had varying degrees of success with their first round picks, with some doing well this season and others struggling.

Much of the reason why the Phillies have fallen off the map in performance in recent years is their lack of success in the draft. They often targeted high-upside, high-risk players early on in the draft. The problem with that strategy was that many of those players bottomed out and never made a major-league impact. That left the team without a minor-league pipeline and any way to bring in new talent.

The best chance for major-league talent comes in the first round of the draft and Philadelphia got little from their first round picks after 2002. The focus is now on these picks once again as the team tries to rebuild and gear up for a potential playoff run in a few years. There are a few still in the system, and I figure it’s time to take a look at how they are doing this season and what it means for the team’s future.

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