That Balls Outta Here
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Phillies top 25 under 25: Ranking the team’s best young players

By John Town

PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 12: Starting pitcher Aaron Nola #27 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch in the first inning during a game against the against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on August 12, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 12: Starting pitcher Aaron Nola #27 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch in the first inning during a game against the against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on August 12, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL- MARCH 03: J.P. Crawford #77 of the Philadelphia Phillies in action during the game against the New York Yankees at Steinbrenner Field on March 3, 2016 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

No. 7: SS J.P. Crawford

Everyone had written off Crawford to start the season and for good reason. Through the first 56 games of the year, he was hitting just .194 with a .565 OPS. However, team director of player development Joe Jordan said Crawford was playing through injury early on in the season. Since missing a week and a half nursing a groin injury in June, Crawford has been hitting like the top prospect like he was. His OPS has jumped to .935 with a .281 batting average. He has hit 11 of his 13 home runs this season in the last 52 games, including one inside-the-parker. Crawford needs Rule 5 protection this winter, so a late-season call-up isn’t out of the question. If he finishes the season this way, he should climb back up prospect rankings.

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No. 6: 1B/LF Rhys Hoskins

Hoskins smashed Triple-A pitching all year with 29 home runs and a .966 OPS. The club moved Hoskins to left field hoping he could fill in for the team’s many injured outfielders and keep Tommy Joseph in the lineup. He has yet to make any errors in left field, but he hasn’t been a standout there either. The hope is this is just a short-term fix. Hoskins has already collected his first three major-league home runs, but he has just four hits overall through his first seven games. He should have plenty of opportunity the rest of the season to start hitting like he did in Triple-A.

No. 5: 2B Scott Kingery

This is Kingery’s breakout season as he has hit 24 home runs with a .307/.360/.549 line through 113 games between Double-A and Triple-A. His plate discipline numbers haven’t been great in Triple-A, but for the most part Kingery has been one of the team’s best all-around players this year. He isn’t eligible for the Rule 5 draft so it’s hard to imagine him being added to the 40-man roster this season, but he should make a serious run for the starting second base job next season in spring training.

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