The Phillies continue to churn out prospects from their minor-league system each year. Which ones could make their debut in 2019?
Even though this year was far more competitive than previous seasons for the Phillies, they still had several players make their major-league debut. Scott Kingery, Jesmuel Valentin, Dylan Cozens, Mitch Walding, Ranger Suarez, Enyel De Los Santos, Austin Davis, and Seranthony Dominguez all played their first major-league games. Plus, this was Gabe Kapler’s first season as a major-league manager, a debut in its own right.
Unfortunately, few of these players actually made a large impact on the team. Dominguez and Kingery were the only ones who filled a large role this season. Dominguez did make a positive impact, recording 16 saves and 14 holds with a 2.95 ERA. Meanwhile, Kingery failed to live up to the six-year contract he signed before the season even started, ranking among the worst hitters in the league.
Since there was actually meaningful baseball being played in Philadelphia late into the season, the minor-league teams weren’t under the microscope quite like they used to be. Many of the system’s best players graduated to the majors this year, causing the Phillies farm system to drop in league-wide rankings. Most of the talent is at the lower levels of the minors, still a few years away from making an impact for the major-league team.
With that being said, there are still several players who are close to making their major-league debuts. Which players could be the ones making their debuts in 2019?