Phillies: Who is the top prospect with Sixto Sanchez gone?
By John Town
With Sixto Sanchez now a Marlin after the J.T. Realmuto trade, who takes over as the top Phillies prospect in the system?
In order to get J.T. Realmuto, the Phillies had to give up Sixto Sanchez, their consensus top prospect. The team also sent Jorge Alfaro, Will Stewart, and international slot money to the Marlins to complete the trade.
We can have the argument about if the club gave up too much for Realmuto, but the deal is done and all we can do now is sort out how the farm system stands now. Which prospect takes over as the best in the system with Sanchez now a Marlin?
Looking at prospect rankings already published, there has been no consensus on who should take up the mantle from Sanchez. Third baseman Alec Bohm, the third overall pick in the 2018 draft, was the second-best Phillie on the Baseball America and MLB.com top 100 lists. Meanwhile, pitcher Adonis Medina is the best remaining Phillie on the Baseball Prospectus Top 101.
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Further complicating the matter is that there is no consensus on whether either Bohm or Medina is even a Top 100 prospect. Bohm did not appear on BP’s list while Medina was not on the BA list. Luis Garcia, an 18-year-old shortstop prospect, was on the BA Top 100, adding another name to be thrown into the mix as the team’s new top prospect.
Medina easily takes the reins as the top pitcher in the system.
He has a similar profile to Sanchez with a dominant fastball and good secondary pitches but lacks the command and upper-level velocity. Medina had a 4.12 ERA in 22 appearances in High-A Clearwater, not what you would want to see from a potential No. 1 prospect.
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Bohm did not get off to a great start to his professional career, posting a .604 OPS in 29 games in short-season Williamsport. His season was cut short due to a bruised shin. His potential as a hitter remains high with a strong combination of contact and power. Bohm’s future position remains a question as he may eventually have to move over to first base, where even more pressure will be on his bat.
Meanwhile, Garcia got off to a great start as a pro, winning the Gulf Coast League batting title with a .369 batting average. He was tied for third in the league with a 162 wRC+ and tied for sixth with a .921 OPS.
Garcia’s defense was what really shined, committing just five errors in 353.2 innings, proving he has a long-term future as an above-average defender at shortstop.
Next. J.T. Realmuto adds value in multiple facets. dark
At this point, it’s really hard to say which prospect should take over as the best in Philadelphia’s system. If I had to pick personally, I would say Bohm because of his polish coming out of college and a rather safe trajectory. We should get a better idea of who deserves the honor as the 2019 season progresses.