Phillies: Who will be among the September call-ups?
The Phillies could call up a big prospect or two when September call-ups come around.
Despite playing .500 ball since the All-Star break the Phillies are still in the playoff hunt going into September. For the final time, they’ll have an opportunity to expand their roster to 40 players with minor league call-ups to help in the playoff push.
A couple of veteran players will be obvious call-ups to help boost the bench and bullpen. Nick Williams and Maikel Franco are likely returners with major league experience and Jay Bruce is expected to come off the injured list after suffering an oblique strain.
Roman Quinn is also recovering from a groin strain that will keep him out indefinitely. Time will tell if the Phillies opt to move him to the 60-day injured list to clear a 40-man roster spot.
Jose Pirela, an infielder acquired from San Diego, is on the 40-man roster and swinging a hot bat in Lehigh Valley. He’s hitting .334 in 81 minor league games this year and can play multiple positions. He also has some major league experience with nearly 900 big league at-bats.
NBCS Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury predicted on his podcast that the Phillies would bring up a third catcher. That would require a 40-man roster move to add either veteran Rob Brantly or catching prospect Deivy Grullon.
Brantly is 5 for his last 10 in Lehigh Valley, though primarily coming off the bench. He’d make more sense than a top-20 prospect like Grullon sitting for most of the month.
Veteran Nick Hundley was also signed earlier this month, but he’s only played in 10 games for Lehigh Valley and is hitting .148 for the IronPigs. Grullon, ranked 19th in the organization by MLB Pipeline, is hitting .283 for Lehigh Valley. He’s one of three catchers ranked in the organization’s top-20 prospects and could be trade bait if Realmuto signs long-term.
Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia has seven pitchers on the 40-man roster currently in the minor leagues. Nick Pivetta, J.D. Hammer, Jerad Eickhoff, Drew Anderson, Cole Irvin, and Enyel De Los Santos all have major league experience and could provide innings as relievers or starters.
Pitching prospect Adonis Medina would be making the jump from Double-A Reading sporting a 7.17 ERA in his last 10 games. It’s unlikely the righty, who is arguably the organization’s top pitching prospect, gets the call this year.
A big time pitching prospect who Salisbury thinks deserves a call-up is Spencer Howard, who has ascended quickly through the organization. Howard is fourth on the Phillies prospect list per MLB Pipeline, but many argue he’s their best pitching prospect. The 23-year-old has a 1.99 ERA in his last 10 games and has struck out 88 batters in 65.1 innings this year.
Howard could make a spot start and contribute out of the bullpen for Philadelphia, but adding him would require a 40-man roster spot. He’d likely be added sometime next year anyway, so moving Morgan or Quinn to the 60-day IL could be the move if Philadelphia wants to give Howard a shot.
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Howard would certainly be a splashy move for the Phillies, but they’re pretty tight on 40-man roster spots, especially if they want to add Hundley, Grullon, or Brantly for catching depth. I’d rather see someone like Howard than waste a spot on a veteran catcher behind Realmuto and Knapp.