Phillies officially sign 8 undrafted free-agent pitchers

RHP Jonathan Hughes, Georgia Tech

Twitter account: @JC_Hughes_

Hughes and 2020 Phillies fifth-round pick Baron Radcliff share the same alma mater; there, the right-hander struck out 113 batters spanning 142 1/3 innings. He is described as a “power arm” in the 92-95 miles per hour range, with also a high curveball and slider spin rate.

RHP Sam Jacobsak, Northeastern University

Twitter account: @samm0980

Jacobsak, listed at 6-foot-5, recently went 2-1 with a 3.65 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings. According to Zolecki, Jacobsak’s fastball sits in the 91-93 miles per hour range, and also has a slider, curveball and changeup in his repertoire.

RHP Noah Skirrow, Liberty University

Twitter account: @Noah_Skirrow

Skirrow, described as a “physical workhorse,” posted a 1.96 ERA and 20/13 strikeout-to-walk ratio spanning 23 innings this year, and was named to the Cape Cod League All-Star team last summer.

RHP Billy Sullivan IV, University of Delaware

Twitter account: @bsully99

Sullivan, who grew up a Phillies fan in Delaware, posted a 11.76 SO/9 IP Ratio in 2018, the fifth-best in Blue Hens history. The redshirt sophomore was previously drafted by the Phillies in the 28th round of the 2017 amateur draft out of Delaware’s Saint Mark’s High School, however he did not sign.

Listed as 6-foot-2, Sullivan only had one full season with the Blue Hens, 2018, when he went 7-3 with a 2.97 ERA across 72 2/3 innings; his 95 strikeouts led the team, while his ERA ranked inside the top-10 in the conference, earning him 2018 CAA Rookie of the Year honors.

Sullivan’s Delaware head baseball coach Jim Sherman says he is happy for him, because “this is everything he’s really wanted.”

“[Billy has] always wanted to jump in to pro ball and his arm is ready for it,” Sherman says. “He believes in himself that he’s going to be a big-leaguer one day and I won’t be surprised to see him in the majors in the really near future.”

Sullivan made just two starts in 2019 before needing Tommy John surgery; the COVID-19 pandemic also sidelined his would-be third collegiate season.

LHP Jordan Fowler, University of Central Missouri

Twitter account: @Jordan_Fowler21

Listed at 6-foot-3, Fowler recently went 4-1 with a 2.01 ERA across six starts before the pandemic shortened his junior season. Of those starts, he struck out 29 batters and walked eight spanning 31 1/3 innings, limiting opposing batters to an .196 average.

LHP Jake McKenna, Ocean City High School

Twitter account: @McKennaJake

A lifelong Phillies fan, like Sullivan, McKenna signed with a team he grew up watching, including his favorite player, Cole Hamels, in the 2008 World Series run. The 6-foot 7 left-hander was committed to play at Saint Joe’s University. He also drew interest from the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals and Miami Marlins, according to Zolecki.

LHP J.P. Woodward, Lafayette College

Twitter account: @woodward_jp

Woodward, a 6-foot-6, 215-pound left-hander, recently struck out 22 batters spanning 20 1/3 innings during his shortened junior season. Overall in his collegiate career, he struck out 117 and walked 55 spanning 115 innings.

The southpaw said in his alma mater’s press release that the “last few months have definitely been stressful,” with him “not really knowing what would happen with all the changes to the draft and this entire process.”

“Sometimes it’s hard to stay focused on the moment, but it just goes to show that it all happens for a reason,” Woodward continued.