Phillies: 2 Outfield Prospects Lighting Up Minor Leagues

Phillies prospects Mickey Moniak and Jhailyn Ortiz are having a memorable July.

Two Philadelphia Phillies outfield prospects who started the season at a sluggish pace — 2016 first overall pick Mickey Moniak and slugger Jhailyn Ortiz — have completely turned things around.

Entering Monday, the recently-promoted Moniak slashed .360/.388/.707 across 20 games and 80 plate appearances in July at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Along with his eight doubles and three triples this month, the California native has slugged four home runs and 19 RBI. All of last month, the 23-year-old hit just .217/.267/.422 — albeit with a still-impressive five home runs and 16 RBI.

As for Ortiz — who revered 2008 World Series-winning manager Charlie Manuel has long praised — he has slashed .286/.382/.779 across 22 games and 89 plate appearances this month for the High-A Jersey Shore BlueClaws. Ortiz has multiple home runs in his last two games alone, combining for 10 RBI.

Along with his eight singles and two doubles, Ortiz has slugged 12 home runs and 24 RBI, while walking nine times and striking out in just 18 at-bats.

Last month, Ortiz homered only four times in 25 games and 103 plate appearances, while striking out 28 times. In 23 games and 97 plate appearances in May, the 22-year-old went yard just twice.

Back in February 2018, Manuel said:

“[Jhailyn has] the chance to be a real good hitter. He has what I call a ‘strong back side. He stays behind the ball good and has quick hands. When he hits the ball, it looks like it doesn’t want to come down. It looks like it keeps jumping.”

Moniak and Ortiz finding eye-catching power could not come at a better time, in case President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski wants to “dangle” either as part of trade talks ahead of the July 30 deadline.

While parting ways with Moniak would be difficult considering he is a former No. 1 overall pick, the Phillies will have to weigh whether they want to mortgage their future in order to go “all in” and snap a decade-long postseason drought.