These 15 Phillies top prospects should be on your radar
14. Adonis Medina RHP
Adonis Medina has been in the Phillies org since 2014, which is a lot longer ago than it sounds. The righty debuted in 2020, and has pitched in a total of five games for the Phillies at the big-league level over the last two years. He’s compiled a 3.86 ERA over 11 2/3 innings. He is equipped with a fastball, changeup, and slider.
Medina is supposed to be a promising part of the Phillies’ pitching future, but his stock has actually fallen over the last few years. When the Phillies signed Corey Knebel and Johan Camargo right before the lockout, they designated Medina for assignment as a corresponding roster move. As a result, he’s no longer on the 40-man roster but remains with the organization, trapped in limbo until the work stoppage ends.
MLB ETA: 2020
13. Casey Martin SS
Drafted in the third round of the 2020 draft, Casey Martin is rising quickly in the Phillies’ rankings despite only playing one professional season (the 2020 minor-league season was cancelled due to the pandemic.)
Martin began his first professional season at Low-A Clearwater and hit so well over 38 games (.278/.360/.404, .764 OPS) that he was promoted to High-A Jersey Shore. However, Martin wasn’t ready for the next level, hitting just .136/.232/.200 with a .432 OPS over 29 games at High-A before being sent back down to Clearwater.
The scouting report accurately assesses that Martin’s talent is “raw,” but he has been praised for his “wiry strength.”
However, with fellow shortstop prospect Bryson Stott set to debut in 2022, it’s unclear what Martin’s future holds with the organization. He played third base at the University of Arkansas, so if Alec Bohm can’t figure it out next year, the door might be more open for Martin.
MLB ETA: 2023
12. Rickardo Perez C
Rickardo Perez is a backstop to watch, though his big-league days are still a long way off.
Perez signed with the Phillies less than a year ago, so he only has one professional season under his belt. Over 43 games in the Dominican Summer League, he hit .256/.370/.281 with a .651 OPS.
His scouting report praises his “excellent bat speed” and “ability to make consistently hard contact.”
MLB ETA: 2025
11. Logan O’Hoppe C
Logan O’Hoppe really impressed in the Arizona Fall League this year, putting himself on the map as a legitimate backup option and eventual successor to J.T. Realmuto. His scouting report is enthusiastic about his “tremendous raw power” and increased plate discipline. From a defensive standpoint, the “baseball rat” reportedly blocks well and has a “quick release.”
Unlike most of the Phillies’ top draft picks or international signings, O’Hoppe is quite an unexpected talent; the Phillies drafted him out of high school in the 23rd round of the 2018 draft, making him the 677th overall pick.
Over three seasons in the minors, O’Hoppe has a .273/.329/.458 line and a .787 OPS. In 22 games for Peoria in the AFL this year, he hit .299/.440/.519 with a .959 OPS, eight doubles, three home runs, 17 RBI, and 19 runs scored. He went 3-for-4 in stolen-base attempts.
If O’Hoppe continues to progress towards his anticipated 2023 debut, the Phillies might be able to package Perez for a potential trade.
MLB ETA: 2023
10. Jhailyn Ortiz OF
Jhailyn Ortiz was another prospect the Phillies protected from the ultimately-postponed Rule 5 Draft, for obvious reasons:
In 2015, the Phillies signed him with a franchise-record $M bonus during the international signing period. He was in the same signing class as current MLB stars Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Over 95 games between High-A and Double-A in 2021, Ortiz hit .250/.346/.488 with a .834 OPS, 12 doubles, 23 home runs, 59 runs scored, and 54 driven in. Despite the obvious power, his plate discipline is a work in progress, though: he struck out 113 times and walked 38 times.
Speaking of power, the 23-year-old outfielder’s scouting report is littered with the word. It is something the Phillies desperately need, so hopefully, Ortiz progresses towards his debut in 2022.
MLB ETA: 2021
9. Erik Miller LHP
The Phillies drafted Erik Miller in the fourth round of the 2019 draft, and as he’s progressed through their system, he’s upped his fastball velocity and perfected his slider, which scouts call his best pitch.
Miller really impressed in the Arizona Fall League earlier this year, posting a 1.80 ERA and 1.30 WHIP over six relief appearances with 12 strikeouts over 10 innings of work. However, one of the biggest areas in which Miller needs to improve is limiting walks. His BB/9 shot up from 3.8 in 2019 to 7.8 in 2021.
MLB ETA: 2022
8. Luis Garcia SS
Another prospect on the 40-man, Luis Garcia was protected from the Rule 5 along with four other Phillies hopefuls. He’s not to be confused with the former Phillie also named Luis Garcia, who pitched for the team from 2013-18.
This Garcia is from the same signing class as young superstar Wander Franco, but hasn’t progressed as quickly as the Rays rookie, who debuted in 2021. Over three seasons in the minors between 2018-2021, Garcia has a lifetime .238/.325/.354 line and .679 OPS. He did fine splitting the 2021 season between low and high-A ball, but he’s nowhere near ready for the big leagues. He also has shortstop competition ahead of him in the form of #2 prospect Bryson Stott, who is just about ready to kick down the door to the majors.
MLB ETA: 2023
7. Ethan Wilson OF
The Phillies drafted Ethan Wilson in the second round of the 2021 draft. He impressed scouts with his “knack for finding the barrel” and ability to hit against lefties.
It’s hard to predict Wilson’s future with so little professional experience. After signing with the Phillies, he played 30 games at Low-A Clearwater this season and hit .215/.282/.374 with a .656 OPS, all much lower marks than any in his three years at the NCAA level with the University of South Alabama. That’s not necessarily a cause for concern; there’s often an adjustment level, and the sample size is too small to judge yet.
MLB ETA: 2024
6. Johan Rojas OF
Johan Rojas is a prospect to watch. Another prospect from the 2017-18 international signing period, the young outfielder has become known for his “consistent hard contact” and some of the “highest exit velocities” in the Phillies system.
Since his professional debut in 2018, Rojas has a career .280/.339/.421 line and .760 OPS between five levels of the minors. He spent the majority of 2021 with Low-A Clearwater, but also played 17 games for High-A Jersey Shore.
Rojas is aggressive at the plate, which is certainly something the Phillies need. He’s also played every outfield position consistently during his rise through the system, posting an overall .978 fielding percentage and making 10 errors in 180 games.
MLB ETA: 2023
5. Francisco Morales RHP
Francisco Morales signed with the Phillies as an international prospect in July 2016, and throws hard. The scouting report proclaims his slider to be “absolutely filthy” and notes that his fastball has “serious life” to it.
Of course, like many hard-throwers in the Phillies minors and at the major-league level, Morales struggles with his command.
Morales spent the bulk of the season with Double-A Reading, and posted a 6.94 ERA over 22 games, including 20 starts. His career Runs Allowed Per Nine is 5.60, which isn’t ideal, especially since he posted the worst mark of his career in 2021.
The cancellation of the 2020 Minor League season clearly hindered Morales, whose H9, HR9, and BB9 all increased by significant margins, while his SO9 and SO/W decreased.
MLB ETA: 2022
4. Hans Crouse RHP
Hans Crouse was a top prospect in the Texas Rangers system who found himself in a trade package with big-league arms Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy at the 2021 deadline.
He’s already made his debut, starting two games for the Phillies for a total of seven innings of big-league work. His 5.14 ERA doesn’t tell a fair story, due to the minuscule sample size; Crouse allowed four earned runs on four hits, including two home runs.
Crouse was a strikeout machine in the Arizona Fall League, K-ing 24 batters over 16 innings. However, once again, he’s a Phillies pitcher who walks too many batters; he walked nine over those 16 innings, and walked seven over his seven big-league innings. He’ll be trying to earn a big-league roster spot out of Spring Training this year, so keep an eye on him.
MLB ETA: 2022
3. Andrew Painter RHP
Andrew Painter was the Phillies’ first-round pick in 2021, and he’s already high on their prospects ranking.
The former Gatorade High School Player of the Year boasts a four-pitch repertoire and a mid-90s velocity on his fastball. The 6’7 righty is only 18 years old, but he impressed in his first professional games, posting a 0.00 ERA over four starts in rookie league ball this season. His command was excellent: 12 strikeouts and no walks issued over six total innings of work.
Painter’s debut can’t come soon enough.
MLB ETA: 2025
2. Bryson Stott SS
This is where it gets really exciting. Bryson Stott is expected to debut as early as Opening Day 2022, and his arrival cannot come soon enough.
Bryce Harper’s hometown buddy is coming off an epic Arizona Fall League performance. Over 26 games, he hit .318/.445/.489 with a .934 OPS, a pair of home runs, 20 runs scored, and 31 driven in. He also stole five bases.
The Phillies’ first-round pick from 2019 skyrocketed through the farm system this year, going from High-A to Triple-A by season’s end.
President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski told Stott to approach the 2021-22 offseason with the mindset of trying to earn a spot on the big-league roster. The Phillies desperately need him, as they are currently stuck with Didi Gregorius for another year, and he’s coming off one of the worst seasons in his career.
MLB ETA: 2022
1. Mick Abel RHP
The Phillies’ #1 prospect is their first-round pick from 2020, righty Mick Abel.
Since Abel was drafted in a year without a minor-league season, 2021 was his professional debut. Over 14 starts with Clearwater, he posted a 4.43 ERA and 1.209 WHIP. His season total of 44 2/3 innings and 189 batters faced amounted to 66 strikeouts, 27 walks, and he only gave up five home runs.
Scouts are impressed with Abel’s four-pitch mix and “pure stuff.” He’s thrown as hard as 98 mph, and doesn’t walk too many batters, a welcome change from the Phillies’ pitcher norm.
After the franchise’s well-documented struggles developing pitching (Spencer Howard comes to mind), they’re handling Abel with kid gloves.
MLB ETA: 2024
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