The Philadelphia Phillies have elite-level talent in the minor leagues, including 2024 first-round pick Dante Nori. The 20-year-old was selected 27th overall in last year’s draft out of Northville High School.
The Phillies’ last five first-round picks have been selected out of high school, and all five are either knocking on the door of the big leagues or producing at a high level down on the farm. Nori, the Phillies’ No. 6 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, is starting to heat up after a slow start to his professional career.
Dante Nori continues hot streak with first pro home run
Nori played in 14 games with the Clearwater Threshers after being drafted last year. He hit .240 with just one extra-base hit in 50 at-bats.
The left-handed outfielder is slashing .250/.345/.350 with a .695 OPS, five doubles, two triples and seven RBIs in 2025. Nori hit his first career home run on Saturday.
Find that baseball! @Phillies 2024 first-rounder Dante Nori puts a dent in the foul pole in right for his first pro dinger for the @Threshers. pic.twitter.com/uWpkf6cT5f
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) May 10, 2025
Not only did Nori hit his first professional home run, but until an 0-for-5 game on Sunday, he had been hitting .290 since April 12. He went 7-for-16 over a three-game stretch before Sunday with three extra-base hits, one RBI and just one strikeout.
Nori has impressive all-around tools. He has plus speed, an advanced approach at the plate and is an above-average fielder. He’s played 35 games in center field for the Threshers and has a perfect fielding percentage in 305 innings.
Although mostly utilized in center field, Nori played one game in left field and has made seven appearances as a designated hitter. It’s a small sample size, but with the Phillies’ murky center field situation, Nori could be on a fast track to the big leagues if he continues to show signs of improvement.
Despite some criticism by evaluators, Justin Crawford, the Phillies’ No. 3 prospect, gets most of the attention out of the organization’s outfield prospects, but Nori isn’t far behind him. He has a long way to go, playing in only Single-A, but Nori has a bright future ahead of him. Nori and Crawford have the potential to be an elite tandem in the Phillies’ outfield for a long time.