4 Phillies prospects selected to Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game
A few stars of the future for the Philadelphia Phillies will suit up Sunday and participate in the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game.
MLB announced the participants Friday, and four prospects for the Phillies made the cut: outfielder Gabriel Rincones Jr., right-handed pitcher Christian McGowan, second baseman Oliver Dunn and right-handed pitcher Andrew Baker.
Joining those four on the roster is Marty Malloy, who manages the Scottsdale Scorpions in the AFL after leading the Clearwater Threshers for the Phillies.
Congratulations to Andrew Baker, Christian McGowan, Oliver Dunn, Gabriel Rincones Jr., and Marty Malloy on being named @MLBazFallLeague All-Stars!
— Phillies Player Development (@PhilsPlayerDev) November 4, 2023
More: https://t.co/3bqk1Ktf7T pic.twitter.com/GImVdmfq9t
Christian McGowan
In the announcement, it was noted that McGowan won't participate in the event after being voted in by AFL staff, farm directors, and MLB.com writers.
The Phillies drafted the righty in the seventh round of the 2021 draft, and he was coming off of Tommy John surgery in 2022. Across four levels in 2023, he had a 3.86 ERA with 10 walks and 28 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings.
The 23-year-old has appeared in four games in the AFL, going 1-1 with a 3.71 ERA. The 14th-ranked prospect in the system has a WHIP of 1.647, giving up seven walks and 21 hits across 17 innings.
Later in the week I’m gonna get another look at #Phillies RHP Christian McGowan, who broke off this nasty breaker in his first outing. pic.twitter.com/Sds0J08JNv
— Josh Norris 🐻 (@jnorris427) October 9, 2023
Oliver Dunn
Dunn, an unranked prospect in the team's farm system, was coming off a 21-home run campaign for Double-A Reading, where he hit .271 with 78 RBI, 16 stolen bases, 82 walks, and 139 strikeouts in 119 games.
According to Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo, and Sam Dykstra of MLB.com, Dunn led the whole Phillies organization with his 148 wRC+ in the regular season, and he hasn’t disappointed in the Arizona Fall League since his arrival.
Down in the Arizona Fall League, Oliver Dunn had 2 hits in a game, including a home run 👏 pic.twitter.com/bvAA2GKfsY
— Phillies Player Development (@PhilsPlayerDev) October 14, 2023
The 26-year-old, originally drafted by the New York Yankees in the 11th round of the 2019 draft, has excelled in the AFL this season. He has hit .362/.470/.652 with six doubles, four triples, and two home runs in 83 plate appearances across 18 games. The left-handed hitter has also worked 14 walks and stolen 12 bases without getting caught.
It's not all about offense and speed, though. Dunn, who got his first career walk-off during the AFL, has been flashing his defensive skills too:
#Phillies Oliver Dunn with a great diving stop to get #Rockies Sterlin Thompson. pic.twitter.com/Oh7Ttnb08e
— Eric Cross (@EricCross04) November 3, 2023
NEXT: Gabriel Rincones Jr. and Andrew Baker