It’s been just under a month since the July 30 trade deadline and the new prospects in the Phillies organization have been making news in recent weeks.
At this year’s deadline, the team acquired right-handed pitching prospects Seth Johnson and Moisés Chace in exchange for struggling reliever Gregory Soto. These moves bolstered the Phillies' farm system while allowing Soto to get a fresh start in Baltimore.
So far, this gamble has paid off for the Phillies, as Soto’s Orioles tenure has been a disaster. The 29-year-old reliever has a 12.71 ERA in eight outings and has yet to record a save.
Seth Johnson and Moisés Chace, Phillies' newest pitching prospects have been impressive since the trade deadline
Johnson, the Phillies No. 15 prospect, has made four starts since joining the Phillies organization a month ago. He pitched two games at Reading, giving up three runs over the course of 7 2/3 innings of work for an ERA of 3.52.
This was good enough for a promotion to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he has been excellent so far. In 10 innings, Johnson has surrendered just four hits and one run while striking out eight for an ERA of 0.90. Jonathan Mayo of MLB recently named Johnson as a potential player who could receive a promotion to the big leagues when rosters expand on Sept. 1.
Chace, the No. 26 prospect in the organization, has also made four appearances since the move, including two at the Single-A level and two at the Double-A level. At Single-A Jersey Shore, Chace pitched 8 2/3 innings, striking out 13 while giving up four runs for a 4.15 ERA. While this ERA is higher than his season average, he did a great job in limited action of controlling his pitches, as he gave up just three walks with a 1.04 WHIP, which is well below his career average of 1.42.
At Reading, Chace has posted a 1-0 record with a 2.79 ERA in 9 2/3 innings of work. He struck out a career-high 10 batters in his most recent start. Still just 20 years old, Chace gives the Phillies long-term flexibility as both a starter and reliever.
Former Phillies prospects struggling to get their footing in Angels organization
While the Phillies added Johnson and Chace at the deadline, they also lost highly-touted pitching prospects George Klassen and Samuel Aldegheri in a trade with the Angels for closer Carlos Estévez.
Klassen has struggled at the Double-A level for the Angels, giving up eight runs in just 10 2/3 innings. Despite this, he has turned in an impressive 2024 season overall as he is posting a 2.64 ERA and has 107 strikeouts in 75 innings. Klassen currently ranks as the Angels' No. 3 prospect behind Christian Moore and Caden Dana.
Aldegheri’s tenure as an Angel has also gotten off to a rocky start, as he has a 5.19 ERA in four starts at Double-A. On the bright side for the Angels, he has 25 strikeouts in just over 17 innings of action, showcasing an innate ability to shut down hitters. Aldegheri currently checks in as the Angels' No. 9 prospect, and both players are estimated to join the big club by 2026.
So far, the Phillies' prospect pitching shakeup has paid off with their new prospects performing well and making a big impact at the minor league level.