Philadelphia Phillies fans received another clear sign that the team's farm system is in a very good place after Baseball America ranked infield prospect Aroon Escobar No. 100 on its updated list of top MLB prospects (subscription required).
Coming on the heels of the 20-year-old Venezuela native also being named one of the hottest hitter's in minor league baseball by a panel of MLB Pipeline writers, it seems like only a matter of time before Escobar makes a bigger jump on this list later this summer.
That being said, it's very easy to get lost in the shuffle when you play in a Phillies farm system that already counts Andrew Painter (No. 13), Aidan Miller (No. 47), Eduardo Tait (No. 66) and Justin Crawford (No. 87) among its organizational prizes. But Escobar's dominant play with the Single-A Clearwater Threshers has certainly drawn more curious eyes to his still developing talent.
With updated rankings a monthly part of the baseball coverage cycle, the Phillies could very soon have five prospects listed within the top 50 in the entire sport.
Phillies' Aroon Escobar finally makes Baseball America's Top 100 prospect rankings
Escobar was left off Baseball America's initial Top 100 list and just missed the first May update (subscription required), but has now done enough to warrant inclusion.
Unlike drafted MLB players, it typically takes young players signed internationally to force their names into the wider prospect discussion. Lacking college and high school baseball numbers as a benchmark to gauge future success, prospects like Escobar and his Clearwater teammate Tait are forced to let the box score do the talking. That being said, a wider look at Escobar's number's after his first 34 games this season provides a tantalizing glimpse of what all the hype is about.
Escobar's currently batting .321 with a .988 OPS, 43 hits, eight home runs and 25 RBIs in 134 at-bats. While his 30 strikeouts point to an area that needs more work, he's also walked 21 times, showing that he has the instincts to be selective and take a base when opposing pitchers offer him nothing to hit. Given his age and offensive success at the level, it looks promising that Escobar's power and sharp eye could carry him to High-A Jersey Shore before the end of summer.
With continued success, Escobar may very well take an even bigger leap when Baseball America updates their rankings in June. That not only brings the talented infielder closer to being name checked more frequently by other baseball publications, but will no doubt contribute to rival front offices looking at Escobar as a potential target in summer trade discussions.
It's currently less clear what the Phillies' long-term outlook for Escobar is when projecting the team's future roster construction. But armed with a bat that could carry him up the minor league system quickly, it seems the Phillies front office has developed a knack for identifying and signing elite international talent, with Escobar being the latest example.