NL Beast

[Note: NL Beast would like to welcome James from Phuture Phillies, who will be rounding up the Phils minor league prospects on a weekly basis. Phuture Phillies is a must-read blog for all serious Phillies fans, and we're elated to have James contribute his immense knowledge of the Phils farm system.]

Hey guys, this is James from phuturephillies.com here to give you an update on the workings of the Phillies farm system, who’s hot, who’s not, and some random tidbits thrown in for good measure.

The Phillies farm system has made small strides over the past 2-3 seasons, with a decent amount of talent now spread from A ball all the way up through AAA. The Phillies system strength remains their pitching prospects, with JA Happ, currently in AAA, the closest thing to a major league ready prospect in the system. Happ got a brief cup of coffee last year for one spot start, but dealt with some minor arm injuries for much of the season, and the result was a loss of command and control.

Happ is still having control issues this season, but he’s limited his hits allowed and is still generating plenty of swings and misses. The Phillies rotation doesn’t exactly remind you of the ‘72 Orioles at this point, so you have to think Happ is going to get his shot sometime soon. He features an 86-90 mph fastball with some movement, a curve, and a plus changeup. The key to success for him, like most pitchers without overpowering stuff, is to pitch aggressively and not nibble, just to locate pitches and pitch to his strengths. He’ll more than likely get his chance before the All Star Break.

Looking further down the road to AA, the Phillies have quite a few promising prospects on the horizon. Lou Marson, a personal favorite, has backstopped back to back league championships, and again is in charge of catching a talented pitching staff in Reading. To go along with his solid defensive tools, Marson is hitting an impressive .320 this season in AA, with an even more impressive .441 OB%. The power hasn’t really emerged yet, but Marson has a very polished batting eye, and the power, even if its only doubles power, should emerge as he continues to mature.

Marson gets to catch two of the Phillies best pitching prospects in Carlos Carrasco and Josh Outman. Carrasco has been near the top of every Phillies top prospect list for the last 2 seasons, and is finding AA much more to his liking this season after struggling in a half season there last year. Carrasco features a good fastball/changeup combination as well as a curveball that is making progress.

Also at Reading is Josh Outman, a hard throwing lefthanded pitching prospect. Outman has pitched as a starter since turning pro, but has moved into a relief role in an attempt to fast track him to the majors, more than likely at some point in the 2nd half of the season. He’s struggled with his command at times, but his low-mid 90’s velocity from the left side is a rare commodity, and if he can harness his raw stuff, he has a chance to be either a shutdown reliever or middle of the rotation starter.

To complement this talented trio, shortstop Jason Donald rounds out the mix. Donald, who was seen by many as a utility type player because of the lack of a plus tool, is off to a fast start this year, hitting .307 through the first 6 weeks. While Donald might be blocked in Philly at the moment up the middle, he might start getting reps at 3B, or could prove to be a real valuable trade chip this summer.

The Phillies have quite a few interesting prospects down in A ball, both in the Advanced A Florida State League and the Low A South Atlantic League. Joe Savery, the team’s #1 pick last season has been hot and cold in Clearwater, balancing out impressive outings with bouts of command trouble. Scouts seem to like what they’re seeing on him, and the thought is that he’s only going to get better now that he’s focused on being a full time pitcher. Matt Spencer, another 2007 draftee looks like he’s got a chance at becoming a regular corner OF, and at worst, a solid 4th OF. Adrian Cardenas, a supplemental first rounder in 2006, has just recently come off the disabled list, but is hitting an eye popping .347 early on, albeit with little power. Cardenas is only 20, so he’s still got plenty of time for the power to emerge.

In Clearwater the Phillies also have a number of interesting arms who could be bullpen pieces in the next few seasons in Brett Harker and Sam Walls, as well as Edgar Garcia, who still could figure into the back of the rotation in a few seasons time. In Low A Lakewood, the Phillies are filled with toolsy, projectable athletes in Freddy Galvis, Travis Mattair, Dominic Brown and D’Arby Myers. Brown has faired the best of the quartet so far, but Mattair, a 19 year old 3B prospect, has really picked up steam after a sluggish start.

If you’re a Phillies fan, there are a few prospects at each level to keep you interested. While the Phillies still lack the superstar prospect like a Jay Bruce or Evan Longoria, they’ve begun to assemble some depth, a mix of projectable athletes, interesting arms, and guys who can just flat out hit. I’ll be back on a weekly basis to keep you updated on the Phillies system, and any questions, feel free to ask here, or over at my site.