Phillies Nation Top 20 Phillies Prospects: February 2020
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Phillies Nation has ranked its list of the top 20 prospects in the Philadelphia Phillies organization ahead of this upcoming season. This list was assembled by a group of Phillies Nation staff members, comprised of Editorial Director Tim Kelly, Assistant Editorial Directors Destiny Lugardo and Jonny Heller and myself, Staff Writer Ty Daubert.
Our assessments of these prospects are based on what we have seen in person, what we have watched on video, conversations with scouts, coaches and player development personnel and information from outlets such as Baseball America, Fangraphs, Prospects Live and MLB Pipeline.
Without further ado, here is the Phillies Nation top 20 Philadelphia Phillies prospect list:
No. 1: Spencer Howard, RHP
Howard is certainly capable of helping the Phillies rotation this season. The real question will be how many innings his arm will be capable of handling. The 23-year-old battled a shoulder injury early in the 2019 season, and he only ended up throwing 99.1 innings. Phillies management has indicated that it could limit Howard to 140-150 innings this season. However much he ends up pitching in 2020, he will be a legitimate upgrade to the team’s staff. Howard’s fastball that touched 98 mph in the Double-A playoffs combined with his advanced changeup and curveball gives him the stuff that can make him a legitimate weapon for the Phillies.
No. 2: Alec Bohm, Third Baseman
The bat is there for Bohm. The glove will continue to be a question mark. Bohm hit 21 home runs with an OPS of .896 in 125 games across three levels in 2019. The 6-foot-5-inch hitter had only a 13.5 strikeout percentage while still walking a lot and hitting for power. Bohm can help the Phillies lineup in 2020, but may not be as much of a help in the field. He is primarily a third baseman and has some experience at first base. However, there are questions about his ability to stick at third long term. If he can hit, the team will find a spot for him without question. But with Rhys Hoskins playing first base, Bohm could end up in left field or even potentially as a DH long-term. Nonetheless, Bohm can provide legitimate production at the plate for the Phillies in 2020 and beyond.
No. 3: Bryson Stott, Shortstop
Stott was the Phillies first round selection in 2019. The bat-first shortstop burst onto the scene in the Gulf Coast League, hitting a home run in his first plate appearance. He was promoted to short-season Williamsport after four games. Overall, he had an .855 OPS in 48 games across two levels. Stott has solid power for a shortstop and should have a good enough defensive makeup to stick at the position. Unlike the first two selections on this list, Stott will not be making any contribution at the major league level this season. He will most likely make appearances for both Lakewood and Clearwater this season, looking to continue his success as he faces tougher competition.
No. 4: Francisco Morales, LHP
Morales is one of the upside players on this list. The 20-year-old showed some excellent stuff in his 96.2 innings in Lakewood last season, posting an ERA of 3.82 with 12 K/9. He possesses a mid-90s fastball and a sharp slider that both get swings and misses. However, Morales does lack a reliable third pitch at this point in his career. He also has some issues with walks — he had 4.3 of those per nine innings last season. His changeup development could make or break his chances as a starting pitcher. If he cannot make it as a starter, a move to the bullpen could help his arsenal play up even more. It’s really too early to tell what role he’ll end up playing, but he will be an exciting name to watch either way.
No. 5: Luis Garcia, Shortstop
2019 was a disappointment for Garcia. He was stuck in the South Atlantic League where everyone was older, bigger and stronger. He posted an OPS of just .516. But despite the down year, Garcia is still just 19 years old and one season removed from his success in the Gulf Coast League as a 17-year-old. He can stay at shortstop defensively, but has played second base as well. Garcia has a really good arm in the field as well. He’ll most likely end up repeating this season in Low-A. If Garcia can physically mature, he is still capable of being a solid contact hitter with on-base ability.
No. 6: Mickey Moniak, Center Fielder
Moniak may not completely live up to the hype of being the first overall pick in the draft, but that does not mean he has nothing to offer. Moniak had a fairly successful year in Double-A last season, posting an OPS of .741 — his highest in a full season. He showed some gap power, tallying 28 doubles and 13 triples. Moniak is not particularly selective at the plate and does not draw many walks. He had a tremendous defensive season in 2019. He is a fast runner with very good range, and has a strong arm as well. He would be most valuable in center field going forward, but is also very capable of playing the corners. He could possibly start the year in Double-A again, but expect to see Moniak in Triple-A at some point this year.
No. 7: Adonis Medina, RHP
The 23-year-old Medina struggled in Double-A last season, posting a 4.94 ERA with 7.0 K/9. His fastball and changeup are average, and his slider is inconsistent. He has shown flashes of having the slider as a legitimate out-pitch, just not on a regular basis. Nothing about Medina really jumps out at you, but he still has a sound arsenal. He will most likely become a back-end starter in the future.
No. 8: Damon Jones, LHP
Jones is high on this list because of his ability to help the Phillies this season. He might’ve made the majors last season, but he struggled once he hit Triple-A. The left-hander throws a mid-90s fastball and has a hard-breaking slider. He does struggle with walks but records a lot of strikeouts as well. If there are any struggling pitchers in the Phillies rotation this season, Jones may be the guy that replaces them. He has the potential to be a capable starter or could potentially be moved to the bullpen if no starting role opens up. He could definitely be up at the major league level at some point in 2020.
No. 9: Johan Rojas, Center Fielder
Rojas is very young and he is very athletic. The 19-year-old has a lot of speed to cover ground in center field. He is extremely aggressive at the plate and should develop power as he ages. Last season, Rojas played in the Gulf Coast League before being promoted to Williamsport. He could play this season in Lakewood. He is someone who will be interesting to watch as he matures. The potential is definitely there.
No. 10: JoJo Romero, LHP
Romero did not look very good as a starter in Double-A and Triple-A last season, posting a 5.82 ERA in 24 starts. However, he fared much better as a reliever in eight appearances in the Arizona Fall League. He is a soft thrower who relies on offspeed pitches and control for success. Romero’s career arc may end up being similar to that of fellow left-hander Ranger Suárez, who did not find too much success as a starter, but shined once he switched to the bullpen last season.
No. 11: Rafael Marchan, Catcher
Marchan has shown off a strong arm and above average blocking abilities so far in Spring Training games. The 21-year-old catcher looks very capable on the defensive end. His bat is still a work in progress. Marchan has never hit a home run in his four-year professional career. He can hit for some contact, which could be good enough for such a light-hitting position. Marchan projects as a defense-first backup catcher. He will most likely start the year back in Clearwater.
No. 12. Simon Muzziotti, Center Fielder
Muzziotti is another really good defensive center fielder. He is a fast baserunner as well. He stole 21 bases last season, although he was caught 12 times. Muzziotti makes a lot of contact — he had a strikeout rate of only 12.9 percent last season — but does not do a whole lot of damage. At the very least, he is someone who can make defensive plays in the outfield and can put the ball in play. If he can unlock some power, he could be a regular in the majors. Muzziotti spent all of last season in Clearwater and will probably spend this season in Reading.
No. 13: Erik Miller, LHP
Miller was a fourth-round pick out of Stanford last year. He is another left-handed pitcher with a good fastball and slider. He also has a reliable changeup as another offspeed pitch. Miller will be used as a starter to start his career but a move to the bullpen may be in his best interest. His velocity can play up as a reliever and help get more swings and misses. Miller struggles with walks but does have good stuff overall. He finished his 2019 season in Lakewood and will most likely begin 2020 there as well.
No. 14: Nick Maton, Shortstop
Although he has played mostly shortstop, Maton will probably end up playing more second base as he progresses. He can do both, but he would be much more fit to play second at the higher levels. He gets on base at a decent clip — a .349 OBP in 2019 — and is a solid all-around hitter. The sort of utility role that Scott Kingery played to start the 2018 season could fit Maton in the future. He will most likely start the season in Double-A, where he finished last season.
No. 15: Connor Brogdon, RHP
Brogdon is another prospect who can help the Phillies this season. He succeeded at three levels last season, posting a 2.61 ERA with 12.6 K/9 in 51 relief appearances between Single-A, Double-A and Triple-A. Brogdon throws a hard mid-90s fastball with a deceptive changeup and a slider. He struggled when he first got to Triple-A, but was able to adjust to the baseball and competition after a handful of outings. The 25-year-old will most likely make his major league debut this season and has a shot of making the Phillies Opening Day roster with a strong Spring Training.
No. 16: Enyel De Los Santos, RHP
The Phillies do not seem to have much confidence in De Los Santos. The right-hander has an intriguing fastball/changeup combination, but he has never really gotten much of a look in the majors. He has also bounced around between starter and reliever. De Los Santos could benefit from being made a full-time reliever, but at this point it looks like he’ll serve as starting depth on the Triple-A roster.
No. 17: Connor Seabold, RHP
Seabold is a starting pitcher that relies heavily on control. He does not have great stuff, but was able to get a lot of outs in 2019. He posted a 2.24 ERA in 56.1 innings after getting a late start due to injury. Seabold showed out in the Arizona Fall League, surrendering only two earned runs in four starts. He probably ends up as a back-end starter if he reaches his potential. He will most likely start 2020 in Triple-A.
No. 18: Christopher Sanchez, LHP
The Phillies traded for Sanchez in November. The Tampa Bay Rays did not have room for him, but the Phillies could use the talented arm. The left-hander throws a fastball in the mid-to-upper-90s. He also throws a slider and a changeup. He has decent strikeout numbers and limits walks. Sanchez has experience in the rotation and bullpen. He will most likely be given the chance to start, but could end up as a reliever for the Phillies. He could start in either Double-A or Triple-A this season.
No. 19: Mauricio Llovera, RHP
Llovera’s 2019 season was underwhelming and shortened by injury. But there are still many things to like about him as a prospect. Llovera’s fastball mostly sat in the low-90s last season, but has been higher in years past. When healthy, he has shown a swing-and-miss splitter and slider. That arsenal would be fit more for the bullpen, despite Llovera being used primarily as a starter in his career so far. Llovera will most likely repeat Double-A to see if he can find the same success he had before last season.
No. 20: Jamari Baylor, Shortstop
Baylor only played four games in the Gulf Coast League after he was drafted last year due to injury. But coming into the draft, he was known for his athleticism and speed. Baylor has a quick swing and should be able to develop power as he ages. It may be too early to tell if he can stick at shortstop, but he will probably stay in the infield at the least. Baylor is only 19, so it will be interesting to see what he can do in his first actual year of pro ball.
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