Philadelphia Phillies: Breaking Down the Phillies’ Top 5 Prospects
January 26, 2012 by Adam Wells
Filed under Fan News
A flurry of trades over the last three seasons have done a number on the Philadelphia Phillies‘ farm system. It does speak to how well the front office has drafted that they have been able to acquire Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Hunter Pence.
While the major league team is still competing for championships, the system is as weak as it has been in years. There is some quality in the lower levels of the minors, but not a lot of impact right now. That will likely make it difficult for them to trade for an impact player this year to fill any potential holes.
Nevertheless, here are the top five prospects for the Philadelphia Phillies entering the 2012 season.
1. Trevor May, RHP, 22
May elevated himself to the top of the Phillies’ system thanks to a combination of his projection and the trade of Jarred Cosart and Jonathan Singleton last year. He has a lot of question marks surrounding him right now, but the upside is there for him to be an impact starter at the major league level.
Strengths
Combining great size—May is listed at 6’5″, 230 pounds—and power stuff, May has the makings of a top-of-the-rotation starter. His height allows him to throw on a downhill plane, which will limit the number of home runs the opposition hits against him.
Weaknesses
His two biggest problems are below-average command and his secondary pitches. The command hurts everything else that he does, and could prevent him from reaching his full potential.
Report
The raw stuff is good enough that it is possible to envision a scenario in which he develops into a No. 2 starter in the big leagues. If the command doesn’t improve, he will likely be a back-of-the-rotation pitcher.
ETA: 2013
2. Sebastian Valle, C, 21
The Phillies have Valle slotted in as their future starting catcher, and it is easy to see why when you watch him play. He has solid all-around tools, though the results on the field have not always been there for him. He hit just .284/.312/.394 in class High-A last season.
Strengths
Valle is an athletic catcher who already shows good defensive skills. He has a solid arm to go with good blocking and receiving skills behind the plate. He shows tremendous bat speed, which provides hope that his offense will pick up as he gets more comfortable playing full-season ball.
Weaknesses
Impressive bat speed aside, Valle does not have a lot of patience at the plate. He also has a big leg kick that makes his swing take longer than it should to get through the zone.
Report
Valle is still learning the catcher position, but by the time he reaches his peak he should be above average behind the plate. For him to live up to his potential, he has to improve with the bat. He needs to get a better feel for the strike zone and use his bat speed to hit for more power.
ETA: 2014
3. Jonathan Pettibone, RHP, 21
Pettibone has gotten better every season in professional baseball. He finished the 2011 season with career highs in innings pitched (161), strikeouts (115) and had the lowest walk rate of his career (1.9/9 IP). He also allowed five fewer home runs than he did in 2010 despite throwing 30 more innings.
Strengths
As evidenced by his numbers from last season, Pettibone already displays good command and a solid understanding of how to pitch. His delivery is very easy with no extraneous movement of stress on his shoulder.
Weaknesses
Pettibone is still trying to find a third pitch to complement his fastball and changeup. He has implemented a slider into his repertoire, though he has to start throwing it more often to get a good feel for it.
Report
He is the best bet of all the Phillies’ top prospects to live up to his potential. He is going to be a mid-rotation starter if he can find a consistent third pitch to throw for strikes.
ETA: 2013
4. Jesse Biddle, LHP, 20
While the Phillies are trying to figure out how to develop hitters to plug into their lineup, you can see based on the first four prospects on this list that their strength lies in pitching. Biddle is another young, projectable arm that could crack the rotation in a couple of years.
Strengths
Despite being just 20 years old and having one full season of professional baseball under his belt, Biddle has a good feel for all of his pitches. He will throw them at any time in any count, challenging hitters to beat him.
Weaknesses
One major concern for Biddle is the inconsistent velocity he showed with his fastball in 2011. There were times when he has been clocked in the low-90s, but last year it fell down to the high-80s and touching 90. He also doesn’t have command of his pitches yet, as evidenced by his 4.5 walks per nine innings pitched.
Report
There is a lot of projection left in Biddle, so if he can get his velocity back into the low-90s and figure out how to command his pitches, he will be a mid-rotation starter. But he has to get back the heat that he lost for that to happen.
ETA: 2014
5. Freddy Galvis, SS, 22
By re-signing Jimmy Rollins, the Phillies told Galvis that they still need to see some improvement in his bat before they are ready to hand the reins over to him. There is no work left for him to do on defense, so he could be a trade chip if the Phillies don’t find a spot for him.
Strengths
Speaking of the glove, it is impossible to watch Galvis play and not love what he does at the shortstop position. His two best skills at the position are his range and instincts. He has an incredible understanding of how to play the position.
Weaknesses
His offensive upside is limited. He doesn’t have good plate discipline, nor does he project to have a lot of power.
Report
As long as Galvis doesn’t get amnesia and forget how to play the shortstop position, he should at least be an average major league shortstop. If he can give anything offensively, it is a bonus.
ETA: Late 2012
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