Philadelphia Phillies’ Top 10 Prospects for 2015

The Philadelphia Phillies haven’t launched a full-on rebuilding process, at least not yet, but the organization appears to be headed in that direction based on recent trades.

The Phillies have targeted young, projectable pitchers in trades this offseason, acquiring Zach Eflin and Tom Windle from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Jimmy Rollins deal and then getting right-hander Ben Lively from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Marlon Byrd. Those additions give the Phillies some much-needed pitching depth on the farm behind 2014 first-rounder Aaron Nola and former top prospect Jesse Biddle.

J.P. Crawford, the No. 16 overall pick in the 2013 draft, was lauded for his offensive potential and ability to remain at shortstop, but no one could have predicted how advanced the hit tool would be in his first full professional season. Meanwhile, third baseman Maikel Franco overcame a rough first half at Triple-A to reach the major leagues as a September call-up, setting him up for a potential everyday role in 2015.

Beyond that, the Phillies system also stands out for its collection of young, high-upside talent in the low minors, a group that includes center fielder Roman Quinn, catcher Deivi Grullon, left-hander Yoel Mecias and right-hander Franklyn Kilome.

Here are the Phillies’ top 10 prospects for the 2015 season.

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Cole Hamels Trade Suitors with Chips to Pull off Huge Winter Trade

Cole Hamels is the definition of an ace, having made at least 30 starts in seven consecutive seasons while eclipsing 200 innings all but once during that time frame. During his nine-year career with the Phillies, the left-hander has pitched to a 3.27 ERA (3.48 FIP), 8.53 strikeouts per nine innings and 2.26 walks per nine innings in 1,801.1 innings, good for a 34.4 fWAR.

Hamels, who turns 31 in December, will make $96 million over the final four years of his contract (not including a $20 million vesting option for 2019). He also has a 20-team no-trade clause and nine-team block list in his contract, per Cot’s Baseball Contracts. However, as of now, the only team known not to be included on either list is the Chicago Cubs, according to a tweet from ESPN’s Buster Olney.

In the past, the Phillies have dangled Hamels to both gauge interest and make their asking price known. Most recently, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. placed Hamels on revocable waivers last August only to have him claimed by the Cubs. However, the Phillies ultimately pulled him back off waivers after but the two teams failed to work out a deal.

Don’t get me wrong, the rebuilding process in Philadelphia should have begun years ago; however, Amaro did make the right decision by holding off on trading Hamels until the offseason. Now, he is prepared to wait and see how the market for free agents Max Scherzer and Jon Lester unfolds before deciding whether to deal his ace left-hander, per Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com.

Unsurprisingly, the Phillies are looking for a flattering return on Hamels (as they should be) in the form of “at least three top prospects,” two of whom are capable of contributing in the major leagues, per Salisbury. At the same time, I’m sure the Phillies might be willing to make an exception if the non-major league-ready players in the proposed deal are that good or play up-the-middle positions.

Most teams lack the talent and depth—and in many cases the payroll flexibility—to meet Philadelphia’s asking price for Hamels, which makes it relatively easy to predict his potential suitors. So far, the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox reportedly have expressed interest in Hamels.

Here’s an idea of what those teams might be able to offer the Phillies for Hamels.

 

Boston Red Sox

The Trade: C Christian Vazquez, RHP Matt Barnes and 2B Sean Coyle

 

The Red Sox possess arguably the best selection of young major league players and prospects among teams that could be interested in Cole Hamels.

Boston is one of the 20 teams on Hamels’ no-trade list, though Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports doesn’t believe it would necessarily be an impediment in a deal between the teams.

“Hamels included the Red Sox on his latest no-trade list, and likely would grant his approval for a deal only if they exercised his $20 million option for 2019,” writes Rosenthal. “At that point, his contract would become less attractive: $110 million over five years.”

The Phillies scouted Boston’s system thoroughly this season, clearly envisioning such a scenario might unfold given the lack of impact arms on the free-agent market. Meanwhile, recent reports have the team looking into three players specifically.

According Rosenthal: “The Phillies are doing background work on [Christian Vazquez’s] makeup, as well as on the makeups of right-hander Matt Barnes and outfielder Mookie Betts.”

Betts appears to be a star in the making as well as a big part of the future for the Red Sox, meaning it’s highly unlikely he’ll be included in any trade this offseason. On the other hand, Barnes and Vazquez, whom both reached the major leagues this past season, are candidates to be moved in a blockbuster deal for Hamels.

Boston has expressed a desire to hold on to Vazquez and top prospect catcher Blake Swihart, per Rosenthal, though neither player has been officially declared off-limits. With Carlos Ruiz entering his age-35 season and lacking internal options behind the plate, it makes sense for the Phillies to target one of Boston’s young catchers. In this case, we’ll say Vazquez.

Vazquez, 24, demonstrated good contact skills as well solid plate discipline with the Red Sox, batting .240/.308/.309 with 10 extra-base hits and 20 RBI over 201 plate appearances.

As you might have inferred from his triple-slash line, Vazquez struggled to drive the ball last season, and based on his lack of power in minor leagues and general tendency to hit the ball on the ground, he’s not going to become a home run threat over night.

Luckily, Vazquez shines on the other side of the ball, as evidenced by his 52 percent caught-stealing rate last season in 54 games behind the plate. Beyond that, he proved to be an advanced receiver—earning his pitchers 103.6 additional strikes—and average blocker.

Meanwhile, right-hander Matt Barnes was Boston’s first-round pick back in 2011, and it seemed as though he’d reach the major leagues quickly after breezing through both Class-A levels the following year behind a 2.86 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 119.2 innings.

After that, however, Barnes, 24, didn’t progress as expected, turning in shaky performances across the Double- and Triple-A levels in back-to-back years.

Thankfully, the 24-year-old figured things out during the final month of the minor league season, as he pitched to a 2.16 ERA and .164 opponents’ batting average over 41.2 innings (six starts) at Triple-A Pawtucket.

Barnes’ strong finish earned him a September promotion to the major leagues. The right-hander made five relief appearances and posted a 4.00 ERA with eight strikeouts over nine innings.

In addition to Vazquez and Barnes, the Red Sox might also offer the Phillies one of its middle infield prospects to potentially seal the deal, in which case second baseman Sean Coyle would make sense given his promising offensive profile and the fact he’ll be blocked by Dustin Pedroia for the foreseeable future.

A 2014 All-Star Futures Game selection, Coyle put up big numbers this season in his first taste of the Double-A level, batting .295/.371/.512 with 16 home runs and 23 doubles in 384 plate appearances while also swiping 13 bags. However, injuries impacted the 22-year-old’s development for the second straight year, as he was limited to only 97 games after playing just 48 in 2013.

Coyle’s track record in the minor leagues—specifically his plate discipline and swing-and-miss tendencies—suggests he won’t hit for average or reach base as well as he did this past season. That being said, his power-speed combination should still result in seasons with double-digit home runs and stolen bases, not to mention upwards of 25 doubles.

 

Chicago Cubs

The Trade: OF Albert Almora, RHP C.J. Edwards and C Victor Caratini

 

The Cubs are in the market for a top-tier starting pitcher this offseason, with free agents Jon Lester and Max Scherzer as well as trade candidate Cole Hamels atop their list.

As previously mentioned, the Cubs claimed Hamels off revocable waivers last August but failed to strike a deal with the Phillies. However, the Cubs knew a trade wouldn’t happen, especially with Philadelphia asking for “three to four top prospects” and the Cubs aggressively stockpiling them; they were simply laying the groundwork for a potential offseason trade.

After Hamels was pulled back off waivers, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times speculated that the Phillies were asking for shortstop Addison Russell—acquired by the Cubs a month earlier from the A’s in the Jeff Samardzija deal—in return for Hamels. In all likelihood, the Phillies are probably still looking to receive a player package headlined by Russell. That could happen in theory given the Cubs’ depth at the position; however, team president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer have mentioned on multiple occasions they don’t plan on trading one of their shortstops anytime soon.

Luckily, the Cubs have a deep collection of high-end prospects and therefore the ability to entice the Phillies with an assortment of player packages.

Specifically, the Cubs make a splash in the trade talks by offering center fielder Albert Almora, the team’s first-round pick in the 2012 draft.

Almora, 20, produced a .270/.291/.392 batting line with 40 extra-base hits (nine home runs) in 529 plate appearances this year and spent the final month and a half of the regular season in Double-A. Though his numbers were slightly disappointing—mostly in terms of his approach and on-base skills—after an impressive 2013 full-season debut, Almora still projects as at least an above-average hitter capable of holding down center field long term.

If all goes as planned with Almora’s development, he could be ready to debut during the 2016 season. However, with Arismendy Alcantara now patrolling center field and likely to remain there having already moved off the infield, a case can be made that Almora is the team’s top prospect trade chip.

In addition to Almora, the Cubs would probably have to deal one of their better pitching prospects to get Hamels, and chances are the Phillies, who lack internal candidates capable of stepping into the starting rotation, will prefer a guy already within striking distance of the major leagues.

Right-hander C.J. Edwards fits that bill, and he’s also a sell-high candidate for the Cubs after an impressive final month of the regular season at Double-A Tennessee and a strong showing in this year’s Arizona Fall League.

The 23-year-old made four starts at Tennessee before landing on the disabled list for three-plus months with a shoulder injury, but he returned to the level in early August to post a 2.30 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 27.1 innings. Making six starts in the AFL, Edwards pitched to a 1.80 ERA and fanned 13 batters in 15 innings.

My only look at Edwards in Arizona was in the Fall Stars Game, when he struck out two batters while working a scoreless third inning in relief of starter Archie Bradley. The wiry right-hander was as sharp as his line suggests, throwing a 91-94 mph fastball that jumped out of his hand due to deception and his usual hard-sweeping, swing-and-miss breaking ball in the low- to mid-80s.

Edwards’ slender 6’2”, 155-pound frame and shoulder injury raises questions about his long-term durability, but the right-hander’s track record of success in the minor leagues speaks to his overall potential.

To round out the deal for Hamels, the Cubs could offer Philadelphia switch-hitting catching prospect Victor Caratini, who was acquired from the Braves at this year’s non-waiver trade deadline in exchange for James Russell and Emilio Bonifacio.

Caratini, a second-round draft pick in 2013, made his full-season debut this year, batting .277/.346/.402 with 32 extra-base hits (five home runs) and a 69-38 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 423 plate appearances between the Braves’ and Cubs’ Low-A affiliates.

The 21-year-old moved back to catcher this season after playing third base almost exclusively in his 2013 professional debut, and he held his own at the position with a 32 percent caught-stealing rate and only eight passed balls.

The big question with Caratini is whether he’ll develop usable power. Right now, he’s mostly a gap-to-gap hitter from both sides of the plate and stands out for his on-base skills thanks to an advanced approach. If he continues down that path and improves his defense along the way, Caratini could be ready for a crack at the major leagues by 2017.

 

All statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference or FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

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Aaron Nola: Prospect Profile for Philadelphia Phillies’ 1st-Round Pick

Player: Aaron Nola

Drafted by: Philadelphia Phillies

Position: RHP

DOB: 06/04/1993 (Age: 20)

Height/Weight: 6’2”, 196 lbs.

Bats/Throws: R/R

School: Louisiana State

Previously Drafted: 22nd round, 2011 (Toronto)

 

Background

Aaron Nola was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 22^nd round of the 2011 draft out of high school, but he instead decided to honor his commitment to Louisiana State. Now, three years later, the right-hander is expected to be one of the first pitchers to come off the board on June 5.

Nola made an immediate impact for the Tigers as a freshman, as he posted a 3.61 ERA and stellar 89/7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 89.2 innings while making 17 starts. The right-hander quietly emerged as one of the top pitchers in the nation the following year—and after Kevin Gausman’s fourth overall selection in the 2012 draft—as went 12-1 with five complete games, lowered his ERA to 1.57, held opposing hitters to a .188 batting average and posted a ridiculous 122/18 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 126 innings. Furthermore, right-hander averaged at least seven innings over his 17 starts. 

This season it’s been more of the same for Nola, who will celebrate his 21^st birthday the day before the draft, as he’ll enter the NCAA tournament boasting a 10-1 record, 1.49 ERA, .173 opponents batting average and 127/26 strikeout-to-walk. Nola was also named in early May to the 30-man watch list for the 2014 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award.

While there certainly are other pitchers in this year’s class with better stuff and a higher ceiling, none come close to matching Nola’s track record of success against top-flight SEC hitters over the past three seasons.

 

Full Scouting Report

Note: Numerical scores are on the conventional 80-point scouting scale, with the current score first and projected score second.

Body/Mechanics

Nola has good strength and athleticism to his 6’2”, 196-pound frame; some room for physical projection; delivery is clean and efficient; works from incredibly deceptive three-quarters arm slot; ability to repeat release point is both advanced and impressive; very durable despite wiry frame and arm angle.

 

Fastball: 55/65

Fastball velocity has steadily improved during career at LSU; works consistently in 90-93 mph range and has scraped 94-95 this season more regularly; velocity plays up thanks to deceptive slot and jumps on opposing hitters; generates impressive arm-side run; 65-grade projection is fueled by his plus-plus command of pitch rather than velocity.

 

Curveball: 50/60

Breaking ball is average with the potential to gain a full grade; shows good feel for the pitch, throwing it in the 78-82 mph range with depth and tight rotation; could be a bat-misser and out pitch with refinement in the minor leagues; throws pitch in a variety of counts and locates it to both sides of the plate.

 

Changeup: 45/55

Better feel for changeup than most pitchers in the class; arm angle and release point aids his effectiveness of the offering, as does his ability to set it up with well-located fastballs; registers in 82-84 mph range with good arm-side fade; already demonstrates advanced command of pitch.

 

Control: 60/70

Consistently around the plate with entire arsenal; leaves the zone by design; present feel for locating pitches to all four quadrants will only improve; feel for pitching is unparalleled among peers.

 

Command: 55/65

Command is and will always be Nola’s bread and butter; dude is polished; consistently throws three big league quality pitches for strikes and masks everything with big-time deception; outstanding feel for his craft; has shown capacity to make swift adjustments.

 

MLB Player Comparison: Jake Peavy

Nola has long received comparisons to Jake Peavy for his low three-quarters angle and plus-plus command of three potentially above-average-or-better pitches.

 

Projection: No. 3 starter

 

Major Leagues ETA: Mid-2015

 

Chances of Signing: 99 percent

Nola doesn’t have a ceiling like some of the other promising arms in this year’s class, but his outstanding command of three legitimate offerings and overall feel for pitching could make him the first in the group to reach the major leagues. It’s nearly impossible to envision a scenario in which the 21-year-old doesn’t sign after coming off the board early in the first round.

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MLB System Check 2014: Philadelphia Phillies’ Top Prospects

The Philadelphia Phillies System Check video offers a quick overview of the team’s farm system, addressing its strengths and weaknesses and how it can improve moving forward. The video also provides a breakdown of the Phillies’ top prospects for 2014, Maikel Franco, Jesse Biddle and J.P. Crawford, including each player’s ETA in the major leagues and potential long-term role within the organization.

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What Cole Hamels’ 2014 Debut Tells Us About His Season Outlook

Cole Hamels isn’t known for turning in strong season debuts. Since 2009, the Phillies left-hander is 1-4 with a 9.55 ERA in 21.2 innings.

On Wednesday night, Hamels took the mound for the first time this season after spending over two months on the shelf with tendonitis in his left shoulder, and he did so with a chance to ensure a series win against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Earlier in the week, manager Ryne Sandberg mentioned on the WIP Morning Show that Hamels would have no restrictions in his season debut (via CBS Philly):

We’ll just watch him pitch and take a look at him and see how he does, but it’s great to have him in the rotation with the other guys we have. He’s going on Wednesday, so that’s a little strategy there, rather than pitching him on Tuesday breaking up him and [Cliff] Lee and having [A.J.] Burnett in the middle here for the Dodgers series. [I’m] anxious to watch him pitch and to see him and then go from there, but no restrictions. He threw all of his pitches in his last three outings.

While Hamels left the game after six innings with the Phillies trailing, 2-1, he did end his string of lackluster debuts by allowing two earned runs on four hits with five strikeouts and one walk. More importantly, the 30-year-old southpaw proved that he’s healthy and ready for another strong campaign.

Prior to facing Hamels, the Dodgers ranked 23rd in batting average (.248 ) and 28th in woBA (.300) this season against left-handed pitching.

In general, the Dodgers offense had been mired in a week-long slump headed into Wednesday, collectively batting .190/.249/.300 with 13 extra-base hits and 57 strikeouts in their last six games.

Basically, the Dodgers’ recent struggles made them the perfect opponent to help Hamels finally put an end to his half-decade of porous season debuts.

After setting down the Dodgers in order in the first inning, Hamels surrendered a leadoff double to Matt Kemp in the second and then a single to Scott Van Slyke to put runners on the corners with no outs. The next batter, Juan Uribe, plated Kemp on a sacrifice fly to give the Dodgers an early 1-0 lead, but Hamels was able to avoid a potentially disastrous inning by inducing a flyout from Justin Turner and then picking off Van Slyke at first with a span of five pitches.

Hamels found his groove in the third and turned in another one-two-three inning, capping the frame by striking out Yasiel Puig for the second time in as many at-bats. The left-hander retired five straight batters before allowing a two-out double to Kemp, his second of the game, in the fourth inning.

Hamels opened the fifth inning with strikeouts of Uribe and Turner, though neither batter went down without a fight; he struck out Uribe swinging on six pitches and then retired Turner looking on eight pitches. After that, however, Hamels began to show slight signs of fatigue, as he surrendered a two-out single to catcher Drew Butera and five-pitch walk to Zack Greinke to set up Puig for an RBI single to left field.

Hanley Ramirez doubled down the left field line to lead off the sixth inning, but Hamels ultimately left him on base by retiring the next three batters on seven pitches.

In terms of stuff, Hamels featured his entire arsenal Wednesday night, throwing a fastball, cutter, changeup and curveball. Specifically, 57 of the left-hander’s 86 pitches in the game were either fastballs or cutters, and he demonstrated his usual advanced feel for working it to both sides of the plate. Hamels’ command of his heater, which sat 91 to 94 mph, in the outing wasn’t particularly sharp, as he frequently missed off the inside corner against right-handed batters. However, he still was able to establish the pitch early in the game by confidently attacking hitters inside, which in turn made his middle-away secondary offerings even more effective.

Hamels’ changeup was as good as it could have been for his first start of the season, as the left-hander induced seven whiffs—including two strikeouts—while throwing it 20 times over six innings. The pitch featured excellent speed differential (compared to his fastball), registering anywhere from 78 to 84 mph in the outing, and, like always, he sold it incredibly well with his fastball-like arm speed and follow-through.

Hamels also threw eight curveballs in the game—five coming during the fifth and sixth innings with his fastball-changeup command waning—and showed a feel for generating tight rotation and sharp, downer break. But even though he induced a pair of whiffs with the pitch, he lacked control overall and buried many of them in the dirt.

The only times Hamels struggled was when pitching with men on base, as two of the four hits he allowed in the outing, as well as his lone walk (which he issued to Greinke), came when working from the stretch. However, considering opposing hitters own a career triple-slash line of .242/.296/.388 against Hamels with men on base, it’s reasonable to assume the issue will resolve itself as he continues to build arm strength and logs innings.

 

Overall Grade: B+

After making three rehab starts at High-A Clearwater prior to his season debut, Hamels looked as though he was in midseason form facing the Dodgers on Wednesday. The left-hander was poised on the mound and utilized his entire arsenal to execute a specific game plan against a lineup comprised of eight right-handed batters.

Assuming Hamels’ shoulder injury is behind him, then all signs point to the 30-year-old putting up numbers in line with his career averages—meaning 200-plus innings, an ERA and FIP somewhere in the vicinity of 3.0 to 3.5, and strikeout and walk rates of roughly 23.0 and 6.0 percent, respectively.

Unless the Phillies adjust their starting rotation, Hamels is scheduled to make his second start of the season at home next Tuesday against the New York Mets.

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Stock Up, Stock Down for Philadelphia Phillies’ Top 10 Prospects Entering Week 4

It was a tough week for the Philadelphia Phillies, as they went 2-4 in six games and fell to last place in the National League East.

Thankfully, things weren’t quite as bleak down on the farm; many of the team’s top offensive prospects came out of their respective shells last week and put up impressive numbers, especially those players at Low-A Lakewood in the South Atlantic League.

The following is a look at the early-season performances of the Phillies’ current top-10 prospects, as ranked by Prospect Pipeline headed into 2014. This series is updated weekly, a with a stock “up,” “even” or “down” indication given to each prospect based upon what direction his performance is trending.

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Philadelphia Phillies’ Top 10 Prospects for 2014

While the Phillies system is thin on projectable talent and ranks in the bottom tier among all organizations, things are starting to look up thanks to the emergence of slugger Maikel Franco and shortstop J.P. Crawford.

Franco announced his presence as one of the top power hitters in the minor leagues last season, as the 21-year-old third baseman combined to club 36 doubles and 31 home runs in 581 plate appearances between High-A Clearwater and Double-A Reading. With a knack for making consistent contact and generating backspin carry, Franco’s power projects favorably at the major league level and could even play up at Citizens Bank Park.

Meanwhile, Crawford, the team’s first-round pick in 2013, flashed huge upside last summer by winning the batting title in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League with a .345 average in 168 plate appearances. And for the record, speedster Roman Quinn would have ranked in the top five had he not suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in the fall.

In terms of pitching, left-hander Jesse Biddle once again gets the nod as the team’s top young arm after a solid but inconsistent showing at Double-A Reading as a 21-year-old. Although he ranked third in the Eastern League with 154 strikeouts in 138.1 innings, the southpaw struggled with his control and command to the tune of a career-worst 5.33 walks per nine innings.

Beyond those players, the Phillies’ prospect pool features its usual mix of high-risk, high-reward position players, such as outfielders Aaron Altherr and Dylan Cozens as well as third baseman Zach Green. And similar to previous years, the organization also houses its share useful major league arms including right-handed starter Ethan Martin, who debuted in late 2013, and flamethrowing reliever Ken Giles.

Here’s a look at the Philadelphia Phillies’ top 10 prospects for the 2014 season.

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Assembling Perfect Cliff Lee Trade Packages for Top 5 Suitors

Although the Phillies are reportedly willing to entertain offers for Cliff Lee, they’re asking for the farm in return.

According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. is asking for three or four top prospects in return for Lee, as well as the assumption of the remainder of his contract.

Given that information, there are only a few organizations with both the financial flexibility and depth on the farm to make a run at the 34-year-old left-hander. And while it’s increasingly doubtful that any team would be willing to part with such a significant portion of its future under those circumstances, there are several clubs expected to at least kick the tires over the next 24 hours.

Here’s a look at five teams capable of putting together a loaded prospect package to land Cliff Lee before Wednesday’s deadline.

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Cavan Biggio: Prospect Profile for Philadelphia Phillies 29th Round Pick

Player: Cavan Biggio

Drafted by: Philadelphia Phillies (No. 871 overall)

Position: 3B/2B

DOB: 4/11/1995 (Age: 18)

Height/Weight: 6’2”/180 lbs.

Bats/Throws: L/R

School: St. Thomas HS (Texas)

College Commitment: Notre Dame

 

Background

The son of should-be Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, who collected 3,060 hits over his 20-year career with the Houston Astros, Cavan has been a known commodity on the scouting scene for several years. However, the left-handed hitter’s draft stock didn’t take off until last summer, when he raked on the showcase circuit and turned in a strong performance for the Team USA 18U National Team.

It should come as no surprise that Biggio is one of the better prep hitters in this year’s class. Beyond the outstanding bloodline, Craig—who is also his high school coach—has been there to guide him every step of the way. Although he doesn’t possess the same amount of athleticism and tools as his father, Cavan has already drawn glowing reviews both for his bat and plate discipline, as well as his outstanding makeup.

The only thing preventing the youngster from being selected in the first round is his lack of a true defensive position; he’s serviceable at second and third base but currently lacks the speed and range to project at either spot long term. That being said, his advanced approach and promising hit tool will likely warrant consideration from several teams as a sandwich pick, but it’s more likely he’ll come off the board just beyond the first round. However, considering his strong commitment to Notre Dame—where his brother is currently a sophomore infielder—Biggio may be a tough sign if he’s not selected in the early rounds.    

 

Full Scouting Report 

Note: Numerical scores are on the conventional 80-point scouting scale, with the current score first and projected score second.

 

Hitting: 40/55

Smooth, balanced left-handed swing; advanced bat-to-ball ability; potential above-average hit tool; quick wrists; already exhibits barrel control and keeps it in the strike zone for an extended period of time; hits good pitching; feel for using the entire field; gets good extension after contact; ceiling tied to development of his bat; advanced approach for his age; controls the strike zone. 

 

Power: 35/50

Below-average power; plenty of room to grow into his 6’2”, 180-pound frame; should add considerable strength over the last year; present gap power; some pop to the pull side; average power potential at maturity.

 

Speed: 40/45

Below-average runner but not a baseclogger; may add a some speed as he gets stronger; compensates for average quickness with good instincts.

 

Defense: 40/50

Lacks true position; played mostly third base as an amateur; decent actions but lacks the quick feet and lateral range to profile there long term; solid glove and hands; could be developed as a second baseman; potential average defender at keystone; development of bat may influence future position; last resort move would be to left field.

 

Arm: 45/45

Below-average arm strength hurts his chances of sticking at third base; has some length to his arm stroke; clean release; should be serviceable as a second baseman.

 

MLB Player Comparison: Todd Walker

 

Projection: Everyday second baseman on a second-division team.

 

MLB ETA: 2016

 

Chances of Signing: 40%

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Andrew Knapp: Prospect Profile for Philadelphia Phillies’ 2nd-Round Pick

Player: Andrew Knapp

Drafted by: Philadelphia Phillies (No. 53 Overall)

Position: C

DOB: 11/9/1991 (Age: 21)

Height/Weight: 6’1”/175 lbs.

Bats/Throws: B/R

School: California

Previously Drafted: 2010: Oakland Athletics (41st round)

 

Background

A 41st-round selection of the Oakland A’s out of high school in 2010, Knapp struggled to put things together during his first two seasons at Cal. Receiving playing time at several positions including right field, first base and designated hitter, the 6’1”, 175-pound switch-hitter batted just .253/.334/.386 between his freshman and sophomore seasons.

However, after moving behind the plate full time before the 2013 season, Knapp’s prospect stock has taken off. Additionally, he’s benefited from a strong season in a draft class that has but a few players expected to make an impact at the position. Overall, he batted .350/.434/.544 with 16 doubles, eight home runs and a 35/27 K/BB in 54 games for the Golden Bears.

He’s not a Day-1 talent compared to some of his peers, but Knapp definitely headlines the second tier of catchers in this year’s class.

 

Full Scouting Report

Note: Numerical scores are on the conventional 80-point scouting scale, with the current score first and projected score second.

 

Hitting: 40/55

Switch-hitter; consistent swing from both sides of the plate; features a toe-tap trigger and compact, quick swing from the left side; hips tend to drift forward, and he’ll open up with his front side to compensate; more length to right-handed swing; more of a rotational swing; good extension through the ball.

 

Power: 40/50

Average power potential from both sides of the plate; his tendency to roll over his front foot will limit his ability to hit for power; left-handed swing is more geared towards power; more forceful swings from the right side; will probably hit more doubles than home runs; could increase power by adding more strength to 6’1”, 175-pound frame.

 

Speed: 40/40

Athletic ballplayer but lacks true speed; good mobility for his size; moves well enough to get looks in the outfield if he can’t stick behind the plate.

 

Defense: 45/55

Work in progress behind the plate; first full season as a catcher since arriving at Cal; understandably raw at the position, but has made significant strides this spring; below-average receiver who’s struggled with good velocity and secondaries; quick feet; catch-and-throw skills are improving; quick release.

 

Arm: 60/60

Above-average arm strength; profiles favorably behind the plate; impressive ability to control running game despite lack of experience; throws are accurate with carry.

 

MLB Player Comparison: A.J. Pierzynski

 

Projection: Solid-average regular.

 

MLB ETA: 2016

 

Chances of Signing: 85 percent

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