With the MLB season being delayed, the time has come to monitor when things are going to get started. It may never happen season, or it could take place with a lot of unforeseen circumstances.
Minor League Baseball is a very important aspect of the sport. The farm system is something that allows teams to move players up and down the farm system. It is very possible that the minor league season will not be played in 2020 due to the coronavirus and thus the development of a lot of these players are going to be pushed back.
The Philadelphia Phillies have not made it to the playoffs since the 2011 season when they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the postseason. Philadelphia has a very good chance to make it to the playoffs, thanks in part to Joe Girardi being named the new manager.
But beyond the current staff in the majors, which farm system players can help the Phillies down the road?
The top-ranked prospect in Philadelphia’s farm system is third baseman Alec Bohm. Bohm is a highly-rated prospect who could challenge starting third baseman Mikael Franco sooner rather than later. Bohm is most likely going to be the third baseman of the future, but he will spend some time at first base, as well.
Bohm is going through the minors at a rapid pace and he will be an everyday starter once he gets to the big leagues. He played for three different teams in the minors last season. In 125 games, his batting average was .305 with 21 home runs and 80 RBI, along with six stolen bases. Bohm’s on-base percentage was .378.
Although he will likely start the season in Double-A with the Reading Fightin’ Phils, where he ended last season, Bohm is projected to reach the majors in 2020 (if there is a season) and he will be an everyday player once he gets there. Bohm was the No. 3 pick in the 2018 MLB Draft.
Another prospect that could very well help the Philadelphia Phillies in 2020 and beyond is right-handed pitcher Spencer Howard, who is the best pitching prospect Philadelphia has. The Phillies already have some very talented pitchers in the majors in Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler but would welcome the skills of Howard.
Howard has some very good pitching tendencies. Moved from the bullpen to the starting rotation during his redshirt sophomore season at Cal Poly, Howard could move back to the bullpen with the Phillies if he had to.
Howard pitched for four different levels last season, going 3-1 with a 2.03 ERA. In 71 innings pitched, he gave up 43 hits and 17 runs. Howard also walked 16 batters and struck out 94.
Howard is projected to reach the majors in 2020 but, like Bohm, will start the season in Double-A with the Reading Fightin Phils.
Moving back to the infield, Didi Gregorius is currently the starting shortstop for Philadelphia after he signed a one-year deal in the offseason to reunite with Giradi. Even with him around, fans should keep an eye on the team’s third-best prospect in shortstop Bryson Stott. The plan is for Stott to be the everyday shortstop in a couple of years from now.
Currently in Short Season Class-A with the Williamsport Crosscutters, Stott was the 14th overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft. He played for two teams in the minors last season, batting .295 with six home runs and 27 RBI and five stolen bases. His on-base percentage was .391.
Stott is projected to reach the major leagues in 2022.
The next prospect worthy of discussion is right-handed pitcher Francisco Morales. He is currently in High-A with the Clearwater Threshers after being signed as an international free agent on July 2, 2016.
He still has a lot of room to improve and will need to work on limiting his walks and the amount of baserunners he allows. Morales pitched with the Lakewood Blue Claws in Single-A last season. His record was 1-8 with a 3.82 ERA. In 96.2 innings pitched, Morales gave up 82 hits and 47 runs. He also walked 46 batters and struck out 129.
Not projected to reach the majors until the 2022 season, Morales has plenty of room to improve. He will either be a low-end starter in the majors or a mid-level reliever along with being a key guy in the bullpen.
Some of the other key prospects in this farm system are right-handed pitcher Adonis Medina, shortstop Luis Garcia, catcher Rafael Marchan, and right-handed pitcher Enyel De Los Santos.
All prospect rankings in this article via MLB Pipeline.
