Minor League Lineup/rotation speculation near the end of Spring Training

[phillychuck]

AAA:

LF-Listi
CF-Haseley
RF-Cozens
OF4-Lane Adams
1B-McBride
2B-Gosselin
SS-Ngoepe
3B-Walding
C-Grullon

Rotation (6):
Anderson
Irvin
De Los Santos
Suarez
Eickhoff
Martin

[julio]

Hmm.

Canelo back to AA?
Eshelman not in the rotation?
Martin's been almost exclusively a reliever.

[phillychuck]

Rotation is CROWDED ...Viza, Eschelman, Romero, and Seabold arguably could be pitching in AAA. Martin could be a reliever and that would open up the 6th slot.

Canelo would likely be IF(5)...I don't know how wedded they are to Goselin, so Canelo could take his spot. Tomscha is also a DH/IF(5) candidate.

They could use Joey Meneses, but he's making $1,000,000 in Japan this season.

[julio]

Canelo would likely be IF(5)

Canelo's had two (not particularly impressive) seasons in AA. I suppose he could go back there again - it's not as if Gamboa's performance in Clearwater 2018 is "forcing" a promotion.

[phillychuck]

I think Canelo is a pretty exceptional glove guy at SS, but he can't break 650 OPS at Reading, which means he just straight out can't hit, probably. I don't think he pushes anyone aside in AAA at the start of the season unless Ngoepe just is awful with the glove at SS, which doesn't seem to be the case based on ST.

Altherr could clear waivers and end up in LV, too. I wonder if they push Haseley to AAA right away, too?

Looks lik LV will have pretty solid pitching both starting and in the pen. They could be a Governor's Cup contender if the pitching holds up.

[julio]

I've been kind of assuming Haseley in AAA, and an outfield of Cozens, Haseley, Listi seems like a good speculation... it will give the Phils a chance to see if Listi's 2018 was all about being old for his leagues, or whether he can continue to hit against age-appropriate competition.

If Altherr were to clear waivers, they might have to (gasp!) cut Shane Robinson loose.

The AAA starting rotation looks...yeah, you could say "solid." Anderson, De Los Santos, Irvin, Eickhoff (if healthy, and if he doesn't push Eflin or Velasquez to AAA), Suarez, Viza. Of course, some of those starts will in for the big club (somebody will spend time on the DL - somebody always does).

Think Beato will hang around and close for the 'Pigs?

[phillychuck]

I'd like to see Pedro doing something other than cutting his teammates' hair (see article in the Athletic today). He's very easy to root for.

Gilbert and Taveras (if healthy) are also rotation contenders.

[Squire]

1. I originally had Andrew Romine pegged as the SS for LHV with Canelo back to Reading but then they released Romine yesterday. You might be right with Ngoepe at SS considering that they also released Marrero. Also not completely inconceivable that Canelo goes to AAA, Nick Maton goes to AA and Jonathan Guzman goes to High A with Luis Garcia at Lakewood. Though I always over assume the Phillies aggressiveness on placements.

2. I do think that they will go with a 6 man rotation with the sixth spot either Eshelman or Viza (with both of them in the 6 man rotation) when one of Anderson or Eickhoff or De Los Santos gets promoted to the majors because we have an injury.

[David_Criss]

I'd have Listi at 1B over McBride and I guess Romero goes back to anchor the AA rotation. Would Eschelmen go to AA? Just don't see him making the LeHIgh rotation.

[Austinfan]

I'd think Romero is ready for AAA, I had De Los Santos, Irvin, Anderson, Romero and Suarez as the starting five, Eickhoff would be six and Viza seventh.
E Garcia, Rios, McGarry, Leftwich, Davis, Singer, Gilbert, Windle - Beato?

To me, the jump from Reading to Lehigh is much smaller for a pitcher, the competition is better but the home ballpark far friendlier.

[julio]

I'd have Listi at 1B over McBride

I wouldn't care. That would mean somebody else (Lane Adams?) in the outfield instead of Listi.

Listi needs to play, so they can find out if he's real (I'm skeptical at this point, but he should get a chance to show what he is), but it doesn't much matter whether that's in LF or 1B - it's all about the bat with him.

They might want to get Adams regular time in the OF - just in case.

[Clawsgirl22]

Any ideas on Lakewood and also do you think Scheiner can skip to reading

[phillychuck]

Clawsgirl, I was planning to work my way down through the levels, but since you asked I'll speculate...

A-:

LF-Ben Peletier
RF-Ben Aklinski
CF-Julio Francisco/Yerwyn Trejo/Keudy Bocio (my order of preference--Bocio is the most experienced, Francisco the youngest with the highest ceiling, and Trejo played really well in rookie league last year at an advanced age)
1B-Matt Kroon (other choices would have included Edwin Rodriguez and Stoney O'Brien, but both were released. Jake Holmes might play here...)
2B-Nic Torres (if they go young), Brayan Gonzalez if they don't. Seth Lancaster utility.
SS-Luis Garcia (young), Jonathan Guzman (older)
3B-Bohm probably goes to CLW, so Jake Holmes (who may play other positions), or Luke Miller
C--Rafael Marchan (probably WMPT MVP last year), Jesse Wilkening

This is a solid offensive team which may get strangled by the Lakewood park and the Sally League's pitching bias.

Rotation:
Francisco Morales
Colton Eastman
Ethan Lindow*
James McArthur
Jhordany Mezquita*
Manuel Silva*

Solid starting pitching. Relievers might be a struggle...
Juan Escoria has great stuff but was a starter last year. Keylan Kilgore was the primary closer for WMPT, Randy Alcantera and Rafael Carvajal had solid ERAs. Austin Ross, Tyler Carr, and Abdallah Aris lead a bevy of other contenders. I don't think any reliever will jump from GCL.

We might have a little better idea if the Phils were providing Spring Minor League Game Reports as they have in the past...

[Squire]

This looks pretty close to me. Only change I would suggest is that Brayan Gonzalez is the 2B.

Added in an edit--PC

[Clawsgirl22]

Thanks

[Clawsgirl22]

Also O’Brien and Edwin were released

Thanks, edited--PC

[phillychuck]

I saw those releases and somehow didn't remember them last night! I'll edit.

[Squire]

I think Clearwater is going to be the most interesting team in our system followed by Reading followed by Lakewood with LHV last

[Squire]

Another guy who may be starting for Lakewood is CF Corbin Williams. His name is appearing in many of the writeups.

[schooldoc]

It would be fun to hear who people think are the best breakout candidates in the system, maybe separated by the more well known (Moniak) and lesser known (Holmes). Those would be my two.