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

[andyb]

Hoping for a breakout from Francisco Morales. Lakewood should be a really good environment for someone with his stuff. Lakewood is a good place to learn control, especially because command is less important with the big parks.

Of the young position players, Logan O'Hoppe is definitely developing more offensively than expected. It will still be short season, but Williamsport will still be a tough challenge for him.

[phillychuck]

While I acknowledge that Williams has appeared in many of the write-ups, I'd be disappointed if he got the Lakewood assignment ahead of any of the other three I've listed. In GCL, where pretty much everybody hit well last season, he posted a sub-700 OPS with a lot of Ks and an average number of walks. He may be a superior defensive player, and he stole 12 bases in limited playing time last season (caught 4 times). He seems to be a 1980s throwback player, speed and ground balls (4.29/1 GB/FB ratio). Maybe they worked on his launch angle this off-season...

[phillychuck]

Speculating on CLW, Squire's most interesting affiliate...

A+:
LF-Matt Vierling
RF-Jaihlyn Ortiz
CF-Simon Muzziotti
OF4-Kevin Markham/Josh Stephen
1B-Madison Stokes
2B-Daniel Brito
SS-Nick Maton
3B-Jake Scheiner/Alec Bohm (winner of this competition may go to Reading)
IF5-Jose Antiquera
C-Rodolpho Duran

Rotation:
Spencer Howard
Damon Jones
David Parkinson
Andrew Brown
Kyle Young
Julian Garcia/Gustavo Armas

[phillychuck]

Finally, Reading.

AA:
LF-Cornelius Randolph
RF-Jan Hernandez
CF-Mickey Moniak
OF4-Grenny Cumana/Jose Pujols (DL)
1B-Darick Hall
2B-Brian Mims/Jose Antequera (Brito might be here if he's having a good spring)
SS-Malquin Canelo/Arquimedes Gamboa
3B-(Alec Bohm or Jake Scheiner)/Luke Williams
C-Edgar Cabral/Austin Bossart

Rotation:
Adonis Medina
Mauricio Llovera
Bailey Falter
Tyler Viza
Connor Seabold
Ramon Rosso

Scheiner is reportedly having a great Spring Training, so he might make AA--would be very good for him to do so. The rotation here has a lot of potential...Moniak and Randolph need to be solid offensively for this team to score runs--middle infield and catching son't figure to hit much.

I like Lakewood best this year, followed by Clearwater, Lehigh Valley, and Reading least, although the pitching will make it interesting. Pitching-first teams seem to struggle in Reading.

[andyb]

Can't imagine they would start Bohm beyond Clearwater. Scheiner plays enough positions that he'll find playing time no matter where he is (and frankly utility is probably the role he should train for). I am more worried about Bohm going to Lakewood which would take time from Jake Holmes. Gelb mentioned Clearwater for Bohm and Lakewood most likely for Garcia in his latest column.

[nycphils]

Need to wonder about the minor league’s S&C staff or at least the philosophy - too many examples of guys that never gain playable strength even though they have the frame (Tocci, Gamboa, Brito, Muzzioti, etc) or cant seem to get in sufficient shape to tap their tools (Grullion, Randolph, Ortiz, etc).

[Clawsgirl22]

I think Scheiner can definitely start in reading and he made a great impression in major league games this spring

[Austinfan]

Think there's a reason for the wholesale staff changes this offseason, obviously Klentak didn't like what he saw in terms of player development.

[Clawsgirl22]

I was thinking this as a probable Lakewood lineup: any thoughts

c- Marchan, Gutierrez
1b- Holmes or stokes
2b-Guzman
3b- Stobbe ?
Ss-Garcia
Others: Lancaster kroon Gonzalez

Of: Smith aklinski Pelletier mayer matos/bocio

SP: lindow mezquita Escoria Eastman McArthur

RP: fallwell Ross ...

[allentown]

Moniak and Randolph need to be solid offensively for this team to score runs--middle infield and catching son't figure to hit much.

A big key to run scoring will be which version of Darick Hall we see. If we get his Lakewood or CLW repeat version, only amped up for Reading, then we can score a lot of runs. If we get a repeat of what he did at Reading last season, then not so much. Of the guys you listed, I think 3B also could be the offensive key. Moniak has to give good OBP. If Randolph is a plus, I'll count that as bonus -- I see his end of 2018 as more fluke than real. Canelo improved a bit in his second season, if he repeats again and makes an equal improvement, I'll take a .700 OPS from him.

[Clawsgirl22]

My Clearwater pics:
C- duran & Fitch
1b-stokes or Scheiner
2b: Brito
3b: bohm or Scheiner
Ss: Maton
Bench: Guthrie stokes Gomez Rivas

Of:
Vierling Ortiz Muzziotti Stephen alastre

Sp: Jones jul Garcia Howard

RP: Brogdon Warren hennigan Hibbs Russ Armas

I

[schooldoc]

I don't think Hibbs is in camp with the Phils.

[julio]

I don't think Hibbs is in camp with the Phils.

Hibbs' Twitter account describes him as a "former" Phillies player; however, he's still listed on the R-Phils roster page, and his milb page lists him as active. He retired? It wouldn't be unusual for the milb pages to be out of date.

[andyb]

James Smith is probably in the mix for OF at Lakewood. He is 23 even though he played at GCL last year and he and Marchan just shared the award for best minor league player at training camp. UDFA from last year (actually signed just before the draft on June 1st because he was an unrestricted FA).

[phillychuck]

I like Smith; hope he succeeds. Since he got that award, I'd assume he's starting at Lakewood with Aklinski and Pelletier. Do any of them play CF? Smith is listed as a LF, and the other two played corners last season. Seems like one of them would DH, and they need a CF, too. Carlos de la Cruz is probably headed to WMPT, then...

[andyb]

De La Cruz in Lakewood would have been really aggressive. He is only 19, and while he hit well in GCL, he is just really raw with a long swing. One stop a year if I had to guess.

Lakewood OF will be the most boring part of that team. Beyond Pelletier I am not sure we have too many OF prospects. Middle infield and catcher of course will be very interesting.

[phillychuck]

I think Aklinski has potential... And I also like Francisco, who is young enough to be prospect-age for low-A. Lakewood is very interesting...although the Park and League make it really difficult for position players.

[bkeich]

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

I hope we have a utility player stashed somewhere that can be brought up in case of injury to Hernandez, Segura, Franco or Kingery. I am guessing it is Walding if it is Hoskins or Franco, but after that we dont seem to have much to bring up, Ngoepe doesnt seem to have much of a bat, I am guessing it would be Gosselin, but he isnt exactly a guy you are hoping to see get alot of time in the majors.

[zambonir]

I'm sure Gosselin (or Rodriguez or Ngoepe) can perform at the same level as Jesmuel Valentin, Pedro Florimon (career .588 OPS) or Andres Blanco in 2017 (.549). And those guys were all on the 25 much of the time! That is generally what you get from a middle IF utility player and as Florimon and Blanco showed, sometimes they get lucky.

[Squire]

We re-signed Andrew Romine today. He's probably going to get the LHV SS job