Minor League Spring Training 2018: 3/14-->Games have begun

[phillychuck]

Did they open up in the minors yesterday? I'm just as unrealistically curious. I'll email Greg at Lakewood's site (who usually provides summaries).

[phillychuck]

First day game reports courtesy of Greg Giombarrese at Blueclaws Backstage Blog:

https://blueclaws.mlblogs.com/minor-league-spring-training-report-march-13th-6b3ce565264a

Not much hitting in the upper minors (echoing the big club)..

Nola and Anderson pitched the AAA game, both were solid although Nola gave up 2 runs (Anderson was lights-out). Tomscha and Grullon with RBI doubles in a 3-2 loss.

A 2-1 loss in AA was newsworthy b/c Haseley and Moniak both played together, with Moniak in CF. Haseley had one of the very few hits.

Some actual hitting in the 4-3 high-A win. Muzzoti was 3/4 with a triple and Ortiz was 2/4 with an RBI double.

In low A, a 2-2 tie, Markham, Matos, and Meyer each had multi-hit games. Kyle young started and threw 2 scoreless innings.

[phillychuck]

Wednesday game recaps--All games were against the Braves. Thanks again to Greg Giombarrese with the Blueclaws.

AAA game (7–5 win)
Jose Taveras started and gave up five runs in 2.1 innings though the bullpen combined for 6.2 scoreless innings.
Cole Irvin (three), Ricardo Pinto (one), Seranthony Dominguez (one),Tim Berry (one), and Joey DeNato (.2) did not allow a run.
Jiandido Tromp homered and drove in three. Zach Green and Deivi Grullon each had a double.
Carlos Santana (getting his work in) had two hits and two walks.

AA game (5–4 win)
Luis Garcia, Tommy Hunter, and Francisco Rodriguez, all down from big league camp, all threw a scoreless inning.
Enyel de los Santos gave up one run in three innings and JoJo Romero gave up three runs/two earned in three innings.
Mickey Moniak played center and went 1–4.
Darick Hall, my favorite "under the radar" prospect, who hit 27 home runs with the BlueClaws last year, hit one and drove in two. Raul Rivas, a 2015 international signing who has consistently made contact in the minors but shows little power or patience, playing third base, had three hits while Daniel Brito and Jose Pujols had two hits apiece.

Hi-A game (6–4 loss)
Connor Seabold gave up one unearned run in two innings with four strikeouts.
Mauricio Llovera gave up one run in two innings with three strikeouts. Felix Paulino followed with two scoreless innings, striking out five.

Lo-A game (12–6 loss)
The pitching bright spot was Ramon Rosso, who threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
LF Danny Mayer and LF Josh Stephen both homered. Nice to see Stephen go yard--he has the pedigree to develop into a real prospect if he shows some power this year or next.
SS Jesus Azuaje had a two run single. 2B Brayan Gonzalez had a triple, walk, and stolen base in two plate appearances.

[phillychuck]

Should have noted these movements earlier:

Dylan Cozens and Eliezer Alvarez to minor league camp (3/9)

[Squire]

https://blueclaws.mlblogs.com/minor-league-spring-training-report-march-15th-cf7c5ee41f45

Yesterday (3/15) games already up. Blueclaws guy is really doing a fantastic job with these. Some fun names doing well.

[phillychuck]

Highlights for me:

AAA game
A AAA shutout behind Liebrant, Viza, and Watson. 1-0 win, Dievi Grullon with an RBI triple.

AA game
The only loss, 4-3, but perhaps the best individual results. McKenzie Mills threw 2 shutout innings; Gilbert, Leftwich, and Bettancourt (who struck out the side) all unscored upon. Haseley 3/3 with 2 RBIs and Moniak, who DHed, was 2/4 with a double.

High A game
10-5 win. Requena 2 scoreless innings. Gurrola (HR), Duran, Alastre (HR) and Nieporte were the hitting stars.

Low-A game
6-4 win. Mezquita, Lindos, and Stewart 6 IP, no earned runs. Meyer (HR), Stobbe (HR), and Stephen (2/2) were the hitting stars, and all also drew walks.

Short Season game
Played a local community college and won 10-0. Ben Pelletier was 4/5 with a HR.

Once again, thanks to Greg at the Blueclaws!! I think he's off on the weekends so probably no news until Monday.

[Squire]

I think I may have a chance to go to the Thursday minor league games in Tampa against the Yankee Class A squads

[phillychuck]

Give us a detailed review if you do!! Hope you get there--minor league games at the complexes are a blast.

[phillychuck]

Turns out Greg G. IS working weekends. No games Friday (camp day), here is a condensed and commented version of the Saturday game reports: My comments in italics.

AAA game (3–1 win)
Ricardo Pinto and Seranthony Dominguez both threw two scoreless inning apiece in the win.
3B Zach Green accounted for two of the runs with a two-run home run. Green has always shown in-game power..it would be nice for him to improve his consistency, could be a good year for him if he's in Reading.

AA game (4–3 loss)
Among the pitchers, former BlueClaws Edgar Garcia and Aaron Brown (who was an outfielder while in Lakewood) threw two scoreless innings apiece.
RF Adam Haseley went 2–4 with a double and two RBIs. He's off to a hot start with a new, quieter swing.
3B Jose Gomez had two hits including a triple (Gomez was acquired in the Pat Neshek trade last July). Would be nice to have an actual 3B prospect in the system.

Hi-A game (4–2 loss)
Bailey Falter made his spring debut and was excellent, retiring nine of 10 hitters while striking out five. I'm excited to follow him this year again!
SS Nick Maton homered — he was the Phillies 7th round pick last year.
CF Simon Muzziotti had two hits including a triple. Muzzotti might jump to Lakewood this season--would be a success just to hold his own in that league and park. 3B Jake Scheiner had two hits including a double. 2B Dalton Guthrie added two hits as well.

Lo- A game (3–1 loss)
RF Malvin Matos homered while the following players added hits: SS Jonathan Guzman, 2B Brayan Gonzalez, LF Josh Stephen, 3B Jesus Henriquez. Stephen is off to a hot start.

Full reports here:
https://blueclaws.mlblogs.com/minor-league-spring-training-report-march-17th-c2cf0cfe6e0

[andyb]

Gomez at 3B is probably a concession that he will be playing with Gamboa and Brito and is the 3rd best defensively of that trio, assuming all are at Clearwater. Hopefully they keep him playing all 3 positions as his path to the majors is most likely that of a utility guy that is decent offensively. It will be interesting also to see how Luke Williams fits in if he gets to Clearwater also, though he is a candidate to repeat Lakewood.

[Squire]

It's early but hitters who seem to be off to a good start are Haseley, Matos, Stephen and Muzziotti.

[Les229]

This is good. Although I am right there I can only watch so much. Personally, I only have a passing interest in the harminors until they reach AA. Baseball has become such a large program it is impossible to keep up with everything. Fortunately there are always people who keep up with it and pass on the information to slackards like me. As I wrote earlier on the "Clearwater Update", Those minor league games are free unless the Phils are playing in the stadium and then they charge for parking.

[phillychuck]

Another edited report from Greg over at Blueclaws Backstage (my comments in italics):

AAA game (7–6 win)
Drew Anderson started and gave up three ER in three innings Shane Watson followed and threw two scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Watson has pitched very well this spring..wonder if he's moving to relief?
C Austin Bossart went 2–2 with a home run and two RBIs.
1B Kyle Martin was 2–3 with two doubles Martin has never really been regarded as a prospect...wonder if he will be sitting behind Walding in AAA this year as Walding has been used exclusively at 1B this spring
RF Dylan Cozens was 1–3 with a double. 2B Malquin Canelo was 1–2 with two walks and stole two bases.

AA game (5–4 win)
Luke Leftwich threw 2.2 scoreless innings with four strikeoutswhile Tyler Gilbert threw two scoreless innings. Will Hibbs struck out the side in his lone inning of relief.
SS Arquimedes Gamboa hit his first home run on the spring and went 1–3 with a walk.
RF Jan Hernandez was 2–4 with an RBI. LF Adam Haseley went 1–4 with a run scored. DH Cornelius Randolph was 1–3 with a double and a walk. noticibly missing from the AA reviews for the last few days is Moniak, which means he isn't playing or isn't hitting if he's playing

Hi-A game (6–3 loss)
Among pitchers, former BlueClaw Jonathan Hennigan threw two scoreless innings in relief.
3B Luke Williams led the offense, going 3–4. 1B Quincy Nieporte had another strong day, going 2–3 with an RBI and a walk. Nieporte has been really hot so far
RF Jhailyn Ortiz had a double and drove in a run.

Lo-A game (5–2 win)
Kyle Young, the 6–10 left-hander from Long Island, started and gave up two runs in three innings with four strikeouts. Connor Brogdon and Rafael Carvajal followed with two scoreless innings apiece. Carvajal fanned three.
CF Kevin Markham went 4–4 with a double. Markham has been hot also, but he's 23 and played only adequately in GCL last year. He'll have to play very well in Lakewood, possibly jumping to CLW to be viewed as a prospect. Phils must like him, they're playing him...

Link to Greg's full reports: https://blueclaws.mlblogs.com/minor-league-spring-training-report-march-18th-c2cf0cfe6e0

[phillychuck]

Monday's game report, edited from Blueclaws Backstage. Links to Greg Giombaresse's excellent work in above posts. My comments in italics.

AAA game (4–0 loss)
Enyel de los Santos, acquired from the Padres for Freddy Galvis, gave up two unearned runs in four innings. CF Cord Sandberg, SS Malquin Canelo, 1B Kyle Martin, and C Deivi Grullon all had hits. CF is unusual for Sandberg, I think. Martin and Grullon have been getting their hits

AA game (5–5 tie)
RHP Harold Arauz and RHP Blake Quinn each threw two scoreless innings. Arauz fanned four.
1B Darick Hall, who set a BlueClaws record with 27 home runs last year, hit his second long ball of the spring. CF Mickey Moniak had two hits and a walk in four plate appearances.
Good to see Moniak with a multi-hit game. Hall is one of my favorite slightly-off-the-radar prospects.

Hi-A game (2–1 win)
RHP Connor Seabold, the Phillies 3rd round pick from Cal-State Fullerton, threw three scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
DH Quincy Nieporte continued his strong spring with two more hits including a double.
LF Josh Stephen went 1–3 with a double. RF Jhailyn Ortiz, 3B Dalton Guthrie, SS Jose Antequera, and 1B Gregori Rivero all had hits. Ortiz and Stephen keep getting their knocks. Nieporte is intriguing...DH/1B/C prospect, who could really help if he can actually catch well.

Lo-A Game (5–0 loss)
RHP Ramon Rosso threw three innings and gave up two unearned runs.
The group never got going at the plate in the game, though 1B Jesus Henriquez had a hit and SS Jonathan Guzman drew a walk in three plate appearances. Sounds like we got 1-hit. On to Tuesday!

[bigegypt0417]

My major concern right now are the reports that Moniak is not showing the ability to recognize and adjust to breaking/off-speed pitches.

That will need to develop if he has any shot.

[kmc1019]

I saw Seabold pitch one game at Williamsport last year and was very impressed. Reminded me of Nola. Phils really limited his innings last year, I think he could rise quickly.

[bigegypt0417]

Adam McInturff on Twitter

[Jeff05]

Thanks for these summaries and comments, PC. Much appreciated!

[Squire]

Do the games start at a uniform time?

[andyb]

Not that we have been tracking it, but Sixto had the flu the past week and that is why he has not pitched in a game yet.
https://sports.yahoo.com/whats-phillies-top-pitching-prospect-143113347.html?src=rss