The 2024 Philadelphia Phillies Draft Picks, UDFAs, and Signings

[andyb]

They have already said they don't really think anyone is a starting candidate among the pitchers.

[phillychuck]

We can hope they are wrong...

[Squire]

I think he meant starting position player and one relief pitcher.

[andyb]

My expectations for any draft are more than that. My whole feeling on the draft has not changed in that is seems to be a mediocre draft where the likely outcome is heavily dependent on the top two picks and we'll be lucky to get any pitching at all out of it. I hope I am wrong of course, but we can dislike a draft and still root for everyone in it.

[fish]

My expectations for any draft are more than that. My whole feeling on the draft has not changed in that is seems to be a mediocre draft where the likely outcome is heavily dependent on the top two picks and we'll be lucky to get any pitching at all out of it.

After the last few drafts i'm beginning to wonder if they think their best outlet for getting starting pitching depth is to go after guys like Sanchez, Mercado and Phillips who've had a few years of development but need further refinement.

[Austinfan]

Hoffman, Alvarado, Strahm as well.

Their ability to find ML and near ML arms has been outstanding, and it allows them to make more upside gambles on draft picks. Young pitchers emerging become bonuses, and they don't need to rush them to the Show.

[andyb]

Well if you don't draft any pitchers with high picks then you are probably not going to get much return.

This is a new strategy for the Phillies and a risky strategy even if position players are considered safer bets. Sometimes one can find low cost pitching. And sometimes they pay $72 million for a 5th starter. This draft will force them to sign more Taijuan Walker type deals for better or worse.

[Austinfan]

Not necessarily.

If they extend Ranger, they'll have 4 starters locked up the next 3 seasons, plus Walker for 2, plus Phillips.
With Painter and Abel starting the season in Lehigh, with Mercado and McGarry in the pen.

That allows you to go with Cabrera, Aldegheri, McGowan, Castellanos, and possibly Klassen/Steward at Reading.

Then you load up the Lehigh pitching staff with veteran retreads and TJ recoveries.

[andyb]

If you don't develop pitching you just can't on counting on all your pitchers to stay healthy and pitch well. I hope they extend Ranger, but Ranger staying good and healthy for 4 or 5 more years is just hard to count on.

Teams really don't develop talent with an eye towards filling major league holes in a few years. They develop talent to develop as much talent as possible. And even extending Ranger means they are spending yet another $20 million a year on pitching (which is central to my point). If you stop developing much pitching you need to go out and pay for pitching.

[Austinfan]

On the other hand, if you're really good at finding ML arms to fill out your staff, you don't need to develop quantity.
It's not like their track record with 2nd day pitchers is all that great.

[andyb]

One could argue that their picks of McFarlane, McGarry, and Klassen have all been very good picks in recent years even if the jury is still out on their making it to the majors. And Kerkering was a very good day 2 picks in recent years. It is just hard to think any pitcher in this year's draft is in that league of prospect potential.

[andyb]

One more UDFA.

KU Sports

[allentown]

H.S. OFs are definitely not safer bets. For the Phillies, H.S. CFs from the north, older than their peers, is the highest risk possible. We have developed H.S. pitcher. We've done well with IFs. We've done well with Cs. We've got some success, college not H.S., with corner OFs. Over-gaged H.S. CFs with low-ceiling and the nonexistent 'high-floor' for this demographic. Dead loss. Dead loss for many decades. They tried to be too smart. Bad bet. The guys running the scouting have changed, but they have yet to show that they have scouts capable of evaluating this demographic. It clearly requires a ton of extrapolation: how does a completely-filled-out, almost 20-year-old, northern OF playing against inferior competition compare to 17- and 18-year olds from baseball warm-weather hotbeds and college juniors. I fear that is totally beyond our scouts' capability

[andyb]

In general the choice between position players and pitchers is changing with position players in general being considered safer rather than riskier bets. Obviously individual players are unique and can have their own risks.

Previously the answer to the obvious fact that pitchers are more risky than hitters was to get more pitchers to cover your bases. Now the answer might be evolving towards a preference of hitters over pitchers in general with the hope that you get lucky developing pitchers with issues or you just can buy pitching when you need it.

I do not really agree with this evolving strategy. The Phillies have been leaning towards spending money on hitting and now the last 3 years they have done so in the draft (after big swings with Abel and Painter).

[Austinfan]

I wouldn't read too much into one draft, sometimes it's just how the draft unfolds.

Though wouldn't surprise me if the Phillies are less enamored with big arms, after finding that "fixing" them is harder than it looks - they seem to have better luck fixing guys with a few years of pro experience.

Not that they won't draft them in the future, but they may be less willing to take them as high in the draft.

[andyb]

I guess we can still sign undrafted free agents. Noah Song part 2. Minus about 5 mph but he has already had the TJ surgery.

8/13/24 : Phillies sign RHP Tanner Gresham to minor league contract

[Matt_Winkelman]

I believe you can sign players that have graduated college, though I don't know about graduate enrollment. Essentially these players are just free agents

[julio]

Yep. MLB Rule 4(h)(i):

(i) IF PLAYER IS NOT SELECTED. A player who is eligible for
selection and who is not selected may be signed to a Minor League Contract
by any Major League or Minor League Club after the conclusion of the
First-Year Player Draft. Such player shall remain eligible for signing until
the start of the next Closed Period, unless such player becomes ineligible to
sign at an earlier date by operation of the applicable High School, College or
Junior College Rule.

Rule 4(f) defines the "Closed Period":

(f) CLOSED PERIOD. The period of time beginning at 12:01 a.m.
Eastern Time of the seventh day prior to the date of a First-Year Player
Draft and concluding with the beginning of such First-Year Player Draft
shall be called the Closed Period. The right to contract with a player selected
at the preceding First-Year Player Draft, who is not subject to the signing
deadline set forth in Rule 4(d)(4), or with a player eligible to sign who was
not selected at the preceding First-Year Player Draft, shall terminate at the
beginning of the Closed Period unless such player becomes ineligible to sign
at an earlier date by operation of the applicable High School, College or
Junior College Rule.

[Squire]

BA Phillies Draft Report Card:

Best Pure Hitter: Dante Nori (1)
Best Power Hitter: Griffin Burkholder (2), also mentions Joel Dragoo (7) and Carter Mathieson (5)
Fastest Runner: John Spikerman (3) but notes that we drafted more 70 grade runners than any other team
Best Defensive Player - John Spikerman (3)
Best Fastball: Marcus Morgan, (9)
Best Secondary Pitch: Ryan Degges (17) (80mph low sweeping slider)
Best Pro Debut: Joel Dragoo (7), also mentions Carson DeMartini (4)
Best Athlete - Griffin Burkholder (2)
Most Intriguing Background - Kodey Shojinawa (6) because the Phillies are moving him from 2B back to his original catcher
Closest to the Majors - Carson DeMartini (4)
Best 3rd Day Pick or NDFA - Ryan Degges (17)