Phillies Farm System

[heyelander]

Yeah, Garner is getting some love from some of the fans on the boards I read. The readers over at PhuturePhillies.com voted him the #28 prospect in the phillies' system, but not many of the draft picks from last year (aside from Biddle) got a lot of love. This was much more due to a wait and see attitude than disappointment in the picks though. He's definitely one to watch this season. I image he starts out in extended spring training and then off to Williamsport, but since he is a college kid, maybe Lakewood isn't out of the question.

Here's PhuturePhillies.com write up on him:

http://phuturephillies.com/profiles/pitchers/rhp-garner-percival/

TheGoodPhight has him at 26 in their rankings... again mostly because he only threw 4 innings of pro ball last year. They have him starting at Lakewood next year.

http://www.thegoodphight.com/2011/2/7/1976637/tgps-phillies-top-30-prospects-11-edition-30-thru-21#storyjump

26.) Perci Garner, RHP, Lakewood
Garner is about as raw as college pitchers come, having left Ball State after his sophomore season and just 94 college innings. The erstwhile high school quarterback recruit has athleticism and raw stuff on his side, with his fastball and curve both rating as potential plus pitches, and his slider and change showing some potential as well. Garner lacks polish and command right now, and he made only two starts for Williamsport before succumbing to an arm injury, but there's definite upside here.

[osubuxx]

He said he does not have to report to Extended ST until April - my guess is he goes back to Williamsport, but who knows. If you give me back Stanton, I will get you some signed stuff LOL!

I should note that I get all my info second hand from my son, so really not that in the loop

[heyelander]

He said he does not have to report to Extended ST until April - my guess is he goes back to Williamsport, but who knows. If you give me back Stanton, I will get you some signed stuff LOL!

I should note that I get all my info second hand from my son, so really not that in the loop

oh, crap, I didn't realize who I was dealing with here. I better be more careful mentioning who I am interested in or you might try to trick me with far superior prospects with like names.

[osubuxx]

And a true Phillies farm talk would not be complete without the guy with the best name ever - Gauntlett Eldemire - another Ohio guy! Watch for him patrolling CF in 2014

[heyelander]

Yeah, Eldemire was hurt last season when he was drafted so no MiLB stats to look at, but he's pretty high on my list of intrigue. I hope he starts the season at Lakewood. I'm toying with the idea of getting opening day tickets there, but regardless, I'll make it down 5-10 times this season for their games.

here's the thegoodphight.com write up on Eldemire coming in at 24 on their list:

http://www.thegoodphight.com/2011/2/7/1976637/tgps-phillies-top-30-prospects-11-edition-30-thru-21#storyjump

24.) Gauntlett Eldemire, OF-R, Lakewood
Speaking of a crowded Lakewood outfield, the guy with one of the best names in all of baseball will look to make center field his own this year after missing the 2010 Williamsport campaign with a wrist injury. Eldemire played three years at Ohio, culminating in a .398/.498/.726 junior campaign, and flashes above-average tools, including plus speed and plus raw power. He's raw in several aspects of the game, notably in his outfield routes and in his ability to make contact, but if he can work to solve those issues, he has the potential to be a starting center fielder at the major league level.

[heyelander]

James over at PhuturePhillies.com finishes his top 30 list.

http://phuturephillies.com/2011/02/18/my-top-30-prospects-for-2011-part-10/#more-8862

01. Domonic Brown, OF
02. Brody Colvin, RHP
03. Jon Singleton, 1B/OF
04. Jarred Cosart, RHP
05. Trevor May, RHP
06. Sebastian Valle, C
07. Jesse Biddle, LHP
08. Vance Worley, RHP
09. Tyson Gillies, OF
10. Justin De Fratus, RHP
11. Julio Rodriguez, RHP
12. Cesar Hernandez, 2B
13. Domingo Santana, OF
14. JC Ramirez, RHP
15. Aaron Altherr, OF/3B
16. Jon Pettibone, RHP
17. Cameron Rupp, C
18. Jiwan James, OF
19. Harold Garcia, 2B
20. Kevin Walter, RHP
21. Colby Shreve, RHP
22. Phillippe Aumont, RHP
23. Michael Schwimer, RHP
24. Matt Rizzotti, 1B
25. Austin Hyatt, RHP
26. Leandro Castro, OF
27. Miguel Alvarez, OF
28. Kelly Dugan, OF
29. Josh Zeid, RHP
30. Percival Garner, RHP

He has extensive write ups on everyone on the list plus 7 guys who just missed.

The top 7 are pretty consistent every where I look, then things become interesting. The amazing thing is that maybe 15 of the other names on the list could all hope to have a season that would put them in the top 10 next year. The Phillies draft tools so the majority of the guys will not pan out, but there are a lot of really interesting lottery tickets both pitching and in the field. As I said when I posted Sickle's list, the top 7 guys are B or better and the other 23 are all C-C+ players. It's the deepest I can remember the system ever being and cause for lots of excitement. Williamsport, Lakewood and Clearwater should all have very interesting teams this year.

[Erik]

It's amazing how deep we are at P and OF, and how shallow we are in the IF. If Rollins is not re-signed, we're probably gonna have to do stopgap deals with veterans for the next few years, because Galvis can't hit at all.

[heyelander]

It's amazing how deep we are at P and OF, and how shallow we are in the IF. If Rollins is not re-signed, we're probably gonna have to do stopgap deals with veterans for the next few years, because Galvis can't hit at all.

Yeah, PP completely dropped Galvis out of his top 30. He's been super aggressively promoted, but still, it doesn't appear his bat will ever come around.

I think the OF/P vs INF thing is a product of the phillies draft strategy. They draft raw projectable athletes figuring they can teach them how to play baseball. Works well for the OF, but not so good for middle infielders. They have been a bit more aggressive in signing kids out of Latin America in the past couple of years, I think this is their MI plan going forward

Regardless, I can't see them not signing Rollins unless this year is another complete bust for him.

[willthethrill]

It's amazing how deep we are at P and OF, and how shallow we are in the IF. If Rollins is not re-signed, we're probably gonna have to do stopgap deals with veterans for the next few years, because Galvis can't hit at all.

Keep your fingers crossed for Hernandez as a potential Utley replacement down the road.

[heyelander]

BA released their top 100 today... Phillies on the list:

#4 Domonic Brown
#39 Jonathan Singleton
#56 Brody Colvin
#70 Jarred Cosart

(May was in the next group of 15 per Callis)

Alumni:
#29 Kyle Drabek (Halladay Deal)
#36 Travis D’Arnaud (Halladay Deal)
#94 Jonathan Villar (Oswalt Deal)

Interesting comment over on PhuturePhillies.com

Of the guys on the list, 67 are from the draft and 33 are international players. Of the 67 guys from the draft, 53 are taken in the first round, sandwich, or second round. Of the 4 Phillies on the list, all are draftees taken after the 2nd round. Only 10 other guys on the list fit that description.

[heyelander]

Goldstein's rankings over at BP.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=13046

System In 20 Words Or Less: Domonic Brown's a big league-ready starter and potential star, but a good system beyond him is filled with risk.

Five-Star Prospects
1. Domonic Brown, OF
Four-Star Prospects
2. Brody Colvin, RHP
3. Jonathan Singleton, 1B/LF
Three-Star Prospects
4. Jarred Cosart, RHP
5. Trevor May, RHP
6. Jesse Biddle, LHP
7. Jiwan James, CF
8. Aaron Altherr, OF/3B
9. Scott Mathieson, RHP
10. Sebastian Valle, C
Two-Star Prospects
11. Justin De Fratus, RHP

I can't get to it because it's beyond the pay wall (still waiting for Kev to hook me up!) but apparently Goldstein says Biddle hit 97 mph in the instructional league in his individual write-up.

[Erik]

I would bet good money that De Fratus has a better career than Mathieson.

[willthethrill]

I would bet good money that De Fratus has a better career than Mathieson.

Agreed.

[Erik]

Of the 4 Phillies on the list, all are draftees taken after the 2nd round. Only 10 other guys on the list fit that description.

That's a bit deceiving because some of these guys, Colvin for sure and I think Cosart too, would have been first or second rounders had they not told everyone they were going to college. But the Phils took a gamble on them a few rounds later and persuaded them to ditch their college plans, and offered them comparable signing money to what they would have gotten if selected much earlier.

That is a sign of how far the Phils have come. In less than 12 years we went from JD Drew refusing to play for us to kids ditching their college plans for us like Todd van Poppel did for the A's in 1990. We are a very desirable organization for potential draftees -- probably on par with the Yankees and Red Sox.

(I think Singleton is more along the lines of Howard -- a guy who didn't show elite talent until he got in to the system.)

[heyelander]

That's a bit deceiving because some of these guys, Colvin for sure and I think Cosart too, would have been first or second rounders had they not told everyone they were going to college. But the Phils took a gamble on them a few rounds later and persuaded them to ditch their college plans, and offered them comparable signing money to what they would have gotten if selected much earlier.

That is a sign of how far the Phils have come. In less than 12 years we went from JD Drew refusing to play for us to kids ditching their college plans for us like Todd van Poppel did for the A's in 1990. We are a very desirable organization for potential draftees -- probably on par with the Yankees and Red Sox.

(I think Singleton is more along the lines of Howard -- a guy who didn't show elite talent until he got in to the system.)

I think that speaks more to the way they are drafting. Since lately they have been lower in the first round, or not even in it due to free agent signings the last few years, they have moved to signing cheaper early picks and taking 4 or 5 of these guys like Colvin, Cosart later on. This year they signed Walter and Musser in the 20th and 21st and Pointer in the 28th. All signed for around 3rd round money. Going along with their general toolsy lottery ticket draft mentality, they also employ this difficult signability lottery ticket style, drafting 4 or 5 guys and seeing which 2 or 3 they can sign. In the past Workman and Susak didn't sign but the busting slot strategy seems to work pretty well for them. I can't imagine they are the only team doing it, but looking at the OP about them having 4/14 non 1-2 round picks in the top 100, they seem to be doing it better than anyone else.