Prospect list coming in Sunday Inquirer
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Prospect list coming in Sunday Inquirer
Bob Brookover, Inquirer Baseball Columnist
The Inquirer, with input from Phillies beat writer Matt Gelb, super sub Marc Narducci and myself, recently put together a list of the Phillies’ top 25 prospects heading into the 2013 season. The top 10 will be revealed in the Sunday Inquirer with the following 15 coming in the Monday newspaper.
Look for a bonus list Monday of some of the prospects who did not make our list, but were in the conversation.
The best part about our top 25 list is that Phillies director of player development Joe Jordan agreed to comment on each of the players on our list.
Jordan briefly discussed the Phillies’ catching situation, which is intriguing at all levels, but it did not fit into what we were doing with our list.
Carlos Ruiz, of course, is serving a 25-game suspension to start the season because of a failed drug test last year. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has indicated that the team will go with veterans Erik Kratz and possibly Humberto Quintero to start the season. He has not ruled out adding another veteran catcher.
Catching became a position of depth for the organization when the Phillies acquired Tommy Joseph from San Francisco in the Hunter Pence trade. Joseph and Sebastian Valle are the two most advanced catchers in the farm system and both appear ready for triple-A Lehigh Valley. Valle, in fact, finished last season with the Iron Pigs after Joseph joined the organization and became the top catcher at double-A Reading.
Cameron Rupp, a third-round pick in 2010, increased his value with a strong season at single-A Clearwater and it’s possible the Phillies will want him to remain the guy behind the plate at Reading for prospects such as Jesse Biddle, Adam Morgan and Austin Wright.
Jordan was asked if it was possible that Joseph and Valle could share the catching duties at Lehigh Valley.
“I don’t think that would be ideal,” he said. “We have some challenges ahead getting everybody in the right spot. Exactly where that is going to be has been heavily discussed, but yet to be determined.”
Shortstop Roman Quinn, the team’s second-round pick in 2011, also has Jordan excited because of his “top-of-the-scale speed.”
“We have to take our time, but he has a chance to impact a game in a lot of ways,” Jordan said. “He has to stay hungry. He was very hungry last year and he can’t lose that.”
Quinn, 19, will open this season at single-A Lakewood.
Read all about the top 25 prospects in the Sunday and Monday Inquirer and let us know what your list would look like.
- amen
— zwarte piet - There's no prospect that will really help or make a difference for the Phils this year. This is an old, injury prone team that will be lucky to stay within 15 games of Washington and Atlanta.— farley
- Pete Orr lives— NewMick314
- what about the big three starting pitchers that all you bandwagoners drooled over about a year ago? dont come back now ya hear!— 420Phillie
- Negadelphia commentators at their best (see above). Even though the Phightins have the best top-to-bottom pitching staff in MLB, Howard/Utley back healthy, and off-season upgrades in CF and 3B....the clueless cowards still whine on their keyboards.— Phront_Runner
- I agree, I am excited for this season because I believe (hope) Howard and Utley will have big years. Pitching top to bottom will be a strength and if either Brown or Ruf (or both) can have a decent year (20 hrs, 80 RBI's, we may be the team to beat. — nevinsed
- I disagree. There have been no upgrades this offseason. The Revere trade was a desperate move by a desperate GM to get someone ... anyone who might look like a regular starting-caliber outfielder. He picked a guy with a .300 average - but he ignored his on-base percentage, his near complete lack of power, his noodle-arm, and his inability to draw a walk (or hit a double). Michael Young was a stud at one point in his career. But, he hasn't played 3B since 2010 (when he was a terrible fielder). BTW - Usually it's the people who call others "clueless cowards" from their computers who are the real the cowards. If Phront Runner is true to his name, he will soon be a Nationals fan ... or doing the "Tomahalk Chop." Not me. I want the Phillies to return to form. The first step is getting a real GM -- someone who can better evaluate talent. — Copper34
- "Even though the Phightins have the best top-to-bottom pitching staff in MLB"
They have Cole Hamels
They have an injured Halladay
They have Lee who hasn't pitched well since, well, seasons ago
Other than that, they're the greatest (HTML deleted)— fmMD - Win or lose, April cannot come fast enough. A game to watch everyday will push my gal off of non-stop Lady Crowley and those somewhat creepy Property Brothers.— bobcitydoc
- Noooo; please fix the first sentence. It should be - Matt, Marc and me - not Matt, Marc and myself. Oy— EAvila
- Noooo; please fix the first sentence. It should be - Matt, Marc and I - not Matt, Marc and myself. Oy— EAvila
- I like a team made up of Halladay, Hamels, Lee, Howard, Utley, Ruiz, Rollins, Papelbon, Adams, Revere, M&D Young, etc. The potential for pleasant surprises from Ruf and our young bullpen guys is exciting as well.— terrycindyian
- still waiting for the 1st prospect we traded in last 4 years to actually make the big leagues as anything but role player or fill in. So far all of those "sure thing" prospects are big time busts. would make every trade again with possible exception of singleton-if he can learn to play rf
— jeff gross - Oh - it won't be long. The Muts just traded their Ace to get one of them!! Many of the others are too young to be in the Majors. Methinks we won't be hearing from "Jeff Gross" when they arrive. Look at it this way - you can always go buy your Tommy Joseph jersey ... get it now - before they become too popular!! — Copper34
- And Cooper you can pull on your Michael Taylor 'jammies before you turn out your night light. One thing I have learned from watching Jim Kaat and Jim Longborg is to not trust a guy who uses the term, "Methinks..." in serious conversation. Really? "Methinks..." — Special Agent Fox Mulder
