#OnDeck: Projecting which levels the Phillies’ prospects begin the season

The first question to emerge from a group of reporters and cameramen huddled around Ruben Amaro Jr. Tuesday night at the Reading Crowne Plaza came from a local news outlet. Which players, the reporter asked, might Reading baseball fans see at FirstEnergy Stadium come April?

Given the Phillies' stated rebuilding efforts, increased attention will be paid this season to the organization's prospects and their progress throughout the summer. And while some of it may depend on spring training performances, it's not too early to project at which levels in the farm system the Phillies' top minor leaguers will begin the 2015 season.

Top prospect J.P. Crawford, Amaro said, will "probably" begin the season in Clearwater, where after a June promotion from single A Lakewood he played the final 63 games of last season. The now-20-year-old shortstop hit .275 with seven doubles, eight home runs and 29 RBIs in high A but also committed 17 fielding errors.

Expect Crawford in Reading at some point this year, but more time in Clearwater "absolutely would not hurt him," Joe Jordan, the Phillies director of player development, said Tuesday before the Reading affilliate's annual winter banquet.

"If we've got to wait four, six, eight weeks to get him up here (to Reading), it's not the end of the world," said Jordan, who added that some scenarios work themselves out during spring training. "I'm a guy that, for me, with certain guys, I don't think you put yourself in a box and say, 'They have to do this.' "

Centerfield prospect Roman Quinn will probably also start the season back in high A, Amaro said. Although after his performance in the Arizona Fall League, it wouldn't be a shock to see Quinn begin the year in Reading. Crawford and Quinn, 21, don't necessarily have to be on the same plan, Jordan noted.

The starting rotation at Reading will certainly be worth keeping tabs on. Amaro intimated that last year's first-round pick Aaron Nola will likely start the season in double A, where he made his final five starts of 2014, with a chance to continue his quick advancement through the system.

Nola could highlight a rotation that features the three starting pitching prospects the Phillies acquired in December, Zach Eflin, Tom Windle and Ben Lively, and Jesse Biddle, who is probably in for another tour in Reading after a struggle-filled 2014 campaign.

"It ought to be a very interesting rotation here at Reading at some point," Amaro said, "and hopefully these guys can stay healthy and they can continue to progress at a decent pace."

Severino Gonzalez, who recorded a 4.59 ERA in 27 double A starts last season, is likely bound for triple A Lehigh Valley, where he will probably be joined by the recently acquired Joely Rodriguez.

Triple A may also feature some combination of outfield prospects Aaron Altherr, Kelly Dugan and Cameron Perkins, and, of course, if he doesn't make the big-league club, third base/first base prospect Maikel Franco.