Prospect Tommy Joseph's rough year continues

1. It continues to be a rough season for catcher Tommy Joseph, The Inquirer's No. 6-ranked Phillies prospect. Joseph, who turned 22 on Tuesday, began the year with triple-A Lehigh Valley, but suffered a concussion in early May. He missed more than a month, briefly returned at high single-A Clearwater and then sat out 11 more days while he worked on getting his conditioning back. Most recently, Joseph was at double-A Reading for three games before suffering a shin contusion that placed him on the disabled list on July 14. "You have to remember that at 22, many players his age came out of the draft this year and Tommy has already played at triple A and a full year at double A," Reading manager Dusty Wathan said.

2. The Phillies know they will need patience with 19-year-old Williamsport rightfielder Dylan Cozens, who had committed to Arizona to play both baseball and football before signing with the Phillies after being selected in the second round, 77th overall in 2012. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound Cozens bats and throws lefthanded. He was considered among the top power bats in last year's draft. Entering the weekend he was batting .232 with four home runs, 12 RBIs and a .735 OPS in 95 at-bats. "Since he played two sports in high school, he is probably 500 at-bats behind guys who just played baseball," said Joe Jordan, the Phillies' director of player development. "He has the thing that is hard to find and that is natural power and we think he will have big power."

3. In his first start since winning Sunday's Futures Game, Reading lefthander Jesse Biddle allowed just one earned run in seven innings during Thursday's 7-5 win at Portland. The Inquirer's No. 2-ranked Phillies prospect, Biddle allowed just three hits, striking out seven and walking two.

4. Lehigh Valley third baseman Cody Asche went 0 for 1 while competing during Wednesday's triple-A All-Star Game at Reno. Asche's International League beat the Pacific Coast League, 4-3. Entering the weekend, Asche was hitting .288 with 10 home runs, 56 RBIs and an .802 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

5. Lakewood's Willie Carmona has been on a certifiable tear. Entering the weekend, he was 47 for 121 (.388) in his previous 32 games. For the season, he entered the weekend hitting .308 with four home runs and 37 RBIs. The 22-year-old Carmona was an 11th-round draft choice last year from Stony Brook, where he led his team to the College World Series and set a school season record with 73 RBIs last year. For Lakewood, Carmona entered the weekend having played 24 games at first base, nine at third and 47 as the designated hitter.

- Marc Narducci