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Ranking the Phillies' prospects, Nos. 11-25

This is the second installment of The Inquirer's Phillies Top 25 prospects. Some are long-range prospects, with six of the final 15 being 20 years old or younger.

Cameron Rupp. (Yong Kim/Staff Photographer)
Cameron Rupp. (Yong Kim/Staff Photographer)Read more

This is the second installment of The Inquirer's Phillies Top 25 prospects. Some are long-range prospects, with six of the final 15 being 20 years old or younger.

11. Deivy Grullon, C, 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, age 18

Extended spring training

He hit .273 with a home run and 14 RBIs in 41 games last season with the Gulf Coast League Phillies. Considered to have the best arm in the Phillies' minor-league system, Grullon is also expected to be a solid hitter.

12. Aaron Altherr, OF, 6-5, 220, age 23

Clearwater

He recently returned to action after being sidelined with a fracture in his wrist and eventually should be playing at Reading. Last season he batted .275 with 12 home runs, 69 RBIs, and a .792 on-base plus slugging percentage in Clearwater. A ninth-round pick in 2009, Altherr led the Florida State League with 36 doubles. He played all three outfield positions and saw the most time in center field, 64 games.

13. Kelly Dugan, OF, 6-3, 214 age 23

Reading

Dugan showed some power, hitting 10 home runs at both Clearwater and Reading last year. At Clearwater, he batted .318 with a .940 OPS. For Reading he hit .264 with a .771 OPS. A second-round pick in 2009, Dugan set a personal high with the 20 home runs last year after hitting a personal-best 12 in 2012 at Lakewood. A corner outfielder, he played both left and right field last season for Reading. Dugan entered the weekend hitting .233 with a home run and four RBIs. He is the son of Hollywood producer-director Dennis Dugan.

14. Zach Green, 3B, 6-3, 205, age 20

Lakewood

The Phillies project this 2012 third-round choice as a power-hitting third baseman. In 270 at-bats last year he led the short-season New York Penn League with 13 home runs and tied for the league lead with 20 doubles. He also led the league by appearing in 74 games. As with many young power hitters, he will have to cut down his strikeouts. Last season he struck out 91 times but was second in the league with a .478 slugging percentage. This year he was hitting .149 in his first 12 games.

15. Kenny Giles, RHP, 6-2, 205, age 23

Reading

A hard-throwing reliever, Giles opened eyes during spring training by throwing 100 m.p.h. and has also done so early this season. He could be the Phillies' closer someday. The key has always been his command. During spring training he had a 2.08 ERA in four appearances for the Phillies, covering 41/3 innings. Commanding the fastball will be the key for him. Last season he was 2-2 with a 6.31 ERA in 24 relief appearances for Clearwater. He struck out 34 but walked 19 in 252/3 innings. Giles missed most of the first four months last season while spending two stints on the DL with an oblique strain. He entered the weekend having not allowed an earned run in his first six appearances with five saves, 16 strikeouts, and three walks in seven innings. Giles was drafted by the Phillies in the seventh round in 2011.

16. Luis Encarnacion, 3B, 6-2, 185, age 16

Extended spring training

Encarnacion won't turn 17 until August. The Phillies like his offensive potential and believe that he will hit for power. He wasn't signed until Aug. 29 and played in the Florida Instructional League.

17. Dylan Cozens, OF, 6-6, 235, age 19

Lakewood

A 2012 second-round pick, Cozens is considered one of the top power bats in the system. Last season at Williamsport, he batted .265 with nine home runs and 35 RBIs. Cozens, who bats and throws lefthanded, was second in the New York-Penn League in home runs and third in slugging percentage (.469).

18. Cameron Rupp, C, 6-2, 250, age 25

Lehigh Valley

Considered much more valuable as a defender, Rupp did hit 14 home runs last season between Reading and Lehigh Valley. He also went 4 for 13 in a late-season stint with the Phillies. This year in spring training he hit .346 (9 for 26) with a home run and five RBIs. He had four home runs in his first nine games this season but is sidelined with an oblique injury. He was a third-round pick in 2010 from the University of Texas.

19. Cord Sandberg, OF, 6-3, 215, age 19

Extended spring training

A third-round selection last year, Sandberg turned down a football scholarship to Mississippi State to sign with the Phillies. He hit .207 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 169 at-bats in the Gulf Coast League. Sandberg, who bats and throws lefthanded, is a little behind many young players because he spent so much time playing football. The Phillies believe that he will develop, but also that it will take some time because this is the first time he's playing baseball year-round. Last season he played both center and left fields.

20. Phillippe Aumont, RHP, 6-7, 260, age 25

Lehigh Valley

Any chance to make the Phillies roster was hurt by a poor spring (0-3, 4.05 ERA, three strikeouts, eight walks in 131/3 innings). Last year, Aumont made the opening-day roster and appeared in 22 games. Acquired in 2009 from Seattle in the Cliff Lee trade, Aumont shuttled between Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley until being sent back to the minors a final time on July 9.

At Lehigh Valley he walked 38 in 352/3 innings. He is among the hardest-throwing pitchers in the system, but his success will depend on throwing strikes. He walked seven in his first five innings this season.

21. Shane Watson, RHP, 6-4, 200, age 20

Extended spring training

His 2013 season at Lakewood was cut short by right-shoulder soreness, and he underwent surgery Jan. 17. The Phillies are hoping Watson can appear later in the summer. Last season with Lakewood he was 4-6 with a 4.75 ERA in 16 starts. He was the Phillies' top pick (40th overall) in 2012 and was a high school teammate in Lakewood, Calif., of No. 2 prospect J.P. Crawford.

22. David Buchanan, RHP, 6-3, 200, age 24

Lehigh Valley

Buchanan had an impressive spring after being a non-roster invitee. He had a 2.25 ERA in 12 spring innings, striking out 11 and walking two. Buchanan began last season at Reading and was promoted Aug. 4 to Lehigh Valley, where he went 4-2 with a 3.00 ERA in six starts. In his first four starts this year at Lehigh Valley he had a 2.65 ERA. Buchanan won't overwhelm teams with his velocity, but Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg was especially impressed with how he mixed his pitches and changed speeds.

23. Nefi Ogando, RHP, 6-2, 185, age 24

Reading

The Phillies consider him one of the organization's sleepers. He has thrown in the 97-m.p.h. range in the early going. Like most power pitchers, the key will be to command his fastball on both sides of the plate. He was acquired Aug. 31 from Boston for utility infielder John McDonald. Ogando was 2-3 with a 4.09 ERA and 44 strikeouts and 27 walks for single-A Salem last season.

24. Cameron Perkins, OF, 6-5, 205, age 23

Reading

Despite missing nearly five weeks with a fractured left wrist, Perkins enjoyed a solid year for Clearwater, batting .295 with six home runs, and 53 RBIs in 387 at-bats. He is off to a quick start, having entered the weekend hitting .413. A converted third baseman, Perkins was a sixth-round draft choice in 2012 from Purdue University.

25. Andrew Knapp, C, 6-1, 195, age 22

Extended spring training

A second-round draft choice last year from Cal-Berkeley, Knapp is recovering from Tommy John surgery in October. He has begun getting at-bats in extended spring training. A switch-hitter, Knapp hit .253 with four home runs and 23 RBIs last season for Williamsport. He also tied for the New York- Penn League lead in doubles with 20.

mnarducci@phillynews.com

@sjnard