Biddle, Quinn top Baseball America's Phillies prospect rankings

Baseball America unveiled it's annual Top 10 prospects for the Phillies organizations.

This year's list:

1. Jesse Biddle, lhp

2. Roman Quinn, ss

3. Tommy Joseph, c

4. Jon Pettibone, rhp

5. Adam Morgan, lhp

6. Ethan Martin, rhp

7. Cody Asche, 3b

8. Maikel Franco, 3b

9. Darin Ruf, 1b/of

10. Carlos Tocci, of

The list reflects the conventional wisdom about the Phillies system: heavy on pitching, light on position players, but not completely barren. Ruf's inclusion shows just how much his stock has improved inside the scouting community, which once regarded him as little more than a career minor leaguer. Quinn, a soon-to-be 20-year-old short stop, probably has the most upside of anybody in the system. After hitting .281/.370/.408 with 30 steals at Williamsport in 2012, he could turn himself into one of the more talked-about prospects in the sport with a big 2013.

Joseph was the catcher acquired from the Giants in the Hunter Pence trade. The fact that Baseball America has him ranked third and does not have Sebastian Valle ranked at all is notable. That being said, Joseph still has some serious development to do at the plate before you can start penciling him in as a viable replacement for Carlos Ruiz.

Morgan and Pettibone are the two players on the list most likely to help the Phillies this season. Both are polished strike throwers who could get a look in the rotation once the inevitable line of injuries begins.

Martin was acquired in the Shane Victorino trade. The Phillies look at him as a starter, although there are some scouts who think he might end up in the bullpen. Franco and Tocci are both big on upside, although Franco did start to realize that upside last season with 14 home runs as a 19-year-old at Class A Lakewood.

Long story short, the Phillies do not have the kind of blue chippers that make scouts drool. Biddle could be a Top 100 guy once Baseball America releases that list of the best prospects in the game. Pettibone and Morgan are both viewed as mid-to-back-of-the-rotation guys. Asche has yet to convince scouts that he will develop the power or the defensive ability that would make him a blue-chipper at third base. Franco and Quinn both need another significant season before they are viewed as centerpiece prospects, while Tocci probably needs a couple.

Baseball America's article is here.