Philadelphia Phillies 2021 Top 50 Prospects

January 13, 2021 Tony Bps General, MiLB, NL East, Phillies, Top 50 Lists 0

Graphic design by John Stewart, @jonance on Twitter
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The Phillies are in an unenviable state right now. This was to be the end of the rebuild and their farm system should have propelled them to success by now. For a number of reasons, it didn’t quite work out as well as other organizations’ rebuilds did. They had some draft picks that didn’t work out or were traded for veterans. They also ran into some bad luck with their J2 signings while other players haven’t developed as originally hoped for.

There is hope for the future, however, with some of the players listed below. The pitching in the system, led by their top two ranked prospects, is a strength. Up the middle, there are some high-risk/high-reward players who have the potential to be exciting. With Dave Dombrowski’s recent hiring and his trade record of trading prospects, I imagine this list could look somewhat different next year at this time but, for now, let’s see what’s on the farm.


For either eligibility or performance reasons, these players from our 2020 Preseason Top 50 are not on this one –
Alec Bohm (2020 Rank: 1) – graduated
Connor Seabold (2020 Rank: 7) – traded to Boston
Jose Pujols (2020 Rank: 13) – designated for assignment
Enyel De Los Santos (2020 Rank: 15) – performance
J.D. Hammer (2020 Rank: 19) – performance
Seth Lancaster (2020 Rank: 21) – designated for assignment
Deivy Grullon (2020 Rank: 23) – designated for assignment
Kyle Young – (2020 Rank: 30) – retired
Addison Russ – (2020 Rank: 33) – traded to New York
Jose Gomez – (2020 Rank: 36) – performance

Prospects1500 Tiers:
Tier 1: Players with high expectations of both making the majors and playing at an All-Star level for a number of years
Tier 2: Players with an above average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 3: Players with an average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 4: Players who have the potential of making the majors, or have a high likelihood of making the majors, but providing minimal impact (e.g. middle reliever, low-ceiling UT guys)
Tier 5: Players who are worth keeping an eye on, but likely to never make a team’s 40-man roster

Tier 1

1. Spencer Howard, RHP (2020 Rank: 2)
Age: 24
Highest Level: MLB
Howard had a rough season, numbers-wise, in the big leagues and also spent time on the IL with a shoulder injury for the second straight year. He showed  good poise on the mound and was actually only done in by a few bad innings. This upcoming season is important to gauge if he can avoid the dreaded injury-prone label and turn into the top-of-the-rotation/2 starter he was thought to become.

Tier 2

2. Mick Abel, RHP (2020 Rank: Unranked)
Age: 19
Highest Level: High School
If Howard is the ace of the future, then Abel can be co-ace. He was drafted 15th overall in this year’s Rule 4 draft and was also an addition to the team’s Fall Instructional team where he was very impressive. Abel has solid control of his three plus pitches and should move quickly through the system.

3. Bryson Stott, SS (2020 Rank: 4)
Age: 23
Highest Level: A
The Phillies selected Stott 14th overall in last year’s draft and he immediately impressed in his time in the system slashing .295/.391/.494 with 6 home runs and 3 stolen bases in 166 at bats. Stott has solid tools across the board and can move up the ladder very quickly and form a solid left-side infield combination with Alec Bohm.

4. Francisco Morales, RHP (2020 Rank: 3)
Age: 21
Highest Level: A
Morales was a big signing during the 2017 J2 period and has shown good strikeout ability during his time in the organization. He needs to work on his command more but improved it greatly from 2018 to 2019. He has a chance to be a solid starter in the majors in a few years as he develops. Imagine a starting three of him, Abel and Howard?

5. Kendall Simmons, SS (2020 Rank: 5)
Age: 20
Highest Level: A
Simmons is one of my favorite prospects in the system. He combines good power and speed with a developing hit tool. He may be forced to move to another position with Stott slightly above him on the hierarchy but the bat will play. He’s been one of my targets in every dynasty league that I am in.

6. Casey Martin, 2B/SS (2020 Rank: Unranked)
Age: 21
Highest Level: College
Martin dropped to the 3rd round in the 2020 draft due to defensive concerns but he clearly has 1st round talent. Martin combines a nice blend of speed and power and has the ability to play multiple positions. He was added to the team’s Instructional League roster and could move quickly through the system. Buy low on him in dynasty leagues before he plays in games and starts filling up the box score.

Tier 3

7. Adonis Medina, RHP (2020 Rank: 6)
Age: 24
Highest Level: MLB
Medina pitched well in his 4 innings when called up for a promotion this past season. It was a good showing for him after struggling in 2019 during his first taste of AA ball. If he can continue his development, we could be looking at a future 3 starter in the majors.

8. Rafael Marchan, C (2020 Rank: 14)
Age: 21
Highest Level: MLB
Marchan was a surprise call up to the big leagues this season appearing in 3 games, going 4-8 with his professional home run. Marchan isn’t known for his power but he can hit and get on base. He has a great eye and solid control of the strike zone. As his body develops, more power will come. He is in line for a backup role in 2021 to gain more experience before moving into a full time role in 2022.

9. Luis Garcia, SS (2020 Rank: 6)
Age: 20
Highest Level: A
Garcia has good tools and showed them off in 2018 before struggling in 2019. He was very young for the league and I’m willing to give him another year to see if he can put it all together again.

10. Erik Miller, LHP (2020 Rank: 9)
Age: 22
Highest Level: A
Miller was a 4th round pick in the 2019 draft. He throws a high 90’s fastball to go along with an above-average changeup and slider. If he can work through his command issues, he could be a solid starter in the majors.

11. Johan Rojas, OF (2020 Rank: 12)
Age: 20
Highest Level: A
Rojas was a free agent signing in January 2018. He has pop in his bat to go with good speed. The outfielder looked good during his time at the Instructional League impressing the brass with his all-around play. Rojas has a chance to be something special.

12. Jamari Baylor, SS (2020 Rank: 11)
Age: 20
Highest Level: Rookie
Baylor was the team’s 3rd round pick in the 2019 draft and appeared in only 4 games for the Rookie level season that year. He has good speed and a good arm to stay at shortstop. The power could develop with time and experience.

13. Ramon Rosso, RHP (2020 Rank: 39)
Age: 24
Highest Level: MLB
Rosso struggled mightily in his first taste of the majors as a surprise call-up this past year but he was almost dominate in the Dominican Winter league last month. He’ll be going into Spring Training ready to compete for a spot in the starting rotation.

14. JoJo Romero, LHP (2020 Rank: 27)
Age: 24
Highest Level: MLB
Romero did very well during his time in the majors this past season. He had a 7.59 ERA and 1.40 WHIP but those numbers were inflated by two miserable outings where he gave up 6 runs in 2/3 innings. He has a good fastball and should contribute this year in the bullpen.

15. Rodolfo Duran, C (2020 Rank: Unranked)
Age: 22
Highest Level: A
Talented hitting catcher with some power in his bat. His 2019 season ended with a knee injury but, prior to that, he had 18 jacks in 318 at bats. He’s also very good at shutting down the running game behind the plate. Has a bright future.

16. Damon Jones, LHP (2020 Rank: 18)
Age: 26
Highest Level: AAA
Jones was added to the 40 man roster to protect him from being selected in the Rule V draft. He pitched very well with high strikeout totals during his time in the minors until a promotion to AAA where he had to make adjustments. He was part of the team’s Player Pool and it was surprising he didn’t get a call-up this past season.

17. Starlyn Castillo, RHP (2020 Rank: 10)
Age: 18
Highest Level: Rookie
Castillo was a high profile J2 signing with great arsenal of pitches. He struggled in his first exposure in the minors but has a ton of potential.

18. Yhowsar Garcia, OF (2020 Rank: Unranked)
Age: 19
Highest Level: N/A
The Phillies signed Garcia in March 2020 out of Venezuela. The outfielder has great speed and a solid hit tool and is expected to develop power as he matures. I’m excited to watch him grow.

Tier 4

19. Mauricio Llovera, RHP (2020 Rank: 34)
Age: 24
Highest Level: MLB
Llovera gave up 4 runs in 1 inning this year in the majors and was not given a second chance by the team but don’t let that discourage you about him. While he’s never going to be an ace, his minor league track record shows that he can at least be an average starter in the majors.

20. Matt Vierling, OF (2020 Rank: 25)
Age: 24
Highest Level: A
Vierling was part of the team’s Instructional League roster and played some third base, in addition to his customary outfield positions. He struggled in 2019 after a solid prior year showing a nice blend of speed, power and ability to get on base. He has a chance to contribute at the major league level.

21. Ethan Lindow, LHP (2020 Rank: 16)
Age: 22
Highest Level: A
Lindow was the organization’s pitcher of the year in 2019 after going 5-4 with a 2.52 ERA and 119 strikeouts over 110 innings pitched. He is more of a command-over-power type of pitcher and could develop into a 4th starter in the majors.

22. Jhailyn Ortiz, OF (2020 Rank: 17)
Age: 22
Highest Level: A
Ortiz was part of the team’s Instructional League roster and has been in the organization for almost 5 years after being signed as a hyped prospect during the 2015 J2 period. While other signees like Juan Soto and Ronald Acuna have developed into superstars, Ortiz was left exposed to the recent Rule V draft. He has massive power but needs to work on his pitch recognition.

23. Connor Brogdon, RHP (2020 Rank: 35)
Age: 25
Highest Level: MLB
Brogdon made his major league debut in August and ended the season with a 3.97 ERA, .088 WHIP and 17 strikeouts. He struggled in his first game but settled down and looked very sharp in 6 games in September, giving up only 1 hit for the month. Brogdon could be a contributor to the bullpen as soon as this season.

24. Kevin Gowdy, RHP (2020 Rank: 29)
Age: 23
Highest Level: A
Gowdy was the organization’s 2nd round pick in 2016 after they selected Mickey Moniak first overall. The Phillies used some of the savings from Moniak to be able to sign Gowdy. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2017, he struggled in his 16 starts with Lakewood but I’m excited to see what he can do now that he should be fully healthy.

25. Kyle Glogoski, RHP (2020 Rank: 23)
Age: 21
Highest Level: A
Glogoski was signed out of Australian League in 2019 and showed good promise in his 119 minor league innings with a 1.89 ERA. 1.00 WHIP and 10.3 K/9.

26. Carlos De La Cruz, OF (2020 Rank: 32)
Age: 21
Highest Level: A
Very young and raw player with a lot of power with questionable hit tool. His power potential has him this high on the list.

27. Baron Radcliff, OF (2020 Rank: Unranked)
Age: 21
Highest Level: College
The 2020 4th round pick has massive power but a tendency to strike out, also.

28. Simon Muzziotti, OF (2020 Rank: 34)
Age: 21
Highest Level: A
I’m lower than most on Muzziotti but I don’t see much more than a backup/4th outfielder going forward. He has minimal power and is a career .268 hitter with a .314 OBP. He does have some speed, though.

29. Mickey Moniak, OF (2020 Rank: 28)
Age: 22
Highest Level: MLB
Moniak hasn’t lived up to the lofty standards that come with being the overall pick but he is still young and plays a good defense. He struggled during his brief call-up this past season and is looking more like a 4th outfielder at this point.

Tier 5

30. Darick Hall, 1B (2020 Rank: 26)
Age: 24
Highest Level: AA
Hall has a lot of power in his bat but has to work on his hit tool. He was left unprotected this past off-season.

31. Colton Eastman, RHP (2020 Rank: 31)
Age: 24
Highest Level: AA
Eastman projects as a back-end innings-eater but can potentially help the major league team in a swingman capacity.

32. Logan O’Hoppe, C (2020 Rank: 47)
Age: 20
Highest Level: A
Good hitting catcher with solid intangibles and defense. He’s young but on the right track to continue his development.

33. Bailey Falter, LHP (2020 Rank: Unranked)
Age: 23
Highest Level: AA
Falter has had some success in the minor leagues despite having average stuff. The organization added him to the 40 man roster this past season and he was also part of the Instructional League. Falter has a chance to get a call-up this year if help is needed in the rotation.

34. Cristopher Sanchez, LHP (2020 Rank: 24)
Age: 24
Highest Level: AAA
Middle reliever type who came over from Tampa in a minor trade last year.

35. Josh Stephen, OF (2020 Rank: Unranked)
Age: 23
Highest Level: AA
Stephen has the potential to develop into a solid bench piece/backup outfielder.

36. Kyle Dohy, LHP (2020 Rank: 49)
Age: 24
Highest Level: AAA
Hard-throwing reliever with a chance at contributing in the majors this year. He was added to the 40 man roster to protect him from being selected in the Rule V Draft. He has put up strong strikeout numbers in the minors averaging 13.8 K/9 across 3 seasons but the command needs work.

37. Dominic Pipkin, RHP (2020 Rank: Unranked)
Age: 21
Highest Level: A
Throws hard and has a developing changeup. He could surprise people this year and move up these rankings by the end of the season. Pipkin was on the Instructional League roster this past fall.

38. Austin Listi, 1B/OF (2020 Rank: 21)
Age: 25
Highest Level: AAA
Older prospect who can play first base, third base and outfield. Has some pop in his bat. Listi was left unprotected for the Rule 5 draft but wasn’t selected by any team.

39. David Parkinson, LHP (2020 Rank: Unranked)
Age: 25
Highest Level: AA
Parkinson was the 2018 Organization’s Pitcher of the Year after having a tremendous season but struggled in 2019. He needs to impress in Spring Training this year to stay on the radar.

40. James McArthur, RHP (2020 Rank: Unranked)
Age: 24
Highest Level: A
McArthur impressed the team during his time in the Instructional League after pitching well in A ball in 2019. He has a chance to be a mid-rotation starter in the majors.

41. Gunner Mayer, RHP (2020 Rank: 40)
Age: 20
Highest Level: Rookie
Mayer was part of the Fall Instructional League roster. He’s a hard throwing righty with control issues.

42. Rixon Wingrove, 1B (2020 Rank: Unranked)
Wingrove was signed as an international free agent in 2018 out of Australia. He’s a big first baseman with good power but the strikeouts have to cut down for him to move up the rankings.

43. Juan Aparicio, C (2020 Rank: 44)
Age: 20
Highest Level: A
Aparicio is a good-hitting catcher who can get on base but hasn’t grown into power yet. He may be blocked by other more advanced catchers in the system but quantity is never a bad thing.

44. Josh Gessner, RHP (2020 Rank: 48)
Age: 20
Highest Level: Rookie
Signed by the team in 2019 out of Australia, Gessner looked good in his 12 innings in rookie ball that year. He was an ace on his Australian team and was heavily scouted when he was a free agent.

45. Miguel Tejada, Jr., SS (2020 Rank: 50)
Age: 19
Highest Level: Rookie
The son of former AL MVP with the same name was originally signed by the White Sox but the contract was voided when Jr. tested positive for PEDS. Tejada has good bat speed and is very young but I’m excited to see how he develops in the system.

46. Zach Warren, LHP (2020 Rank: Unranked)
Age: 24
Highest Level: A
Future reliever who has had some success in the minor leagues.

47. Marcus Lee Sang, OF (2020 Rank: Unranked)
Age: 20
Highest Level: Rookie
Fast player with a little bit of pop in his bat. 11th round draft pick in 2019 needs to play more to develop his hit tool. He was also part of the Instructional League roster.

48. Eduar Segovia, RHP (2020 Rank: Unranked)
Age: 20
Highest Level: Rookie
Segovia throws in the mid-90’s but needs to work on command of his off-speed stuff. He’s not a bad pitcher to take a gamble on in very deep leagues. He was part of the Instructional League roster.

49. Nicoly Pina, RHP (2020 Rank: Unranked)
Age: 21
Highest Level: Rookie
2017 J2 free agent has some good stuff but needs more experience.

50. Luke Leftwich, RHP (2020 Rank: 42)
Age: 26
Highest Level: AAA
Career middle reliever with potential to possibly contribute this year.

Tony Bps

Tony Bps Spina is a lifelong baseball fan hailing from the City of Brotherly Love - Philadelphia! Tony has loved baseball since 1980 and has followed the Phillies through good and bad times. Tony is married with 3 kids and works for a financial institution but has enough free time to play in 20 fantasy baseball leagues with 75% of them being Dynasty Leagues. He lives a few blocks away from Citizens Bank Park and attends many Phillies games per year in addition to their minor league teams in Lehigh Valley and Reading. He can be reached on Twitter at @TonyBps1.

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