We’ve brought you quite a bit of information on top-level, up-and-coming minor league prospects in both the Phillies and Nationals organizations this summer. Here at “the Shop” and on RCN-TV, we’ve given you interviews with the players themselves along with their coaches and have provided insights, statistics and progress reports throughout the Minor League season. With the Minor League season winding down, we thought we’d take one more look at the Phillies players just below the Major League level who might be getting a September call-up in the near future.
JP Crawford
The Phillies number-one ranked prospect in their entire organization has cooled off a bit in August, after a sizzling six-to-seven week span that saw his overall batting average rise to .290 (he’s currently hitting .258). People around the Triple-A team suggest he isn’t ready for a call-up and could use a few more weeks at Triple-A (he’s missed the last several games because of what is being described as an injury to his side) so it not certain if he’ll get a cup of coffee this September with the parent club.
Despite Phillies fans anxious to see him sooner rather than later, it would probably be best if they did NOT call him up this year—keeping him in the minors would keep him off the 40-man roster and allow the team an additional roster to protect a player from this winter’s Rule 5 draft. Also, the Phillies Triple-A team is likely to make the playoffs, so he could get additional “ABs” and playoff-like experience for several weeks in September.
That being said, I still think there’s a better than average chance he’s the Phillies Opening Day ‘17 shortstop—or at least be called up by Memorial Day 2017 if he struggles in spring training.
Nick Williams
His bat has also cooled off of late. But after some controversial headlines and several showings of a definite lack of hustle, Williams has been doing and saying all the right things lately. He’s been batting in the .270 – .280 range and is currently leading the team among active players in RBI and is second in home runs. While he’s played all three outfield positions with regularity, Williams will probably fight for playing time in one of the crowded corner outfield spots this September, unless—like Crawford—the Phillies prefer to play their best prospects in a Minor League playoff series. Also, the Phillies might want to see more of Cody Asche and some of the other veterans for evaluation purposes, which could be another reason to keep Williams in Triple-A.
Andrew Knapp
The Phillies “catcher of the future #1” has had a decent year offensively and has improved overall defensively this summer. However, he has shown some inconsistency behind the dish—which has been more worrisome as it has occurred occasionally over the last few weeks. With Cameron Rupp being one of the few sources of power at the major league level and Jorge Alfaro playing well in Reading, Knapp will have to start impressing the Phillies front office in a big way to remain part of the team’s main core of players for future seasons, or run the risk of falling back on the organization’s depth chart.
Cam Perkins
Two seasons ago, he had a strong Double-A season, following by a quality start in Triple-A and was thought by then General Manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. to be a candidate for a big league outfield spot. Perkins struggled mightily in 2015 and was almost an afterthought at the beginning of this year. Perkins has been largely consistent playing all three outfield positions and hitting just under .300 for much of the year. Still, with all the outfield prospects already in the Majors, along with Williams and guys like Roman Quinn and Dylan Cozens playing well in Reading, Perkins will really have to do something special to be part of the organization’s 2017 plans.
Darin Ruf
After failing in his attempt to earn an everyday—or even a steady platoon—role with the Phillies this spring, Ruf has returned to his power hitting ways at the Triple-A level, hitting just under .300, leading the team in home runs and second in RBIs. Still, with Tommy Joseph moving ahead of him on the depth chart and fiery hot prospects moving up behind him, this will probably be Ruf’s final year with the Phillies—and is not a shoe-in to even be a September call-up.
Ben Lively
Acquired in the Marlon Byrd trade, Lively’s spot on the organization’s pitching depth chart plummeted after the trades of Cole Hamels and Ken Giles netted a bevy of prime hurling talent. Lively, who started the year in Double-A, might just have earned himself a look yet this year with an improving approach and more effective use of his pitches. He’s been going longer into games and recently tied all minor league pitchers with 13 wins on the season. Heading into his most recent start (8/12/16), he hasn’t lost a game in August and his ERA this month is under 2. While he doesn’t have the stuff of an Aaron Nola, Vincent Velasquez, Jared Eickhoff or Jake Thompson, he still could prove to be a steady back-end of the rotation pitcher.
Joely Rodriquez
Another forgotten man after struggling mightily in Double-A ball (and spent time in High-A Clearwater), Rodriquez was converted into a reliever and has done a decent job in recent months, holding Triple-A left-handed hitters to a .194 batting average (.229 w/RISP). Acquired for another hard-to-figure-out southpaw Antonio Bastard, Rodriquez might still have a remote shot as a lefty specialist with a Major League team, especially since left-handed throwers have suddenly become a scarce commodity in the upper levels of the Phillies system.
If there’s a young player who you don’t see listed on today’s blog, please check back with some of our recent blog entries to find more on your favorite player(s).
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Also, if you want to hear more baseball talk and rub elbows with some real “boys” of summer, we invite you to come out to Buffalo Wild Wings on Grape Street in Whitehall (PA) for this Thursday’s “RCN Sports Talk Gets Wild” show starting at 7pm. Our guests will be past, present and future members of the Coplay baseball sports community, Select show topics include a discussion of the late, great Sam Balliet, the memories of the stadium named in his honor and a look at the current players who play there, along with future baseball stars.
Go to the “Gets Wild” page here on the RCN-TV website, click on the appropriate link for that evening’s show/charity and 10-percent of your total bill will be donated to the Dream Come True organization.
We’d love to see you there!
