By Josh Boyd
March 21, 2003

CLEARWATER, Fla.--It's a good thing the Phillies don't listen to the anti-high school pitching faction.

Brett Myers, drafted with the 12th overall pick in 1999 out of a Florida high school, joined the rotation last summer and showed frontline stuff. Gavin Floyd, drafted with the fourth overall pick in 2001 out of a Maryland high school, rates among the best pitching prospects in the minors after going 11-10, 2.77 at low Class A Lakewood last year. His stuff has drawn favorable comparisons to Myers'.

Another one, Taylor Buchholz, drafted in the sixth round in 2000 out of Pennsylvania high school, is on the fast track.

Buchholz, 21, has been highly regarded since debuting in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2000, and he broke into the Top 10 after posting a 9-14, 3.36 record in 177 innings for Lakewood in 2001. Buchholz enhanced his prospect status that year by recovering from a 1-10 start.

Even throughout his dismal start for a team that was among the worst offensive clubs in the South Atlantic League, the Phillies raved about his poise and stuff.

At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Buchholz rivals Myers' and Floyd's power repertoire featuring a plus fastball, plus curveball and good changeup.

Buchholz attacks with a two-seamer in the 90-92 mph range with good sink and run and a lively four-seamer up to 95 mph. His curveball is consistently a notch below Myers' and Floyd's hammers, which are solid 70s and flash 80s on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. Still, Buchholz' 81-84 mph curve is a plus pitch with tight, hard spin--a definite put-away pitch. He maintained plus arm speed on his 80 mph changeup making it an effective third weapon.

He has a solid delivery, but is still learning to repeat it from pitch to pitch.

"He tends to drift open on his front side," said Phillies assistant general manager and player development director Mike Arbuckle. "When he does that, he elevates his fastball."

Arbuckle said Buchholz is getting more consistent in repeating his delivery and arm slot. "He'll go through three of four games where he's repeating it and then start drifting again."

Buchholz will likely start 2003 in Double-A Reading, where he ended last season.

It's possible that Buchholz could join fellow prep products Myers and Kevin Millwood in the Phillies rotation by 2004, and Floyd won't be far behind.

• Lefty Cole Hamels, another high-risk, high school pitcher drafted in the first round last year by the Phillies, is still working his way back into shape after a long layoff last summer. Hamels didn't sign until the end of August and gained his first pro experience in instructional league last fall. The Phils have started him slow this spring. Unlike Myers and Floyd, neither of whom signed in time to pitch during their draft year but still managed to debut in a full-season league the following spring, Hamels is likely going to start the year in extended spring training before it's determined where he'll throw his first pro pitch. He has displayed a very good changeup and good life on his fastball, according to Arbuckle. His curveball, which was a go-to pitch in high school last year, has been inconsistent so far.

• Strike-throwing machine Elizardo Ramirez threw 35 pitches in his most recent outing, 29 of them for strikes. A year ago, the 20-year-old righthander posted a 73-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in the GCL. His advanced command and control has the Phillies considering a jump all the way to high Class A Clearwater.

• Outfielder Josue Perez and righthander Robinson Tejada are experiencing difficulties in attaining their work visas and have yet to report to Phillies camp.

• Jake Blalock is working at third base and in the corner outfield positions.

• Devil Rays outfielder Jonny Gomes has undeniable power, but he punched out 173 times for Class A Bakersfield last year. He is very aggressive at the plate, which causes problems staying back against offspeed stuff. He has tremendous strength and bat speed, but he seems to have trouble recognizing pitches early enough to stay back.

• The Yankees are counting on big things from outfielder Rudy Guillen. He is hitting .450 in games between the low Class A and high Class A levels this spring. "He hits the ball where it's pitched," Yankees farm director Rob Thompson said. "He's getting better and is going to be big and strong. He stays through the ball very well and plays very relaxed and doesn't let things affect him."