By Matt Forman
November 4, 2011


Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel. All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible. Ages are as of April 1, 2011.

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TOP TEN PROSPECTS

1. Trevor May, rhp 2. Jesse Biddle, lhp 3. Sebastian Valle, c 4. Jonathan Pettibone, rhp 5. Phillippe Aumont, rhp 6. Freddy Galvis, ss 7. Justin DeFratus, rhp 8. Brody Colvin, rhp 9. Jiwan James, of 10. Maikel Franco, 3b

BEST TOOLS

Best Hitter for Average Harold Garcia Best Power Hitter Larry Greene Best Strike-Zone Discipline Matt Rizzotti Fastest Baserunner Roman Quinn Best Athlete Jiwan James Best Fastball Phillippe Aumont Best Curveball Phillippe Aumont Best Slider Justin DeFratus Best Changeup Austin Hyatt Best Control Jonathan Pettibone Best Defensive Catcher Sebastian Valle Best Defensive Infielder Freddy Galvis Best Infield Arm Freddy Galvis Best Defensive Outfielder Jiwan James Best Outfield Arm Jiwan James

PROJECTED 2015 LINEUP

Catcher Sebastian Valle First Base Ryan Howard Second Base Chase Utley Third Base Maikel Franco Shortstop Freddy Galvis Left Field Domonic Brown Center Field Shane Victorino Right Field Hunter Pence No. 1 Starter Cliff Lee No. 2 Starter Roy Halladay No. 3 Starter Cole Hamels No. 4 Starter Trevor May No. 5 Starter Vance Worley Closer Phillippe Aumont

TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2011 2002 Marlon Byrd, of Cubs 2003 Gavin Floyd, rhp White Sox 2004 Cole Hamels, lhp Phillies 2005 Ryan Howard, 1b Phillies 2006 Cole Hamels, lhp Phillies 2007 Carlos Carrasco, rhp Indians 2008 Carlos Carrasco, rhp Indians 2009 Domonic Brown, of Phillies 2010 Domonic Brown, of Phillies 2011 Domonic Brown, of Phillies

TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2011 Org. 2002 Cole Hamels, lhp Phillies 2003 Tim Moss, 2b (3rd round) Out of baseball 2004 Greg Golson, of Yankees 2005 Mike Costanzo, 3b (2nd round) Reds 2006 Kyle Drabek, rhp Blue Jays 2007 Joe Savery, lhp Phillies 2008 Anthony Hewitt, 3b/of Phillies 2009 Kelly Dugan, of (2nd round) Phillies 2010 Jesse Biddle, lhp Phillies 2011 Larry Greene, of Phillies

LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY

Gavin Floyd, 2001 $4,200,000 Pat Burrell, 1998 $3,150,000 Brett Myers, 1999 $2,050,000 Cole Hamels, 2002 $2,000,000 Chase Utley, 2000 $1,780,000

PHILLIES LINKS

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The story of the 2011 Phillies wasn't supposed to end the way it did, or as early as it did.

Philadelphia planned to ride its Phearsome Phoursome to a parade down Broad Street. Instead, the season ended nine victories and four weeks earlier than anticipated, and the organization's worst fears were suddenly realized.

Though the Phillies took their fifth straight National League East title, won a franchise-record 102 games and finished with the best record in baseball for the second straight year, losing to the Cardinals in the NL Division Series made 2011 a disappointment. Anything short of a World Series crown would have been, as Philadelphia entered the postseason as a prohibitive favorite to at least win the pennant.

The 2011 season also marked the end of an era. Just 10 players remained from the 2008 squad that won it all, and those who were left are aging. Come 2012, just five members of the core that changed the franchise's fortunes might remain.

The most successful stretch in Phillies history doesn't have to end—Roy Halladay, Ryan Howard, Cliff Lee and Chase Utley are all signed through at least 2013—but as general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said during his season-in-review news conference, "Change is good." For the second consecutive year, Amaro stressed the need for Philadelphia to get younger, and before the World Series ended the team declined its options on Brad Lidge and Roy Oswalt.

"We did it with our pitching staff, and we have to do it with our position players," Amaro said. "It's a young game played by young players, and hopefully we can get younger."

That will be easier said than done. During the last four seasons, the Phillies have used their farm system to bolster the major league roster. They've traded 17 prospects to acquire Joe Blanton, Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Oswalt and Hunter Pence, leaving the system bereft of high-end talent, though there's still plenty of quality depth.

The move to get younger will start with Domonic Brown, who was No. 1 on this list a year ago but no longer qualifies. He could be joined in Philadelphia in 2012 by three of the system's best prospects: hard-throwing relievers Phillippe Aumont and Justin DeFratus and slick-fielding shortstop Freddy Galvis. With Brown's graduation to the big leagues, righthander Trevor May becomes the organization's clear-cut top prospect. First baseman Jonathan Singleton and righthander Jarred Cosart would have competed for that spot had they not been sent to the Astros in the Pence trade.

In an effort to replenish the system, scouting director Marti Wolever took several projectable, high-ceiling athletes in the 2011 draft, including outfielders Larry and Tyler Greene (no relation) and shortstops Roman Quinn and Mitch Walding. Philadelphia also added a pair of promising lefthanders in Adam Morgan and Austin Wright.

Assistant GM for player development Chuck LaMar, who had served in that post since 2008, resigned in early September. He left amid rumors of personality conflicts, despite the admirable job he performed at developing blue-chip prospects. To replace LaMar as farm director (but without the assistant GM title), the Phillies hired Joe Jordan, whose drafts as Orioles scouting director the last seven years included Zach Britton and Matt Wieters.

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