Philadelphia Phillies MLB Draft History And Projections

Image credit: Mickey Moniak, the first overall pick in 2016

As we approach the 2018 MLB Draft on June 4, we’ll break down each major league team’s recent draft history, picking out tendencies where applicable, highlighting the team’s 2018 draft pool and also touching on the organization’s most successful recent draft picks.

Additionally, each team is listed with potential draft targets. These players either fit the typical modus operandi of the organization or are players who have been specifically linked or rumored as fits with a team throughout the spring. Baseball America will continue to add and subtract players from the potential draft target section as we continue to gather information in the final weeks leading up to the draft. Players are listed with a line of skinny to get a quick idea of who they are, but our full scouting reports will give a more complete picture of a player.

It’s also worth pointing out that while in some cases a team might appear to have a clear tendency with certain demographics (i.e. high school pitchers or college hitters), the sample we are looking at is small enough that teams could simply be following a best player available strategy and the results are showing something that’s not an overarching scouting philosophy. It’s more likely that tendencies can be discovered at the extremes, rather than slight apparent preferences in the last five years.

Here is a breakdown of the recent draft history of the Philadelphia Phillies:

General Manager: Matt Klentak (Since 2015)
Scouting Director: Johnny Almaraz (Since 2015)
2018 MLB Draft Bonus Pool (Rank): $8,858,500 (12th)

2018 MLB Draft Order:

1st Round: 3rd

2nd Round: None (Lost for signing Carlos Santana)

3rd Round: None (Lost for signing Jake Arrieta)

4th-40: 3rd in each round.

First Round Picks Since 2013:

2017: Adam Haseley (8th)

2016: Mickey Moniak (1st)

2015: Cornelius Randolph (10th)

2014: Aaron Nola (7th)

2013: J.P. Crawford (16th)

Best Recent Pick (2010-2017 Drafts):

RHP Aaron Nola (No. 7 overall, 2014) cruised through the minors after being selected in 2014, throwing just 164.2 innings between high Class A and Triple-A before making his major league debut in 2015. Since then, Nola has been a solid starter for the Phillies, posting a 3.94 ERA from 2015-2017 with respectable strikeout and walk numbers.

Recent Tendencies (Last Five Years/Top Five Rounds):

The Phillies have gone after hitters more than most teams at the top of the draft in recent years, and their 57.7 percent rate of bats is good for the fifth-most in baseball, behind only the Mets, Pirates, Mariners and Padres.

This especially holds up in the first round, as Philadelphia has selected just one pitcher (Nola) with the team’s first pick since 2013. Current scouting director Johnny Almaraz has yet to take a pitcher in the first round after taking the reigns in 2015.

The 2018 draft will be extremely interesting for the Phillies, as the team has just one selection among the first 100 picks in the draft after losing its second and third round picks for signing Carlos Santana and Jake Arrieta. Because of that, the Phillies have a smaller bonus pool than the top seven teams despite the third overall pick, putting more pressure than usual on a pick that high. Perhaps balancing that out is the fact that Philadelphia has such a strong farm system already—ranked No. 7 in the preseason.

Potential Draft Targets:

 

C Joey Bart — The top catcher in the class, Bart has an all-around game, including plus raw power and tantalizing defensive tools

 

3B Alec Bohm — A corner infielder with immense power in his bat, Bohm has a sound plan and approach in the batter’s box

3B Jonathan India — One of college baseball’s most impressive performers, India is solid across the board and is tapping into unprecedented power this spring

 

LHP Matthew Liberatore — A projectable lefthander who’s been up to 96 at times, Liberatore has three potential plus pitches and good feel for each

 

SS/2B Nick Madrigal — A speedy infielder with exceptional bat-to-ball skills, Madrigal has a long track record of hitting and plus defensive potential as well

 

LHP Shane McClanahan — An electrifying, albeit sporadic, lefthander with some of the best pure stuff in the class, McClanahan has a fastball that tickles 100 mph

 

OF Travis Swaggerty — Swaggerty is a potential five-tool talent with a real shot to stick in center field who showed increased power this spring

RHP Brady Singer — A high-probability major leaguer with middle-of-the-rotation stuff and one of the longest track records in college