Philadelphia Phillies

TRACK RECORD: The Phillies signed Rojas as part of its excellent 2017-2018 international class that also included shortstop Luis Garcia. Garcia made a much more impressive splash in 2018, but Rojas' wiry strength and speed gives him a chance to surpass Garcia eventually.

SCOUTING REPORT: Rojas is following in the footsteps of Simon Muzziotti and Carlos Tocci as an athletic center fielder who has the potential to be a plus runner and a plus defender with an average arm. And like Muzziotti and Tocci, the question is whether he'll hit enough for it to matter. Rojas has a solid swing, and he has the potential to hit for average power eventually–his two home runs were both opposite-field shots. Rojas is extremely aggressive at the plate right now–more than 50 percent of his plate appearances in 2019 were finished in one or two pitches. Scouts appreciate his high-energy approach, especially in the outfield.

THE FUTURE: In a system without many potential impact players, Rojas stands out because he has some strength potential to go with his speed and defense. He needs to improve his selectivity and get stronger, but few Phillies prospects can match his upside.

TRACK RECORD: Muzziotti was one of the best signees in the Red Sox's 2015 international class, but that contract was voided because MLB determined that Boston had used package deals to spread bonuses around to sign players for less than their value. He then signed with the Phillies for $750,000.

SCOUTING REPORT: Muzziotti is the best defensive center fielder the Phillies have, and his plus speed is very apparent on the basepaths. Muzziotti reads the ball off the bat well and takes direct routes. He had some arm soreness as an amateur but it hasn't been a problem as a pro. What he has yet to show is that he can make enough offensive impact to project as more than a well-rounded backup outfielder. There's reasonable hope that Muzziotti will eventually be an above-average hitter. He doesn't swing and miss much and he has a solid feel for the strike zone, but he hits a lot of ground balls and has bottom-of-thescale power. He will play all of 2020 as a 21-year-old, so he can still add some much-needed strength.

THE FUTURE: As a lefthanded hitter with a good glove, Muzziotti fits the profile of a fourth outfielder. So far nothing on his resume shows he can be a regular, but there are scouts who believe he will add the much-needed pop to play everyday.

TRACK RECORD: Miller has long carried lofty expectations as a big lefty who could be projected to one day have a big arm. Undrafted out of high school because of his strong Stanford commitment, Miller didn't fully find his groove until his junior year with the Cardinal. He went 8-3, 3.48 and pitched his way into the fourth round.

SCOUTING REPORT: Miller has touched 96-97 mph in shorter stints in the Cape Cod League and during fall ball at Stanford, but he generally sits 89-92 mph as a starter, which he did both at Stanford and for the Phillies in 2019. Miller's average fastball has solid life and is buoyed by a plus slider that he manipulates well. He also mixes in a changeup with average potential. It doesn't have exceptional movement but he maintains arm speed when throwing it. The Phillies have plenty of reasons to see if Miller can start, but a number of evaluators expect he'll eventually move to the bullpen thanks to his below-average control. Miller has long had a plunge in the back of his delivery and a long arm stroke. It's why he's consistently been a below-average strike thrower.

THE FUTURE: The Phillies don't have many starting pitching prospects, so there's plenty of reasons to see if Miller can improve his control and command. But a number of evaluators expect he'll end up as a fastball/ slider lefty reliever with fringy control but above-average velocity in short stints.

TRACK RECORD: After signing for $400,000, Nava showed an advanced enough approach that the Phillies skipped him over the Dominican Summer League and sent him straight to the Gulf Coast League. He rewarded the Phillies by finishing sixth in the GCL batting race.

SCOUTING REPORT: In a system filled with catchers, Nava has the highest offensive upside. He has strong hands, above-average bat control and is comfortable from both sides of the plate. He recognizes spin well and shows an advanced approach. His power isn't really apparent yet–all seven of his extra-base hits in 2019 came as a lefthanded hitter–but he has strong hands and should eventually develop average power. Nava has a lot further to go as a receiver. He was raw defensively when he signed and even with significant improvement already as a pro, he needs to come a long way as a receiver and in blocking pitches in the dirt. His arm is average and he did throw out 32 percent of basestealers last season.

THE FUTURE: The Phillies' logjam of catchers could lead to sending him to the New York-Penn League in 2020, but Nava's advanced approach could handle a jump to low Class A Lakewood.

TRACK RECORD: After a dominating 2017 season, it looked like Romero was a little over a year away from joining the Phillies rotation. Two years later, his timetable has slowed down and the optimism regarding his future major league role also has been significantly tempered.

SCOUTING REPORT: Romero's stuff ranged dramatically from intriguing to awful at different parts of 2019. In his worst outings, he struggled to top 90 with his fastball and had no above-average pitch. That led to a demotion back to Double-A Reading. He turned his season around there and he pitched better in a return to Triple-A, using a low-90s fastball and the above-average changeup that has been his calling card. In shorter stints of relief work in the Arizona Fall League, he was 94-96 mph in shorter stints while still showing a harder and tighter slider. Over the course of the season, it was an average slider at best getting more chases than swings and misses out of the strike zone. He does have average control.

THE FUTURE: Romero's inconsistency leads many to see a future in the bullpen, but he was just added to the 40-man roster.

TRACK RECORD: When the Phillies looked to reinvigorate their international program, Gruillon was one of their first major signings. He moved slowly early in his career, but back-to-back 20 home run seasons led to his MLB debut as a September callup in 2019.

SCOUTING REPORT: Gruillon has turned out to be a catcher with more offensive upside than most thanks to his above-average power. His swing isn't geared to hitting for average, as there is some length, but the power fits a backup catcher profile. He works well with pitchers and he has a plus arm. His thick trunk does limit his agility as a catcher. He sets up with one knee on the ground with no baserunners on to help him better present low pitches, but with runners on he struggles to get low in his setup. His hands are adequate, but he will get caught struggling to stab instead of block pitches that miss the strike zone badly.

THE FUTURE: As long as J.T. Realmuto is a Phillie, the club's backup catcher is a limited role. In 2019, Andrew Knapp started 30 games and got 160 plate appearances. Gruillon has a shot to fill that role while providing more value than Knapp as a pinch-hitter who can run into a home run every now and then.

TRACK RECORD: For the longest time, Sanchez's professional career was moving at the pace of a three-toed tree sloth. He spent three seasons in the Dominican Summer League and another two at Rookie-level Princeton. So he was left unprotected in the Rule 5 draft before he had ever thrown a pitch in full-season ball. In 2019, he started to speed up his development, dominating at low Class A Bowling Green and high Class A Charlotte. With the Rays facing a full 40-man roster, the Phillies acquired him for young Australian third baseman Curtis Mead and placed him on the 40-man.

SCOUTING REPORT: Sanchez has one of the best left arms in the Phillies system. He can attack hitters with a 94-98 mph fastball that comes out surprisingly easy. Sanchez throws from a cross-fire, low threequarters delivery that makes it a little tougher for hitters to pick the ball up, but also makes it tougher for him to command his fastball. His low-80s slider flashes plus and pairs well with his arm slot to sweep across the strike zone, getting down and in on righthanded hitters. He throws a low-80s straight change that he doesn't command as well as his fastball and slider.

THE FUTURE: Sanchez's clock has to speed up now that he's on the 40-man roster, but he should pitch in Double-A in 2020, so he still has time to develop at the upper levels. Sanchez's most likely landing spot is as a power lefty reliever.

TRACK RECORD: After two years at JC of Southern Idaho, Jones had two rather nondescript seasons at Washington State. As a redshirt junior, Jones never struck out more than four batters in any of his 13 starts but he allowed nine or more runs three different times. As a pro, he's been much more effective. He's added velocity after working with Driveline Baseball and he improved his control by junking his windup to throw exclusively from the stretch.

SCOUTING REPORT: Jones' improved above-average fastball now sits 92-94 mph and can touch 96 with good extension. He gets some swings and misses in the strike zone with it, but it is his plus 82-84 mph slider that finishes off hitters. Jones' slider has a high spin rate and sweeps across the strike zone with more horizontal movement than vertical depth. Jones can back-foot righthanded hitters, which is why he's just as effective against righties as he is lefties. His changeup is a below-average third pitch that is a little too hard (86-89 mph) and doesn't have enough movement to get swings and misses. Simplifying his delivery has helped, but he still has below-average control.

THE FUTURE: Jones is a steal of an 18th-round pick. He has a lot of work still to do with his control to be an major league starter, but his fastball and slider give him a fallback option as a power lefty reliever.

TRACK RECORD: Baylor impressed a number of scouts over the summer before the 2019 draft with his speed, athleticism, hitting ability and, most of all, his above-average makeup. The Phillies didn't get much of a chance to see what Baylor could do as a pro, as he badly pulled a hamstring just two games into the season. He didn't return to action until the final two games of the Gulf Coast League season.

SCOUTING REPORT: Baylor is a plus runner and has a shot to be an above-average hitter. He works counts well and seems allergic to strikeouts. He has a contact-oriented approach, but has enough strength to yank a home run if a pitcher gets sloppy, and he has the potential to add more muscle and strength. Baylor faces more skepticism about where he ends up defensively. He has a quick first step and an above-average arm, but his actions and his exchange are a little slow. If he can't stay at shortstop his arm and range could fit at second or third base or in the outfield, so he has plenty of options.

THE FUTURE: Baylor will be a little behind in 2020 because he missed so much time in his pro debut, so a jump to short-season Williamsport makes sense, especially with Luis Garcia needing to return to Lakewood.

TRACK RECORD: Russ is trying to become only the second player from Houston Baptist to make it to the major leagues. If he can throw 10 or more MLB innings, he will top Trever Enders for the longest major league career among Huskies. Russ was a starter at two different junior colleges and in his two years with Houston Baptist, but the senior sign has been a reliever for the entirety of his pro career. He has 52 saves in just 129 pro games.

SCOUTING REPORT: Opposing teams don't need to spend a long time trying to build a scouting report on Russ. He's going to attack hitters repeatedly with a 93-96 mph above-average fastball with some run and a plus 84-86 mph splitter that looks like the fastball out of his hand but dives toward the dirt with a little tail at the plate. The two tunnel well together. In addition, Russ does have a below-average slider, but when he's locating his fastball he can thrive with a two-pitch approach. Russ has average control as well, which is vital because he is much more effective when he can get ahead in counts to set up his splitter.

THE FUTURE: Russ has two pitches that should succeed in Philadelphia much like they have in the minors. He's ready to head to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and could make his MLB debut in 2020.

TRACK RECORD: In high school, Simmons showed impressive power, but also struggled with strikeouts and his defense at shortstop. Two years later, he has impressive power and struggles with strikeouts and defense. He finished second in the New York-Penn League with 12 home runs while hitting .230.

SCOUTING REPORT: Simmons' defense requires plenty of work. The Phillies moved him from shortstop to primarily second and third base in 2019, but he's below-average at both spots now. His footwork isn't ideal, he struggles at turning double plays and his hands don't work all that well, especially to his backhand. He has an above-average arm. But Simmons is athletic enough that there is hope that with work, he can improve to fringe-average or even average at second and third. Offensively, he shows impressive power potential with plus-plus raw power, excellent exit velocities and the potential to hit 20-plus home runs one day. He currently chases a lot of pitches out of the zone.

THE FUTURE: Simmons has enough power and athleticism to develop to have potential to be an everyday regular, but he has a long ways to go. Low Class A Lakewood is the next step up the ladder.

TRACK RECORD: O'Hoppe announced himself as a worthwhile late-round sleeper by hitting .367 (thanks in part to an unsustainable .458 average on balls in play). O'Hoppe's slash line wasn't nearly as impressive in 2019, but he still showed some of the same underlying skills. O'Hoppe threw out 31 percent of basestealers while showing solid blocking skills behind the plate.

SCOUTING REPORT: O'Hoppe was seen as a glove-first catcher coming out of high school, but his bat has proven more advanced than expected. He has a fluid swing that is geared to hitting the ball in the air, and he should eventually have above-average power as he matures. He could eventually be a 45 hitter with 55 power. O'Hoppe has a solid understanding of the strike zone and a solid two-strike approach. He doesn't do anything spectacularly as a defender, but he moves reasonably well, has an above-average arm and the tools to eventually have average receiving ability. He doesn't run well now and will likely slow down.

THE FUTURE: Catcher is the deepest position among Phillies minor leaguers, but O'Hoppe has more offensive potential than most of Philadelphia's backstop prospects. He'll head to low Class A Lakewood.

TRACK RECORD: Lindow was expected to be a two-way player for Alabama-Birmingham, but his mid-80s fastball steadily turned into a high-80s fastball that could touch 92 mph, which enticed the Phillies to draft him in the fifth round. Lindow played travel ball with Tom Glavine's son Peyton and he has learned some tricks of the trade from Glavine who, like Lindow, didn't light up a radar gun.

SCOUTING REPORT: If Lindow can find another 2-3 mph, he will be one of the better pitching prospects the Phillies have. As it stands right now, he has a lot of impressive attributes, but his fringe-average 87-92 mph fastball is a somewhat limiting factor. Lindow throws four pitches for strikes with plus control. His above-average changeup had fade and sink and solid deception, and his above-average mid-70s curveball had quality spin and depth and he can sometimes slow it down even further to lock up hitters looking for a fastball. His average 82-84 mph slider has modest depth, but is effective because he can spot it. He does a good job of hiding the ball from hitters in his delivery, adding to his effectiveness.

THE FUTURE: Lindow has made excellent progress in his two years as a pro. He's still young enough to add some more velocity. As far as feel, control and pitch selection, he's as impressive as any young Phillies pitcher. He'll head to high Class A Clearwater.

TRACK RECORD: A 10th-round senior sign out of NAIA power Lewis-Clark State, Brogdon quickly moved to the bullpen as a pro. It's been a fortuitous move as he's turned himself into a viable prospect.

SCOUTING REPORT: Brogdon attacks hitters with a 92-96 mph above-average fastball that has solid riding life to go with excellent extension. He elevates it well and he has the plus spin rate to get swings and misses. His circle change is an 82-84 mph plus pitch with quality fade and sink. Brogdon relies mainly on those two pitches. He will sporadically throw a below-average slider that is a big breaker, but he doesn't have confidence to use it as more than a surprise pitch. He has average control.

THE FUTURE: The Phillies didn't opt to promote Brogdon to the majors in September but he can be expected to be part of the Phillies' 2020 bullpen plans. He projects as a solid middle-innings reliever.

TRACK RECORD: Llovera was a revelation for the Phillies as he quickly went from low-cost $7,500 signing to one of the best arms in the system. Llovera sat in the mid-90s and touched 99 mph as a power reliever in 2017 then managed to retain that stuff as a starter in 2018. But his fastball backed up in 2019 and he ended up missing the second half of the season with forearm tightness.

SCOUTING REPORT: Llovera sat 92-94 mph after flirting with triple digits in the past. He doesn't get a lot of extension or plane on his fastball and it's a low spin rate pitch that wasn't all that effective with less velocity. He relied more heavily on his plus changeup and average slider. He has fringe-average control.

THE FUTURE: Llovera's forearm soreness is concerning, but the Phillies' decision to add him to the 40-man roster was a strong vote of confidence. Most likely, he will move to the bullpen in the long-term.

TRACK RECORD: A year after the Phillies signed Simon Muzziottti after Major League Baseball voided his contract, they inked Gutierrez after MLB voided his Braves contract. He made his full-season debut in 2019 at low Class A Lakewood.

SCOUTING REPORT: Gutierrez's quickly maturing body drew some concerns when he was an amateur, but he has managed to retain his flexibility despite thick hips and a heavy lower half. Gutierrez is able to get low in his crouch and sets a good, low target. He has an average arm and projects as a fringe-average or average defender. Gutierrez made zero offensive impact in 2019, as he didn't drive the ball despite his solid strength. He can shoot balls into the opposite field gap or yank them down the line, but generally, he hit a lot of ineffectual ground balls and shallow fly balls. He shows average power in batting practice, but his slow bat speed and long swing make it hard for him to get to his power in games.

THE FUTURE: Gutierrez has some building blocks of a backup catcher, but he has to speed up his bat.

TRACK RECORD: Irvin was a dominating 12-3, 2.48 as a freshman for Oregon. And then he blew out his elbow. When he returned from Tommy John surgery his stuff wasn't as sharp. Since the Phillies drafted him, he moved quickly to the majors thanks to guile and plus control.

SCOUTING REPORT: Irvin's below-average 87-91 mph fastball has arm-side run, but it doesn't have enough velocity or movement to frighten hitters. His above-average 82-84 mph slurvy slider dives away from lefties enough to be effective. His average 82-84 mph changeup relies on solid deception. It's aiming for weak contact and is effective against righties when he's dotting it to the edge of the plate.

THE FUTURE: Irvin should return to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to begin 2020. He's a useful depth piece for the Phillies who can fill in either in the bullpen or the rotation, but it would not be a good sign if he received a lot of innings in Philadelphia this year.

TRACK RECORD: The Phillies made a $4 million bet on Ortiz, believing he could make the adjustments to his swing and timing to unlock his best-in-class power. Instead, he has yet to advance past the Class A levels in five years while strugging to make contact.

SCOUTING REPORT: When Ortiz connects, he not only clears fences but leaves balls bouncing out of stadiums. He takes big, massive swings with a big load to get to his plus-plus power. He is rarely on time with his big swings and is quite pitchable thanks to his inability to adjust to off-speed pitches. Ortiz has always moved well for his size and the Phillies have even let him play center field, but scouts see a below-average corner outfielder or first baseman He's a below-average runner, but he does have a plus arm.

THE FUTURE: Ortiz's top-of-the-scale raw power will earn him plenty of chances to improve his selectivity and swing. The Phillies left him unprotected and he went unpicked in the Rule 5 draft.

TRACK RECORD: Guzman was a low-cost ($60,000) signing in 2015 who has proven to be a bargain. A switch-hitter as an amateur, Guzman has scrapped hitting lefty as a pro. He finished tied for fourth in the South Atlantic League in 2019 with 31 steals. He also made the Dominican Republic Premier 12 roster.

SCOUTING REPORT: Guzman is an excellent defender who has to prove he is anywhere near as capable with his bat. He is a plus defender with a plus arm who is equally comfortable at shortstop and second base. His hands are excellent and he has the smooth actions of a major league middle infielder. At the plate, Guzman strikes zero fear in the hearts of pitchers because even if they make a mistake, he's most likely to simply slap a single. Power can develop late, but if Guzman can get to 8-10 home runs a year, that would be a surprise.

THE FUTURE: The minors are filled with shortstops with great gloves who can't hit enough for it to matter. Guzman's arm is good enough that he might have a fallback option as a pitcher.

TRACK RECORD: Cal State Fullerton produces crafty pitchers with impeccable control year after year. Seabold fits the same mold as Dylan Floro and teammate Thomas Eshelman as a pitcher who succeeds with control more than velocity. An oblique injury cost Seabold time early in the season, but he made up for it with a strong four outings in the Arizona Fall League.

SCOUTING REPORT: Seabold has added a little velocity since college, turning a fringy fastball into an 89-93 mph average pitch. His plus control helps it play up as he does a good job of avoiding hitter's happy zones. Seabold also has improved his above-average changeup–it has drop at the plate to generate poor swings and some whiffs. His fringe-average slider needs to improve as it lacks depth and bite.

THE FUTURE: Seabold is a polished righthander whose control and guile make him a potentially useful MLB starter, but his lack of stuff keeps him from being more than a back-end starter. He heads to Triple-A ready to help if the Phillies need a fill-in start.