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Last season with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws, Kelly Dugan put together a solid season in which he batted .300 while slugging 12 homers and driving in 60 runs in 117 games as a 21-year-old in the South Atlantic League.  Primarily an outfielder, Dugan spent time at first base to assist with recovery from leg and ankle issues during the early portion of the season. Overall, in his minor league career, Dugan has posted a .292 batting average in 237 games.  He was the Phillies' top draft selection back in 2009 (2nd round) out of Notre Dame High School in California. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Kelly about his off-season workout routine, what his film director dad Dennis has in store for the movie-going public and plenty more.  Read ahead to check out that full interview. - What is your workout routine like lately and how much time off from hitting do you take during the off-season? I took about a month and a half off.  I pretty much follow...

It's another edition of our weekly off-season league review. Read ahead, as we take a tour around the globe for a look at Phillies talents including Antonio Bastardo , Raul Valdes and plenty of others, who are participating in various winter league action.  Venezuelan League- Second baseman Cesar Hernandez (pictured, left) ended his VWL regular season batting .226 with a home run, 16 RBI and 14 steals in 44 games for Margarita, as his team did not advance to the semi-final round.  The 22-year-old switch-hitter batted a combined .291 with two homers and 57 RBI in 133 games for Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley during the 2012 regular season. Shortstop Edgar Duran , also with Margarita, batted .240 with a home run and nine RBI in 36 games.  In 121 games for Class A Advanced Clearwater in 2012, Duran, 21, sported a .253/.310/.357 line. Shortstop Freddy Galvis wrapped up his regular season with a 10-game hitting streak, during which he posted ...

Left-handed pitcher Austin Wright has been a fast rising performer since he was selected by the Phillies in the 8th round of the 2011 draft, out of the University of Mississippi. In his first season of pro ball that year, the 6-foot-4 235-pounder tallied a 4-3 record with a 3.03 ERA and an 11.2 K/9 mark combined with short-season A level Williamsport and Class A Lakewood. In 2012, Wright, 23, became an all-star and was honored as the Florida State League pitcher of the year, as he posted an 11-5 record, a 3.47 ERA and an 8.11 K/9 mark with Class A Advanced Clearwater. Recently, I spoke with Austin about his off-season routine and how he uses his time during the colder months, during which the Illinois native issued a challenge to any gamers that might see this material. Read ahead for that full interview. - How much time off from throwing do you take during the off-season? When do you begin a throwing program to prepare for spring training? I took off October and Nov...

It's that time of year that gets you in the mood to be jolly. The biggest of all holidays is loved by all, for many reasons. Baseball players don't feel any differently.  In recent weeks, I have checked in with several Phillies players, from the bottom to the top of the system, to find out what stands out for them as reasons to get excited for Christmas. Players that took part include Phillies rookie OF/1B Darin Ruf (pictured), lefty pitching prospect Austin Wright , former supplemental 1st round draft pick, outfielder Zach Collier , right-handed minor league pitcher David Buchanan , third base prospect Cody Asche , former top draft pick, outfielder Kelly Dugan , whose father Dennis Dugan is a film director, and, lastly, catcher Josh Ludy , who was drafted by the Phils in the 8th round this year. Questions and answers detailing each player's holly jolly holiday favorites are ahead... What's your favorite Christmas movie or TV special? Darin R...

We're back with another edition of the (usually) weekly off-season league rundown. Read ahead, as we take a tour around the globe for a look at Phillies talents participating in various autumn and winter league action. Venezuelan League- Freddy Galvis (pictured, right) is batting .296 with 11 doubles, two triples, five homers and 28 RBI along with four steals through 57 games. The switch-hitting 23-year-old is riding a nine-game hitting streak, during which he is 13-for-39 (.333 avg). Galvis has been playing shortstop exclusively with Zulia. Catcher Humberto Quintero , 33, has posted a .314 batting average with five doubles, one home run and nine RBI in 23 games for Zulia. The righty hitting Quintero was signed by the Phillies last month after playing in 43 games with the Royals last season. Rule 5 draft choice Ender Inciarte , 22, is batting .234 with five doubles and a triple along with three steals through 44 games for Zulia. The lefty hitting center fielder b...

Throughout the off-season, I have checked in with various players from around the Phillies organization to gauge their thoughts on fall/winter leagues they've played in and what their outlooks are going forward.  Recently, I heard from right-handed pitcher Tyler Cloyd , who won the 2012 Paul Owens Award, an honor bestowed upon the most outstanding pitching and offensive players in the Phillies minor league system each year. This year combined with Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley, the Nebraska native posted a 15-1 record with a 2.26 ERA and a .214 batting average against.  Cloyd, the 18th round draft choice from 2008, was promoted to the Phillies late in the season, and sported a 2-2 record along with a 4.91 ERA in six starts in the big leagues.  Tyler was nice enough to offer his thoughts on his off-season routine, his potential to claim a spot in the starting rotation next year and plenty more.  Read ahead for that full interview. - What ...

BA ranked Jesse Biddle as the Phils' #1 prospect On Monday, Baseball America released its annual list of top 10 prospects in the Phillies organization . The rankings feature some plenty of names that are deserving of considerable regard, but also includes some debatable placement. Generally, I feel that prospect rankings issued by national writers or their publications are a somewhat questionable, as such members of the media do not get to see many of the same players on a regular basis and, as such, must rely on other people's accumulated scouting reports and other material to publish full reviews.  Limitations of how frequently a player is viewed over a season can prevent an analyst from witnessing development or getting to see the type of work individuals put in outside the lines.  A player's progress is key in reviewing his potential and in ranking him among other prospects, as are his age, his proximity to helping the big league team and other factors as well. ...

It's another edition of the (usually) weekly off-season league rundown.  Check it out, as we take a tour around the globe for a look at Phillies talents participating in various autumn and winter league action. Dominican League- Antonio Bastardo (pictured, right) made his DR League season debut on Saturday, throwing a scoreless frame and allowing no baserunners for Cibao.  Bastardo tossed a 1-2-3 inning against Este, closing it out by getting Phils catcher Steven Lerud to fly out.  The 27-year-old lefty was 2-5 with a 4.33 ERA and a save in 65 games for the Phillies in 2012. Lerud sports a .200 batting average with a double, a home run and four RBI in 19 games.  The 28-year-old made his big league debut with the Phils during the 2012 regular season. Veteran lefty Raul Valdes has tallied a 1-2 record with a 3.81 ERA in seven starts for Este.  The 35-year-old had a 2.90 ERA and held opponents to a .168 batting average against in...

Throughout the off-season, I have checked in with various players from around the Phillies organization to gauge their thoughts on fall/winter leagues they've played in and what their outlooks are going forward.  Recently, I spoke with outfielder/first baseman Darin Ruf , who mashed 38 home runs and drove in 104 runs for Double-A Reading before making his major league debut with the big league Phils in September, when he batted .333 and added another three homers in 12 games. A 20th round draft selection out of Creighton University in 2009, the righty hitting Ruf played for La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League, posting a .258 batting average with 10 home runs and 27 RBI in 32 games.  Ruf's long year of baseball, that began with spring training, ended the week of Thanksgiving Day, so the 26-year-old could rest up for next season, when he is expected to compete for an opening day roster spot with the Phillies. Read ahead to check out what the man they call "Babe...

Throughout the off-season, we'll be checking in with various players from around the Phillies organization to see how they're staying in shape and how they're keeping busy during the colder months. To kick things off, righty pitching prospect David Buchanan , the Phils' 7th round draft selection in 2010, took some time to answer questions for the PhilliesNation. Buchanan was an All-Star with Lakewood in 2011, when he tallied an 11-5 record with a 3.38 ERA in 20 starts before he earned a promotion to Class A Advanced Clearwater. In six starts with the Threshers, Buchanan had a 3-2 record with a 3.90 ERA. The Georgia native, who is playfully referred to by teammates as "Buck Nasty", spent 2012 with Double-A Reading and posted a 3-5 record with a 3.86 ERA and a 4.98 K/9 mark in 12 starts. Unfortunately, the 6-foot-3 190-pounder had his season cut short, when a recurring ailment in the middle finger on his pitching hand became too bothersome and surgery wa...

FOX Sports' Jon Morosi reported on Sunday that the Phillies have signed free agent RHP Zach Miner to a minor league deal with an invitation to major league spring training.  Miner, 30, has not appeared in a big league game since 2009.  After being sidelined with an elbow ailment, Miner underwent Tommy John Surgery and missed the entire 2010 season.  Since then, the former Detroit Tiger has been trying to reestablish his previous form. During his time in the majors, the 6-foot-4 215-pounder posted a 25-20 record with a 4.24 ERA in 157 games (35 starts).  Last season in 29 minor league contests, Miner posted a 2-0 record along with a 2.79 ERA while striking out 23 and walking 22 in 42 innings pitched.  Even if Miner doesn't impact the big league roster right out of the gate, he's the type of hurler that is valuable to the organization.  He can act as a backup to the 25-man roster with the Triple-A IronPigs, while helping younger pitchers grow and...

On Saturday, Rangers veteran Michael Young waived his no-trade clause, approving a deal to the Phillies, who sent two righty hurlers to Texas.  The 36-year-old Young has manned third base, first base and second base a considerable amount during his 12-year big league career, all with the Rangers. Slated to be the Phillies' everyday third baseman, the seven-time All-Star and career .301/.347/.444 hitter commanded a quality return, as the Rangers acquired reliever Josh Lindblom and prospect Lisalverto Bonilla . Phillies fans got a sizable sampling of Lindblom last season, after he was acquired from the Dodgers in the Shane Victorino trade.  The 25-year-old posted a 1-3 record with 1 save, a 1.53 WHIP and a 4.63 ERA in 26 games for the Phils.  Often critiqued for being a fly ball pitcher, Lindblom was not seen as being an ideal type to dominate at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park. With Justin De Fratus , Phillippe Aumont , Mike Stutes and several other names...

Inciarte In the Rule 5 draft portion of the MLB Winter Meetings, on Thursday, the Phillies selected outfielder Ender Inciarte from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Inciarte, who has played 310 career minor league games in center field, posted a career high OPS of .797 combined at two levels, the Class A Midwest League and the Class A Advanced California League, in 2012. Additionally, Inciarte uses speed as a key to his offense, as he stole 46 bases in 58 opportunities last season and sports a 73% success rate in stolen base attempts during his pro career. Comparatively, Phillies' outfield prospect Tyson Gillies , who has had a considerable amount of injury issues since joining the organization, had an OPS of .809 at three levels in 2012 (.822 in 68 games at Double-A), which ranked as his third best season in that department through his minor league career. Gillies came over from Seattle in the December 2009 Cliff Lee trade after being picked in the 25th round of the 2006 dr...