Skip to main content

Prospect Nation 2013: #23 Catcher Cameron Rupp

By

Drafted in the 3rd round of the 2010 draft, catcher Cameron Rupp has steadily been an improving prospect for the Phillies. The 24-year-old has shown an ability to lead a pitching staff and work harder than most to improve his all-around baseball abilites.

Rupp, a Texas native, made his professional debut with the short-season Williamsport Crosscutters in 2010. In 55 games that year after making his pro debut, Rupp posted a .218 batting average with five home runs and 28 RBI against NY-Penn League competition.

In 2011, as a member of the Class-A Lakewood BlueClaws, Rupp proved himself to be capable of serious adjustments, as the 6-foot-2-inch 230-pounder had a tough time through the first half of the South Atlantic League season, posting a .219 batting average with two home runs and 13 RBI in 48 games.  Working hard behind the scenes with Lakewood hitting coach Greg Legg, Rupp altered his approach at the plate and showed considerable improvements after the All-Star break, batting .318 with two home runs and 31 RBI in 51 games.

Rupp, whose father Kevin pitched in the Montreal organization during his playing days in the 1970's, displayed increased power in 2012 as a member of the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers. With career highs in doubles (22), home runs (10) and OPS (.770), which was 50 points higher than his mark the previous year, Rupp proved that his production with the stick can keep up with his efforts behind the dish.  For his strong output, Rupp was honored as a Florida State League All-Star last season. 

The mental side of the game is critical for many players, but it's a clear factor for Rupp, to anyone that watches him play regularly.  Confidence is something Rupp relies on a great deal, as he snowballs his success, whenever the 6-foot-2 230-pounder gets hot.

Praised for his work ethic on defense, his strong throwing arm, his solid footwork and especially his ability to lead, Rupp has shown evidence of becoming a complete package on that side of the game.

The University of Texas product, Rupp, faces a chance of beginning the 2013 season with Clearwater once aagain, but that is simply because the organization is currently loaded with catching depth in the minors. With two of last season's Double-A Eastern League All-Stars, Mexico native Sebastian Valle, and former Giants 2nd round draft pick Tommy Joseph in the mix at the upper levels, Rupp could be held down until he or one of the others is traded.

The other two backstop prospects are both younger than Rupp (Valle by 22 months, Joseph by 34 months).  The longer Rupp takes to reach the upper levels of the minor leagues, the more hindered his progress may become.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jealous Ones Envy

By
Joe Blanton continues to excel and prove his worth in the Phillies pitching rotation. In his latest outing on Sunday, Blanton threw 8 strong innings, striking out 6, while walking just 1 and surrendering 2 earned runs, improving his record to 7-4. This season in July, Joe is 3-0 over four starts with 22 K's, 5 walks and a 1.21 ERA. Over his last 6 starts, Joe's ERA is 1.94. As a member of the Phillies, Blanton has a 3.84 ERA after the all star break with a 5-0 record. The Phillies are 20-12 (.625 winning percentage) in games that Blanton has started, since being acquired last July. Combined this season against other National League playoff contenders St. Louis, Chicago and Los Angeles, Blanton has a combined 1.67 ERA in 4 starts with a 2-0 record. Blanton is on such a sizzling run that the Bowling Green Hot Rods, a Tampa Bay Rays farm team, will host a Joe Blanton bobble head give away tomorrow. Bowling Green will host Joe's mother, father and sister for the event, as Joe...
7 comments
Read more

Sunday School: Phillies History Lesson 71

By
Gene Kelly was the radio voice of the Philadelphia Phillies from 1950- 1959. Born in Brooklyn NY, Kelly pitched in the minor leagues after graduating from Marshall College in 1941. He would soon experience arm trouble, which ended his playing days. Kelly managed to continue a career in sports by turning to radio. When legendary announcer By Saam, who pulled double duty beginning in 1939 calling both Phillies and Athletics games, moved over to the A's side exclusively, Gene Kelly was the man who would fill the void and took over as the Phillies play-by-play man. The Phillies began broadcasting their games over the air in 1936, but until the 1950's, the broadcasters only attended home games and did not travel with the team. All road games were recreated, on the air, by the announcers who read a Western Union teletype account of the games from the studio in Philadelphia. During the decade of the 50's, Kelly was partnered with several different broadcasters, including Claude Ha...
5 comments
Read more

Heroes- Fight of the Century

By
VS. It's a big day for your boy, Jay Ballz . No work, X-Men Origins: Wolverine premieres, our Phillies face the Metropolitans for the first time this season and tailgating for BOTH doesn't sound all that absurd to me. Anyway, I surveyed some qualified phans and got several opinions on how exactly a fight might go down if the mutant hero Wolverine faced off against Phillies hero Matt Stairs. Well known blogger, Chris, of I've Made a Huge Tiny Mistake , kept it real and said the following- "Wolverine has adamantium ( indestructible metal substance) claws, so that's a great advantage. Stairs' Wonder Bat is neutralized there. See, the problem becomes Wolverine's ability to recover (he has a regenerative power) faster. Stairs is merely human. Sure, he has a goatee, and goatees are great, but they're great for saving sauce, not for defeating mutants. I think Wolverine takes it in a fight to the death in about 15 minutes because Stairs simply doesn'...
7 comments
Read more