Minor League Notebook: Injuries, Signings and Stats

Mario Hollands

Lefty hurler Mario Hollands, who is on the disabled list for the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers, is not currently ailing and is spending time with the Phils’ extended spring training team until further notice. Pitching at four levels of the organization’s developmental system last season, the 24-year-old posted a 7-9 record with a 4.55 ERA and a .282 batting average against in 27 outings (18 starts).

Right-handed reliever Kenny Giles, who also opened the 2013 season on the disabled list for the Threshers, is dealing with an oblique strain. There is no known time frame for the Phillies’ 2011 7th round draft selection's return. Last season, with Class A Lakewood and Clearwater, the 22-year-old tallied a 4-3 record with eight saves, a 3.51 ERA and a 12.18 K/9 mark in 39 contests.

Left-handed starting pitcher Nick Hernandez made his official return to the mound for the Threshers on Tuesday evening. Out since 2010 with repeated shoulder injuries, the 24-year-old had a very good outing for Clearwater, throwing five innings, allowing two runs (both earned) on five hits while surrendering four walks and striking out five opposing batters. Hernandez, the nephew on MLB umpire Angel Hernandez, was a mid-season South Atlantic League All-Star with Lakewood in 2010, when he went 3-1 with a 1.61 ERA in eight outings prior to being sidelined.

Outfielder Zach Collier is off to a considerably slow start offensively with the Double-A Reading Fightins. Through six games, the 22-year-old former supplementary 1st round draft pick (2008) has gone 1-for-23 (.043 avg). The Long Beach, CA native played this past off-season in the Arizona Fall League, where he performed quite well, posting a .371 average with four home runs.

Roman Quinn

The error count for Lakewood shortstop Roman Quinn continues to grow. In the BlueClaws’ 6-3 loss against South Atlantic League Northern division rival Hagerstown, the Phillies’ highly regarded speedster, who had three miscues in a recent contest on Sunday, botched a throw on Tuesday to bring his season total to six errors in six games. Quinn offered a bit of redemption on Tuesday, though, as he laced a stand up inside-the-park home run that helped display what's made him such a highly touted prospect.

Phillies 2011 1st round draft pick Larry Greene Jr. opened the season with the organization's extended spring training team due to fitness reasons. According to Lakewood manager Mickey Morandini, the decision to keep Greene in Florida was strictly to allow the 20-year-old an opportunity to lose weight before he makes his season debut.

Former Phillies infield prospect Stephen Malcolm is slated to play independent ball. The Phils’ 8th round draft pick from 2010, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Tuesday, will take the field for the Grand Prairie (TX) AirHogs of the America Association Baseball League. Malcolm, a California native, batted .160 in 54 contests last year with the short-season Williamsport Crosscutters and the Lakewood BlueClaws.

Another former Phils prospect playing indy ball is Brian Gump. The UC Santa Barbara product was released by the Phillies in spring training a year ago and tried his hand at pitching after previously playing mostly outfield as a pro. In 2012 combined with the San Rafael Pacifics and the St. Paul Saints, Gump posted a 5-4 record with a 3.07 ERA in 15 games. This year, Gump is headed north of the boarder to play for the Trois-Rivieres Aigles, a Quebec team partially owned by former Cy Young Award winner Eric Gagne and professional hockey star Marc-Andre Bergeron, in the Can-Am League. Former Phillie Pete LaForest is set to be the team's inaugural manager.

PhoulBallz Interview: First round pick Bryson Stott

Bryson Stott, image- Jay Floyd Shortstop Bryson Stott , the Phillies' first round draft selection this year, has enjoyed a successful initial pro campaign. En route to being recognized as an All-Star for the Class A short-season Williamsport Crosscutters the 21-year-old UNLV product has tallied a .295 average with six home runs and 25 RBI in 45 minor league contests. Last week I spoke with the lefty hitting Stott to discuss his transition to professional baseball, joining the Phillies organization and plenty more. Read ahead for that interview. -Obviously, your performance and the production on the field is going well, but how do you feel you have adapted to the pro life? It feels good. You hear about the everyday grind, but you don't really believe it till you feel it. I would say that's the difference between college and the pros, is you're not practicing, you're playing games every day. I would say that's the biggest difference. But I...

Ring-a-ling

This week I heard old news about how when the Indianapolis Colts won the Super Bowl, they gave former Colt Edgerrin James a championship ring. "Edge" had been a Colt for seven years, and even though he was gone when they won the big one, the team and the coaching staff felt as though James had contributed in building the team that won it all, so they awarded him a ring. This got me wondering which people, in an extended Phillies phamily , would be deserving of a 2008 World Series Champions ring. I heard an interview with Mike Schmidt, in the days that followed the Series, and when asked if he thought he'd get a ring, he said, "They have my (ring) size." Schmidt, the Hall of Fame thirdbaseman , was a long time Phillie, a one time coach of the single-A Clearwater Threshers (where he managed World Series MVP Cole Hamels ) and appears as a guest hitting instructor in Phillies spring training every year. With all those things in mind, of course Mike Schmidt shou...

Q&A with Justin De Fratus

Justin De Fratus is a 21 year old right handed relief pitcher with the Lakewood BlueClaws. An 11th round draft choice in 2007, Justin had been a starter in his first two seasons in the Phillies organization. Informed this spring that he'd be switched from the rotation to the bullpen, Justin has excelled and become one of the most reliable pitchers on the Lakewood staff. In 19 games this season, Justin is 2-0, with a 1.83 ERA and 0.89 WHIP over 39 1/3 innings pitched. PhoulBallz.com spoke with Justin De Fratus just last night. Here's how that went down... Justin, South Atlantic League all star selections were announced this week, and you were named to the team. Can I get your reaction to that? How excited were you? Very excited about it. Well, especially this year because I just got moved to the bullpen, so this is a new role for me. So, if anything, it's reassuring that I'm doing my job. It's the first time in my pro career that I've been selected as an all star...

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