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Recently, I posted a feature on former Phillies pitching prospect Trevor May , but that piece couldn't fit all of the quotes I had from the man that was traded last off-season along with Vance Worley for outfielder Ben Revere .  Click HERE for that article on May and read ahead for the additional  interview excerpts. - On topic of top Minnesota offensive prospect and New Britain teammate Miguel Sano - He's a freak. (laughter)  He can hit the ball really far and he's made some absolutely ridiculous plays at third base and he's a character, just a big kid, an absolute child.  And I'm just gonna throw the other big prospect Meyer, he's just a big kid too.  And let's be honest, I'm a big kid too, so it's a lot of fun to kind of all be together, especially on this team.  I'm glad he can come up here and do as well as he's done, because he's a guy...if I achieve my ultimate goal of reaching the big leagues, he's a guy I want...

Trevor May with Reading in 2012 Following his team's heart wrenching 9-8 loss to the Trenton Thunder on Wednesday, in which the Twins' Double-A affiliate New Britain failed to maintain two separate extra-inning leads, right-handed pitcher Trevor May reflected on his season as well as a trade that brought him to a new organization last winter. What's in the past, however, is not as important as what's on the horizon for the promising youngster.  The ability to quickly refocus and move beyond that sort of loss is the type of approach that can help carry May to the top level of the sport. With some noticeable highs and lows throughout his career, May, who was the Phillies' 4th round draft choice in 2008 out of Kelso High School (WA), took some internal inventory and realized that his focus was the missing factor to his game. The "stuff" was always there, but an occasionally absent ability to execute his pitches with consistency was his main problem....

With the Phillies' decision to try Double-A third base prospect Maikel Franco at first base recently a bit of a dilemma with how to use slugger Jim Murphy arose.  The 27-year-old Eastern League All-Star has held down first base at several levels of the minors since he was drafted by the Phillies out of Washington State University in 2008.  Murphy, who is among the league leaders in home runs (22) and RBI (81) was without a spot in the Reading Fightin Phillies' lineup against National League affiliated opponents down the stretch, as teams do not use a designated hitter in those match ups. Some luck came Murphy's way this week when a lineup spot abruptly vacated by outfielder Kelly Dugan , who was a late scratch on Tuesday, left an opening for Murphy.  The righty batter has never given up on his dreams of climbing all the way up the developmental ladder, despite seemingly being provided with limited opportunities at times. "The Phillies want Franco to get some...

Maikel Franco, Image- Jay Floyd Recently, Mike Drago of The Reading Eagle conducted a survey of about ten experts, made up of writers and other media members, designed to rank the top prospects in the Philadelphia developmental system. The participating individuals, who are all close to the Phillies minor league system, were asked to rank their personal top 15, which were tabulated to determine the paper's published list of top prospects. Those that offered their insight for the ratings this time around included Bob Brookover, Tony Graham, Mitch Rupert, Jeff Schuler, Mike Drago himself and yours truly, PhilliesNation's Jay Floyd. The collection of experts found that fast rising third base prospect Maikel Franco , who represented the Phillies organization in the MLB All-Star Futures Game this year, is the club's top minor leaguer.  Franco, who recently began playing first base is primed to make an impact with the big club in the near future and has become t...

Here's another weekly rundown of the Phillies' minor leagues with details on some recent noteworthy performers... Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs... In eight games since returning to the IronPigs' lineup, following a wrist injury, second baseman/center fielder Cesar Hernandez has gone 11-for-26 (.423 avg) with a double, a triple, two RBI and two steals.  The 23-year-old batted .250 in nine games with the big league Phillies earlier this season. Third baseman Tyler Henson is batting .375 with seven doubles, four home runs and 17 walks in 22 games since joining the 'Pigs.  The 25-year-old was signed as a minor league free agent last off-season. Double-A Reading Fightins... Maikel Franco , Image- Jay Floyd In his last six games, Maikel Franco , who turns 21-years-old today, is 8-for-22 (.367 avg) with a double, three home runs and seven RBI.  The Dominican native began playing first base for the Fightins over the weekend after being strictly a third b...

With family and local ties, Mark Leiter Jr. is one of the best stories out of this year's Phillies draft class.  The son of former Phils hurler Mark Leiter Sr., nephew of former big leaguer Al Leiter as well as Kurt Leiter who was also a pro pitcher and a product of Toms River North High School and the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Leiter Jr. has been enjoying success since he was selected in the 22nd round this year. In 13 outings to start his professional career, the 22-year-old had gone 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA before earning a promotion from the Gulf Coast League Phillies to Class A Lakewood recently.  Leiter, who stands six feet tall and weighs around 195 pounds, has not allowed a run and has struck out 12 while walking only two in two starts (11 innings) since joining the BlueClaws. Last week I spoke with the right-hander, who grew up as a Phillies fan, about his draft experience, coming from a baseball pedigree and his family's hobby of collecting baseball c...

Righty hurler Roy Halladay , who was slated to appear in another rehab outing for Double-A Reading on Sunday will return to the big league club instead, following a marathon of baseball Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park. In Saturday night's (Sunday morning's?) 12-7 defeat at the hands of the Diamondbacks, the Phillies sent nine pitchers and two position players to the mound to make it through the lengthy affair. Starter Ethan Martin could not escape the opening frame, as he allowed three hits, three walks and three earned runs. Over the 4 2/3 innings that followed, Luis Garcia and Zach Miner allowed a combined four earned runs. The remainder of the relief corps including Cesar Jimenez , Justin De Fratus , Jonathan Papelbon , Jake Diekman and B.J Rosenberg combined for 6 2/3 scoreless innings while Sunday's originally scheduled starter Tyler Cloyd was called upon to toss five scoreless frames. As the need to use Cloyd approached, the Phillies d...