Skip to main content

Prospect Nation 2014: #12 3B Zach Green

By
Zach Green, Image- TriCity ValleyCats
Third baseman Zach Green became one of the Phillies' emerging impact prospects last year in his first full season of professional ball. A 3rd round draft choice from 2012, the 19-year-old stood out as a rising star last year and looked to have a very bright future in his first full professional season.

Upon signing his first pro contract, the righty batting slugger quickly showed his skills with the bat as he sported a .284 average with 13 doubles, a triple and three home runs for the rookie level Gulf Coast League Phillies in 2012. Green had been committed to playing baseball at Oregon State prior to the MLB draft.

With a body type that is prototypical of a corner infielder at six-foot-three 210 pounds, coaches and scouts speak highly of Green's raw power. The California resident represented the Class A short-season Williamsport Crosscutters in the New York-Penn League All-Star Game last year, winning the league's annual home run derby. With the Cutters, Green batted .252 with 20 doubles (league lead, tie), a triple, 13 homers (league leader) and 41 RBI.

Green is toward the bottom of a growing depth chart at the hot corner for the Phillies. Behind developing stars such as Cody Asche and Maikel Franco as well as prospect Mitch Walding who had a lackluster 2013 season with Class A Lakewood, Green hopes to continue to excel and climb toward his ultimate goal of playing in the big leagues.

Having played shortstop at Jesuit High School (CA), where he batted .403 in his varsity career, the athletic Green was moved to third base after turning pro and has been very capable at the position. The strong armed, accurate throwing youngster has nice range and quick reflexes. It is possible that as Green ages and adds pounds that he could change positions, which he would welcome if it helped him get to the big leagues. His passion for the game is clear as Green simply wishes to play and hit at progressing levels and doesn't worry about his defensive assignment..

Speed is not a big factor of Green's game, but it's not a hindrance either. Successful in 10 of 17 stolen base attempts in the minors, fans should not expect a great amount of steals from Green, though he's got the type legs that could help him go first-to-third and take an extra base when the chance presents itself.

It's likely that Green will begin his 2014 campaign with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. It will be interesting to see how his power performs at Lakewood's home field, FirstEnergy Park, which is typically favorable to pitchers. Williamsport's Bowman Field, where Green tallied nine homers last season in 36 contests, plays the same way, so look for big offense from this soon-to-be 20-year-old this year in the Sally League.

Click here to view the running list of this year's countdown. 


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2021 Phillies Top Prospects Countdown: #22 SS Casey Martin

By
Please visit Patreon.com/PhoulBallz in order to support my work, get access to material like this before anyone else and get access to interviews as well as other exclusive content you can't get anywhere else.   A third round draft pick last year, Arkansas junior Casey Martin was quickly signed by the Phillies and consideration as one of the organization's top infield prospects quickly began.  The team's confidence in his ceiling is likely evident in the signing bonus he got, which was reportedly $1.3 million, which was considerably more than slot money dictated by his 87th overall draft position ($685K). The right-handed batting Martin tallied a .311/.393/.545 slash line with 30 homers, 24 steals and 112 RBI in 143 games through his college career at Arkansas.  Reports had him falling in the draft as a result of an injury to the hamate bone in his left hand prior to his 2020 season.  Prior to the procedure, Baseball America projected Martin as a top ten draft pick.
Post a Comment
Read more

Bubby Rossman's long awaited MLB debut

By
Eight years after he initially signed a professional contract with the Dodgers and a five-year stretch playing away from affiliated ball, Bubby Rossman became a major leaguer on Wednesday. Added as a substitute for pitcher Kyle Gibson, who is restricted from travel to Canada for the Phillies' series in Toronto, due to his medical inability to be vaccinated from COVID-19, Rossman took the mound for the first time in the majors. Rossman, who was a 22nd round draft selection in 2014 had pitched in 200 professional games before his one-inning outing in the Phillies' 8-2 loss to the Blue Jays. In 27 appearances with Double-A Reading this year, the 30-year-old right-hander has performed well, tallying a 2-2 record with a save, a 3.32 ERA and a .200 batting average against.   The embedded video below features a media session with Rossman from prior to opening day this year, in which the California native discusses his journey through independent baseball and back to affiliated ball wi
Post a Comment
Read more

Rappers in Phillies Caps

By
Weekend greetings to you phine pholks out there. Today's post features pictures of rappers wearing Phillies caps. Why rappers in Phillies caps, you ask? Because... Any other questions? We will start things off properly by going with a highly recognizable hip hop star. 50 Cent stays constantly relavant by consistantly creating radio friendly material to help sell (G) units, while he "keeps it real" by still rapping about the thug life he lived before becoming the 2nd highest earning black entertainer in America. 50 is seen here in a recent interview rocking a throw-back Phillies cap. Next up we'll use a throw-back screen cap from what may be the very first major appearance by a rapper wearing Phillies gear. Chuck D, of legendary rap group Public Enemy, wore a Phillies cap in the music video for rap anthem Fight The Power in 1989. The song was the lead single from the soundtrack for Spike Lee's film Do The Right Thing . Next up we'll go with some home grown tal
3 comments
Read more