Minor League Hot List: Bogusevic, Nola, Leibrandt, Tocci, Crawford notes

We're back at it with another rundown of all the top performers from the Phillies' developmental ranks.

Triple-A Lehigh Valley-

OF Brian Bogusevic currently sports a seven-game hitting streak and is batting .346 during that stretch. The 31-year-old is hitting .310 with a home runs and five RBI through 21 games this season. Bogusevic batted .306 in 22 spring games with the Phillies this year.

Infielder Chase d'Arnaud is batting .324 and has four multi-hit games in nine games played this year. The righty batting 28-year-old is the older brother of former Phils prospect Travis d'Arnaud.

Double-A Reading Fightins-

Righty starter Ben Lively has a 2-0 record with a 2.16 ERA while striking out 24 and walking seven in 25 innings over four starts thus far this season. The 23-year-old struck out nine while allowing three earned runs in six innings when he notched his second win of the season on Sunday. Lively was acquired last off-season from the Reds in the trade for Marlon Byrd.

Infielder Gustavo Pierre is 9-for-17 (.529 avg) in his last six games. The 23-year-old Dominican is batting .281 with two homers, three RBI and three steals in 17 games this year. Pierre was acquired from Toronto in a deal for John Mayberry Jr. last year.

After giving up four earned runs over 4 2/3 innings in his season debut, last year's top draft pick Aaron Nola has allowed three earned runs in 20 innings (1.35 ERA). Overall, the 21-year-old has a 2-2 record with a 2.55 ERA and a .222 batting average against in four starts.

Class A Advanced Clearwater-

Last year's sixth round draft pick Brandon Leibrandt has a 2-1 record along with a 1.74 ERA while striking out 28 and walking six in 31 innings through five starts. The 22-year-old lefty is also holding opponents to a .185 batting average against.

Catcher/DH Andrew Knapp has a six-game hitting streak during which he's batting .375. Overall, the 2nd round pick from 2013 is batting .280 with four doubles, three triples and 11 RBI in 22 games.

In an additional note, shortstop prospect J.P. Crawford will be activated from the disabled list (oblique strain) this week for the Threshers. The 20-year-old expects to be in their lineup on Wednesday after competing steadily for the extended spring training team for the past week.

Class A Lakewood-

Righty reliever Matt Hockenberry had his streak of seven scoreless appearances to open the season interrupted on Sunday when he notched his South Atlantic League leading sixth save. Overall, the 23-year-old Temple University product has a 0.75 ERA and a .158 batting average against to go along with no decisions this season.

Outfielder Carlos Tocci has recorded four straight multi-hit games. Through 23 contests this season, the 19-year-old Venezuelan is batting .400 (league best) with a homer, 12 RBI and nine steals.

First baseman Rhys Hoskins has a nine-game hitting streak during which he has tallied a .417 average. In 23 games for the BlueClaws, last year's 5th round draft choice is batting .345 with four home runs and 15 RBI.

Justin De Fratus Interview Excerpts- May, 2011

Armed with a 2-0 record, 3 saves and a 2.95 ERA in 15 games this season for the Double A Reading Phillies, Justin De Fratus continues to make strides toward his goal of reaching the Major Leagues. Ranked as a top 10 prospect within the Phillies system last off-season, the 23-year-old De Fratus was in camp with the Phillies during big league spring training. In 3 games with the Phils during the Grapefruit League season, De Fratus allowed 4 earned runs in 4 innings and took a loss. He did strike out an impressive 5 batters in those 4 frames, however. Drafted in the 11th round of the 2007 amateur draft, De Fratus stood out as a force in relief last year for both the High A Clearwater Threshers and the R-Phils. In 49 combined games at the two levels, De Fratus posted a 3-0 record with 21 saves and a 1.94 ERA. De Fratus continued his excellent 2011 by pitching for Team USA in the Pan-American qualifiers held in Puerto Rico, helping the Americans finish with a 9-1 record. He also posted out...

Bubby Rossman's long awaited MLB debut

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 w...

Series Preview: Braves at Phillies, August 6-8

The Braves (62-46) travel to Philadelphia to begin a three-game series with the Phillies (49-59) on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park. In the past month, the two clubs have faced each other in two separate series, with the Braves winning all six of the contests. Atlanta’s recent dominance over the Phils is the opposite of how things went last season, when the Phillies handed the Braves six losses toward the end of the 2011 season. Those defeats shut the door on Atlanta’s postseason hopes. Read ahead for notes on the pitching the match ups and additional statistical information on this series. Monday, 7:05 PM. Ben Sheets (3-1, 1.46 ERA) vs. Vance Worley (6-6, 3.63 ERA). In 9 career starts against the Phillies, Sheets has a 3-4 record with a 4.50 ERA. Ty Wigginton is 12-for-36 (.333 avg) with 2 doubles and 2 HR in his career against Sheets. The righty Sheets was the Brewers' 1st round draft pick in 1999. In his last 5 starts, Worley has a 2-1 record with a 4.06 ERA. In 9 home s...

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