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Jesmuel Valentin, image- Jay Floyd Second baseman Jesmuel Valentin reached the Triple-A level following a solid campaign with Double-A Reading in 2016. Overall in 125 games, the 22-year-old tallied a .269 average with nine home runs, 52 RBI and four stolen bases combined at the two levels. Valentin, who is a talented defender, was originally a 1st round draft choice by the Dodgers in 2012 prior to being traded to the Phillies for Roberto Hernandez in 2014.  His father, Jose, played in the Major Leagues with the Mets, Brewers, Dodgers and White Sox. The five-foot-nine 180-pound switch-hitter is slated to begin his 2017 in big league spring training with the Phils. Recently, Jesmuel took time to answer some questions about his off-season efforts playing for Mayaguez in the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League in Puerto Rico and spoke on his time with Lehigh Valley this year.  Read ahead for that full interview. - How has playing in the PR/Roberto Clemente...

Everybody loves the holidays and, of course, baseball players are no exception. Every year at Christmas time, I survey a group of Phillies prospects about what they get excited for during the holiday season. Players taking part in this year's seventh annual Christmas questionnaire include 2015 first round draft choice outfielder Cornelius Randolph, IronPigs infielder Jesmuel Valentin, first base prospect Rhys Hoskins, along with pitching prospects Luke Leftwich, Zach Morris and Jeff Singer. Questions and answers listing each player’s holly jolly holiday favorites are ahead… - What is your favorite Christmas movie or TV special? Randolph- Polar Express!  I just like the Christmas kind of vibe that goes to it.  Like, I've been watching it since I was younger.  It was something that me and my mom used to watch.  It's pretty much like a tradition now. Valentin- I like Bad Santa. Hoskins- I'm gonna go Christmas Vacation or Elf.  I'd say both of them ...

Rhys Hoskins, image- Jay Floyd First baseman Rhys Hoskins proved to be one of the Phillies most promising prospects last season, when he dominated the Double-A Eastern League as a member of the Reading Fightins.  In 135 regular season games, the 23-year-old righty slugger posted a .281 average with 38 homers and 116 RBI.  After helping to lead Reading into the postseason, Hoskins, who was the Phils' 5th round draft selection in 2014, spent time in the Dominican Republic playing with the Gigantes.  During his brief stint, the six-foot-four, 225-pounder tallied a .224 average with four home runs and 16 RBI in 21 games. This week I spoke with Rhys about his experience in the DR, what he is up to this off-season and plenty more.  Read ahead for that full interview. - So you spent some time playing in the Dominican Republic this off-season.  What can you share about the experience? It was good.  It was short.  But, I think the time that I was t...

Luke Leftwich, image- Jay Floyd Right-handed hurler Luke Leftwich had a remarkable season in 2016, earning a nod as a Class A South Atlantic League All-Star with a 7-3 record with a 2.00 ERA through his first 12 starts of the season before being promoted to Class A Advanced Clearwater in June. Overall, in his first full year as a pro, Leftwich tallied a 10.1 K/9 mark along with a .255 batting average against and a 1.26 WHIP. The 22-year-old was a 7th round draft selection by the Phillies in 2015. Recently, I talked with Luke about his off-season which includes working to finish his college degree.  Read ahead for that interview. - How are you spending your time since the season wrapped up in September? I'm studying accounting right now.  I went to Wofford College, which is considered a pretty good school, for three years (before being drafted) and my mom's a principal and she was not about to let me go there for three years and not finish.  So, I'm taking thi...

Zach Morris, image- Jay Floyd Last season, lefty reliever Zach Morris had an outstanding campaign with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws.  In 43 appearances in his first full season as a pro, the 23-year-old posted an 8-3 record with five saves and a 2.57 ERA while sporting a 7.4 K/9 mark. Morris was drafted in the 24th round out of Maryland by the Phillies last year. I spoke with six-foot-five 245-pounder last week about his off-season routine, how he stays busy during the fall and winter months, plus more.  Read ahead for that full interview.   - How long do you take off from picking up a baseball once the season ends? I haven't thrown since I've been home.  They usually give us a good two months for guys that aren't playing winter ball and stuff.  But I think it picks up toward the end of next week I think.  I gotta look at (my schedule).   - You clearly have a time frame in mind, so is that the workout routine that is mandated by th...

On Friday, Phillies director of player development Joe Jordan took time to chat about several promising youngsters that have taken part in off-season leagues. Read ahead for the full interview. M Imhof, image- Jay Floyd - During the season, Threshers pitcher Matt Imhof drew a lot of attention after he suffered a significant injury that resulted in the loss of one of his eyes.  Do you have any updates to share on Matt's progress toward recovery? I really don't have a whole other than I've spoken with him, he's taking classes and it seems like he's adapting.  He seems to be doing well.  That's what he told me.  Right now, I think that's what matters.  You know, just taking some classes and trying to, you know, I would guess just trying to make the adaptations that he needs to make.  But I really don't have a lot more than that to offer. He seems to be doing well.  - Is the goal for him to return to the game? That will be something that if...

C. Randolph, image- Jay Floyd Despite missing time with a shoulder blade/back issue during the regular season, outfielder Cornelius Randolph had a solid campaign in his first full year in the professional ranks.  In 68 games, he posted a .264 average with two home runs and 27 RBI, mostly with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. Randolph, known as "C" to friends, family and teammates, was selected in the 1st round of the 2015 draft by the Phillies.  The organization hopes that it won't be very long before the promising 19-year-old has reached the big leagues and is impacting MLB Betting odds .  The lefty batting Georgia native took time this week to chat about his off-season routine and much more.  Read ahead for that full interview. - I know that all the Phillies players have a mandated off-season regimen for staying in shape.  Is there anything aside from that you're doing to get better or keep the rust off? Pretty much just working out.  Working o...

Hoby Milner, image- Jay Floyd As the annual Rule 5 draft approached to wrap up this year's MLB Winter Meetings, the usual anticipation of what possible gem the Phillies could select wasn't there.  Instead, the concern about which prospect the team that has been stock piling young talent in recent years could lose to another club was the prevalent feeling.  As things turned out, the Phils lost just a single player in the big league portion of the Rule 5 draft and one additional player in the minor league portion. Cleveland selected lefty reliever Hoby Milner in the big league phase of the draft while Tampa Bay chose minor league hurler Jairo Munoz in the minor league portion. Milner, 25, was a 7th round draft pick by the Phillies in the 2012 and has displayed exceptional numbers in recent season after switching from a starting role to the bullpen.  Combined with Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley last season, the Texas native sported a 5-4 record wi...

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Scott Kingery, image- Jay Floyd Second baseman Scott Kingery is slated to represent the Phillies in the Arizona Fall League's All-Star Game on Saturday night. The 22-year-old righty batting speedster was the Phils' 2nd round draft selection last year out of Arizona. In time split this year with Class A Advanced Clearwater and Double-A Reading, Kingery posted a .281 average with five homers, 46 RBI and 30 stolen bases. Through 13 contests with the Scorpions in the AFL, Kingery has tallied a .245 average with a home, two RBI and two steals. I spoke with Scott on Friday to gain some insight on the level of competition in the AFL and what the honor of playing in the prestigious league means to him. Kingery also spoke about working with personnel from other organizations, teammate Tim Tebow and plenty more. Read ahead for the full interview. - Does it mean a lot to you to be able to represent the Phillies as an All-Star there in the Arizona Fall League? I mean, of ...

November is the time of year when the Phillies begin to refine their 40-man roster in preparation for the annual MLB Winter Meetings and the corresponding Rule 5 draft. Fans will see players "activated" from the 60-day disabled list, players opting for free agency as well as minor leaguers added to the roster in order to protect them from being scooped up by the competition. Players are initially eligible for selection in MLB's Rule 5 draft when they are not on their major league organization's 40-man roster and 1) were signed to a contract at age 19 or older and have played in professional baseball for four years, OR 2) were signed at age 18 or younger and have played in pro ball for five years. Like the annual amateur draft, teams draft in reverse order of the regular-season standings. A team that does not have any vacancies on its 40-man roster may not make a selection in the Rule 5 draft. Once a player is chosen, that player is automatically assigned to his...

Hoskins, image- Jay Floyd Another off-season league got underway on Thursday with the Aguilas hosting the rival Gigantes, but it was the pitting of two teammates against one another that should be of interest to Phillies fans. The co-winners of this year's Phillies Paul Owens Award, an honor bestowed upon players chosen as the top developmental performers in the organization each year, Dylan Cozens and Rhys Hoskins , faced off in the contest. The two sluggers led their 2016 regular season club, the Reading Fightin Phils, to a division title in the Double-A Eastern League this year. It was Cozens, who went 0-for-4 in the game, and his Aguilas that were victorious by a score of 4-2 over Hoskins (1-for-3, HBP) and his Gigantes team. Also in that game for the Gigantes, Phillies starting pitcher Alec Asher tossed five scoreless frames for a no decision. The 25-year-old righty posted a 2-1 record along with a 2.28 ERA in five big league starts this year. Cozens, the East...

Herlis Rodriguez, image- Jay Floyd For those who haven't realized that off-season baseball leagues are underway, Phillies outfield prospect Herlis Rodriguez served up an news flash about the action that's already popping off, as he hit for the cycle on Saturday in Zulia's 16-3 win over La Guairá in the Venezuelan Winter League. As the nine-hole hitter for the Aguilas, the 22-year-old lefty batter, who spent his 2016 regular season this year with Class A Advanced Clearwater, got his night rolling with a run scoring double in the 2nd inning. In the 3rd inning, Rodriguez would single home another pair of runs. After grounding into a double play in his next at bat, Rodriguez, who played center field and left field in the game, would slug a home run in the 6th, leaving him a triple shy of the rare feat. In his last plate appearance of the night, the native of Colon, VZ would lace a triple deep to right field that scored a pair of runs that completed the onslaught f...