Phillies Arizona Fall League Notebook

Running down some numbers from a crop of Phillies players participating in the prestigious Arizona Fall League. Statistics listed are through games played on Saturday, November 11^th.

In the AFL, which wraps up at the end of this week, Phillies minor leaguers play on the Glendale Desert Dogs along with players from the Dodgers, Indians, Pirates and White Sox. The team is managed by 2017 Clearwater Threshers skipper Shawn Williams.

Typcially, the Arizona Fall League features many prospects on the verge of the big leagues. With close proximity to the majors, it's not far-fetched to think that it won't be long before some of these players aren't far from making an impact at BetOnline.ag Sportsbook.

Right-handed pitcher J.D. Hammer is having tremendous success in the AFL. The six-foot-three 215-pounder has a 0.00 ERA and is holding opponents to a .081 average through nine appearances. Hammer, 23, was acquired from the Rockies last season in the trade for All-Star Pat Neshek. After joining the Phillies organization, Hammer, who was a 24^th round draft pick in 2016, posted a 2-0 record with a 0.57 ERA in 12 relief outings for Class A Advanced Clearwater.

Lefty pitcher Garrett Cleavinger has a 0-1 record with a 7.71 ERA and a .359 batting average against in nine appearances. The 23-year-old was acquired from the Orioles in the Jeremy Helickson trade last season. Cleavinger was a 3^rd round draft pick of Baltimore in 2015. After joining the Phillies organization, he joined the Double-A Reading staff, where he would record a 0-1 record with a save and a 5.28 ERA in 11 games.

Righty Trevor Bettencourt had his stats marred by a couple of tough outings in which he recorded just an inning of work and surrendered eight total earned runs. Overall in seven games, the reliever sports and 13.50 ERA while notching a save and a .333 batting average against. Bettencourt, the Phils 25^th round pick in 2016 out of UC Santa Barbara, had a strong regular season in 2017, posting a combined 5-2 record with 10 saves and a 2.61 ERA for Class A Lakewood and Class A Advanced Clearwater.

Lefty starter Elniery Garcia is through with the AFL, leaving the Glendale team after four starts for undisclosed reasons. He sported a 1-2 record with a 5.79 ERA during his time there and struck out 13 while walking four in 14 innings. Garcia missed much of the 2017 season following a suspension for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. In seven total regular season starts this year (two in the Gulf Coast League as warm-up appearances and five with Double-A Reading), Garcia went 2-1 with a 1.47 ERA. He also pitched in the post-season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Converted outfielder Aaron Brown took Garcia’s place for the final week of the AFL season. Through one outing, Brown has a scoreless frame under his belt. In 14 regular season appearances on the mound this year, the 25-year-old lefty posted a 0-1 record and a 4.74 ERA. Brown was a 3^rd round pick of the Phillies out of Pepperdine in 2014. He was a standout both on offense and as a hurler in college, so last year when his bat stalled, the move to pitching was made.

Backstop Edgar Cabral has enjoyed success with Glendale, batting .333 with a double and three RBI through 12 games. The righty batting Californian posted a combined .260 batting average with four homers and 26 RBI this year with Lakewood and Clearwater. The 22-year-old was an 11^th round draft choice by the Phillies in 2015 out of Mount San Antonio College.

Cornelius Randolph with Lakewood in 2016, image- Jay Floyd

Outfielder Cornelius Randolph has dealt with some struggles in the AFL. The left-handed hitter is batting .203 with three doubles, a triple and five RBI through 16 games. Randolph, who was the Phils’ 1^st round draft choice in 2015, is the youngest player on his team and one of the youngest players in the league at 20 years old.

Zach Green, a corner infielder, is batting .184 with a homer and three RBI in 15 games for Glendale. A 3^rd round draft pick by the Phillies in 2012, Green batted .227 with nine home runs and 26 RBI in 57 combined games at three levels this year, following a stint on the disabled list with multiple ailments this year.

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