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Will Stewart, image- Jay Floyd Lefty starter Will Stewart had a break out season in 2018 as a member of the Class A BlueClaws.  En route to an All-Star campaign the Alabama native posted an 8-1 record with a 2.06 ERA a .218 batting average against as well as a 7.1 K/9 mark.  He also recorded two complete game shutouts in 20 games. The Phillies' 20th round draft choice from 2015 reached an innings limit (113 2/3) set by the team and was kept back from pitching in the post-season, in which the BlueClaws fell short, losing in the finals to Lexington. Last week I talked with Stewart, 21, about his 2018 season, missing the playoffs, how he's spending the off-season mentoring young pitchers and plenty more.  Read ahead for that complete interview. -How do you feel now, in hindsight, about your 2018 season? I'm still over the moon about it, but you're always told to keep a short-term memory, so I am over the moon about it, but I've put it on the back burn

Season's greetings!  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 ninth annual player survey include the 2018 Paul Owens Award winner OF Austin Listi , slugging first base  prospect Darick Hall , Class A All-Stars (CI/OF) Jake Scheiner and (SP) Will Stewart , Triple-A reliever Tyler Gilbert and short-season rookie level backstop Logan O'Hoppe .  Additionally, taking part is Double-A Reading Fightin Phils broadcaster Mike Ventola. Questions and answers listing each individual’s holly jolly holiday favorites are listed below… -What is your favorite Xmas movie or TV special? Austin Listi: For the longest time my favorite Christmas movie has been The Santa Claus 2. However, I love just snuggling up on the couch with my wife and crushing Hallmark's Countd

Austin Listi, image- Jay Floyd This year outfielder Austin Listi stood out as the Phillies' organization's most outstanding offensive prospect, getting honored by the organization as their Paul Owens Award winner. In the 2018 regular season, Listi split time with Class A Advanced Clearwater and Double-A Reading.  In 123 total games in 2018, the Dallas Baptist product tallied a .312 average with 18 home runs and 84 RBI.  He did all of that in his first full season in the professional ranks, after the Phillies made him their 17th round draft choice last year. Defensively, Listi played left field, third base and first base, though primarily he spent his time in right field during the season. In the autumn months, Listi continued his development, seeing action in the prestigious Arizona Fall League.  In 22 games for the Scorpions, the 25-year-old tallied a .250 batting average with two doubles, a triple and seven RBI. This week I heard from Listi who offered s

Throughout the off-season months, this site will offer a roundup of how many Phillies prospects and players are performing around the world in fall and winter leagues. Read ahead for the lowdown on various leagues. Trevor Bettencourt, image- Jay Floyd Puerto Rico/Roberto Clemente League- Trevor Bettencourt and Bailey Falter have wrapped up their efforts abroad, returning home to enjoy the holidays.  Both hurlers performed exceptionally for their club, the Indios.  Bettencourt, 24, posted a 1-0 record with a 1.42 ERA while striking out 12 and walking three in 12 2/3 innings over nine relief appearances.  The right-hander was a 25th round pick in 2016.  Falter, a lefty, sported a 2-0 record with a 0.42 ERA in five starts for the Indios.  The 21-year-old was a 5th round draft selection by the Phillies in 2015. Also in PR, 1b/3b Damek Tomscha , 27, is batting .301 with five doubles and three RBI in 23 games.  Tomscha has been batting leadoff for his Santurce team.  The

Darick Hall (left) & Tyler Fallwell, photo courtesy of Darick Hall Darick Hall continued his ascent toward the big leagues in 2018, flashing plenty of power and achieving success at two levels in the process.  The 23-year-old lefty-handed batter tore through the Class A Advanced Florida State League before earning a promotion to the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils. In 128 combined games this year, the Phillies 14th round draft selection from 2016 tallied a .244 batting average with 26 home runs and 87 RBI.   Following the regular season, Hall participated in the prestigious Arizona Fall League.  In 18 games there with the Scorpions, the six-foot-four 234-pounder sported a .238 average with four home runs and 12 RBI.   This week I talked with the slugging first baseman about his successful year, the time spent in the AFL, his workout routine and more.  Read ahead for that full interview. -What did you take out of your 2018 campaign?  Any key lessons or things to f

Jake Scheiner, image- Jay Floyd Jake Scheiner is a prospect that really made a name for himself last season.  The 23-year-old was a 4th round draft selection in 2017 and became an All-Star in his first full season in the minors. In 122 games for the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws last year, the righty batting University of Houston product posted a .296 average with 13 home runs, 67 RBI and 10 stolen bases while manning several positions on defense.  Scheiner played second base and third base fresh out of the draft in 2017, but added left field and first base to his repertoire during the regular season this year. Last week I talked with Jake about his thoughts on his first complete professional campaign, giving the catcher position a whirl in the Florida Instructional League this off-season, how he's preparing for next year and plenty more.  Read ahead for my interview with him. -In hindsight, what are your thoughts on your 2018 season?  What were the best parts for you?

Tyler Gilbert with Reading in 2018, image- Jay Floyd Left-handed reliever Tyler Gilbert proved to be on of the biggest attention grabbers this year in the Phillies' system.  The 6th round pick from 2015 has steadily progress through the minor leagues and after reaching Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2018, he's perched a step away from the top level of the sport. Last season, the 24-year-old tallied a 7-2 record with five saves, a 3.25 ERA, a .211 batting average against and a 9.0 K/ mark in 48 combined games with Double-A Reading the Triple-A Lehigh Valley. This off-season, Gilbert spent time pitching in the Dominican Republic, notching a 2.45 ERA and a .214 BAA in 13 appearances.  In 7 1/3 innings for Licey, the six-foot-three 190-pound USC product struck out nine batters and walked three. On Thursday, I talked with Gilbert about his time pitching in the DR, the Rule 5 draft, his goals for next year and plenty more.  Read ahead for that full interview. -Thanks for ta

With the deadline for 40 man roster additions set for Tuesday, the Phillies made moves to add some promising names to their list of protected players. The Phillies announced the additions of shortstop Arquimedes Gamboa along with right-handed pitchers Adonis Medina and Edgar Garcia are the players added to the Phillies roster. Arquimedes Gamboa, image- Jay Floyd Gamboa, a native of Venezuela, is a talented defender who played in the Arizona Fall League over the past month, sprinkling in some time at third base there, though his bat doesn't feature enough pop to think he will be an impact guy at that position.  Gamboa, a 21-year-old switch hitter, posted a .214/.304/.279 slash line with Class A Advanced Clearwater this year. Medina, a 21-year-old Dominican, is one of the Phils' top prospects and is always a name that pops up when fans and media discuss big trade proposals.  With Clearwater this year, Medina tallied a 10-4 record, a 4.12 ERA and a 9.9 K/9 in 22 g

Throughout the off-season, I'll offer a roundup of how some Phillies prospects and players are performing around the world in fall/winter leagues. Here are the latest noteworthy details. Colombian League- Jorge Alfaro, image- Jay Floyd Catcher Jorge Alfaro is batting .271 with a pair of home runs in 13 games for the Toros.  Alfaro, 25, posted a .262 average with 10 home runs and 37 RBI in 108 games with the Phillies this year.  Arizona Fall League- With the AFL wrapping up play last week, the following stats are final for the month-long campaign with each of the players having competed for the Scottsdale Scorpions. First baseman Darick Hall batted .238 with four homers and 12 RBI in 18 games.  Hall, 23, was the 14th round pick of the Phillies in 2016 out of Dallas Baptist.  Hall blasted 26 homers and drove in 87 runs in 128 combined games with Clearwater and Reading this year. Outfielder/first baseman Austin Listi batted .250 and OPS'd .624 in 22 ga

Austin Listi, image- Jay Floyd As the big leagues' Fall Classic wrapped up on Sunday with another championship for Boston, the baseball community's attention can shift toward off-season leagues.  The lone domestic offering that fans can gravitate toward is the Arizona Fall League, which announced the rosters for its annual Fall Stars Game on Monday. Outfielder Austin Listi will represent the Phillies, as he was named to the East division roster.  The righty batting outfielder was honored as the Phils' top offensive minor leaguer this year, when he was named as the recipient of the Paul Owens Award. In the regular season Listi split time with Class A Advanced Clearwater and Double-A Reading.  In 123 games in 2018, the Dallas Baptist product tallied a .312 average with 18 home runs and 84 RBI. The six-foot 218-pounder has displayed light hitting to date in the AFL, posting a .175 average with a double and three RBI in 12 contests with Scottsdale. Much like at