2018 Phillies Prospect Countdown: #20 RHP Jose Taveras

Taveras w/ Lakewood in 2016, image-Jay Floyd

Starting pitcher Jose Taveras is a rising prospect worthy of Phillies fans’ attention. Protected by the Phils from December’s Rule 5 draft, Taveras was added to the team’s 40-man roster this off-season and could be part of the team’s near future.

The Dominican native began his pro career with the Dominican Summer League Phillies in 2014. In 15 appearances (13 starts), Taveras posted an 8-4 record with a 1.05 ERA, a .202 batting average against and 7.4 K/9 mark.

The righty followed that up with a solid 2015 campaign for Class A short-season Williamsport, where he notched a 7-4 record, a 3.88 ERA, a .273 BAA and an 8.5 K/9 mark in 13 starts.

The next year with Class A Lakewood, Taveras posted an 8-8 record with a 3.28 ERA, a .229 BAA and a 10.1 K/9 mark in 25 appearances (20 starts) for the BlueClaws.

Last year was a virtual coming out party for Taveras, who really seemed to make a name for himself. In 25 regular season starts in 2017 combined at three levels (Class A Advanced Clearwater, Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley), the six-foot-four 220-pounder tallied a 9-6 record with a 2.22 ERA, a .215 batting average against and an 8.2 K/9 mark. His efforts in 2017 wrapped up with a dominant stretch in Triple-A, rocking a 1.32 ERA in his seven starts for the IronPigs. He allowed zero earned runs in five of his starts there.

With considerable punch out numbers, Taveras sports a low-90’s fastball, which is just about average. Additionally, he typically can use his secondary pitches as complimentary weapons, relying on a strong changeup and a curveball to mow down the opposition. His delivery can be deceptive, which is something that is helpful to the talented hurler, as batters tend to be late on the heater.

Taveras is aggressive and attacks hitters. He’s got the ability to change an approach in given situations, giving him an advantage as well. If something isn’t working, or if command is an issue on a given day, Taveras is a guy that can adjust and keep his team in a game.

Coaches love his preparation and the work he does on the mental side of the game. Described as very reliable, Taveras takes the ball every fifth day and could be a useful hurler at the top level for the Phillies this year when vacancies in their rotation come about.

Keep track of this year's Phillies prospect countdown at this link.

Comments

Kendrick & LaGrossa- Second Phils/Survivor Marriage

On Saturday, Phillies pitcher Kyle Kendrick married 3-time Survivor contestant and former Flyers employee Stephenie LaGrossa. The couple exchanged vows in front of 105 guests at the Silverado Resort in Napa, California. Their special day featured many personalized aspects, including cocktail hour snacks modeled in the fashion of mini Philly cheesesteaks, as well as the couple's two dogs, Bebe and Champ, serving as flower girl and ring bearer during the ceremony. The pets wore a white dress and a tuxedo, respectively. Kendrick is now the second Phillies pitcher to marry a former contestant of the CBS reality competition program, as lefty Cole Hamels wedded Heidi Strobel, who appeared on the sixth season of Survivor, in 2007. _________________________________________________________________ Be sure to follow PhoulBallz.com on Twitter, for updates, stats and info, by clicking HERE . Photos- People.com

Michael Taylor Q&A

Michael Taylor is currently leading the Reading Phillies' offense and is near the top of the Eastern League in most stat categories (3rd in batting avg- .342, 3rd in HR- 14, tied for second in RBI- 55, 2nd in OPS.- .994, tied for 1st in runs scored- 49, tied for 1st in hits...). The 23 year old Taylor is 6 feet 6 inches tall and has quickly grabbed the attention of phans and media alike as a top prospect to watch. I spoke with Mike Taylor over the weekend, and here is that interview. With all the big stats and being among the league leaders in so many categories, do you think you're ready for the next step? It's kind of a difficult question. Do you have anything left to prove here? There's always something to prove. There's stuff to prove every game. I mean that's one thing that's very interesting about this game. It's such a numbers oriented game. You're only as good as your last "whatever statistical category that someone's valuing". ...

Mixed Feelings: De Fratus Expresses Himself

It was a wild and frenzied finish for several teams as the regular season wound down. While some clubs faltered, seeing their seasons come to an end, others triumphed and advanced to the playoffs. Whether it was a collapse or a significant comeback, countless states of mind resulted from the memorable final weeks of the season. Exhilaration, disappointment, confusion, hysteria and disgust could all be used to detail how players and fans all around baseball felt. For one young player, that list of feelings varies a bit but is likely just as long when describing his big league debut and the subsequent two weeks. EXCITEMENT Rookie hurler Justin De Fratus , who just two years ago was a member of the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws South Atlantic League championship team, pitched a scoreless 12th inning to not only notch his very first big league victory, but to put his name in the history books, as the Phillies won their franchise record 102nd game. De Fratus found himself the pitcher of re...

PhoulBallz.com

Search This Blog