Phillies minor league hot list, 5/28/18

As minor league teams have reached roughly a third of the way through the minor league season, here's a quick run down on some of the standouts at all four full-season levels of the Phillies system.

-Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs (28-20, 1st place in the International League North Division)...

Cole Irvin with Reading last season, image- Jay Floyd

Thus far in the 2018 campaign, the IronPigs' Cole Irvin leads all Phillies minor leaguers in innings pitched with 54. Through nine starts, the 24-year-old has a 5-1 record with a 3.17 ERA and an 8.2 K/9 mark. Irvin, a lefty, was the Phils' 5th round draft choice in 2016.

His rotation mate Enyel De Los Santos has a 5-2 record with a 1.40 ERA and a .194 batting average against in nine starts. The right-handed native of the Dominican Republic also sports a 9.8 K/9 mark. De Los Santos was acquired from San Diego last off-season in a trade for Freddy Galvis.

First baseman Joey Meneses has been incredible for the IronPigs in May. Through 25 games this month, the 26-year-old is batting .344 with nine homers and 20 RBI. Meneses, a right-handed hitter, was a free agent signing by the Phils last off-season. He previously played in the Braves' system.

-Double-A Reading Fightin Phils (19-28, 5th place- 10.5 games back in Eastern League East Division)...

Reading's Edgar Garcia has been outstanding in 18 relief appearances. The 21-year-old righty has posted a 3-1 record with four saves and a 0.66 ERA while notching a 10.2 K/9 mark. Opponents are batting .129 against him.

Right fielder Jan Hernandez is having a very solid season to date. The converted third baseman touts a .321 batting average with three homers and 20 RBI in 39 games. The 23-year-old Puerto Rican was the Phillies' 3rd round draft selection in 2013.

First baseman Zach Green leads the team with 10 homers. The 24-year-old righty batter appears to be well on his way to being honored as an Eastern League All-Star, sporting a .297 average with 30 RBI in 38 games. Green, a California native, was the Phils' 3rd round draft pick in 2012.

-Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers (19-27, 5th place- 7.5 games back in Florida State League North Division)...

Bailey Falter w/ Lakewood last yr, image- Jay Floyd

Starting pitcher Bailey Falter has been outstanding in Florida State League action. The 21-year-old lefty has posted a 4-0 record with a 1.60 ERA through seven starts this season. A 5th round draft pick from 2015, Falter has a 37:7 strike out to walk ratio.

First baseman/outfielder Austin Listi ranks 2nd in the FSL in OPS with a .952 mark. The 24-year-old is batting .347 with three home runs and 21 RBI through 41 contests this season. Listi was a 17th round draft pick out of Dallas Baptist last year.

First baseman/designated hitter Darick Hall leads the FSL in home runs with 11. The 22-year-old is batting .284 with 35 RBI and a .371 on base percentage through 45 games. He was a 14th round draft pick also out of Dallas Baptist in 2016.

-Class A Lakewood BlueClaws (28-12, 3rd place- 3.5 games back in South Atlantic League Northern Division)...

Starting pitcher Ramon Rosso leads all Phils minor league hurlers in strike outs with 57 in 44 innings pitched. The 21-year-old right-handed has a 1-1 record with a 1.43 ERA and a .191 batting average against in eight starts. Rosso is a native of the Dominican Republic.

Third baseman/first baseman/outfielder Jake Scheiner is having an outstanding May. The 22-year-old righty hitter has notched a .316 average with three homers and 13 RBI through 25 games this month. That effort follows an April in which he tallied a .233 average with one homer and six RBI in 20 games. Scheiner was the Phillies' 4th round draft pick last year.

Will Stewart is continuing his great production, as he sports a 4-0 record with a 1.45 ERA and a .211 batting average against through eight starts for the BlueClaws. The 20-year-old left-hander was the Phils' 20th round draft pick in 2015.

Jersey Shore clinches playoff berth on final day of regular season

Ottto Kemp, image- Jay Floyd With an extra-inning victory over first-half division champions Hudson Valley on Sunday, the Class A Advanced Jersey Shore BlueClaws clinched the team's first playoff appearance since 2018, winning the second-half division title. Key performers in the BlueClaws' clincher were righty hurler Jason Ruffcorn, who threw three innings of relief to earn the victory and third baseman Otto Kemp, notched three hits, a walk, two stolen bases and plated the game winning run in the 11th inning on a sacrifice fly. On top of that, Kemp, who turned 24-years-old on Saturday, made an absolute game-saving defensive play to help the club hold their lead in the bottom of the 11th frame. One of Jersey Shore's most consistent performers all season long has been right-handed reliever Cam Wynne. The Phillies' 20th round draft pick in 2021 out of Nebraska. In 34 appearances, one start, the 24-year-old tallied a 1-1 record with one save, a 2.44 ERA and a .190 batti

PhoulBallz Interview: BlueClaws OF Justin Crawford

Justin Crawford w/ junior reporter Evan At the age of 19, outfielder Justin Crawford has played his way into the conversation of being considered as one of baseball's top prospects. The son of four-time MLB All-Star Carl Crawford, Justin has looked every bit as impressive as his position as the 17th overall draft selection last year would have most fans thinking he should be. He opened the season with Class A Clearwater where, in 69 games, he notched a .344/.399/.478 slash line. And since mid-August when he was promoted to Class A Advanced Jersey Shore, the younger Crawford has posted a .300/.364/.440 line. He's also stolen 44 bases in 52 attempts overall. And while the BlueClaws enter the final week of the regular season 1/2 game out of first place in their division, I spoke with Justin Crawford about the team's hopes of making the postseason for the first time since 2018. I also asked Justin about the similarities and differences between his skillset and his father'

RHP Pipkin headed to AFL after hot August

After completing what was easily the best month of his career, righty hurler Dominic Pipkin is ready to face the tough competition of the prominent Arizona Fall Leage. Pipkin, who was the Phillies' 9th round draft selection in 2018, has had moderate success in his five years as a pro, posting a 4.93 ERA, a 7.6 K/9 mark and a .260 batting average against mostly at the lower levels on the minors. After missing time this year with an unspecified ailment, the six-foot-four 170-pounder proved to be healthy as he dominated AA competition in nine appearances with the Reading Fightin Phils during August. Pipkin's impressive production resulted in a 1-0 record with a save and a 0.96 ERA while striking out eight and walking three in 9 1/3 innings. The California native says his efforts to improve have helped him touch 100 MPH on the radar gun, while his fastball velocity is mostly around 96 MPH. Pipkin's arsenal includes that improved fastball as well as a slider while his curve

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