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Vierling w/ Lakewood in 2018, image- Jay Floyd Outfield prospect Matt Vierling took some time recently to offer some thoughts on his off-season. The 23-year-old was a 5th round draft selection by the Phillies in 2018.  This year, in his first full season in professional baseball, the Notre Dame product posted a .232 average with five home runs, 41 RBI and 22 stolen bases in 118 games with Class A Advanced Clearwater. Last week I asked Matt, a Missouri native, to offer some details on his workout routine in the fall and winter months, his thoughts on Major League Baseball's proposed elimination of certain affiliated minor league teams and plenty more.  Read ahead for that interview. - How much down time do you allow yourself before you get back to picking up a bat and/or taking swings? I try to give myself at least one to two months off from swinging. This year I was on the longer end because I was coming off of my first full year and felt like I needed the b...

Kevin Gowdy, image- Jay Floyd Season's greetings to all!  Around here, we surely adore 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 TENTH annual Christmas favorites survey are pitchers Albertus Barber , Tyler Carr , Keylan Killgore , Kevin Gowdy , Connor Hinchliffe and Jonathan Hennigan .  Additionally, outfielder Matt Vierling took time to share his thoughts as well. Inquiries and responses regarding each player's holly jolly favorites lie ahead... -What is your favorite Christmas song? Barber- It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas. Big fan of the song. Hinchliffe- ​All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey. Gowdy- My favorite Christmas song is Mele Kalikimaka by Jimmy Buffett. My parents have always been huge Jimmy Buffett fans, so it was always on d...

Tyler Carr, image- Jay Floyd Please head on over the Patreon.com/PhoulBallz to support my work and get access to interviews like this one early as well as other exclusive content you can't get anywhere else.   Righty pitcher Tyler Carr had an outstanding season in the minor leagues this year. The 23-year-old opened the season with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws, where he notched a 0.51 ERA in 11 relief appearances before earning a promotion to Class A Advanced Clearwater. As a member of the Threshers' bullpen, Carr sported a 1.54 ERA in 27 outings, including being part of a combined no-hitter in June. Carr was then promoted Double-A Reading, in time for that club's playoff run. Overall in 39 regular season contests last season, Carr tallied a 5-4 record with six saves, a .180 batting average against along with a 9.8 K/9 mark. The talented hurler was selected by the Phillies in round 31 of the 2018 draft out of South Alabama. This week I talked with Tyle...

Kevin Gowdy, image- Jay Floyd Righty hurler Kevin Gowdy has a successful season as a member of the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws this year. After missing two full seasons following UCL surgery, the 2016 second round draft pick finally made it through a year totally healthy. In 24 games with the Claws, the California native posted a 0-6 record with a 4.68 ERA and a .281 batting average against. Recently, I talked with the 22-year-old about his off-season, his progress during the regular season and more. Read ahead for that complete interview. -What have you been up to since the season wrapped up as far as baseball work? So after the season wrapped up September 2nd, I went to instructs for two weeks to work on pitch design, I was out in Florida for another two weeks for strength camp and have also had some much-enjoyed time with friends and family. -How long do you rest and avoid picking up a baseball? And during that time are you doing any conditioning or other sorts...

One part of this week's MLB Winter Meetings that typically grabs interest related to the minor leagues is the annual Rule 5 Draft. Players are eligible for selection in the 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 been in that organization for four years, OR 2) were signed at age 18 or younger and have been in that organization for five years. Once a player is chosen in the Rule 5 Draft, that player is automatically assigned to his new organization's 40-man roster. A Rule 5 player must remain on the selecting team's 25-man big league roster for the entire next season, or be offered back to his original team. Draft order lists the Phillies 15th in this year's Rule 5 Draft. Four of the teams set to pick ahead of the Phils do not currently have room on their 40-man roster, thus they would not get to pick. The Phils head into it this week's Winter Me...

It's that special time of year when, in the midst of holidays and MLB hot stove, minor league teams have been launching new initiatives to spark interest and sell merchandise. We've seen new colors, new nicknames, new uniforms and impending relocations getting the complete press release attention throughout the month of "Logovember" and beyond. Let's take a look at some of the winners and losers of this off-season's newest brands and goods. Some teams with local ties supplemented their current logos with updated colorways.  Reading went black while Lehigh Valley has gone gold. Per a press release from the Triple-A Phillies affiliate, the IronPigs: "These uniforms represent what we as an organization think of our fans -- the 'Gold Standard' in Minor League Baseball," said Kurt Landes, President and General Manager of the IronPigs. We love gooooooooooooold! "Gold Standard" merch is available NOW at https://t.co/FeMwKmGfs...

Ahead of the deadline to update the big league 40-man roster in advance of the upcoming Rule 5 draft, the Phillies made some additions on Wednesday. Jojo Romero, image- Jay Floyd In moves that did not catch very many people by surprise, right-handed hurler Mauricio Llovera and left-hander JoJo Romero were added to the 40-man roster.  Righty Garrett Cleavinger was also protected. Llovera, 23, a Venezuela native, notched a 3-4 record with a 4.55 ERA and a 9.9 K/9 mark in 14 games with Double-A Reading this year.   Romero, a 4th round draft pick from 2016, posted a 7-9 record with a 5.82 ERA with a 7.4 K/9 mark in 24 games split between Triple-A Lehigh Valley and Double-A Reading this year.  In eight appearances in the Arizona Fall League this off-season the 23-year-old recorded a 0.84 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP. Cleavinger, who was acquired by the Phils in the trade that sent Jeremy Helickson to Baltimore in 2017, posted a 3-2 record with a 3.66 ERA and a .172 ba...

So you've been wondering about off-season baseball leagues and how Phillies players are doing. Well, except for the Arizona Fall League , which started and ended its schedule earlier than normal this year, there has been very limited action thus far. Deivy Grullon, image- Jay Floyd The Dominican Winter League features Deivy Grullon competing for the Aguilas. In just four games, the catcher has posted a .143 average with two RBI. Roughly 10 days into its schedule, the Venezuelan Winter League hasn't seen any Phillies impact. Catcher Gregori Rivero, who played in the Phils system last year, is 0-for-1 with a walk for Zulia. The other leagues in Australia and Puerto Rico are set to open their schedules soon. On Friday night, the Roberto Clemente League in Puerto Rico will get underway. Lefty pitcher Gabriel Cotto is expected to be featured on the Carolina roster while catcher Willie Estrada is included on the Mayaguez roster. Cotto pitched in the Gulf Coast L...

Connor Hinchliffe, photo- GoExplorers.com Right-handed pitcher Connor Hinchliffe performed well after signing with the Phillies as an undrafted free agent this summer. The La Salle University product debuted with the Phillies' Gulf Coast League West team in late June and notched a 1-1 record, a save, a 1.82 ERA, a .163 batting average against as well as a 1.26 WHIP in 16 appearances (one start). The six-foot-two 195-pounder began college as a position player, but later switched strictly to working on the mound. Recently, I talked with the 23-year-old Hinchliffe about that change, not getting drafted, his background playing in Phils affiliate facilities, his time in the GCL and plenty more. Read ahead for that interview. -What can you share about the process of signing with the Phillies? Had they been in touch ahead of the draft? Yes, the Phillies had been in touch before the draft. I was seen by the scout from my area, Connor Betbeze, and he invited me to a pre-...

For just the third time ever a Phillies catcher has been honored with the Rawlings Gold Glove Award as J.T. Realmuto was named as the National League's top defensive backstop on Sunday. The award was the first of Realmuto's career.  He joins two-time winner Bob Boone (1978, 1979) and Mike Lieberthal (1999) as Phillies catchers to earn the Gold Glove nod. The 28-year-old Realmuto caught 43% of base runners trying to steal and sported a .992 fielding percentage during the 2019 campaign. Originally a 3rd round pick by Miami in 2010, Realmuto was acquired from the Marlins last off-season in a trade that sent pitching prospects Sixto Sanchez and Will Stewart as well as catcher Jorge Alfaro last offseason. His first season as a Phillie was remarkable, as Realmuto was named an All-Star and posted an .820 OPS in 145 games.  Many members of the media and those around the game expect the Phillies to sign the righty hitter to a contract extension this off-season. This marks t...

Mickey Moniak, image- Jay Floyd Despite what overly critical fans online say, Phillies minor league outfielder Mickey Moniak has taken considerable strides and is a genuine prospect on the rise. This year, he opened the regular season as a 20-year-old in the Double-A Eastern League. As a member of the Reading Fightins, Moniak notched a .252 average in 119 games while leading the league in triples with 13, ranking 2nd in extra base hits with 52 and coming in 4th in RBI with 67. In recent weeks, the lefty hitting Moniak tallied a .186 average with four doubles, two triples and three stolen bases in 17 games for Scottsdale in the Arizona Fall League. A while back I talked with Mickey to discuss some of his interests off the field including food, music, Star Wars and more.  To hear this exclusive interview , head on over the Patreon.com/PhoulBallz to support my work and get access to this audio and so much more material that you won't find anywhere else.  

Over the off-season, sometimes this site can go stretches of several days without a post or an update, but if you're looking for constant news, stats and insight on what is taking place with Phillies developmental talents throughout the autumn and winter months, follow me on Twitter or simply bookmark my Twitter profile page ( https://twitter.com/PhoulBallz ) to get daily alerts and details. In the Dominican Winter League thus far, catcher Deivy Grullon and shortstop Malquin Canelo have each posted a .143 batting average in four games for their respective teams. In the Arizona Fall League, where Phils prospects are playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions, corner infielder Alec Bohm is sporting a .361 batting average with a pair of homers, nine RBI and five walks in 19 contests. Righty pitcher Spencer Howard has notched a 1-1 record with a 2.11 ERA and an 11.4 K/9 mark in six starts. In eight appearances left-hander JoJo Romero has posted a 1-0 record, a 0.84 ERA and ...

Continuing with my multi-part exclusive interview with 2019 Lakewood pitching coach Matt Hockenberry, here's another entry. In this post, Hockenberry talks about the success of his young staff and their improvements throughout the season this year.  He also discusses exciting 19-year-old right-hander Francisco Morales , his ceiling and what the future could hold for the talented Venezuelan.  He also discusses hurler Victor Santos and plenty more. Morales, who stands six-foot-four and is listed at 85 pounds, notched a 3.82 ERA, a .226 batting average against, a 1.32 WHIP as well as a 12.0 K/9 mark in 27 appearances for the BlueClaws. Read ahead for this portion of my interview with Matt Hockenberry that can't be found anywhere else! Here's a brief sample of "Hock" chatting about his team keeping momentum going throughout the 2019 campaign: You’ve got guys like Manny Silva, Francisco  Morales, you’ve got (Victor) Santos that have continued to tak...

Matt Hockenberry, image- Jay Floyd Over on my Patreon page , I am serving up a multi-part interview with 2019 Class A Lakewood pitching coach Matt Hockenberry. Part one features Big Hock talking about 22-year-old Dominican righty Rafi Gonell and his progress.  Part two includes quotes from Hockenberry discussing righty reliever Albertus Barber 's story of reaching the pro ranks and excelling as an undrafted free agent and his progress.  Also in part two, the subject of pitches thrown in two-strike counts by the BlueClaws and improving their walk rate throughout the season is addressed. Part three will land later this week and will include insight on promising hurler Francisco Morales . To access exclusive content such as these quotes from Hockenberry, please visit Patreon.com/PhoulBallz and support my work. Sample of the material included in the Hockenberry interview excerpts... I think it’s a great story.  The fact  that (Barber) played some ju...

A couple of weeks into action, here's a rundown of how Phillies players are performing in the Arizona Fall League. Each Phillies prospect plays for the Scottsdale Scorpions. The team has a 6-6 record through 12 games this year.   Alec Bohm, image- Jay Floyd Third baseman Alec Bohm in eight games sports a .387 batting average with two doubles and five RBI.  The righty hitting Bohm was the Phillies' first round draft selection in 2018. In four games, Josh Stephen has tallied a .455 average with a triple and one RBI.  The 22-year-old lefty batter was an 11th round draft selection in 2016 by the Phils. Center fielder Mickey Moniak has notched a .161 batting average with a double, a triple, four RBI and a stolen base in seven contests with Scottsdale.  The 21-year-old lefty hitter was the first overall selection in the 2016 draft. In three games, infielder Nick Maton is batting .333 with a double a home run and a pair of RBI.  The lefty batting ...

Jimmy Smith, image- Jay Floyd Jimmy Smith was an outfielder in the Phillies organization during the during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. A Central Washington product, the righty batting Smith wassigned by the Phils as an undrafted free agent. In 65 combined games in the Gulf Coast League and with Class A Lakewood, the 24-year-old notched a .250 average with four home runs and 27 RBI. After dealing with an injury and difficulties improving on offense this year, Smith was released. However, prior to his departure from the Phillies organization, I spent some time with Jimmy talking about hip hop music, television, liking the Eagles and Allen Iverson and some more. This is one of my favorite interviews I have done in a while as Jimmy and I had a good time. I was initially saving this for a different outlet, but I can't hold it back any longer. I have posted this audio as an exclusive for Patreon members.  You can support my work by heading over to Patreon.com/PhoulBallz ...

Nick Maton, image- Jay Floyd A few weeks ago I talked with infielder Nick Maton about his 2019 regular season, his assignment to head out and get extra work in the Arizona Fall League and more. The 22-year-old was the Phillies' 7th round draft selection in 2017.  The lefty batting Maton opened the year with Class A Advanced Clearwater.  In 93 games for the Threshers, he notched a .276 batting average with 14 doubles, three triples, five home runs and 45 RBI. Promoted to Double-A Reading in early August, Maton would post a .210 average with three doubles, a pair of round-trippers and six RBI in 21 games for the Fightin Phils. Primarily a shortstop, Maton also saw action at second base and third base this year. For complete audio of my interview with Maton, please head on over the Patreon.com/PhoulBallz and support my work.  Patreon members get exclusive content and early access to other posts.  You won't be disappointed.

Arquimedes Gamboa, image- Jay Floyd Prior to the end of the regular season, I spoke with Double-A Reading manager Shawn Williams about several topics including outfielders Cornelius Randolph and Josh Stephen (click each of those individuals' names for those features).  Among other things the team's skipper discussed with me were the assignment of several of his players going to the Arizona Fall League this month, what he saw from infielder Arquimedes Gamboa despite a lackluster offensive stat line as well as the progress of top prospects Alec Bohm and Spencer Howard .  Read ahead for those quotes. -Your team has several guys going to the Arizona Fall League.  I just wanted to get your opinion of how that can help their development. It definitely does.  It's a really competitive league.  You've got all the best players, pretty much, from all the organizations.  I was fortunate enough to be out there two years ago.  I think it's a lot o...

Micucci (right) with Luis Garcia in August, image- Jay Floyd Early on Monday, I tweeted a bit of a teaser about Phillies minor league staffing moves I had learned about from a pair of sources.  Unclear when the personnel had learned of their fates, I did not want to report the news until all parties had time to address the news in their own ways. As has been reported by at least another outlet to this point, I am able to confirm that 2019 Class A Lakewood manager Mike Micucci will not be returning to the organization.  Additionally, base running and bunting coordinator Rob Ducey , Gulf Coast League coach Charlie Hayes and Triple-A pitching coach Steve Schrenk are also done in the Phils system. Micucci was a north Jersey native in his youth and had been hired by the organization less than a year ago.  He worked with Phillies general manager Matt Klentak in Anaheim, which makes his termination even more surprising. Players that saw action for the BlueClaws thi...