Phillies minor league hot list, 7/21/19

The season's been moving by quite swiftly and as we reach the midst of the summer, I'm bringing another rundown of minor league players that are performing rather well of late.

Statistics are updated through Saturday's games.


-Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs (47-50 record, 5th place in the International League North division)...

Phil Gosselin, image- Jay Floyd

Infielder Phil Gosselin, who played in 32 games with the big league Phillies this year, has been hot during his tenure with the IronPigs.  In 38 games, the 30-year-old veteran has notched a .354/.445/.542 offensive slash line.  Gosselin is batting .400 in 10 games since the All-Star break.

Since his promotion from Double-A Reading, outfielder/corner infielder Austin Listi has been huge on offense.  In 28 games for Lehigh Valley, the 25-year-old righty batter sports a .333 average with nine doubles, eight homers and 28 RBI.  Listi was the Phillies' 17th round draft choice in 2017.

Lefty reliever Tyler Gilbert has shined for the Pigs lately.  In his last 10 outings, the 25-year-old has a 1-0 record with one save and a 1.26 ERA.  Gilbert, the Phillies' 6th round draft choice in 2015, has a 2.30 ERA in 20 overall games this season.


-Double-A Reading Fightin Phils (20-10 second half record, 1st place in the Eastern League's East division)...

Over his last nine starts, righty pitcher Adonis Medina has tallied a 2.34 ERA with a 6-1 record. Many outlets ranked Medina, 22, very highly coming into the season.  The Dominican Republic native sports a 6-3 record with a 3.53 ERA and a .230 batting average against through 15 starts this season.

Third baseman Alec Bohm has continued his charge through the Phillies' system since he was promoted to Reading in June.  Through 23 games in Double-A the 22-year-old has posted a .286 batting average with five doubles, a triples, seven homers and 19 RBI.  Overall, at three levels this year, Bohm, who was the Phillies first round draft choice last year, is batting .304 with an .860 OPS. Bohm had a big two-homer game with Reading on Saturday.

Outfielder Mickey Moniak is still hot still a dismal month of April.  Since May 1st, the 21-year-old is batting .289.  Moniak, the top overall selection in the 2016 draft has posted a .265 average with 21 doubles, a league-leading 10 triples, four homers, 42 RBI and 12 steals in 83 overall games with Reading this season.

The bullpen tandem of Addison Russ and Jonathan Hennigan have been impressive for Reading as well.  Russ, the Phillies' 19th round draft pick two years ago, has been the team's key closer.  The 24-year-old sports a 1-5 record with 15 saves, a 1.63 ERA and a 13.7 K/9 mark in 38 appearances.  Hennigan began the season with Class A Advanced Clearwater before earning a promotion to Double-A.  In 17 appearances with Reading, Hennigan, 24, has a 2-1 record with a 1.67 ERA and a .214 batting average against.

-Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers (15-16 second half record, 2nd places in Florida State League's North division)...

Outfielder Jhailyn Ortiz has shown plenty of power in the second half for the Threshers.  After slamming seven home runs in 50 first-half games, the 20-year-old righty-hitting slugger has recorded nine round-tripppers in 28 games since the Florida State League All-Star break.  In 79 total games this season, Ortiz has a .219/.289/.429 slash line.

Center fielder Simon Muzziotti has an eight-game hitting streak, heading into action on Sunday.  Over that stretch, the 20-year-old lefty batter has hit .333.  In 74 games this year, the Venezuela native has tallied a .280 batting average with a pair of homers, 24 RBI and 15 stolen bases.

Well touted pitching prospect Spencer Howard has peformed at a high level since returning from the disabled list with a shoulder strain.  The 22-year-old righty has tossed 15 scoreless innings over his past three starts while striking out 18 and walking only one.  The 22-year-old with the Phils' second round pick in the 2017 draft.  He was ranked as the Phillies' top prospect by this site prior to this season.

-Class A Lakewood BlueClaws (10-18 second half record, last place in South Atlantic League North division)...

Carlos De La Cruz, image- Jay Floyd

Outfielder Carlos De La Cruz has shown a big boost to his power recently.  The 19-year-old is batting .242 with four home runs and nine RBI in his last nine games.  De La Cruz had just one homer in his first 75 games this year.  In 84 total games, the righty youngster has notched a .228 average.

This year's 10th round draft pick McCarthy Tatum has looked solid since joining the BlueClaws this month.  In nine games, the 23-year-old Fresno State product is batting .303 with two home runs and six RBI.  Tatum, a third baseman, played in 14 games with Williamsport before his promotion.

Righty pitcher Rafi Gonell has stood out on the 'Claws' staff lately.  The 22-year-old Dominican has recorded a 3.24 ERA with a 9.0 K/9 mark over his last nine appearances.  Overall, opponents are hitting .179 in 14 games against Gonell.

-Class A short-season Williamsport Crosscutters (10-24 record, last place in New York-Penn League's Pinckney division)...

Speedy center fielder Corbin Williams leads the team in runs scored with 13 and is tops in the New York-Penn League in stolen bases with 18.  Overall in 27 games, the 21-year-old, who was the Phillies' 24th round pick last year, is batting .261.

Right-handed pitcher Tom Sutera possesses an incredible 27-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in six games (three starts).  The 22-year-old has a 1-3 record with 2.29 ERA and a .269 batting average against.  Sutera was an undrafted free agent signed in summer 2018 by the Phils.

Catcher Juan Aparicio's .944 OPS leads the NYPL.  The 19-year-old Venezuela native is batting .337 with eight doubles, three triples and a homer along with 11 RBI in 27 games.