Skip to main content

2021 Phillies Top Prospects Countdown: #21 LHP Zach Warren

By

Zach Warren, image- Jay Floyd
I invite you to visit Patreon.com/PhoulBallz in order to support my work and get access to material like this before anyone else and get access to interviews as well as other exclusive content you can't get anywhere else.

Back to back outstanding full-season campaigns propelled lefty pitcher Zach Warren right into the discussion of young Phillies prospects that could be able to help the big league club sooner than later.

A 14th round draft selection out of the University of Tennessee in 2017, Warren, a Vineland, NJ native, grew up as a Phillies fan.

He opened his professional career as a reliever with Class-A Williamsport, posting a 0-3 record with a 3.00 ERA, a .236 batting average against and a 10.9 K/9 mark in 13 games.

The following year, he spent his 2018 campaign with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws, where he was dominant out of their bullpen, posting a 3-2 record with 15 saves, a 1.91 ERA along with a 15.9 K/9 mark. 

In 40 relief appearance in 2019 with the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers, Warren notched a 1-3 record with seven saves, a 3.30 ERA and a 12.0 K/9 mark.  

In the subsequent off-season Warren pitched in the prestigious Arizona Fall League.  He appeared in five games, all in relief, recording a .063 batting average against and a 3.86 ERA while striking out seven and walking four in 4 2/3 innings.

A non-roster invitee to Phils spring training last year, Warren appeared in a pair of Grapefruit League contests prior to the exhibition season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  He struck out four and walked two while allowing three earned runs and uncorking a wild pitch in 1 2/3 innings.

The arsenal that Warren brings to the table includes a fastball which resides in the mid-90's, a plus breaking pitch that he describes as a combo of a slider and a curve ball, and a change up that has some plus potential.  A cutter was added to Warren's repertoire early in 2019, but some difficulty with command led to its regular season removal after April.  He mentioned to me that the cutter might make a return for some more work in exhibition games, so that remains a possible option, depending on progress.

His tall, six-foot-five, 205-pound frame allows Warren to pitch on a down hill plane, which is advantageous for the talented hurler.

Coaches point to Warren's preparation and his work ethic as qualities that help him stand out.

Warren grew up in the Phillies heyday of a decade ago, or so.  His favorite player during those days was lefty pitcher Cole Hamels. 

The 24-year-old should get time with the big league club in spring training if pandemic guidelines and roster limits allow for it.  Look for Warren to get some time at the Triple-A level this year.  He'll be an arm that the Phils can look to for contributions out of the bullpen as needs arise this year.

You can keep tabs on this year's Phillies prospects countdown by clicking on this link.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Justin De Fratus Interview Excerpts- May, 2011

By
Armed with a 2-0 record, 3 saves and a 2.95 ERA in 15 games this season for the Double A Reading Phillies, Justin De Fratus continues to make strides toward his goal of reaching the Major Leagues. Ranked as a top 10 prospect within the Phillies system last off-season, the 23-year-old De Fratus was in camp with the Phillies during big league spring training. In 3 games with the Phils during the Grapefruit League season, De Fratus allowed 4 earned runs in 4 innings and took a loss. He did strike out an impressive 5 batters in those 4 frames, however. Drafted in the 11th round of the 2007 amateur draft, De Fratus stood out as a force in relief last year for both the High A Clearwater Threshers and the R-Phils. In 49 combined games at the two levels, De Fratus posted a 3-0 record with 21 saves and a 1.94 ERA. De Fratus continued his excellent 2011 by pitching for Team USA in the Pan-American qualifiers held in Puerto Rico, helping the Americans finish with a 9-1 record. He also posted out...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bubby Rossman's long awaited MLB debut

By
Eight years after he initially signed a professional contract with the Dodgers and a five-year stretch playing away from affiliated ball, Bubby Rossman became a major leaguer on Wednesday. Added as a substitute for pitcher Kyle Gibson, who is restricted from travel to Canada for the Phillies' series in Toronto, due to his medical inability to be vaccinated from COVID-19, Rossman took the mound for the first time in the majors. Rossman, who was a 22nd round draft selection in 2014 had pitched in 200 professional games before his one-inning outing in the Phillies' 8-2 loss to the Blue Jays. In 27 appearances with Double-A Reading this year, the 30-year-old right-hander has performed well, tallying a 2-2 record with a save, a 3.32 ERA and a .200 batting average against.   The embedded video below features a media session with Rossman from prior to opening day this year, in which the California native discusses his journey through independent baseball and back to affiliated ball w...
Post a Comment
Read more

Series Preview: Braves at Phillies, August 6-8

By
The Braves (62-46) travel to Philadelphia to begin a three-game series with the Phillies (49-59) on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park. In the past month, the two clubs have faced each other in two separate series, with the Braves winning all six of the contests. Atlanta’s recent dominance over the Phils is the opposite of how things went last season, when the Phillies handed the Braves six losses toward the end of the 2011 season. Those defeats shut the door on Atlanta’s postseason hopes. Read ahead for notes on the pitching the match ups and additional statistical information on this series. Monday, 7:05 PM. Ben Sheets (3-1, 1.46 ERA) vs. Vance Worley (6-6, 3.63 ERA). In 9 career starts against the Phillies, Sheets has a 3-4 record with a 4.50 ERA. Ty Wigginton is 12-for-36 (.333 avg) with 2 doubles and 2 HR in his career against Sheets. The righty Sheets was the Brewers' 1st round draft pick in 1999. In his last 5 starts, Worley has a 2-1 record with a 4.06 ERA. In 9 home s...
Post a Comment
Read more