2021 Phillies Top Prospects Countdown: #11 SS Jamari Baylor

Please visit Patreon.com/PhoulBallz in order to support my work and get access to material like this before anyone. Plus you'll get interviews as well as other exclusive content you won't be able to enjoy anywhere else. I could use, and I would value, your backing.

A third round draft selection by the Phillies in 2019 out of Benedictine Prep, a military school in Virginia, shortstop Jamari Baylor signed his first pro contract for a reported $675,000 and put his significant tools on display during his brief initial minor league stint.

In four games in the rookie level Gulf Coast League, five-foot-11 190-pounder sported a .273 average with a pair of doubles. His playing time that season was limited due to an undisclosed ailment.

Baylor was initially slated to take part on the Australian Baseball League this winter, but did not make the trip down under in time for the season. He trained at Driveline Baseball this off-season and got some game action at Fall Instructs in Florida as well.

With a loose approach at the plate, Baylor generates plenty of bat speed and squares up well on pitches. Many project the right-handed hitter to develop more of a power stroke as he advances in his career.

A speedster, Baylor could certainly become a stolen base threat and trouble opposing batteries.

Brandishing a plus arm, Baylor has quick feet and solid range. He possesses the ability to stick at shortstop as he climbs the developmental ladder.

Full season Class A should be the destination for Baylor to open this coming season. It will be critical for the talented youngster, who missed an entire season of baseball last year, to get a campaign worth or reps in 2021. Baylor's certainly a significant distance from reaching the big leagues, but if he progresses at a pace similar to how he projects, it won't be long before he factors into the team's future plans.

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

Comments

Lidge Shaky, T-Mac Honored in Trenton

TRENTON, NJ- Brad Lidge made his second rehab appearance for the Double A Reading Phillies on Thursday night and it didn't go as well as the veteran reliever or the team had hoped. Lidge struggled with his command and turned in a rather poor outing for the club that entered the night in a playoff race, 1 game behind division rival Trenton for the Wild Card spot in the Eastern Division. On the disabled list since spring training with a strained right rotator cuff, Lidge experienced an elbow strain when he was working back from that issue in late May. In his outing against the Yankees affiliate in Trenton, Lidge displayed difficulty with his control as he threw three wild pitches, hit two batters, walked another and gave up a single, all while letting up two earned runs on 28 pitches in 2/3 of an inning. After the disappointing performance, Lidge was composed and focused on some positive aspects, having reached 89 and 90 MPH on scouts' radar guns, according to some reports. ...

Q&A with Tim Gradoville

Tim Gradoville is a career minor league catcher, who once, as a September call up, was up with the big club for the proverbial cup of coffee. Slated to be the Phillies bullpen catcher, at a later date, Gradoville is currently assigned as a special instructor with the Lakewood BlueClaws. I had the opportunity to speak with Tim and here's how that went down... What's the atmosphere with the BlueClaws like so far this season? Well, I think we have a good mix of players. We have some veteran guys, and some young guys too, so it makes for an interesting mix. I think the guys like to have a good time, and they're pretty loose and that translates into winning games. They have a good time. With a young team, you never know what you're gonna get, sometimes, but they seem to gel pretty well together, so that helps to build team unity, helps guys get along. They're having fun, they're enjoying baseball. This game can be a grind sometimes, if you're not having fun. What...

Mike McGuire Living a Dream With Favorite Team

LAKEWOOD, NJ- Every young ballplayer grows up wishing he could play for his favorite team. Mike McGuire has an opportunity to do just that after signing with the Phillies organization in July. McGuire was a 43rd round draft pick taken by the Cleveland Indians in the 2008 amateur draft out of the University of Delaware. Early scouting reports liked McGuire's abilities, despite some arm trouble. He advanced as far as High A Level Kinston last season. While there, he posted an 0-3 record with a 5.46 ERA in 9 games, 8 of which were starts. The Indians weren't happy with McGuire's efforts this spring and released him. McGuire caught on with the Sussex Skyhawks of the independent Can-Am League, where he stayed in shape and pitched against other formerly affiliated minor leaguers. As a starter with the Skyhawks, McGuire went 3-4 with a 5.29 ERA in 8 outings. From there, just as all players in those independent leagues hope for, the 24-year-old McGuire got noticed. The Phillies wer...

PhoulBallz.com

Search This Blog