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HELP SUPPORT CONTENT LIKE THIS AND KEEP IT COMING ALL SEASON LONG BY BECOMING A PATRON!  Get early access to articles like this, EXCLUSIVE interviews and more- https://www.patreon.com/phoulballz Lakewood's roster sports two buzz worthy prospects right now with outfield Malvin Matos on an extremely hot streak and pitcher Francisco Morales continuing to draw plenty of interest from prospect heads. Malvin Matos, image- Jay Floyd Matos, a 22-year-old righty batter, wrapped up, on Sunday, a 17-game stretch in which he went 27-for-62 (.436 average) with five doubles, three home runs, 12 RBI, nine walks and seven stolen bases.  He notched an 0-for-4 effort on Monday, but rebounded Tuesday with a pair of hits, including a solo homer, and a walk.  Morales, a 19-year-old right-hander, is one of the Phillies' most well-touted prospects. In 23 outings this year, the talented Venezuelan has posted a 4.05 ERA with a .227 batting average against and an 11.9 K/9 mark. ...

Aaron Brown, image- Jay Floyd Aaron Brown was a two-way player at Pepperdine, standing out both as an outfielder as well as a pitcher.  The Phillies' 3rd round draft selection in 2014 was slated to play exclusively on the offensive side after signing that year.  But, after reaching the Double-A level as an offensive player and seeing his batting average come in under .225, he was switched back to the pitching role in 2017. Combined at Class A Advanced Clearwater and Double-A Reading last year, Brown posted a 3-6 record with a 4.90 ERA, a .271 batting average against along with an 8.8 K/9 mark in 46 total appearances. Entering his second full season as a professional pitcher, the 26-year-old will open the 2019 campaign back with Reading, where he ended last season.  Brown appeared in four games this spring with the major league Phillies, surrendering one earned run on two hits while striking out three and walking none in 2 2/3 innings of work. This wee...

Andrew Knapp, image- Jay Floyd Following a breakout season in 2015, catcher Andrew Knapp continued to take strides and looked to be near-ready to make a big league splash during his 2016 campaign.  In 2013 the switch-hitting Knapp was the Phillies' 2nd round draft choice out of the University of California and made his professional debut, tallying a .253 batting average with four home runs, 23 RBI and seven steals in 62 games for the short-season Class A Williamsport Crosscutters. That off-season, the righty throwing Knapp required Tommy John surgery to repair a damaged elbow. He was back on the field by the following May, getting at bats, but sitting out on defense for some time to allow additional recovery for his elbow. He joined the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers during the fifth week of the season. It was mid-June by the time he would play on the defensive side of the game. Upon joining the Threshers, Knapp struggled with the bat, posting a .157...

November is the time of year when the Phillies begin to refine their 40-man roster in preparation for the annual MLB Winter Meetings and the corresponding Rule 5 draft. Fans will see players "activated" from the 60-day disabled list, players opting for free agency as well as minor leaguers added to the roster in order to protect them from being scooped up by the competition. Players are initially eligible for selection in MLB's 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 played in professional baseball for four years, OR 2) were signed at age 18 or younger and have played in pro ball for five years. Like the annual amateur draft, teams draft in reverse order of the regular-season standings. A team that does not have any vacancies on its 40-man roster may not make a selection in the Rule 5 draft. Once a player is chosen, that player is automatically assigned to his...

Andrew Knapp, image- Jay Floyd Phillies catching prospect Andrew Knapp launched a solo home run to help the International League All-Stars down the Pacific Coast League team in the Triple-A All-Star Game by a score of 4-2 on Wednesday in Charlotte. In 69 games with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs this season, the switch-hitting 24-year-old sports a .264 average with seven homers and 32 RBI. Recently, I spoke to Knapp about his All-Star nod, learning from veterans, his own progress, the Lehigh Valley staff and plenty more. Read ahead for that full interview. -With the All-Star honor coming your way, what were your feelings on that? Do you feel a level of accomplishment? Yeah, it's awesome. It's great to get any acknowledgement. A lot of hard work went in. I really hammered the defensive stuff this year and I've kind of been battling through the offense, you know? Not getting too down on myself early in the year and being able to put together some good at b...

Dave Lundquist, image- Jay Floyd Last week I chatted with the pitching coach for the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs Dave Lundquist. Topics of discussion included his team's All-Star catcher Andrew Knapp , reliever Edubray Ramos , righty David Buchanan and plenty more. Read ahead for that interview. -Feedback I've gotten on Andrew Knapp has included his skills at leading a pitching staff and being a good leader. Have you seen growth from him in this aspect of his game? One thing here, with some older pitchers, you gotta learn each pitcher a little bit and he's doing good. He gets to evaluate the pitches from inning to inning and prioritize certain things and stay within the game plan, so a lot of that is getting better. Doing a good job there and he's getting to learn some veteran pitchers that have been around and see some different sequences, so it's good for him. -News about Mark Appel 's season ending elbow surgery is disappointing for t...

The Phillies announced on Wednesday that righty pitcher Mark Appel had undergone surgery to remove a bone spur from his throwing elbow. Appel had previously gone on the disabled list with shoulder soreness following his May 22nd start for Lehigh Valley. Phillies director of player development Joe Jordan told me recently that Appel was throwing pain free and the team expected him to be back in action by July 15th. IronPigs manager Dave Brundage stated that he suspected there was more to Appel's physical issues than just the sore shoulder. "Something had to be bothering him, something had to be there, where his stuff had dropped off, you know, his last couple outings, had dropped off significantly," Brundage stated. "I had a hard time believing it was just out of the stretch. It was something more and obviously he was putting a lot of effort into his pitches there and it's a tough break for him, but obviously, you can get (the elbow) cleaned up and ge...

On Friday, Phillies director of player development Joe Jordan took time to chat with Phillies Nation's Jay Floyd about an array of topics out of minor league camp. Jordan, who is entering his fifth season in his role, spoke about recently reassigned prospects, top names and what to expect from them, some injuries and much more. Read ahead for the full interview. Carlos Tocci, image- Jay Floyd -I noticed that Carlos Tocci is playing with group 2, the team that will become the Double-A Fightins. It's common for players to play up a level during spring. Is there anyone that might take a notable jump to open the regular season ?   Well, I mean it's too early to read anything too much into the work groups. I mean, normally, you know, this spring training's no different than any other. You've got guys playing up a level. As we start getting guys back from big league camp you have guys start getting pushed. Really it won't be till that last week till y...

Image- Tug Haines Earlier this week, Phillies Nation's minor league reporter Jay Floyd (follow on Twitter @PhoulBallz ) was interviewed on the Philadelphia Sports Table Podcast. The weekly program, hosted by Jeff Warren and Len Hunsicker, focuses on the big four pro sports teams in Philly, touches on local Division 1 college athletics and more. The pair embraces the passion of the Philly sports fan base along with what the fans bring to each game, online discussions, talk radio and more. On the latest edition of the PST Podcast, Jay phoned in to discuss the Phillies' rising prospects, key story lines among the non-roster invitees heading into spring training, the future of the catcher position, a possible future ace among the organization's young talents, along with the Phils' upcoming number 1 overall draft pick as well as plenty more. The interview with Jay kicks off at about the 46:30 mark of the show and you can check it out by clicking this link .

Andrew Knapp, image- Jay Floyd Catcher Andrew Knapp really put himself on the map last year with a breakout season. Notching an All-Star bid while posting terrific offensive numbers and obtaining organizational honors, the 24-year-old now looks primed to make an impact at the highest levels of the sport. Knapp was the Phillies' 2nd round draft choice out of the University of California and made his professional debut that year, tallying a .253 batting average with four home runs, 23 RBI and seven steals in 62 games for the short-season Class A Williamsport Crosscutters. That off-season, the righty throwing Knapp required Tommy John surgery to repair a damaged elbow. He was back on the field by the following May, getting at bats, but sitting out on defense for some time to allow additional recovery for his elbow. He joined the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers during the fifth week of the season. It was mid-June by the time he would play on the defensive side of th...

Throughout the off-season, Phillies Nation be bringing you details on Phils players participating in fall and winter leagues from around the globe. Read ahead for a rundown of how various players have performed to date. Venezuelan Winter League- Carlos Tocci, image- Jay Floyd With the Tigres, outfielder Carlos Tocci is currently sidelined with a broken hand after being hit by a pitch. Prior to the injury, Tocci posted a .333 average with a triple, four RBI and two stolen bases in 11 games. The 20-year-old posted a .287/.339/.363 slash line in 127 combined games with Lakewood and Clearwater this year. Outfielder Herlis Rodriguez is batting .196 with five RBI in 25 games for the Tigres. The 21-year-old lefty batter posted a .284 average with 10 home runs and 61 RBI in 120 games for Class A Lakewood this year. In six starts Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez as a 0-4 record with a 4.88 ERA for the Aguilas. In his most recent appearance, MAG allowed seven runs (six earned) in 1 2/3 ...

Knapp, image- Jay Floyd One of the biggest events of the off-season league schedule takes place this Saturday when the Arizona Fall League's Rising Stars Game happens at Scottsdale's Salt River Fields. The "Fall Stars" exhibition marks the 10th annual event and will be nationally televised at 8PM Eastern on MLB Network and will stream live online at MLB.com. Representing the Phillies will be righty hurler Edubray Ramos and catcher Andrew Knapp , who were part of the Double-A Reading team that went to the Eastern League Championship Series this year. Ramos, a 22-year-old Venezuelan, was a stand out performer this year, when he tallied a 4-6 record with eight saves, a 2.07 ERA and a .196 batting average against in 47 games in relief for Class A Advanced Clearwater and Reading. As a member of the Glendale Desert Dogs in the AFL, Ramos has allowed seven earned runs in 6 2/3 innings (9.45 ERA) while striking out eight and walking none. The switch-hitting Kn...

Throughout the off-season, we'll be bringing you details on Phillies players participating in fall and winter leagues from around the globe. Read ahead for a rundown of how many players have performed to date. Stats are current through games played on Friday except ABL notes, which include stats for Saturday's games. Australian Baseball League- Cord Sandberg, image- Jay Floyd Outfielder Cord Sandberg is hitting a lofty .444 with a double, four walks and a steal in six games for Canberra. The 20-year-old was one of nine minor league Gold Glove Award winner as a member of the Lakewood BlueClaws this year. Sandberg was a 3rd round draft selection in 2013. Through seven games for the Sydney Blue Sox, first baseman Rhys Hoskins is batting .240 with five doubles, a homer and five RBI. In a double header on Saturday, Hoskins went 3-for-6 with two doubles and a home run. The 22-year-old was a 5th round draft pick by the Phils last year. He batted .319 with 17 home r...

Off-season leagues are underway for many Phillies players including some stateside in the Arizona Fall League, but with several players taking the diamond abroad. Read ahead for a complete rundown of how your Phils are doing across the globe. Stats listed are current through Saturday's games. Arizona Fall League- JP Crawford, image- Jay Floyd In two games, shortstop J.P. Crawford is 1-for-8 (.125 avg) with a walk and a strike out. The 20-year-old was the Phillies' first round draft selection in 2013. In 86 games with Double-A Reading this year, Crawford posted a .265 average with five home runs and 34 RBI. Catcher Andrew Knapp is 1-for-3 with a double and a walk in one game played as a designated hitter. The 23-year-old was the Phils' second round draft selection in 2013. With Reading this year, Knapp sported a .360 average with 11 homers and 56 RBI in 55 games. Edubray Ramos allowed an earned run in 1 1/3 innings while allowing a hit and striking out ...

Andrew Knapp, image- Jay Floyd The Phillies announced the honorees for the annual Paul Owens Award this year, with catcher Andrew Knapp and pitcher Ricardo Pinto being named as the top performers in the organization's developmental ranks. Knapp, began the 2015 campaign with Class A Advanced Clearwater where he posted a .262 batting average with two home runs and 28 RBI in 63 games en route to being named a Florida State League All-Star. Promoted to Double-A Reading in late June, Knapp would really turn things on offensively, collecting a .360 average along with 11 homers and 56 RBI in 55 games. Knapp was the Phils' 2nd round draft pick out of Cal in 2013. Phillies Nation recently aired a feature on Knapp. That video can be viewed by clicking here . Pinto, a 21-year-old righty, tallied a 15-4 record with a 2.97 ERA and a 6.5 K/9 mark in 24 combined starts with Class A Lakewood and Clearwater this season. For the Venezuelan, 2015 was just his second season pitchi...

To tie the Eastern League Championship Series at one game apiece, the Reading Fightins lost against the Bowie Baysox by a score of 10-3. The series will now move to Bowie's Prince George's Stadium, where Reading will need to win two out of three games. Righty hurler Ethan Martin had a poor start for Reading and took the loss, allowing five earned runs on four hits and five walks while striking out none in 2 1/3 innings. Left-hander Joely Rodriguez would follow Martin out of the bullpen, letting up three runs (two earned) in 1 1/3 innings. Ryan O'Sullivan would be charged with two additional runs in his inning of work. For a pair of bright spots among the Reading pitching staff, lefty Hoby Milber, working with a new arm angle of late, tossed 3 1/3 scoreless frames retiring all 10 batters he faced while Tom Windle threw a scoreless inning of his own. Bowie starter Nick Additon , 27, went seven innings, allowing three runs (two earned) to notch the win. Infielde...

J.P. Crawford, image- Jay Floyd On Tuesday Arizona Fall League rosters were announced. The list of talented youngsters that will represent the Phillies in the prominent off-season league is headlined by top prospect J.P. Crawford . The 20-year-old shortstop was the Phils' first round draft selection in 2013. In just his second full pro season this year, he reached the Double-A Eastern League where he was honored as a mid-season All-Star. Through 101 games combined for Class A Advanced Clearwater and Reading, Crawford tallied a .294 average with six homers, 41 RBI and 12 stolen bases. Joining Crawford will be his Reading teammate catcher Andrew Knapp .. The 23-year-old has been hot of late as he sported a .404 average with eight home runs and 28 RBI in 25 August games for the playoff bound Fightins. Also headed to the AFL to take the field as part of the Glendale Desert Dogs will be lefty pitcher Tom Windle , right-handed hurlers Yacksel Rios , Nick Pivetta and Edubra...

On this week's edition of Phillies Nation, I sat down with rising catching prospect "The California Kid" Andrew Knapp to discuss his recent success. Since he was promoted to Double-A Reading in June, the 23-year-old switch-hitter is batting .380 with 10 homers and 51 RBI in 46 games. The segment also features remarks from teammates Jake Thompson , Nick Pivetta and Mark Leiter Jr. Don't miss this profile...check it out in the media player below and look for new episodes of PNTV premiering each Tuesday at 6PM on The Comcast Network.