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We're more than a week into the minor league season and there are some players performing at a level that is what one may expect based on a guy's previous performance and reputation.  There are also players widening eyes and tilting heads...some in a good way...others not in a good way.   Here's a list of names doing well, as should be expected...we'll call this list an excited "OH, FOR REAL?!" Left-hander Damon Jones is doing Damon Jones things with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.  Two appearances, 3 1/3 innings, one hit allowed, zero runs, one walk surrendered, five strike outs.  The Phils' 18th round pick from 2017 has a 3.29 career ERA, a .218 batting average against and an 11.1 K/9 mark in his professional career to date. Matt Vierling is off to a great start.  In eight games with Double-A Reading, the righty hitting outfielder sports a .310 average with two homers and two stolen bases.  He was a 5th round draft selection by the Phillies in 2018. ...

Sixto Sanchez with Lakewood in 2017, image- Jay Floyd The Arizona Fall League is a place for aspiring Major Leaguers to go to develop their baseball skills in the Autumn months. As the weather begins to cool elsewhere, the diamond stays hot for many of baseball's most promising young talents in Arizona. Rosters in the AFL are a mixture of different organizations' prospects, with each major league club sending seven, or sometimes eight, players that combine to fill up the 35-man rosters of the league's six teams. With rosters announced on Thursday for the upcoming 2018 AFL season, Phillies players will be merged with players from the Mets, Reds, Giants and Astros to make up the Scottsdale Scorpions roster. #Phillies slated to play for Scottsdale in the @MLBazFallLeague this yr...RHP Sixto Sanchez, RHP @viza_card , RHP Seth McGarry, RHP @Luke_Leftwich , 1b @HallDarick , SS Arquimedes Gamboa. OF Austin Listi, OF/3b @lukewilliams012 . Clearwater pitching coach...

Williams with Lakewood in 2017, image- J. Floyd You would have a hard time finding a player that had a hotter offensive month in June than Clearwater's Luke Williams.  In 24 games the 21-year-old right-hander posted a .333 average with six doubles, a triple, six home runs and 20 RBI. The California native was the Phils' 3rd round draft selection in 2015.  Since then he's worked to improve and the time and patience has being paying off of late, as he has more than doubled his career home run total over the past month.  Also, as recently as June 3rd, his batting average dipped as low as .167, but has since shot up to .246 on the season in the Class A Advanced Florida State League. Strictly a third baseman until this season, Williams has added to his versatility by playing some outfield (left and center), some first base and a game at second base. Recently, I talked with Williams about his successful month of June.  Read ahead for that full interview.  ...

Josh Stephen, image- Jay Floyd LAKEWOOD, NJ-- Off to a hot start in the early going for the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws, outfielder Josh Stephen has used relationships, new and old, to build a level of comfort in the Phillies’ organization that he hopes will help him achieve his dream of playing in the big leagues. Hailing from southern California, a hotbed for young baseball talent, Stephen was selected by the Phillies in the 11th round of the 2016 draft and joined an organization that included some familiar faces. Even before signing his first professional contract with the Phillies, the six feet tall 185-pound lefty batter had guys that he already considered teammates in the system. Third base prospect Luke Williams, pitchers Kevin Gowdy and Bailey Falter along with first overall draft pick, outfielder Mickey Moniak are all individuals that Stephen competed with and against in his days playing youth baseball. “It makes the transition of being drafted as an 18-year-old nice...

Santa Haseley Season's greetings!  Everybody loves 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 eighth annual Christmas questionnaire include this year's top Phillies draft pick Adam Haseley, starting pitcher Jacob Waguespack who wrapped up the 2017 season in the playoffs with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Double-A second baseman Drew Stankiewicz, Class A third baseman Luke Williams as well as Class A All-Star pitchers Will Hibbs, Trevor Bettencourt and Nick Fanti. Questions and answers listing each player’s holly jolly holiday favorites are listed below… -What is your favorite Christmas song and which artist or version do you like best? Haseley- The Christmas Song by Michael Buble. Hibbs- Oh man, "All I Want for Christmas is You" by Mariah Carey is a jam. It's just a u...

Luke Williams, image- Jay Floyd Third baseman  Luke Williams is enjoying success this off-season in Colombia following a difficult-at-times regular season with Class A Lakewood.  The 21-year-old has posted a .297 batting average with two doubles, a home runs, 10 RBI and five stolen bases through 30 contests as a member of the Toros.   In the midst of an eight game hitting streak, Williams is 12-for-29 (.414 avg) during that stretch. A 3rd round draft selection of the Phillies in 2015, the righty hitting Williams tallied a .216 batting average with a home run, 27 RBI and 29 stolen bases in 115 games this year for the BlueClaws.  Recently, I spoke with Luke who commented on the competition in Colombia, the difference in cultures, playing alongside Phils backstop Jorge Alfaro and plenty more.   If all goes well, the experience playing abroad will really help Williams reach the top levels of the sport and he'll ...

The Class A Lakewood BlueClaws missed clinching the first half division title in the Sally League by mere percentage points in the Northern Division standings.  Team skipper Marty Malloy took time last week to sit down with me and chat about his team's success and commented on several of the Claws' key players, including first baseman Darick Hall, last year's top overall draft pick Mickey Moniak , outstanding reliever Will Hibbs, who was promoted to Clearwater since this interview, well regarded righty pitching prospect Sixto Sanchez and others.  Read ahead for that full interview... Darick Hall, image- Jay Floyd -Darick Hall missed a few weeks early in the season with an ankle injury and leads the league in RBI despite missing so many games.  What sort of difference has he made for the team? I mean he's had a big impact.  Obviously, hitting in the four hole every day, it doesn't matter right-handed pitching, left-handed pitching, he gives us a big pres...