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This weekend, the Phillies announced news of eight players that will be included in big league camp during this year's upcoming Spring Training workouts.  The list includes mostly familiar names including the top overall pick from the 2016 MLB draft. Left-handed pitchers Tyler Gilbert , JoJo Romero and Cole Irvin will join the team from the start as will outfielder Austin Listi , the organization's offensive Paul Owens Award winner from last season.  Backstop Deivi Grullon , infielder Malquin Canelo as well as outfielders Adam Haseley and Mickey Moniak are also set to take part in sessions with the big league team. Romero and Irvin, both starters, are steadily ranked among the Phillies top pitching prospects.  Gilbert, a reliever, has flown under the radar a bit, but took advantage of his 2018 campaign and made a name for himself.  The Southern California product sported a combined 7-2 record with five saves a 3.25 ERA and a .211 batting average ag...

Throughout the off-season months, this site will offer a roundup of how many Phillies prospects and players are performing around the world in fall and winter leagues. Read ahead for the lowdown on various leagues. Trevor Bettencourt, image- Jay Floyd Puerto Rico/Roberto Clemente League- Trevor Bettencourt and Bailey Falter have wrapped up their efforts abroad, returning home to enjoy the holidays.  Both hurlers performed exceptionally for their club, the Indios.  Bettencourt, 24, posted a 1-0 record with a 1.42 ERA while striking out 12 and walking three in 12 2/3 innings over nine relief appearances.  The right-hander was a 25th round pick in 2016.  Falter, a lefty, sported a 2-0 record with a 0.42 ERA in five starts for the Indios.  The 21-year-old was a 5th round draft selection by the Phillies in 2015. Also in PR, 1b/3b Damek Tomscha , 27, is batting .301 with five doubles and three RBI in 23 games.  Tomscha has been batting leadoff...

Former Phillies first baseman Rico Brogna re-joined the Phils organization this year as a coach with the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils.  During his playing career, Brogna also took the field for the Mets, Red Sox, Braves and Tigers, the team that drafted him in the first round in 1988.  With the Phillies, he posted two 20-homer, 100-RBI seasons.  Now, he's trying to help develop the Phillies stars of the future. Recently, I talked with Brogna about some of his team's players, his time coaching and scouting elsewhere, his favorite teammate from his playing days and plenty more.  Read ahead for that full interview. -Malquin Canelo's been a catalyst through the first several weeks of the season for this lineup.  He's always had a lot of good tools., but in the past maybe he hasn't really stood out compared to other guys on teams he's been on.  Now, though, he's starting to stand out a bit.  What do you think of him? He absolutely is.  I th...

Here is a quick run down of how the Phillies' minor league clubs have fared through the first two weeks or so of the 2018 regular season. Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs (7-7 record, 4th place in International League North Division)- Mitch Walding with Reading last season, image- Jay Floyd Third baseman Mitch Walding is off to a strong start for the 'Pigs.  The 25-year-old is batting .300 with four doubles, two home runs, six RBI and and eight walks through 14 games played.  The lefty batter was a 5th round draft selection by the Phils in 2011. Hurler Enyel De Los Santos, acquired last off-season from San Diego in a trade for Freddy Galvis, has been very solid in the IronPigs' rotation.  Through three starts, the right-hander has tallied a 1-0 record with a 1.98 ERA while striking out 22 and walking five in 13 2/3 innings pitched. Outfielder Dylan Cozens entered action on Saturday batting .273, but an 0-for-4 night dropped the average to .250.  In 14 ga...

As a new year begins, so does my annual prospect ranking, which counts down the Phillies organization’s top 25 rising minor league talents. Over the next several weeks, with the organization in the midst of a rebuild, primed to give many young talents the opportunity to break into the major leagues and show what they can do, I’ll be serving up reviews for each of the top developmental talents that appear to have the brightest futures for the Phillies. Taken into consideration when compiling the list is age, minor league performance relative to levels played, value to the organization as the player’s future potential and proximity to the big leagues. These rankings will not include players over the age of 25 or individuals that have spent lengthy stretches in the big leagues. For example, left-handed reliever Joely Rodriguez, who spent the final month of the regular season on the big league Phillies roster, will not appear on this countdown. Tyler Goeddel (12th on this list a ye...

OF Nick Williams, image- Jay Floyd With the Grapefruit League season wrapping up, the Phillies are bringing their preseason schedule north this week. Upcoming games will feature a pair of intrasquad contests with the big league roster taking on their organization's top prospects. The brand new concept falls in line with the celebration of Double-A Reading's 50th season of affiliation with the Phillies. The debut game in the series will take place at Reading's FirstEnergy Stadium on Thursday, March 31st at 6:05 PM with another game between the two teams taking place on Saturday, April 2nd at 1:05 PM. The roster set to be made up of the most promising rising minor leaguers includes eight of the top nine Phillies prospects, as ranked by Phillies Nation this year. Futures Team roster: C- Jorge Alfaro , Andrew Knapp 1B- Tommy Joseph , Brock Stassi , Rhys Hoskins 2B- Scott Kingery , Jesmuel Valentin , Angelo Mora SS- J.P. Crawford , Malquin Canelo 3B- Mitch Wa...

Malquin Canelo, image- Jay Floyd Shortstop Malquin Canelo had a breakout season in 2015, proving himself worthy of being in consideration to rank among the Phillies' top prospects, coming a long way as a hitter from previous seasons as he continued to shine with his glove. Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2012, the talented youngster made his professional debut that year with the Phils' Dominican Summer League team. In 54 games, Canelo sported a .167 average with five doubles, two triples and nine RBI. The following season, he split time at two levels, producing a .221/.287/.296 slash line in 61 total games for the rookie level Gulf Coast League Phillies and the short-season A level Williamsport Crosscutters. In 2014, Canelo displayed improvements with the bat posting a .249/.302/.324 slash line in 66 combined games with Williamsport, Class A Lakewood and Class A Advanced Clearwater. As a 20-year-old, Canelo would open the 2015 campaign back at Lakewood, wh...

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 ...

Malquin Canelo, image- Jay Floyd In news released by the Class A BlueClaws, a pair of Sally League All-Stars has been promoted from Lakewood to Class A Advanced Clearwater. Shortstop Malquin Canelo , who was honored with the South Atlantic League All-Star Game Top Star Award this week, and slugging first baseman Rhys Hoskins will join the Threshers on Thursday. Replacing the pair will be Phillies 2nd round draft selection Scott Kingery and 4th round draft pick Kyle Martin . Canelo went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk in the SAL All-Star Game this week after sporting a .311 average with five homers and 23 RBI in the first half of the season. Canelo was previously profiled on PhilliesNation.com. Readers can find that article by clicking here . Hoskins, last year's 5th round pick, posted a league-best .322 average with nine home runs and 51 RBI in the first half for the 'Claws. The 22-year-old was featured on this week's edition of Phillies Nation TV. Check out th...

LAKEWOOD, NJ- Five Phillies prospects, including top performers Carlos Tocci and Rhys Hoskins will represent the Lakewood BlueClaws in the Class A South Atlantic League All-Star game in Asheville, NC on June 23rd. Tocci, a 19-year-old center fielder, is batting .324 with a home run, 23 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 54 games with Lakewood. According to a press release from the BlueClaws, Tocci received more votes than any other player in the SAL, marking the second straight year that the team has had the leading vote-getter, following shortstop J.P. Crawford in 2014. Rhys Hoskin, image- Jay Floyd Last year's 5th round draft pick by the Phillies, Hoskins, has a league leading .335 batting average with seven home runs and 40 RBI. The 22-year-old first baseman was recently honored as the Phillies' minor league player of the month for May, after posting a .342 average with two homers and 23 RBI in 29 games. The righty batting slugger has been a bit reserved in regards to...

During a recent trip to Lakewood's FirstEnergy Park, I shot some video footage of several BlueClaws batters taking pregame practice cuts. Footage includes the clips below of shortstop Malquin Canelo , outfielder Carlos Tocci , first baseman Rhys Hoskins and outfielder Jiandido Tromp . Canelo, 20, is batting .308 and has done an excellent job as the BlueClaws' lead-off man (.357/.419/.488 slash line when leading off an inning) this season.  Have a look at the five-foot-ten 156-pounder's stroke in the video player below. Tocci, a 19-year-old, has a .320 average with an .800 OPS and 12 stolen bases in 52 games for the BlueClaws this year.  The promising Venezuelan is a lock to represent Lakewood with the Sally League All-Star game later this month.  Check out footage of Tocci's swing in the video player below. Hoskins, 22, was the Phillies' 5th round draft selection last year.  The six-foot-four 225-pounder's .337 batting average is tops in the So...

Malquin Caneko, image- Jay Floyd With plenty of attention going to other players in the team's lineup, Malquin Canelo has been an underrated contributor to the Class A Lakewood offense thus far this season. Listed at five-foot-ten and 156 pounds, Canelo easily lays low, unnoticed next to over-sized teammate first baseman Rhys Hoskins , who stands six-foot-four and weighs 225 pounds while sporting a .301 average and hitting for power. Long raved about outfield prospect Carlos Tocci and his league best .366 batting average are also overshadowing Canelo's steady production. Through 31 games to start the season, the 20-year-old shortstop has tallied a .315 average with a home run, five RBI and six steals for the BlueClaws. In the top spot of Lakewood's batting order, Canelo has been a catalyst. Through action on Saturday, the Domincan native was batting .333 in 54 at bats when leading off an inning and posted an identical .333 average in 27 at bats in the first in...