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Kevin Gowdy, image- Jay Floyd Please consider supporting my work and subscribe to  my Patreon page .  Your patronage will get you exclusive interviews and early access to all of my other content.  Thank you. While baseball is on hiatus, I've been chatting with some pro baseball personnel to catch up and see how guys are using their time away from the diamond.  Most recently, Phillies pitching prospect Kevin Gowdy offered some time to let me know how he's staying fit, how he's killing time during quarantine and plenty more. Last year, after missing two seasons following UCL reconstruction in his pitching arm, the righty posted a 0-7 record with a 4.60 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP in 28 appearance for Class A Lakewood. Gowdy, a six-foot-four 170-pounder was the Phils' 2nd round draft selection in 2016. Read ahead for that complete interview with Kevin. -What was it like getting the news that the baseball season was being put on hold due to the Coronavirus pand...

Ben Brown, image- MiLB.com Right-handed pitcher Ben Brown , the Phillies' 33rd round draft selection in 2017, made a splash last year in the Rookie level Gulf Coast League, putting together a 4-2 record, a 3.12 ERA and an 11.4 K/9 mark in 10 appearances (eight starts).  Additionally, he earned a promotion to short-season Class A Williamsport and made two starts there before the end of the regular season. This week I spoke with the six-foot-six 210 pounder about his spring efforts, where he could possibly pitch this year, his relationships with other Phils prospects including last year first round pick Alec Bohm and plenty more.  Read ahead for a sampling of my chat with Ben and head on over to Patreon.com/PhoulBallz for the complete interview. -We're talking here while the Phillies' opening day game is going on and a lot of what I am hearing from people I know that are there and people online is saying that the atmosphere is exciting and different.  Once the...

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...

Throughout the off-season, I'll offer a roundup of how some Phillies prospects and players are performing around the world in fall/winter leagues. Here are the latest noteworthy details. Colombian League- Jorge Alfaro, image- Jay Floyd Catcher Jorge Alfaro is batting .271 with a pair of home runs in 13 games for the Toros.  Alfaro, 25, posted a .262 average with 10 home runs and 37 RBI in 108 games with the Phillies this year.  Arizona Fall League- With the AFL wrapping up play last week, the following stats are final for the month-long campaign with each of the players having competed for the Scottsdale Scorpions. First baseman Darick Hall batted .238 with four homers and 12 RBI in 18 games.  Hall, 23, was the 14th round pick of the Phillies in 2016 out of Dallas Baptist.  Hall blasted 26 homers and drove in 87 runs in 128 combined games with Clearwater and Reading this year. Outfielder/first baseman Austin Listi batted .250 and OPS'd .6...

Mickey Moniak with Lakewood in 2017 Almost daily I am engaged via Twitter or email or text messages or in person about Phillies prospects. It comes with the gig.  The player that scores the most inquiries is, as should be expected, 2016 top overall draft selection Mickey Moniak . Questions from fans that don't want to seem overly judgmental will ask, “Should we be concerned?” Others, living up to the more stereotypical Philadelphia sports fan reputation, will assert the notion, “He’s a bust!  Somebody didn't do his job right!” For the most part I have responded in defense of Moniak and others, letting people know that the youngster’s skills are real and his coaches stand by them. I’d caution fans that he was young, still a teenager, among the five youngest position players in the Class A Advanced Florida State League (per his team the Clearwater Threshers, as of the end of April), and he just needed time to catch up to the older, more mature pitching at that level....

Each year I compile my annual prospect rankings and count down the Phillies organization’s top 25 rising minor league talents. In the coming weeks, I’ll be posting reviews for each of the top developmental talents that appear to have the brightest futures for the Phils organization. Taken into consideration when compiling the list is age, minor league performance relative to levels played to date, value to the organization as well 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 already spent lengthy stretches in the big leagues. JP Crawford, image- Jay Floyd For example, J.P. Crawford and Jorge Alfaro, who are both previously, highly-ranked Phillies prospects, graduated to the big leagues last season and spent a month or more at the top level and won't be included in this year's rankings. Others moving to the majors and progressing out of prospect status are pi...

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...

Throughout each season, I get opportunities to chat with Phillies director of player development Joe Jordan.  The boss of the Phils' minors is always open and offers solid insight on his players.  This time around I asked Joe to talk about loads of prospects including bust out pitching performers like Jose Taveras, Nick Fanti and Cole Irvin.  He also shared thoughts out the team's past three first round draft picks Adam Haseley, Mickey Moniak and Cornelius Randolph, a trio of outfielders.  Aaron Brown's conversion from outfielder to pitcher was discussed, as was Lakewood offensive stud Darick Hall.  Additionally, he spoke on the organization's acquisitions from the trade deadline, a pair of top performers for the Gulf Coast League team and plenty more.  Read ahead of the interview. Taveras w/ Lakewood in 2016, image- Jay Floyd -Jose Taveras has had an excellent season and has been a lot of fun to watch.  Can you share some thoughts on him? I ...

This week I spent some time chatting with Class A Lakewood hurler Nick Fanti, who has tossed two no-hitters this season , for John Stolnis' Felske Files Podcast. In the interview, the left-hander shares thoughts on his Nicky No-No nickname, how his pitching coach Brian Sweeney has helped his efforts this season and plenty more less serious subject matter. Also on the show, John talks with Phillies beat writer Steve Gross on the Phils' depth at shortstop and ESPN's Jerry Crasnick about the MLB trade deadline.  The Phillies cancelling Pete Rose's Wall of Fame induction is also discussed. Check out the player embedded below for the latest episode.

Nick Fanti, image- Jay Floyd Lefty starter Nick Fanti Jr. recorded another historical moment this season, as he went the distance, shutting down the Charleston RiverDogs’ (Yankees affiliate) offense to record a no-hitter on Monday at Lakewood’s FirstEnergy Park.   In nine innings of work, the 20-year-old struck out 12 and walked one on 113 pitches to put his name in the history books and improve his season record to 7-2 in 15 starts.    Fanti, the Phillies’ 31 st round draft selection in 2015, previously helped Lakewood notch a no-hitter this season when he tossed 8 2/3 innings without surrendering a safety against Columbia on May 6 th .  His roommate at the time, reliever Trevor Bettencourt, entered the game to record the final out.  Bettencourt has since been promoted to Class A Advanced Clearwater.    The six-foot-two 185-pounder, Fanti, stated that he received a congratulatory text message from Bettencourt after Mo...