Here are the Phillies' 2023 Top 30 prospects
Jonathan Mayo
@JonathanMayoWhat a difference a year makes.
Last year at this time, the Phillies were coming off a solid 2021, one that saw them finish over .500 for the first time in a decade. Obviously, they built off of that, playing their way to the World Series in 2022.
And they did it without raiding too much of their farm system, though catcher Logan O'Hoppe was dealt for Brandon Marsh last summer and Bryson Stott has graduated to the big leagues. Perhaps the biggest change might be how the dynamic duo of pitching prospects lines up.
At the start of the 2022 season, 2020 first-round pick Mick Abel was the top pitching prospect in the system and Andrew Painter wasn’t on the Top 100 yet. Painter then went on to have a year worthy of being named MLB Pipeline’s Pitching Prospect of the Year, going from Single-A to Double-A and dominating any and all hitters who came his way. His time as a prospect might be short-lived as he looks to join the Phillies rotation sooner rather than later.
The offensive help might be a while, though last year’s first-rounder Justin Crawford has the chance to be an impact player who could easily join the Top 100 at some point in his first full season and Hao-Yu Lee is looking to build off a very solid full-season debut last year.
Here’s a look at the Phillies' top prospects:
1. Andrew Painter, RHP (MLB No. 6)
2. Mick Abel, RHP (MLB No. 48)
3. Griff McGarry, RHP
4. Justin Crawford, OF
5. Hao-Yu Lee, 2B
Complete Top 30 list »
Biggest jump/fall
Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the 2022 preseason list to the 2023 preseason list.
Jump: Carlos De La Cruz (2022: NR | 2023: 9)
This has the makings of an incredible scouting find story. De La Cruz wasn’t drafted in 2017 as a high schooler, signing with the Phillies as an undrafted free agent that summer. He hit his way to Double-A and showed off his tools, all coming from his 6-foot-8 frame, in the Arizona Fall League in 2022.
Fall: Hans Crouse, RHP (2022: 6 | 2023: 25)
Injuries have been the biggest culprit holding Crouse, acquired by the Phillies from the Rangers at the 2021 Trade Deadline, from reaching his potential. Biceps tendinitis limited him to just five appearances in 2022, so it’s hard to know exactly what he can be at this point.
Best tools
Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average. Players in parentheses have the same grade.
Hit: 55 -- Hao Yu Lee (Justin Crawford, Simon Muzziotti, William Bergolla)
Power: 55 -- Carlos De La Cruz (Gabriel Rincones, Jordan Viars, Jhailyn Ortiz, Jordan Viars)
Run: 70 -- Justin Crawford (Johan Rojas, Emaarion Boyd, Yhoswar Garcia)
Arm: 55 -- Jhailyn Ortiz (Justin Crawford, Johan Rojas)
Defense: 65 -- Johan Rojas
Fastball: 75 -- Andrew Baker
Curveball: 60 -- Andrew Baker
Slider: 65 -- Francisco Morales
Changeup: 55 -- Griff McGarry (Andrew Painter)
Control: 65 -- Andrew Painter
How they were built
Draft: 14 | International: 12 | Trade: 2 |Free agent: 2
Breakdown by ETA
2023: 8 | 2024: 4 | 2025: 9 | 2026: 6 | 2027: 2