By: Brandon Apter, contributor 
Just nine days after earning Eastern League Pitcher of the Week honors, Phillies prospect Ben Lively has been named to Baseball America's All-Prospect Team for April. Lively is 3-0 with a 1.55 ERA through five starts this season with Double-A Reading. The Phillies acquired Lively in December 2014 from the Reds for veteran outfielder Marlon Byrd.
The first year for Lively in the Phillies organization had its bumps. After posting a 1.42 ERA through three April starts, things got rough for Lively in the following months of 2014. Hitters were figuring him out, averaging .290 against him in May, .304 in June and .333 in July. After coming back from the DL in August for a two-week stint, he finished the season with a 4.13 ERA, a far cry from his strong numbers with the Reds minor league affiliates.
This season, he's started quickly, posting a sub-2 ERA and holding opposing hitters to a .189 average against. His 30 strikeouts lead the Eastern League while his 0.90 WHIP ranks 4th and his 1.55 ERA ranks 7th, behind teammate Anthony Vasquez, who's ERA sits at 1.54.
