By: Brandon Apter, contributor 
Earlier this week, the Phillies sent three of their top prospects to the minor leagues. J.P. Crawford, Nick Williams and Roman Quinn have been getting playing time in minor league camp and two more prospects will join them today. Catching prospects Andrew Knapp and Jorge Alfaro were sent down today, with Alfaro being optioned to Double-A.
Phillies reassigned C Andrew Knapp to minor league camp and optioned C Jorge Alfaro to Reading (AA).
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) March 18, 2016
Knapp, ranked as the Phillies 9th best prospect by MLB Pipeline, appeared in eight games this spring and hit .250 (4-for-16) with a double, a home run and four RBI's. The 24-year-old backstop had a breakout season last year in Reading, hitting .360 in 55 games with 21 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, 39 runs scored and 56 RBI's. He'll likely be the starting catcher for the Ironpigs this season ahead of Gabriel Lino, who got the majority of playing time there last year.
Alfaro, ranked as the Phillies 6th best prospect according to MLB Pipeline, saw action in six games during Spring Training and showed off his cannon arm behind the plate along with his raw power at the plate. He hit .294 (5-for-17) with two runs and two RBI's. The Phillies sent him to Double-A, where he'll get the majority of the playing time after recovering from an ankle injury he suffered last season. The Phillies acquired Alfaro along with Nick Williams, Jake Thompson, Matt Harrison, Jerad Eickhoff and Alec Asher in a trade that sent Cole Hamels to the Texas Rangers.
