A day after promoting their second best prospect Sixto Sánchez to Clearwater, the Phillies announced tonight they have promoted their ninth best prospect and another highly touted pitcher, Franklyn Kilome to the Reading Fightin Phils. The buzz around Sánchez has made people forget about Kilome, who many viewed him as the Phillies' next potential ace and he's been pitching like it this year.
Kilome, 22, is into just his second full professional season in the Phillies system and finds himself on his way to Double-A after making 19 starts with the Clearwater Threshers. The Dominican born right-hander has been stellar this season, going 6-4 with a 2.59 ERA and 83 strikeouts to 37 walks in 97 1/3 innings pitched. The success of Kilome has spanned far longer than just this one season, in his last 39 starts dating back to last year, he has allowed three runs or less in 37 starts of those starts and has consistently gone five to six innings more often than not.
The model of consistency put forth by Kilome shows how far he's come since the Phillies signed him as an international free agent in June of 2013 at just 19 -years-old. He's been able to control his 6'6 frame better, contributing to a slightly lower walk rate this year and getting a very good feel for his delivery. The potential for Kilome to be an ace is still very much there and never really went away, he just got lost in shuffle amongst all the intriguing the prospects the Phillies have to offer this year.
Kilome isn't projected to make it to the majors until 2019, but we are starting to see him make his stride and he is definitely a name to remember as the Phillies continue to build towards the future. Surprisingly, we may get a look at Kilome this upcoming spring because the Phillies have to add him to the 40-man roster this winter and there's no way they're going to risk him possibly being snatched away in the Rule 5 draft.
