Every offseason, Baseball America releases numerous rankings of each MLB teams' top 10 prospects. The first installment is just beginning and the folks at Baseball America are going through the National League Eastern division, with today being the Phillies release. Not much has changed over the last few months, with J.P. Crawford holding the top spot on the list. With Aaron Nola a full-time Phillie, outfielder Nick Williams moved to the two spot with right-hander Jake Thompson rounding out the top three. In addition, Andrew Knapp has found his was into the top 10 list in a big way after a breakout season with Double-A Reading.
Here is the entire Phillies top 10 prospect list via Baseball America.
- J.P. Crawford – SS
- Nick Williams – OF
- Jake Thompson – RHP
- Andrew Knapp – C
- Jorge Alfaro – C
- Cornelius Randolph – OF
- Franklyn Kilome – RHP
- Roman Quinn – OF
- Adonis Medina – RHP
- Carlos Tocci – OF
Crawford, 20, was removed from Fall League play following a small ligament tear in his left thumb. The future Phillies shortstop slashed .288/.380/.414 this season between Advanced 'A' Clearwater and Double-A Reading.
Despite missing time late in the season as playoffs approached, outfielder Nick Williams made an instant impact when he joined the Phillies organization from the Rangers. The 22-year-old outfielder hit a combined .303 between Double-A teams with the Phils and Texas this season with 26 doubles, six triples, 17 home runs and 55 RBIs. In addition, Williams scored 77 runs and stole 16 bases.
Jake Thompson quickly became the ace of the Reading rotation aside Zach Eflin after the Cole Hamels trade. The former 2012 second round pick went 5-1 with a 1.80 ERA in seven starts with the Fightin Phils, including a postseason shutout against the B-Mets in the first round of the Eastern League playoffs.
Andrew Knapp wasn't listed on the Phils prospect lists at any point last season, but his .360 average in Double-A this season warranted some recognition and the fourth spot on the top 10 is just that. The 23-year-old backstop won the Player of the Week Award twice and won the Eastern League Player of the Month for August after hitting .404 with nine doubles, a triple, eight home runs and 28 RBIs.
Coming in at fifth is catching prospect Jorge Alfaro, another member of the deal that sent Cole Hamels to the Rangers. Alfaro saw some time in the Gulf Coast League as the season came to a close, but a hamstring injury caused him to miss more time after his ankle injury he had been recovering from all season. The Phillies expect Alfaro, who hit .253 with five homers and 21 RBIs before his injury with Texas, to join the Venezuelan League in the coming weeks.
The Phillies first round pick from 2015, Cornelius Randolph, comes in at sixth on the top 10 list after hitting ..302 with 15 doubles, three triples, a home run and 24 RBIs with the GCL Phillies this season. Randolph showed off good plate discipline in his first season, walking 32 times and striking out the same amount.
Right-hander Franklyn Kilome, 20, went 3-2 with a 3.28 ERA this season with Williamsport. He started the season strong, posting a 0.77 ERA in his first two starts to open the year.
Speedy outfielder Roman Quinn missed the Reading playoff run due to injury, but is healthy and as quick as he was before he got hurt, according to Joe Jordan, Phillies director of player development. Quinn is currently playing in the Dominican Republic.
“He’s just as fast as he was,” Jordan said.
Quinn had 10 hits, including two triples and a homer, in his first nine games in the Dominican. [CSNPhilly.com]
Adonis Medina is a new name to the list, coming in at number nine. Just 18 years of age out of the Dominican Republic, Medina went 3-2 with a 2.98 ERA in 10 games, eight starts, for the GCL Phillies, holding opposing hitters to a .253 average. He struck out 35 and walked 12.
Finishing out the list is 20-year-old Venezuela-native, Carlos Tocci. The Phillies outfield prospect spent time between Class 'A' Lakewood and Advanced 'A' Clearwater in 2015, hitting a combined .287 with 23 doubles, two triples, four homers, 43 RBIs and 66 runs scored. Tocci was promoted after hitting .321 in 59 games with Lakewood, but struggled to find the same consistency at the plate in Clearwater, where he should start in 2016.
Brandon Apter, Managing Editor for Philliedelphia.com
