Brandon Apter (@bapter23), Publishing Editor
With the Phillies farm system filled with new faces, it was only a matter of time before some of their former prospects moved on to pursue opportunities with other organizations in hopes of reaching the big leagues. Outfielder Kelly Dugan and catcher Sebastian Valle are starting fresh next season. Dugan is joining the Cubs system while the Yankees have picked up Valle, the former top catching prospect.
#Yankees sign one-time top prospect C Sebastian Valle, RH reliever Vinnie Pestano & control-artist LHP Richard Bleier to minor league deals.
— Matt Eddy (@MattEddyBA) December 23, 2015
Cubs have signed former Cutter OF Kelly Dugan (2010/2011) to minor league deal.
— Cutters Baseball (@crosscutters) December 21, 2015
Valle, 25, spent eight season in the Phillies minor league system, earning a Futures Game selection in 2011 and the honors of Phillies Organizational All-Star in 2010. He was once thought to be the Phillies catcher of the future, but never quite panned out as it was planned. After hitting .307 at Williamsport in 2009 and .284 in Clearwater in 2011, Valle struggled to put up consistent offense at the plate. He spent last year in the Pirates organization with the Double-A affiliate in Altoona, PA. Valle posted a .279 average on the year, the highest since he hit .284 in 2011. He hit .238 in his final season with the Phillies organization, 2014, between Reading and Lehigh Valley. In nine minor league seasons, he's caught 29 percent of base stealers and hit .258 in 753 games.
Meanwhile, Kelly Dugan, 25, heads to the Cubs after seven seasons with the Phillies. He was selected by Philadelphia in the second round of the 2009 draft and slowly moved his way up the Phillies system straight out of high school. Dugan plays all corner outfield positions but has been hindered by multiple foot injuries throughout his career including turf toe, a broken foot, a stress fracture in his back and an oblique injury. Last season, Dugan made his way from Advanced 'A' Clearwater to Double-A Reading all the way up to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Combined between the three levels, he hit.274 with 15 doubles, three homers, 37 runs scored and 33 RBIs in 83 games. In 44 games with Reading, he hit .315.
