Zach Eflin delivers a pitch in the third inning of Thursday's game in Clearwater (Photo: Frank Klose/Philliedelphia)
CLEARWATER, Fla — The 2016 Phillies season is primarily one of waiting. When the Phillies traded shortstop Jimmy Rollins to the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to the 2015 season, the Phillies got two pieces in return. The one piece in return was left-handed pitcher Tom Windle. The primary piece in the deal, however, was right-handed starter Zach Eflin. The Phillies got their first look at Eflin in Grapefruit League play Thursday in Clearwater.
Eflin came to the Phillies via the San Diego Padres after the Dodgers sent outfielder Matt Kemp to San Diego. Eflin currently sits ninth on the MLB Pipeline Phillies top 10 prospects, but that is because the Phillies drafted or traded for seven of the eight players ahead of him in the last 12 months. But, ranked ninth, Eflin comes into camp with the weight of the prospect tag. In his first chance to impress, Eflin was so-so.
Eflin went two innings, allowing one unearned run, which scored partially because of a Taylor Featherston error at third base. But Eflin served up a double to Astros slugger George Springer, walking two, and hitting Springer with a pitch the next time he faced him. But the overall experience is what Eflin will take away from his early outing, which very well may be his only outing before minor league camp opens next week.
Eflin spoke to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com about his experience:
"Coming in here, everyone is open to talking and stuff," Eflin said after pitching two innings Thursday in a 3-2 loss to the Astros in a Grapefruit League game at Bright House Field. "Coming in here, I thought it'd be the young guys kind of shying away [from the veterans], but they've been completely outgoing and it's been incredible."
Of course, few veterans remain in camp.
The two veteran starters Jeremy Hellickson and Charlie Morton are locks for the Phillies starting rotation, with Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff pretty certain for the starting rotation. Beyond that depth are as many as six others who could pitch in the fifth spot to start 2016. Eflin is likely headed for AAA Lehigh Valley, where he will join many young promising starters, including Mark Appel and Jake Thompson. The overflow of talent could mean someone has to pitch at AA Reading.
Eflin's first chance could come in July or August 2016, depending what the Phillies do with Morton and Hellickson. Eflin pitched pretty well in 2015, going 8-6 with a 3.69 earned run average as Reading made it to the Eastern League championship round before falling to the Bowie Baysox. Many of those players from Reading will likely join him at AAA Lehigh Valley in 2016.
But until then, it is a waiting game. The Phillies are waiting for players such as Eflin to become ripe and ready for Major League play. The Phillies have more starting pitching prospects than they have slots in the rotation. So, until pitchers like Eflin rise to the top, we wait.
