It's the All-Star Break and I've seen two midseason prospect lists this week. Seems like I'm due to unveil the Hilton Top 10.
Here we go:
1. That Crawford kid. The most obvious pick on the list. Right now, JP is ranked more on his potential than actual production, but that potential is breathtaking. He's a bonofide five-tool player at the game's marquee position.
Put it this way: Take the best of Jimmy Rollins and Derek Jeter and you have Crawford's potential. He'll be a far superior defender to Jeter, while his walk and OBP will make fans forget Jimmy's first-pitch popups.
A stud.
2. SP Jake Thompson. I have concerns about the low strikeout rate, and he has more walks than you'd like. But my theory is simple: by the time players get to Triple A, they are facing Major League opponents every night. Maybe not every at-bat, but the majority of Triple A players are either former or future big leaguers.
And Thompson has flat-out dominated. He's 7-5 with a 2.58 ERA on the season, with 88 hits in 104 innings. But in his last seven starts, covering 49.1 innings, Thompson has allowed four runs.
He's ready.
3. OF Nick Williams. Many lists have Williams second and Thompson third. I like the pitcher's consistency and polish at this point. As everyone knows, Williams has been benched three times this year.
I don't think it's a long-term problem, but more a case of tough love that will benefit Williams down the line. He does has a quick bat and high athleticism. He's hitting .287 with 20 doubles, 4 triples and 8 home runs.
He's close.
4. C Jorge Alfaro. Some injury concerns here, but Alfaro has tremendous power and a rocket arm. He's hit .287 with 11 homers and 46 RBIs at Double A. He had 5 walks in his first 53 games, and eight walks in his last five games.
That's encouraging if it continues. Seems he is working on that part of his game. Possibly the best catcher prospect in baseball.
5. OF Mickey Moniak. The first four are easy. It gets interesting at No. 5. I'm going with the kid. Yes, he's just a few weeks out of high school, but being the No. 1 overall pick carries some cache. And the Phils under Joe Jordan have nailed these first picks.
Oh, and it doesn't hurt that Mickey Mo is hitting .400 through seven Gulf Coast League games.
6. 2B Scott Kingery. OK, now it gets really interesting. I love Scott Kingery. He's had the kind of season professional hitters have, stacking solid game upon solid game. I love the comparisons to Dustin Pedroia (diminuitive second baseman from Arizona colleges).
At present, Kingery is showing doubles power -- his 27 doubles are 10 more than all but three other players in the tough Florida State League -- but that should turn into a few home runs with time.
I love that Kingery set a goal this year, to be a better base stealer, and achieved it. His 22 steals are fifth in the FSL. I love how he hit leadoff for a long stretch, then spent a few weeks batting third. Lately, he's been hitting second. To me, that's a sign the big club sees him as a top-of-the-order hitter.
I expect Kingery to rip up the Eastern League next year and be the Phils' opening day second baseman in 2018.
7. OF Cornelius Randolph. It's been a rough year for the 2015 first-round pick. But I still remember the strong start in the GCL last year, when he hit .302 with 32 walks/32 Ks. Randolph was on an 8-13 streak with Lakewood before a shoulder injury knocked him out for more than two months.
He is back in the Lakewood OF and should be fine.
8. C Andrew Knapp. I was going to leave Andrew off this list until I heard the CSN Philly guys talking him up. Not because the bat has been so-so -- .266, 7 homers, 30 RBIs.
I think the bat will be fine, but I am not sure catching is in Knapp's future. And I couldn't put him on this list as a first baseman, where he'll likely end up. Andrew has devoted his attention to defense this year, and the results have been shaky. He has 7 errors and 10 passed balls. Unacceptable.
But, as the CSN guys reminded me, Knapp is still a switch hitter with power from both sides who hit .308 last year with 35 doubles and 13 homers.
Let's keep him right here.
9. SP Adonis Medina. The Phils have had some disappointments within the starting pitching crew. Notably, Kilome, Pinto and Asher. The 19-year-old Medina has dominated and offers thrilling potential.
In four starts at short-season A ball, Medina has allowed 7 hits and 1 run in 22.1 innings. You'd like to see more than nine Ks, but he seems to know how to pitch and how to get outs. That's rare in a young guy.
Of course, the minors are filled with young pitchers who can get young hitters out. But Medina reportedly can throw it up to 95, with a promising slider and change.
10. 1B Rhys Hoskins. Lots of candidates for this last spot. Pitchers Ben Lively and Nick Pivetta have done well. OF Roman Quinn was on fire until yet another injury. But this spot comes down to Hoskins or his home run partner, Dylan Cozens.
I am surprised Hoskins won my vote to be honest. But he is posting his second straight strong season, following up 17 homers and 90 RBIs with 25 home runs (and counting) at Double A. His average is above .300 during that time.
Hoskins was a 5th round pick, just like another pretty good Phillies first baseman named Howard.
But Hoskins is here over Cozens because of his splits. He does have 16 homers at the Reading launching pad, but he also has 14 doubles and 9 homers on the road.
Cozens, on the other hand, has 17 doubles and 20 homers at home, compared to 9 and 4 on the road.
I'm concerned that Hoskins is just another plodding righty with little speed who strikes out a lot. A lot of those guys, like Mark Reynolds and Russell Branyon, to name two, don't make it.
But in a season where the lumbering Mark Trumbo is rescuing his career, I'm giving Hoskins a shot.
