 |
| Mickey Moniak |
Sixto Sanchez was a scrawny 16-year-old batting practice pitcher at a Dominican Republic workout session when the Phillies snapped him up for $35,000.
The kid threw an easy 96 mph and somehow remained a undiscovered gem. These days, Sanchez is preparing to enter his age 19/20 season as one of the very best young arms in professional baseball.
These are the kind of wins the scouting team needs to deliver if a team is to climb into championship territory. The Phillies' player development team is producing these off-the-radar wins with regularity now.
Ironically, it's the high draft picks -- the safe zone, if you will -- where results are woefully lacking. Disclaimer: it is still early for these picks. That said, 2018 is a crucial year for these players I will return to momentarily.
First, let's return to the stunning scouting wins.
Odubel "Flipper" Herrera was a frenetic bundle of energy full of questions when the Phillies tabbed him with the 8th pick of the 2014 Rule 5 Draft. It was questionable whether Herrera could hit for power, harness his speed effectively, or even learn the strike zone. Heck, he didn't even have a permanent position, alternating between infield and outfield.
But Flipper could hit. Three years later, he owns a .288 MLB average, a $30.5 million contract and is one of the best Rule 5 picks in history.
At 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, Scott Kingery is not your typical power hitter. He was, however, a terrific college player at the University of Arizona when the Phils made him the 48nd pick of the 2015 MLB Draft.
Updated prospect lists have Kingery as the top second base prospect in all of baseball. His selection was a home run bigger than any of the 26 dingers Scott whacked in 2017.
Everyone expects that Herrera, Kingery and, ultimately, Sanchez, will play starring roles for the Phillies over the next decade.
Whether Cornelius Randolph, Mickey Moniak or Adam Haseley join them is about as unpredictable as the Trump West Wing.
And it shouldn't be since all three OFs were top 10 picks -- with Moniak going No. 1 in 2016.
These high first-round picks are must hits for any team. To this point, none of the three look particularly good. Only Haseley made the Baseball America top 100 list, slipping in at No. 100 after a lackluster debut.
That Moniak owns a .649 OPS after 169 minor league games is certainly concerning. Yes, he's 19. Yes, he has one full year as a professional. Good counterpoints.
These picks are much more frustrating when the suffering fan reviews those drafts and realizes the Phils could have SPs Walker Buehler (2015) and Forrest Whitley (2016) readying to front the ML rotation. Both are among the top pitching prospects in baseball.
Hindsight is a harsh judge, for sure. But if you want to win, you've got to draft well. And it starts with the premium picks. I have no research on this, but my gut favors drafting pitchers high just on a value basis.
Right now, the Phillies have four fine young starting OFs they have acquired via a variety of different means. Rhys Hoskins was a 5th round pick and Aaron Altherr a 9th rounder. Nick Williams came by way of trade. And, of course, Flipper in the Rule 5.
You can find outfielders. I'm not sure of the wisdom in taking three straight OFs in the top 10.
The Atlanta Braves have perhaps the best farm system in MLB and they've done it by drafting pitchers in the 1st round for six consecutive years.
The Phils draft third in this year's June draft.
I hope they get it right this time.
