We continue our breakdown of the roster 40-to-1 with the 20s. Here we see a lot of prospects on the way up, along with a few veterans clinging to their big-league lives.
Again, my ranking is based equal parts on the season performance and the player's expected fit on future Phillies' squads.
Enjoy.
30. Austin Davis, RP -- Really came out of nowhere, as relievers are wont to do. Kaptain Gabe has taken to pitching Davis indiscriminately, at times for two innings. It has yielded far more good than bad.
Davis has pitched much better than his 4.13 ERA. His fielding independent pitching mark is a fine 2.61. He's allowed one home run, and is striking out 10.5 batters per nine.
More importantly, Davis has a confident coolness about him. Could stick as a key member of the pen.
29. Andrew Knapp, C -- Former second-round pick. Switch-hitter. Highly respected. Scuffling offensively and defensively. Owner of the season's most dramatic hit.
On July 1, Knapp hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 13th inning vs. the Nats. The Phils were going to send a position player out to pitch the 14th, so the dinger likely turned an L into a W.
But the arrival of Wilson Ramos sent Knapp to Triple A. Phils might seek a catching upgrade, squeezing out Knapp.
28. Adam Morgan, RP -- Continues to have Kap's trust; Continues to post shaky numbers. Morgan was thought to have found a home in the bullpen after a sterling second-half 2017. But consistency has eluded him in 2018.
He is currently enjoying his best stretch, a 2.70 ERA since June 25. His FIP mark is 3.98, a career best, but hardly an asset. Might be eclipsed by one of the intriguing lefty relievers in the system, such as Kyle Dohy or Tyler Gilbert.
27. Roman Quinn, OF -- These are heady days for the mercurial Quinn. Although it seems Roman has teased us with his game-wrecking potential since the John Felske era, he is actually just 25.
Quinn is in his seventh season, his seventh straight season marred by a serious injury. We are well past the time he needs to prove he can stay healthy. His electric speed is giving him a chance to help a team make a playoff run. He needs to take advantage of it.
26. Aaron Altherr, OF -- If this is the bubble OF region of our list, then it makes sense to put Altherr and Quinn together. No player disappointed more in 2018 than Aaron, IMO.
After a strong 2017 that included 19 homers, 24 doubles, an .856 OPS and a 2.2 WAR -- all in two-thirds of a season -- Altherr seemed poised for a butt-kicking age 27 year. Inexplicably, it never got off the ground. AA was finally sent to AAA July 23, where he is not doing much better.
Not sure what happened here. But a 6-foot-5 frame gives pitchers a lot of room to find a strike-zone weakness. Maybe Altherr was never as good as he was good, nor as bad as he was bad. Can play all over the OF and likely to remain as OF depth.
25. Hector Neris, RP -- Et tu, Hector? Yes, even Hector went south this season as the surging Phillies seemed to field as many disappointments as surprises.
After three solid-to-strong seasons leading the bullpen, Neris faltered early and frequently in 2018. He was finally demoted June 29 with a 6.90 ERA.
Hector recovered the sinker at Lehigh Valley, and has K'd nine of 14 batters in five strong appearances since his return. Too good not to be in future plans.
24. Ranger Suarez, SP -- Needs to be traded to Texas and develop control issues, just for the headline potential ("Walk Him, Texas Ranger"). Probably not. Instead, we hope he remains and one day throws a shutout for the Phillies ("The Lone Ranger").
We know what Ranger is about right now. Just 22, he's put up a 2.81 ERA in 19 starts split between Reading and Lehigh Valley. Bonus points for being left-handed.
23. Tommy Hunter, RP -- It's not that Tommy has been bad, it's that he hasn't been good. A 3.72 ERA (3.32 FIP) is okay, but not what we're paying $18 million for to be sure. The contract isn't his fault. Somebody offers to pay you a lot of money, you accept.
Probably spends 2019 as an average-to-good reliever, then goes elsewhere.
22. JP Crawford, IF -- A lost season. That dreaded Mendoza Line has taunted JP at every stop this year (.143 in A ball; .083 at AAA; and .194 with the Phillies). Season marred by a broken hand.
But if we're being honest here, outside of a strong six-week stretch in AAA last year, Crawford has done nothing to justify his lofty prospect status of recent years.
With the Phils' leadership team apparently set to offer Manny Machado a contract equivalent to the GDP of some small countries, JP's future here is murky.
Has the talent and versatility to be a nice utility infielder. Not going anywhere.
21. Pat Neshek, RP -- With Hunter, part of the twin, free-agent, bullpen reinforcement plan. The almost-38-year-old Neshek is also here another year and then ... retirement?
Still a strong, unflappable reliever who gets key outs from the sixth inning to the ninth. A short-term force, but a force nonetheless. Penalized for missing three months to injury.
Next Up: We get into some starters and key prospects with Nos. 11-20.
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