As is the case in so many walks of life, how you feel about a baseball team dedicated to rebuilding will often boil down to your perspective.
If you’re in the front office, the media, or a scout for a farm team, the term “rebuilding” likely conjures up a feeling of excitement, fast-paced deals, and an eye for the future. Watching prospects come into their own, making that adjustment that adds 25 points to their batting average or 5 MPH to their fastball gives hope for the future of a team.
From the bleachers, though, watching a rebuilding team can be, in a word, dull. You’d have to go back to 2011 to find the last season in which the Phillies finished above .500. The team’s 71-91 record in 2016 was a small step forward from the 63-99 finish the 2015 team was able to produce. The Phillies are, in every sense of the word, rebuilding. And the future looks like it may be bright.
JP Crawford
Entering 2017, Crawford is ranked as the sixth best prospect across Major League Baseball, and for good reason. Despite not hitting for power or stealing many bases, the Phils’ number one prospect has a knack for getting on base, walking at a good clip while limiting strikeouts. At just 22 years of age, the 2013 first round pick has plenty of time for growth and maturity before he breaks into the bigs, an event that many anticipate taking place this season.
Scott Kingery
While 22 year old Kingery has big shoes to fill at second base with many fans still mourning the loss of Chase Utley and the glory days of 2008, the youngster’s skillset and promising spring training have helped ease the fears of many. With a short, compact swing and the ability to put the ball into gaps all over the field, Kingery has shown himself able to approach each at bat with the patience and keen eye one would expect from a veteran. Though we likely won’t see him on a MLB roster until 2018 or so, Kingery is one of a few prospects to keep an eye on this season.
Mickey Moniak
At just 18 years old, Moniak is still a ways away from a big league appearance. The outfielder, drafted with the first overall pick in 2016, has a lot of hype and promise to live up to, and many scouts expect him to pass with flying colors. The speedy OF has been praised again and again for his high baseball IQ and fantastic instincts. Though he hasn’t shown much pop at the plate to this point, he has worked closely with trainers to tack on muscle mass and reach the “middle of the road power” plateau many expected of him after seeing him play in high school.
Sixto Sanchez
When the Phillies signed Sixto Sanchez for about $35,000 in 2015, fairly few people stopped to take notice. Despite his fairly small size, Sanchez has shown the ability to bring it on the mound, throwing his fastball in the low to mid 90s, topping out at 96-97. And what Sixto lacks in mound presence he makes up for in control; unlike other hard throwers around the league, Sanchez has shown incredible command of his fastball. At just 18, Sanchez has ample time to improve the parts of his game that fall a bit short (offspeed stuff, stamina), but his 0.50 ERA in 54 innings pitched last season warrants some close attention from those interested in the future of the Phillies.