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Boston Globe
10-04-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
What does the Red Sox farm system now look like beyond the Big Three? A look at the system at outset of 2025 season.
Mayer's spectacular spring performance underscored that the infielder is a special talent who is knocking on the door, and his ability to play up the middle creates an extremely high ceiling. That said, a survey of evaluators consistently tabbed Anthony as being slightly ahead in prospect standing given the widespread conviction in the outfielder's bat, with one evaluator deeming his combination of swing decisions and power potential as a 20-year-old to be 'otherworldly.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Related : Advertisement The presence of both players in Triple A gives the Sox extraordinary, high-end positional depth. Who will be the top prospect by season's end? Campbell, Anthony, and Mayer are all likely to lose 'prospect eligibility' by the end of this year. So who will take that title? The most obvious — and popular — answer is Franklin Arias, a 19-year-old shortstop who is opening the year with Single A Salem. Several evaluators see Arias as a true shortstop who combines excellent plate discipline and contact skills with emerging power and excellent aptitude that has him on a fast track with a chance to reach Double A this season. Advertisement 'He's a plus defender waking up in the morning,' said Sox (Some evaluators are more cautious in their views of Arias's range at shortstop, even as his footwork and hands are seen as excellent assets.) Some cited one of two righthanded pitchers will emerge as the best Sox prospect by the end of the year: Luis Perales or Juan Valera. Perales, a 6-foot-1-inch righthander who turns 22 next week, is still rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and likely won't pitch in games until late in the season. But the electric arsenal he demonstrated before his UCL tear in Double A Portland last year gives him the upside of anywhere from a mid-rotation starter to someone with the 'potential to be the best arm in the minors,' according to one evaluator. He could be regularly touching triple digits at the end of the year. Valera, 18, overpowered hitters last year (.125 batting average against, lowest in the minors) and was working comfortably at 98-100 miles per hour this spring to go along with a slider/sweeper and changeup. He also has a massive starter's frame (6-3, 205 pounds), giving him a lot of foundational pieces of a potential mid-rotation starter with the floor of a late-innings reliever. He's the first Sox pitcher to reach High A before turning 19 since 2018. Related : Backfield buzz: Pitching throughout the system took the spotlight in minor league camp. What would qualify as success for the team's pitching program in 2025? Advertisement 'If we see a lot of these minor league guys that we've had in the system for a couple years now really take steps forward and help impact the big league team,' said Already, impressive showings by righthanders Richard Fitts and Hunter Dobbins, and lefthander Shane Drohan (up to 97 m.p.h. this spring) helped to position the Sox to trade Quinn Priester — particularly given a promising Double A rotation that features righthanders David Sandlin (whose electric stuff could make him a top-100 prospect and big league option by the end of the year), Yordanny Monegro, and Blake Wehunt, and lefthander Connelly Early (who struck out seven in 3⅔ no-hit innings to open his season). 7 strikeouts in a scoreless first outing of 2025 for Connelly Early! — Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) Lefthander Payton Tolle, the team's second-round pick in 2024, is opening the year in High A, a reflection of mechanics and pitch shapes that seemed likely to overwhelm hitters in Single A. Righty Jedixson Paez, 21, is a fascinating prospect in High A with elite command, feel for pitching, and great pitch shapes but whose arsenal lacks power. The Sox had him on a velocity program this spring and are using him in shorter (two- and three-inning) stints to encourage him to air out his stuff. If he proves capable of maintaining or improving upon the 92-93 m.p.h. he showed, he could quickly move up to Double A. Lefty Brandon Clarke, meanwhile, will open the year in Single A Salem. He has an electric arsenal, especially a high-90s to triple-digits fastball and potential wipeout sweeper, that he needs to hone in the strike zone. If he can do so, the upside is considerable. Righty Advertisement 4 strikeouts in 5 scoreless frames of work for Blake Aita in the opener! — Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) One additional spring performer and a prospect blast from the past: righthander Noah Song, rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, is throwing 95-97 m.p.h. in bullpen sessions. On the position side, a few players stood out for their promise entering 2025. Outfielder Nelly Taylor, an 11th-round pick in 2024, received raves for his offseason work that added significant bat speed and power potential to a player who already exhibits tremendous athleticism and outfield defense. His first homer of the year on Sunday was a 108 m.p.h. rocket. Nelly Taylor's first homer of the season was a rocket! 🚀 — Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) While catcher Johanfran Garcia opened the year on the 60-day injured list while recovering from a ruptured ACL that ended his 2024 campaign, he is pounding the ball while ramping up toward a rehab assignment that could start as soon as May, in advance of rejoining Single A Salem by June. And finally, there is 18-year-old Justin Gonzales, a Stantonian giant at 6-5 and 260 pounds. Advertisement 'He is absolutely the guy to watch,' said one evaluator. Related : Gonzales shows startling contact skills for a player his size, having struck out just 10 percent of the time in the Dominican Summer League last year, and makes loud contact. This spring, he showed both an excellent approach and an improved ability to hit the ball in the air, impressing enough that there was conversation about assigning him to full-season Salem to open the year (an extreme rarity for a position player While Gonzales mostly played first base last year in the DSL, he's currently spending most of his time in the outfield. Alex Speier can be reached at
New York Times
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Juan Soto spent 3 weeks with his minor-league host family. Memories endure 7 years later
The first thing Juan Soto wanted to do was find a GameStop where he could address a faulty PlayStation console. He was just 19, newly arrived in Hagerstown, Md., to begin the 2018 season at Low A. The head of his host family, Brian Campbell, chuckles at the recollection. Soto, baseball's $765 million man, laughs out loud. Advertisement Seven years later, the memories endure. Soto stayed with the Campbells for only about three weeks in April 2018 before advancing to High A, Double A and the majors in less than a month. Yet, even after signing the richest contract in sports history, he remains in touch with Campbell, who says the outfielder is the same person at 26 he was at 19. 'People always ask, 'Is he arrogant?'' Campbell said. 'Nope. He's just Soto.' Campbell, 47, has taken his daughter, three sons and other family members to visit Soto at major-league parks and gone out to dinner with him on occasion. The persisting bond between the two was evident when Campbell consented to be interviewed for this story. Campbell texted Soto for his permission. In less than half an hour, Soto responded with his blessing. 'I know it was a short time, but we had so much fun every single day in that house,' Soto said last weekend while the New York Mets were in Houston. 'It's a big family, a really lovely family that welcomed us like we were their kids.' Soto, during his time with the Hagerstown Suns, was not much older than Campbell's sons, two of whom were 15 and another who was 12. Campbell and his ex-wife also hosted three other players that season, none of whom reached the majors, and about 15 total from 2017 to '19. The majority of the players were Latin American. Other team members would come by after games to hang out at the Campbell home. Tom Burtman, the Suns' director of promotions, recalled hearing the home was a 'happening place.' Soto, smiling broadly, concurred with that assessment. 'Every time we came back from a game, we had our table for playing cards, video games, karaoke,' Soto said. 'I was really surprised by everything they had. And every night, it didn't matter whether we were tired or not, we would always go back down to the basement and try to have fun. And they loved it. They always had fun with us. We played cards. Advertisement 'We talked. We sang. Every day we found something different to do. That's what made it special.' Times have changed. The Washington Nationals' affiliate in Hagerstown no longer exists, eliminated in 2020 as part of MLB's minor-league restructuring. Host family programs, once a staple of minor-league baseball, no longer exist, either. Two years ago, in the first minor-league CBA, Major League Baseball agreed to double salaries and provide guaranteed housing for most minor leaguers. The host family programs, in the view of the Major League Baseball Players Association, became unnecessary. While conditions for minor leaguers clearly have improved, Burtman believes players benefited from the host family experience. He, too, was a host, and planned to house Soto and another player from the Dominican Republic in 2018. Instead, he passed them off to Campbell, putting them with a 27-year-old Dominican catcher, Adderling Ruiz, who could serve as their mentor. 'That's what was important about the host family situation,' said Burtman, who is now director of promotions and entertainment for the team that replaced the Suns in Hagerstown, the Flying Boxcars of the independent Atlantic League. 'It gave that family feeling to some of these younger players.' For Campbell, the question came out of nowhere. Until recently, he owned two Jimmy John's franchises in Hagerstown. And in April 2017, he was working on a sponsorship deal with the Suns when Burtman approached him at the club's 'Meet the Team Night.' 'You want to be a host family? We're short on houses,' Campbell recalled Burtman saying. 'What is a host family?' Campbell replied. 'I have no idea.' In 2017, Soto's initial stint with Hagerstown, the team struggled to find host families and rented a house for a number of Dominican players. Soto broke his ankle sliding into home plate a month into the season and left Hagerstown to rehabilitate at the Nationals' training facility in Viera, Fla. The following year, the team determined it could not afford to rent another house, and increased its efforts to identify new host families. Advertisement Campbell lived 11 miles south of Hagerstown, in Boonsboro. His home included four bedrooms and a great room with enough space for two or three more beds. The basement, as Soto said, was a natural gathering spot for players and family members after games. Soto, who received a $1.5 million bonus when he signed with the Nationals in 2015, owned a minivan that he used to transport teammates and their equipment. Ruiz, nicknamed 'Pato,' did much of the cooking, preparing mountains of rice and beans and chicken for his teammates and the Campbell family. 'I put on a lot of weight that year,' Campbell said. Soto's dedication to his craft already was evident. While playing cards, he would take out a resistance band and continue working. And while Campbell and his family initially were not aware the kid was a top prospect, they quickly figured it out. 'He was just crushing balls left and right in Hagerstown,' Campbell said. 'You could tell. You just knew by watching him. And the other players would tell me. 'Come to batting practice, watch this guy.'' By May 20, Soto was in the majors. Campbell and a number of Hagerstown players, including the Nationals' current second baseman, Luis García Jr., attended one of his first games in Washington. Campbell became a Nationals season ticket holder. And Soto, almost immediately, became a sensation. Early during Soto's time with the Nationals, Campbell picked him up after a day game in Washington to attend a barbecue at his home, about 70 miles away. They stopped in Frederick, Md., where the Nats' High-A affiliate was playing. And as they left the field after Soto's visit, fans sprinted toward him in the parking lot, seeking his autograph. Soto took time to sign, but eventually told Campbell to get the car started. Otherwise, they would never leave. Advertisement 'It was pretty cool to see his growth in not only baseball, but in being a superstar,' Campbell said. As Soto's fame grew, Campbell found quieter spots for them to meet. His brother-in-law is an executive with the Atlas Restaurant Group, a company that owns restaurants in Baltimore with private rooms and cigar bars. But frequently, Campbell and his family would just see Soto at different ballparks. In 2022, shortly before he was traded to the San Diego Padres, Soto caught Campbell's attention during a game at Nationals Park. One of Soto's former Hagerstown teammates, Telmito Agustin, was in the stands. Soto tried mouthing the news to Campbell, to no avail. Soto wrote on a baseball, 'Telmito is here,' and flipped it to Campbell. 'It was like a baseball text message,' Campbell said. Little changed after Soto left the Nationals. Campbell visited Petco Park with family members when Soto was with the Padres. He also attended the New York Yankees' home opener last season. Campbell said once or twice a year Soto will leave him and his guests batting practice passes. He refrains from asking for tickets, preferring to purchase his own rather than impose. 'A lot of times they come and don't even tell me,' Soto said. 'I turn around and I see them. I'm like, 'Oh!' They really respect my space.' The minor-league CBA in 2023 increased the minimum annual salary for players in Low A from $11,000 to $26,200. When Soto played at that level five years earlier, the minimum was in the $6,000 to $8,000 range. So, when Campbell learned Soto signed for $765 million, he had a two-word reaction. 'Hell yeah,' he said. 'Because I was involved with minor-league players so much, I hope every player takes as many dollars as he can from any owner. Like, take it. Before they increased the minimum wage for players, it was nothing. If you didn't sign with a signing bonus, you didn't have any money.' Advertisement Campbell, though, was not entirely happy. He grew up in Mystic, Conn., a town he said was divided between Yankees and Boston Red Sox fans. The Yankees were his team and remained his team even as his father, who was in the military, moved the family up and down the East Coast. Once Campbell started hosting players, he needed to cool it a bit — he wore a Yankees cap to a game in which the Suns faced a Yankees affiliate, only to hear from the players in his home, 'Uh-uh, you can't.' But by the time Soto landed with the Yankees for the 2024 season, Campbell was free to return to his old allegiances. The host family program was no more. 'Last year was like the super peak, can't get any better,' Campbell said. 'And then he signed with the Mets. So this is going to be rough.' While Soto was a free agent, Campbell asked him to stay away from three teams, telling him, 'no Mets, no Red Sox, no Phillies.' Alas, Soto made up his own mind. And when Campbell reached out to him after his decision, it was with mixed feelings. 'He congratulated me,' Soto said. '(But) he was really sad about the contract.' Specifically, the team. 'He's another fan. He loves the Yankees. He was really happy when I was there,' Soto said. 'But he was excited for what I accomplished.' How could Campbell not be? Soto has come a long way since he was singing and playing cards in the Campbells' basement. Then again, for the kid who arrived in Hagerstown looking for a GameStop, some things never change. During spring training, Soto arranged with the makers of 'Call of Duty' to bring video game consoles to the Mets' clubhouse so the players could try the newest version of the game prior to its release. 'He's fun to hang out with. He's charismatic. You're drawn to him,' Campbell said. 'He's just a good guy.' (Top photo of Juan Soto with Brian Campbell and his three sons at Nationals Park: Courtesy of Brian Campbell)
New York Times
02-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Red Sox, Kristian Campbell agree to 8-year, $60 million contract: Source
One day after the Boston Red Sox announced a contract extension for starter Garrett Crochet, the team locked up another member of its young core. On Wednesday, the Red Sox finalized an eight-year, $60 million deal for infielder/outfielder Kristian Campbell, according to a team source. The deal runs through 2032 with options for 2033 and 2034. Campbell's deal includes a $2 million signing bonus with club options of $19 million in 2033 — with a $4 million buyout — and $21 million in 2034. The remainder of the contract breakdowns as follows: The 22-year-old who debuted last on Opening Day has hit .375 (6-for-16) with two doubles and a homer through his first five games with four starts at second base and one in left field. At 22 years, 272 days old on Opening Day, he was the youngest Red Sox player to debut on Opening Day since Joe Lahoud in 1968 (20 years, 363 days). Advertisement Campbell, a 2023 fourth-rounder, rocketed through the Red Sox system last season, hitting .330 with a .997 OPS in 115 games at High A, Double A and Triple A and was named Baseball America's Minor Leaguer of the Year as well as The Athletic's Prospect of the Year. Campbell's 2031 and 2032 base salaries and the 2033 club option and 2034 club option base salaries can increase based on the following criteria: $2 million for MVP winner; $1 million for second or third place MVP; $500,000 for fourth or five place MVP, $250, 000 for sixth through 10th; $200,000 for All-Star election/selection. While Campbell's deal comes with just five days of big league service time, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has a history of signing players early in their careers. The Red Sox signed infielder/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela to an eight-year, $50 million at the start of 2024 after just 28 games played. Starter Brayan Bello signed a six-year, $50 million deal at the start of 2024 after just two seasons in the majors. With top prospects Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer yet to debut, the Red Sox have said they're pursuing contract extensions for both players as well.
Boston Globe
06-02-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
If they don't end up signing Alex Bregman, the Red Sox have a big question mark at second base
Grissom was acquired in the trade that sent Chris Sale to the Braves following the 2023 season, ending Sale's Red Sox tenure, which included the 2018 World Series title but also was marred by injuries. That it was a one-for-one deal highlights how highly the Red Sox valued Grissom, who was seemingly blocked up the middle in Atlanta with Ozzie Albies at second base and Orlando Arcia at shortstop. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Yet last season Sale went on to win his first Cy Young Award and Grissom was sidelined by a pair of hamstring injuries — the first during spring training — as well as a stomach bug that caused him to drop 15 pounds. Advertisement Grissom was fighting an uphill battle from the start, and he never managed to find his rhythm, making just 114 plate appearances and hitting .190. Vaughn Grissom battled injuries last season and often looked overmatched at the plate. Barry Chin/Globe Staff But in eight games in September, the Sox saw glimpses of Grissom's bat-to-ball skills, as he hit .333. Grissom's ability to drive the ball shined through a bit, too, with a pair of doubles, but the Red Sox had one message for Grissom during the offseason: Get stronger. Related : Hitting coach Pete Fatse said recently that Grissom has made strides in that department. 'We went to Miami and we saw Vaughn and his [workout] setup. We also saw him at Trevor [Story's camp] in December. So I've seen him,' said Fatse. 'And again, he's another guy prioritizing physicality, getting healthy, stronger, and he looks great.' Strength was a key factor for many of the Red Sox' younger players, including Ceddanne Rafaela, who despite his athleticism at times looked overpowered by the competition. Grissom, who turned 24 last month, also appeared overmatched in limited action, though he was working his way back from injuries. Advertisement But as Grissom faded, Campbell came into the picture with his meteoric rise through the minor leagues across three levels (High A Greenville, Double A Portland, and Triple A Worcester), slashing .330/.439/.558 with 20 homers. He quickly became one of the premier prospects in baseball and was invited to his first major league camp this year. Kristian Campbell rocketed through the Red Sox' minor league system last season, becoming one of the top prospects in baseball. Steven Guersch / Greenville Drive 'It was really cool to see that as the season went on, I think I became more efficient and kind of adapted to the game,' he said. Competitiveness will be at the heart of spring training, particularly between Grissom and Campbell, who has a chance to crack the big-league roster. 'I think competition, and they know it,' said Cora. 'They have put the work in during the offseason. They have done a really good job of, first, staying together, working with each other at the same time and reaching their goals. We'll see what happens in Fort Myers, but it'll be fun. It'll be fun to watch.' Bregman's upcoming age-31 season is part of the reason the Red Sox have viewed him as a short-term option. Their hesitation may also stem from their belief that Campbell could be big-league ready and make an impact as soon as this season. That, however, will sort itself out in spring training, possibly with Bregman there to further fuel the competition. Julian McWilliams can be reached at
New York Times
06-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Philadelphia Phillies 2025 top 20 prospects: Andrew Painter, Aidan Miller lead the way
The Phillies' system has lost a lot of depth over the last few years when they have been in contention, but they have a top three that must be the envy of most teams in baseball, with a potential No. 1 starter, an everyday shortstop, and an everyday center fielder making up that group, all first-round draft picks under scouting director Brian Barber. Their international scouting group also continues to find a ton of talented position players, including Starlyn Caba, a recently traded top-100 prospect. (Note: Tools are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale; ages as of July 1, 2025.) Advertisement Painter was supposedly on the bubble to make the Phillies out of spring training in 2023, when he was still 19, but ended up with a UCL tear that required Tommy John surgery and wiped out that season and all of 2024. He returned during the Arizona Fall League this offseason and threw 15 2/3 innings over six outings, still pumping 96-98 with good carry, showing a plus curveball and slider, with only the changeup lagging behind. He's built like a workhorse starter at 6-foot-7 and a listed weight of 215 that's probably out of date by 10-plus pounds, although the elbow tear and two lost years at least push his timetable to take 30 turns in a big-league rotation back a bit. He's probably going to demolish Triple-A hitters this year and end up in the majors in some kind of relief or swing role as the Phillies manage his innings and try to develop his changeup and his command, especially coming off a layoff where he's likely to still have some rust. The healthy version of Painter should be a 200-inning, No. 1 starter. Miller was the Phillies' 2023 first-round pick, coming off a senior season at J.W. Mitchell High School north of Clearwater that ended for him in early March when he broke a hamate bone. Between the injury and the fact that he was 19 at the draft, he slid down some teams' draft boards, which was the Phillies' windfall when they selected him with the 27th pick, as he's quickly become their best position-player prospect. Last season, he ripped through Low-A Clearwater with a .275/.401/.483 line in 39 games where he topped out at 108 mph, then started slow in High A before taking off in his last month and a half there, ending up with a .258/.353/.444 line before a final-week promotion to Double A, all very impressive for a player in his first full year in the minors. He has exclusively played shortstop since he signed, and contrary to predraft reports, he's played it really well, to the point where no one seems to question whether he can stay at the position. He's got very good instincts and shows above-average range in both directions, with a plus arm, playing defense like he wants to make every play. Advertisement I saw him right after the promotion to High A and noted an overly aggressive approach and tendency to get on top of the ball; within about two weeks, he'd already adjusted and was seeing more pitches and driving the ball again. He's even a plus runner now who stole 23 bases in 28 attempts last year, likely adding even more value to his game. Miller has played just 122 games in pro ball, and won't turn 21 until June, so he's still got time on his side and I think more power to come. With Trea Turner's defense slipping — his Runs Above Average on defense hasn't been positive since 2021 — Miller might be the Phillies' future at shortstop, and sooner than you think. Crawford held serve last year, continuing to hit the ball hard and get on base at a high clip (.360 overall between High A and Double A), but also continuing to put the ball on the ground 60 percent of the time because his swing has him coming down at the top of the ball. He's a 70 defender in centerfield and an 80 runner who swiped 42 bags in 51 attempts last year and probably could steal 60 without breaking a sweat. He overstrides at the plate, so he's frequently off-balance, and doesn't load his hands at all from a high setup, resulting in a bat path that often has him coming down towards the zone. Some of this is a matter of strength, as Crawford was all projection when the Phillies drafted him in the first round in 2022, and he still has a lot of physical growth ahead of him, but some is mechanical and it's time for him to make some real adjustments to get in better position to drive the ball. He's going to have plus raw power, and that combined with elite defense and speed will make him an impact player for a long time if he can change his swing to get that raw power into games. Advertisement Everyone agrees that Tait can hit, and hit it hard, with power to come; he hit .321/.377/.500 in the Florida Complex League last year, then moved up to Low A and hit .269/.316/.462 in 28 games, all as a 17-year-old. He did have some platoon splits, mashing against righties, but only struck out six times in 58 PA against lefties, a better K-rate than he had with the platoon advantage. The question is whether he's going to stay behind the plate, where, aside from a plus arm, he's a long way from making it work — and his body is already very thick for his age. His receiving and blocking are well below average as is, and it's more likely he ends up at another position. The bat could still be special enough to make him an above-average regular or more even if he has to go to first base, so he's very much a prospect. Just temper your enthusiasm until we get more clarity on his physical development and eventual position. The only thing that could stop Escobar in the Florida Complex League last year was shin splints; in 104 PA, the Venezuelan infielder hit .338/.495/.481 with 21 walks and 10 strikeouts. It's power and approach, with a fantastic swing and good feel to hit already. He's played third and second and certainly looks more like a third baseman, with thick hips already, and the plus arm to play there. He just hasn't played enough to run him up the board too much, but this is a bat to dream on. Saltiban was the Phillies' 2023 third-round pick out of a high school on the big island of Hawaii. He showed speed and power in his full-season debut in Low A, hitting .237/.346/.428 with 22 steals and 17 homers. He's short but very strong for his size, topping out with an exit velocity of 109.8 mph, although he makes a lot more medium-quality contact than hard-hit right now. He was more of an outfielder as an amateur, played a little shortstop right after he signed, and was mostly at second base last year. He's twitchy enough for the infield but there's a chance he'll return to the outfield as he gets older. He's got tools, he's got feel, he's got actions, and he may just need time. Advertisement The Phillies picked up Chace in the trade that sent Gregory Soto to the Orioles, to which point the Venezuelan righty had had an unremarkable season in High A, striking out a ton of guys (34.2 percent) but walking too many (13.5 percent) while bouncing from starting to relief. After the trade, he took off, throwing more strikes and working with more intent, especially with his hard-to-hit four-seamer. He missed more bats and walked fewer guys, punching out 48 with just 10 walks in 28 1/3 innings between High A and Double A. He made four starts at the higher level, including one where he struck out 10 in 4 2/3 innings and another where he struck out 13 in six one-hit innings. The stuff didn't change, but the plan did, and the Phillies might have just found another starter prospect. Nori was the Phillies' 2024 first-round pick out of a Michigan high school, and was something of a surprise selection because he was among the oldest high school prospects in the class, turning 20 in October. He has tools, though; he's an 80 runner, a plus defensive center fielder and has some feel to hit already. He sets up extremely wide at the plate, limiting his ability to rotate his hips or get his lower half involved to drive the ball, so his average raw power plays down in games. In 14 games in his pro debut — I mean, do I need to explain it's a small sample — he didn't hit a ball over 97 mph and had just one extra-base hit. Loosening him up at the plate isn't a hard fix and it could make him a 20-homer/30-steal guy who stays up the middle. Abel had another disappointing year in the high minors, walking 78 batters in 108 2/3 innings (15.1 percent of batters) and allowing a lot of hard contact, including 119 hits and 15 homers, in his first full trip through Triple A. His delivery works and he shouldn't have this much trouble with walks, while his stuff is mid-rotation level, with four pitches, including two above-average breaking balls. At this point, I might just put him in long relief and see if it helps, because there's no obvious fix and yet the stuff is too good to just let it go. Advertisement Rincon is one of the best defensive shortstop prospects in the minors, at least a 70 defender with a plus arm, showing incredible instincts and actions for the position. Unfortunately, he hit all of .198/.331/.322 last year between Low A and High A in the 35 games he played before a hamstring injury ended his season, and wasn't any better in the Arizona Fall League. He's not that bad, and has more pop than you'd expect from his frame, yet he can get weirdly pull-happy and rolls over to produce a lot of groundballs on pitches he should take the other way. He never strikes out and has so much value defensively that he doesn't have to do that much more with the bat to be a big-leaguer. We'll see how he looks when he's healthy. Burkholder was the Phillies' second-round pick last July out of a Northern Virginia high school, where he missed a good chunk of his spring with a calf muscle injury. He's a 70 runner and a center fielder, just like Nori, their first-round pick, and has a very rotational swing that helps him drive the ball, with 20-homer upside. He did struggle against breaking stuff on the amateur showcase circuit, and his pro debut was ruined when he got hurt again, tweaking a hamstring in his first game. Rincones is a platoon outfielder who can play either corner and smokes right-handed pitching, improving as the season went on even around a midyear stint on the injured list. He doesn't expand the zone at all and as 2024 progressed he boosted his zone contact significantly. He just can't hit lefties and never has; if that changes, he's a good regular. Advertisement DeMartini was Philadelphia's 2024 fourth-round pick out of Virginia Tech off a mediocre spring where he was coming off a shoulder injury. He has plus power but missed a lot of pitches in the zone as an amateur, showing enough ball/strike recognition to give some hope he might be able to improve the contact rate on strikes. He's played short and third, and could stick at the hot corner if his arm strength recovers, with second base the safer bet. It'll come down to contact, because he has the power to play every day at third or second. Johnson is 94-96 with good riding life and a 55 slider as part of a four-pitch mix. His 2024 was his first full season back since 2022 Tommy John surgery. He converted from the infield to the mound while at Campbell and has always had a clean enough delivery to repeat, but the command hasn't been there and last year he didn't even have control, walking 12.5 percent of batters even while working on strict pitch limits for most of the year. It looks like a starter package, while the results say bullpen. McFarlane blew out his elbow in July 2023 and had Tommy John surgery that cost him all of last year. He's supposed to be ready to go for spring training. The stuff is among the best in the system, or was, at least: a two-seamer up to 100 mph, a plus breaking ball, and a split-change that looks plus but didn't neutralize lefties enough. We'll see if the stuff is back, and the command may take more time. He was too good before the surgery to overlook. Graves had a breakout season in his first year in Low A last year, striking out 31.8 percent of batters he faced thanks to a 55 slider at 82-84 mph that hitters whiffed on a lot in and out of the zone. It's not that sharp or tight, mostly 80-84 with some tilt, so it may not have the same results as he moves up the ladder. He's 6-6 and sits 91-93, touching 95, with some projection left and some added deception from the delivery. There's back-end starter potential here. Advertisement Mendez only played 60 games in 2023 around injuries, spending all of that time with the Brewers' High-A affiliate, and after the season they traded him to the Phillies for Oliver Dunn. The Phils sent him back to High A and he improved across the board while staying healthy enough for 90 games. If a player repeats a level, he needs to perform better, and Mendez did, walking as many times as he struck out and gaining 48 points of batting average to finish with a .284/.386/.391 line. He also got his body in better shape and hit the ball hard enough to get to power if he adds some loft to his swing — he's a guy who'd actually benefit from some launch angle optimization. Right now he looks like a decent extra outfielder, with the outside chance to become a good regular if he starts turning more singles into extra-base hits. Cabrera has a good arm but can't hold his stuff deep into outings, as he's probably just too slight to stick as a starter. He'll start out 94-96 with an average changeup and slurvy breaking ball, but the velo tapers off and hitters definitely see the ball better the second time around. I'd stick him right in the 'pen — or trade him while his stats as a starter are still adequate. Pan threw just 29 innings in 2024 due to a broken finger and then a blown UCL that required Tommy John surgery in the fall, so we won't see him again until 2026. He's been up to 100, sitting 95-97 with a killer split and fringy breaking ball, already projecting as a two-pitch reliever before the injury; now he'll turn 23 with less than 100 pro innings under his belt, so the odds of him ending up in the bullpen are even higher. Advertisement Walton struggled in 36 games in Low A, hitting just .200/.331/.333 and striking out in 31.7 percent of his PA, although he missed about two months while on the injured list and only played in 40 total games. He's a great athlete and made extremely hard contact, with a peak exit velocity of 113.4 mph, and is an above-average runner who should be a 55 or better defender in left or right. He should go back to Low A to start the year and get some success under his belt before moving up; there is still a lot of upside here. Painter will probably debut at some point this year considering the Phillies nearly put him on the team before he got hurt. It's more likely he shows up in a relief role, but if he's dominating early as a starter they're going to want to try that out, assuming he has innings left to give in his first year back from Tommy John surgery. Seth Johnson probably spends some time in the Phillies' bullpen. Griff McGarry continued to be unable to hit the broad side of a barn, walking 36 in 30 2/3 Triple-A innings, then 11 more in 12 innings in the Arizona Fall League. It's premium stuff but he has 59 walks in 43 Triple-A innings in his career and there's no indication it's getting better. Escobar's bat is so promising that if he'd played just a little more — and kept up the production — he probably would have made the top 100. If he hits like I think he will, he'll be in the top 50 next winter. GO DEEPER Top 100 MLB prospects 2025: Keith Law's rankings, with Roman Anthony at No. 1 GO DEEPER MLB prospects who just missed Keith Law's top 100 ranking: Caissie, Saggese and more GO DEEPER MLB prospects who just missed Keith Law's top 100 ranking: Caissie, Saggese and more (Top photo of Painter: Norm Hall / MLB Photos via Getty Images)
