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Writer's pictureSteve Potter

1/31/24 : High Performance Camp - Day Eighteen


Today’s Camp Activities :


Fielding drills were the outdoor focus today - practices in that regard on Ashburn and Schmidt fields with pitchers working on Schmidt on throws to bases while fielders worked on Ashburn on various drills related to their defensive position.  Running the bases drills were also conducted for position players on Ashburn Field.


Offensive skill work continued for the hitters indoors in the cages while pitchers continued their throwing programs with flat ground toss and catch sessions - no outdoor BP or side bullpens today.  Strength training continued in the David Montgomery Training Center building as it has every day of camp.


Special Assistant to the General Manager Howie Kendrick was at the complex today and spent time with infielders on the field sharing his knowledge accumulated over a fifteen year major league career which included winning a world championship with the Nationals in 2019.


Did Ya Know ?


Last summer I wrote an article (8/5/23 to be exact - article link - https://www.philliesbaseballfan.com/post/8-5-23-researching-the-dsl-vsl-to-the-show-pipeline ) on the pipeline of players to the major leagues for each of the thirty organizations from their academies and participation in the Dominican and Venezuela summer leagues (the Venezuelan Summer League disbanded in 2016).  The results may surprise you.


Here’s an excerpt - for full detail (includes names of players) use the above link to read the original article:


“Using Baseball Reference I dug into the Dominican/Venezuelan Summer League’s data for all thirty organizations. I went back to 2010, reviewing that year and each one thereafter to ascertain how many ball players each club has had play in the major leagues that began their playing careers (actually appeared in league games) in the DSL or VSL, where each organization now operates their Dominican academy, their most recent year’s DSL team to produce a major leaguer and how many of the players who made it to the show are still active as players in the major leagues. Note that the VSL disbanded in 2016.


From my research I’ve found that including and since the 2010 DSL/VSL seasons 361 players who originally played in either the DSL or VSL have reached the major leagues, by my count 128 are still active in the show, 44 of those are still with the team that originally signed them .  The Yankees have produced the most (23) followed by the Astros (22), Rangers (19), Red Sox (17), Rays and Phillies (16).  For the 2010 to 2023 DSL/VSL time period the Astros system had the most currently active major leaguers (11) albeit only five were still playing for Houston. The Rays system had 10 active major leaguers with just two playing for the current Rays. The Astros had the most self developed players on their 2023 major league roster with five followed by the Cubs (4) and Phillies, Yankees, Royals and Angels (3).”


I re-visit that article because this coming season is just the seventh year of DSL play (2020 was a lost season for all) since the Phillies opened a fully owned academy in the Dominican Republic in 2017.  Within the past couple of seasons there’s been even more time and investment in nutrition, coaching, synchronized methods and cross training.  In the international market many players are signed as teenagers therefore the time to develop is generally elongated - for an impatient fan base that’s often not considered or acknowledged.  Just saying that if you look at the influx of international talent in the organization from this observer’s view there’s an even more widespread impact already in progress.  Players such as LHP Jordi Martinez, RHP Cristian Hernandez, C Andrik Nava, OF Leandro Pineda, RHP Jean Cabrera, RHP Estibenzon Jimenez, RHP Jonathan Petit, RHP Jonh Henriquez, RHP Eduar Segovia, RHP Eiberson Castellano,INF Erick Brito, INF Felix Reyes, RHP Jaydenn Estanista, RHP Enrique Segura, RHP Wilmer Blanco, RHP Alexis De La Cruz, RHP Saul Teran, C/IF Leonardo Rondon, C Eduardo Tait, INF William Bergolla, INF Nikau Pouaka-Grego, INF Starlyn Caba, INF Nolan Beltran, INF Aroon Escobar, OF Raylin Heredia, OF Ricardo Rosario, OF Yemal Flores and OF Yhoswar Garcia are positioned throughout the minor league system to have stateside impacts this coming year - OF Johan Rojas is the first to reach the majors who originally played professionally at the Dominican Academy opened in 2017.  There’s a great deal of talent in that group with even more developing at the Dominican Academy.


I recommend listening to an excellent recent podcast done by Jersey Shore BlueClaws Vice President  of Communications Greg Giombarrese with guest Phillies Senior Advisor of International Scouting Sal Agostinelli to further appreciate the process.  LINK :  https://www.google.com/gasearch?q=hook%20lime%20ans%20spliter&tbm=&source=sh/x/gs/m2/5#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:edf5a657,vid:1T-_MqfeItM,st:0


Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️




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