2/25/25 : Grapefruit League Lineup/Minor League Game Day call-ups

Phillies vs Rays @ Port Charlotte  @ 1:05 PM

Lineup :

Johan Rojas DH

Brandon Marsh CF

Edmundo Sosa 2B

Cal Stevenson RF

Buddy Kennedy 3B

Garrett Stubbs C

Aidan Miller SS

Justin Crawford LF

Otto Kemp 1B

Christopher Sanchez LHP

Minor League Call-Ups : - note that these players are reserves (may not play)

Pitchers : Andrew Bechtold, Jonah DiPoto, Josh Hejka, Emmanuel Mejia, Mitch Nuenborn

Infielders : Trent Farquhar and Robert Moore

Outfielders : Leandro Pineda and Marcus Lee Sang

Notes on today’s minor league callups :

Robert Moore - 22 years old, will be 23 in March - acquired in trade with Milwaukee Brewers for Oliver Dunn 11/14/23 - was the Brewers 2022 CB-B round draft pick - University of Arkansas - played in 107 games (435 plate appearances) for Reading in 2024 posting a .240/.323/.364 slash line with 20 doubles, 9 home runs, 41 RBIs and 19 stolen bases.  Walked 39 times and struck out in 73 plate appearances.  Defensively played 61 games at shortstop and 41 at second base.  Has a high baseball IQ, plays smart baseball, good hands and shows patience as a hitter, generally won’t get himself out. He’s the son of Dayton Moore - former President of KC Royals

Trent Farquhar - 23 years old, will be 24 in March - signed as an un-drafted free agent 7/19/23 - Michigan State University - played at four levels in 2024 (3 games - FCL (rehab), 32 games - Clearwater, 38 games - Jersey Shore and 5 games - Reading) -  was on the IL from 5/29 to 7/20 with a broken hamate bone - still managed to play in 78 games and posted a .285/.433/.374 slash line in 410 plate appearances with 15 doubles, 3 triples, a home run and 23 RBIs - walked 59 times versus 63 strikeouts - stole 28 bases - led off most games he played in. Defensively saw action at second base, shortstop and third base.  So far in his pro career he’s been an on-base machine - this past summer I wrote a spotlight article on him and asked Trent about offensive approach - “For my approach I like to hunt fastballs in the middle of the plate early.  However, I’m very comfortable hitting with one or two strikes so that allows me to be able to be picky early in the count and get a pitch I can drive.  I’ve been blessed with good pitch recognition and being stingy to my approach.” He  played winter league baseball in Australia as a member of the Adelaide Giants.  A high baseball IQ and an ability to consistently get on base - both great qualities to have.

Leandro Pineda - 22 years old - signed as an international free agent 7/6/18 - Valencia, Venezuela - added first base to his defensive repertoire this past season although most likely continues to see the majority of his time as a corner outfielder - played at Jersey Shore and Reading (promoted 7/16/24) in 2024 and posted very respectable numbers - .260/.331/.413 in 375 plate appearances with 14 doubles, 11 home runs and 52 RBIs - ended the season on the IL after requiring thumb surgery but is now healthy and ready to go again for 2025 - was on the Navegantes del Magallanes roster in the Venezuela Winter League - in addition recently got married 👏.   I’ve long touted his game - left handed hitter and thrower - solid corner defender with a plus arm (right-fielder’s arm strength). Angular build - 6’1” frame who just looks like a ball player - plays hard and does things right - wants to continually improve, works to do so.  Leandro’s career “surface” numbers don’t jump out at you so if that’s your only perspective you might discount him however there’s genuine baseball talent.  The lefty swing he possesses is pure, generates both power and speed, coupled with an ability to recognize pitches along with driving the outside pitch the other way there’s a likelihood that the numbers will be much better going forward, just saying - he can play.

Marcus Lee Sang - 24 years old  - 2019 11th round draft selection - Northern HS, Owings, MD - played the majority of the 2024 season at AA level Reading - was promoted to AAA Lehigh Valley on 9/5/24 and played two games with the IronPigs - overall he hit .241/.300/.396 in 435 plate appearances with 12 doubles, 5 triples, 13 home runs and 47 RBIs, stole 12 bases. Defensively he played 63 games in CF, 13 in LF and 20 in RF. He’s a very good defender in all three positions, gets great jumps and reads, has a strong and accurate arm and is sure handed. A left handed hitter and thrower with a quick bat, decent speed and the ability to drive the ball out of the park. Is a very popular teammate, pleasant personality, upbeat with a welcoming attitude and smile.  Works hard, is coachable and plays the right way.

RH Andrew Bechtold - 28 years old - signed a minor league free agent contract with the Phillies on 1/31/25. He is from Glenn Mills, PA and attended Garnett Valley High School where he was a 2014 graduate. He was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 37th round of the 2014 draft but enrolled at the University of Maryland instead where he received a medical redshirt his freshman year. The following season he was the Terrapins starting third baseman. In 2017 he transferred to Chipola JC in Florida where he hit .419 in 60 games. The Minnesota Twins drafted him in the 5th round of the 2017 draft and he signed. Bechtold played primarily third base in the Twins organization from 2017 to 2023 but also saw time at catcher, first base and second base. In 2023 he converted to a two way player pitching in 20 games at the AAA level (18 IP) while also making 502 plate appearances as a hitter. He was in the Twins organization till December of 2023 when he was signed as a free agent by the Blue Jays. Andrew converted to a full time pitcher in 2024 with the Blue Jays as a reliever making most of his 33 appearances (29) at AA New Hampshire before finishing the season at AAA Buffalo. I did a spotlight article on him and asked the following :

You’ve converted to pitching after initially starting as an infielder - what learning curves have you encountered and how do you feel you’re progressing?

“I think the more I’m on the mound the better that I get, obviously most guys in pro ball have been pitching their whole lives so I’m behind them in reps but my time as a catcher with pitch calling and game planning as well as reading swings I think has helped me progress at a quicker rate. Last year I seemed to get better as the year went on and I started to understand more about what I was trying to do out there on the mound.”

What is your pitch arsenal, your go to pitch?

“I have a carry four seam fastball that’s 97-100 mph, it averaged 97.1 last season. Also a new cutter that’s 90-93 and then a slider which was my best pitch last year as far as swing and miss which is 87-91.”

RH Jonah Dipoto - 28 years old - acquired in trade with KC Royals 5/26/24 for cash considerations - was the Royals 2019 35th round draft selection - University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA - is the son of Mariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry DiPoto - pitched in 19 games with the 2024 IronPigs (22.2 IP) with a 4.37 ERA - 18 K’s, 12 walks. Prior to that he pitched in 10 games for Omaha in the Royals system - overall numbers for 2024 at the AAA level - 29 appearances (37 IP) with 31 K’s and 20 walks. He has a career 3.44 minor league ERA in 153 games (212 IP).  He’s a fastball (91 to 94 mph), slider and cutter pitcher with the slider bring the standout delivery and the one most used (it has above average big league spin rates).  He has battled command and control issues.

RH Josh Hejka - 27 years old - acquired from Mets for cash considerations 2/5/25 - was signed by the Mets on 6/27/19 as an un-drafted free agent from Johns Hopkins University.  He pitched last season at three levels - at High A he posted a 1.22 ERA in 22 games (35.2 IP), moved up to the AA level on 7/1/24 and appeared in 14 games with Binghamton recording a 6.30 ERA in 20 IP - he was moved to the AAA level on 9/6/24 and appeared in two games. It was a comeback season for Heika as he had missed the entire 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery. He’s a side armer with an upper eighties arsenal with the slider being his out pitch. “Throughout his time with the Mets’ organization, Hejka’s fully embraced the analytical movement. He’s worked with several third-party organizations, such as Driveline, to fully optimize his unique delivery.  He features a sinker, rising slider and cutter.” - Mets Minors dot net Over his four year minor league career he’s appeared in 126 games and has a 3.73 ERA with 12 saves in 193 IP.  I saw him pitch in live BP last week - extreme sidearm - Quisenberry like - interesting movement on pitches.

RH Emmanuel Mejia - RHP  - 26 years old - taken from Rays in December’s minor league portion of Rule 5 draft - from Bonao, Dominican Republic - signed by the Pirates as an international free agent 2/20/19 - taken by the Rays in the 2022 Rule 5 minor league draft - last season he was a reliever for the Rays AAA affiliate Durham where he appeared in 42 games (5 starts) and recorded a 7.83 ERA in 54 IP with 59 K’s and 34 walks. The year before he split time at the AA and AAA levels and recorded a 3.91 ERA in 50.2 IP with 74 K’s and 29 walks. He features a fastball that is in the 94 to 98 mph range, slider/curve and changeup.  Pitches for the Gigantes del Cibao team in the Dominican Winter League.

RH Mitch Neunborn - 27 years old - signed as an international free agent - 6/5/23 - born in Johannesburg, South Africa - pitched internationally in the Australian Baseball League - features three pitches, a fastball (92 to 95 mph), slider and split finger change up. Throws his splitter with a Vulcan grip between his ring and index finger, creates good deception, reduction in velocity and downward movement, will throw it often and for strikes. Began 2024 with Reading, was transferred to Jersey Shore on 6/1/24 where he became part of the starting rotation - returned to Reading on 9/12/24.  At Jersey Shore he was 5-5 in 14 games (all starts) accumulating 67.2 IP and posting a 2.39 ERA with 70 K’s and 24 walks. At Reading he was 2-1 in 15 games (one start) in 23.2 IP with a 5.32 ERA - 26 K’s and 18 walks. Overall he pitched in 29 games (91.1 IP) with 96 K’s and 42 walks - a 3.15 ERA.

Mitch has also been a previous standout for the Adelaide Giants in the Australian Baseball League putting up stellar numbers out of the bullpen in the 2022-2023 season for the league champions. He has been used as both a starter and bulk reliever, his repertoire of pitches and command enable him to throw multiple innings. Mitch pitched collegiate baseball for Phillies Minor League Pitching Coordinator Travis Hergert at North Iowa Community College who told me that “Mitch has a good feel for his arsenal. He has a tremendous change-up. We feel he can gain a few ticks on the fastball and be a valuable bulk reliever in the upper levels.”

Hope these help - Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️

Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️

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