6/4/26 : Phillies select May Minor League Players of the Month

The following is a Press Release issued by the Phillies.

Thursday, June 4, 2026

GRIFFIN BURKHOLDER, RAMON MARQUEZ AND ALEX McFARLANE EARN ORGANIZATIONAL HONORS FOR THE MONTH OF MAY

Clearwater outfielder Griffin Burkholder was named Phillies Minor League Hitter of the Month for May while Clearwater right-handed pitcher Ramon Marquez and Reading right-handed pitcher Alex McFarlane shared Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Month honors.

            Burkholder, 20, went 25-for-71, slashing .352/.440/.606 (1.046 OPS) with nine doubles, three home runs, 14 RBI, eight walks, 15 runs scored and five stolen bases across 18 games with single-A Clearwater in May. Within the Florida State League (min. 70 PA), the Leesburg, Va., native ranked second in doubles, third in batting average, slugging percentage and OPS, fourth in extra-base hits, fifth in on-base percentage and tied for sixth in total bases (43) during the month. Over a three-game span from May 5-9, the right-handed hitter collected seven hits, four of which went for extra-bases (2 2B, 2 HR). Burkholder, currently ranked as the No. 11 prospect in the Phillies minor league system by MLB.com, was selected by Philadelphia in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft and was signed by Jeff Zona Jr.

The 20-year-old Marquez went 1-0 with a 1.45 ERA (3 ER, 18.2 IP), 32 strikeouts, six walks and 0.91 WHIP while holding hitters to a .164 batting average (11-67) in four games (3 starts) for the Threshers in May. Among FSL pitchers to throw at least 15.0 innings during the month, the Phoenix native ranked tied for second in strikeouts, fourth in WHIP, sixth in ERA, seventh in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.33) and tied for seventh in opponent’s batting average. In his season debut on May 9 (game 2) at Daytona, he set a career high with nine strikeouts. Seven days later, the right-hander struck out nine batters again over 5.0 scoreless innings against Lakeland to earn FSL Pitcher of the Week honors for the week of May 11-17. Marquez signed with the Phillies as an amateur free agent on Jan. 15, 2025, and was signed by Charlie Gastelum. He is currently ranked as the No. 9 prospect in Philadelphia’s minor league system by MLB.com.

McFarlane, 24, made 10 relief appearances for double-A Reading in May, posting a 0.00 ERA (10.1 IP) with three saves in three opportunities, 14 strikeouts, five walks and a .189 opponent’s batting average (7-37). A native of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, he ranked first in saves, tied for first in ERA and fourth in strikeouts per 9.0 innings pitched (12.19) and strikeout rate (33.3%) among Eastern League relievers to pitch in at least 10 games during the month. McFarlane’s active streak of 14 games without allowing an earned run (since 4/22) is the longest such streak in the EL this season. Added to the Phillies 40-man roster on Nov. 18, 2025, the righty did not appear in a game after he was recalled by the team for his first major league stint on April 24 of this season. He was selected by the Phillies in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB Draft and was signed by Victor Gomez.