The organization has two clubs in the Dominican Summer League, Phillies White and Phillies Red. Phillies White is managed by Orlando Munoz and are the defending league champions. Phillies Red is managed by Nerluis Martinez and narrowly missed the playoffs last season posting a 36-23 record.
Here’s a look at this year’s two squads - each team is slated to play 56 regular season games, at the end of this week they will be numerically at the half way point.
Phillies White : 18-6 (.750) - 1st place in South Division
Position Players :
Average Age : 18.3
Seventeen year old shortstop Starlyn Caba leads the club in plate appearances, hits and stolen bases and has played in all but one game. In just his first professional season he’s posted a .296 batting average and .412 OBP in 97 plate appearances to date. Nineteen year old middle infielder Yemil Rosario is the only other player on the squad to appear in all but one game, he’s posted a .419 OBP in 86 plate appearances.
Outfielders Jerffson Pena and Darium Gutierrez (21 yrs old) are lineup regulars. The nineteen year old Pena leads the club in RBIs with 20 and has posted a .313 batting average and .397 OBP with four doubles, two triples and two home runs to date in 78 PA’s. The powerfully built Gutierrez has a .364 batting average and .500 OBP in 58 plate appearances with 6 doubles and 14 RBIs. We saw him last year in Fall Instructs, he’s 21 years old and is from Cuba. Infielder Fernando Hernandez (20 yrs old) has played 19 games and has a .293 average and .463 OBP in 54 PA’s.
Jarol Martinez (20 yrs old), Guillermo Rosario(18 yrs old), Romel Mendez (18 yrs old) and Yhoan Escolona (17 yrs old) all have OBP’s over .400 in limited action thus far. Martinez was transferred to the Phillies White roster on June 29th after playing his first six games with Phillies Red.
Pitchers :
Average Age : 19.2
Two twenty year old right handers, Danyony Pulido and Maxwell Hernandez, lead the club in appearances and innings pitched. Pulido has an outstanding 0.92 ERA in five games (19 2/3 IP) and a .763 WHIP with 24 K’s. Hernandez has a 2.57 ERA in 21 innings pitched. Phillies Minor League Pitching Coordinator Travis Hergert said that Pulido “is a physical pitcher that has seen an uptick in velocity, now 91-94 mph. He’s increased strikeouts and lowered the walks.” Regarding Hernandez he said that Maxwell “features good velocity and movement on the fastball at 91-93 mph with two good off speed pitches in a slider and change up.” Phillies Lower Level Pitching Coordinator Vic Diaz concurs that Pulido has been “a consistent starter this season and has shown higher velo throughout this season.” He said Maxwell “threw five innings of no hit ball last Friday. Has competed well and been a reliable arm. Multiple five inning starts this season already.”
Nineteen year old RH Carlos Milan has a 0.63 ERA in six games (14 1/3 IP) with a .977 WHIP. RH Josbel Garcia (19 yrs old) has a 1.08 ERA in seven games (16 2/3 IP), lefty Kleyderve Andrade (20 yrs old) a 1.17 ERA in seven games (15 1/3 IP), RH Cristian Diaz (18 yrs old) a 2.03 ERA in 8 games (13 1/3 IP), RH Luis Avila (20 yrs old) a 2.19 ERA in seven games (12 1/3 IP) and LH John Sosa (20 yrs old) a 2.92 ERA in seven games (12 1/3 IP). Coach Hergert said that “Milan has been close to untouchable, 91-93 mph fastball with a solid curve and developing change-up, physical body with a strong arm. Garcia is a loose arm that’s been up to 95 mph. Andrade features a good fastball up to 94 mph. A similar delivery and build to Jersey Shore’s Jordi Martinez.” Coach Diaz remarked that Milan “has been solid out of the pen this season. Fastball has shown well and has been consistent in the zone. Is making improvements on the breaking ball.” He said that Andrade is a “go to reliever, his most recent outing showed his best Velo of the season. Has been effective.” He said that “Garcia has also been a main reliever. He’s played more of a bulk role and has flashed some higher velo fastballs, slider has been a good pitch for him.”
Sixteen year old LH Angel Liranzo has impressed in three appearances (4 1/3 scoreless IP) as has 20 year old RH Pedro Reyes (0.00 ERA in 9 IP). Twenty year old RH Javier Fuenmayor was promoted stateside to the FCL Phillies after posting four saves and a 0.00 ERA in six games (10 IP). Coach Hergert remarked that “Liranzo has a Ranger Suarez type delivery and build. Fills up the strike zone with three to four pitches. Change up is solid. Exciting young arm.” Coach Diaz stated that Liranzo is a “young arm with pitch ability, fastball up to 91 mph. Has been impressive to start the season.”
Coach Diaz also mentioned eighteen year old 6’6” right hander Alexis De La Cruz, “Big frame with some good stuff. Fastball up to 95 mph. He’s a starter who’s impressed.”
Phillies Red : 15-9 (.625) - 4th place in South Division
Position Players :
Average Age : 18.0
Sixteen year old catcher/DH Eduardo Tait has put up impressive numbers in his first season, he’s posted a .343 batting average and .397 OBP in 73 PA’s with nine extra base hits and 13 RBIs. Eighteen year old infielder Juan Villavicencio leads the club in plate appearances with 92 and has a .280 batting average and .402 OBP and is tied with eighteen year old outfielder Manolfi Jiménez for the team lead in RBIs with sixteen.
Seventeen year old Renair Manrique has a .327 batting average and .515 OBP in 68 PA’s in his first pro season. Jaeden Calderon (17 yrs old) has a .456 OBP in 68 PA’s and nine extra base hits including two home runs. Victor Cardoza, Esterling Rodriquez and Alirio Ferrebus are other seventeen year olds who’ve had some shining moments in limited play.
Three twenty year olds, catcher Brahian Silva and infielder Erick Barria & outfielder Jose Leanez have posted a .539, .487 and .370 OBP in 39, 37 and 46 PA’s respectively.
Pitchers :
Average Age : 19.1
Eighteen year old RH Luis Gonzalez has been strong thus far in five starts (23 IP) with a 1.17 ERA and 0.957 WHIP, 18 K’s and 4 walks in his second pro season. He made eleven starts last year. Eighteen year old RH Jeffrey German and twenty year old RH Adilson Peralta have each made four starts, German has a 2.84 ERA in 19 1/3 IP and Peralta a 2.93 ERA in 15 1/3 IP. Nineteen year old LH Juan Amarante has a 3.21 ERA in five games (14 1/3 IP). Coach Hergert remarked that “German is a physical body and shows signs of a power arm potential with his current fastball at 90-92 mph and fills up the zone. Very high ceiling.” Coach Diaz said about Gonzalez that “every start has been pretty solid. Coming off of multiple five inning starts. Reliable.” He said German has been “solid throughout the season thus far. Has been very efficient with his outings. Commands the ball well.” Peralta “has had some good starts this season. Fastball and slider are main pitches. Has been consistent for the most part.”
Coach Diaz mentioned three other pitchers; sixteen year old right hander Pedro Peralta - “Young arm with fastball up to 97 mph and good breaking ball” Nineteen year old right hander Joel Heredia - “Tall (6’6”) lean frame that has showcased some good things. Fastball has been as high as 97 mph this season. Continuing to improve.” Twenty one year old 6’5” RH Naoel Mejia - “Another power arm, up to 97 mph this season, stays around 92-95. Slider is a good pitch.” Coach Hergert said about Peralta that “he’s shown big velo up to 97 mph, sits 94-95 with a developing sweeping slider. There is a lot to be excited about with this young arm!”
RH Luis Alcala (0.00 ERA in 7 games - 14 2/3 IP) and RH Ezequiel Ventura (2.19 ERA in 7 games - 12 1/3 IP) were both recently promoted stateside to the FCL Phillies.
Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️
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