Minor League Games - May 14th, 2025

[Squire]

AAA: Lehigh Valley (RHP Alan Rangel) at Syracuse - 11:05AM
AA: New Hampshire at Reading (RHP Moises Chace) - 11:05AM
High A: Jersey Shore at Wilmington (RHP Casey Steward) - 11:05AM
Low A: Lakeland at Clearwater (TBD) - 6:30PM
FCL: OFF

Rolling Scores Here - https://www.milb.com/scores/2025-05-14/all/all/phillies

Rolling Boxes Here - https://www.mlb.com/prospects/stats/affiliates?teamId=143&date=05/14/2025

[phillychuck]

Since the complex league seems to be over 90% LA players, where are the HS players going these days? I looked through the top 40 players in the FCL, and the ones that weren’t LA signings seemed to be mostly UDFAs, or players on rehab assignments. Before the reorganization, a lot of high school players (or junior college players) drafted the previous summer would be in the FCL for at least the start of their first full year. Is that a thing of the past?

[zambonir]

Didn't they used to go to Williamsport in their draft year and then Jersey Shore (which was then low A) in their first full year? I assume now they are just ready for the Threshers or in extended spring training, and the roster limits (and the higher pay/labor rights for stateside players) means there aren't as many in any case.

[phillychuck]

Williamsport was mostly college players and some second-year HS players. A decent number of the HS draftees, especially the late signings, started in the FCL (then the GCL) during their first full year. (IIRC)

Here is a link to the 2010 GCL Phils roster--mix of players, maybe 40-50% LA, lots of draftees and UDFA signings.

2010 GCL Phillies Statistics | Baseball-Reference.com

[andyb]

HS players are just not being drafted after the top couple of rounds any more. No room for flier picks these days and the financial incentives to go to college are getting better.

If a HS player is not going to be ready for Low A the year after they are drafted they are really not being drafted. It has been a change in the past 3 years I think. Certainly with the Phillies. The idea of drafting a projectible HS arm (say Ryan Madson or even Ben Brown from recent years) just does not fit todays analytics and roster limits.

-And thank you for sending me down the "whatever happened to Chace Numata?" rabbit hole.

[zambonir]

Yeah I just assumed the answer to PC's question was those players don't exist. Because if they did we would know what roster they were on. The "past three years" pretty much tracks with the reorganization/contraction/new labor deal.

[andyb]

Mid-day baseball all around. 3 11 AM minor league games and the Phillies game 1 at 1 PM.

[zambonir]

weather is still just awful here, and I assume in Reading (and possibly even Syracuse) too.

[phillychuck]

Lehigh Valley is playing, Reading and JS delayed.

[andyb]

All 3 playing now. Not a good outing for Moises Chace with a really early hook.

[Matt_Winkelman]

Chace is hurt, he called for the manager and trainer. Broadcast said shoulder, but hard to tell, definitely arm. He did not look happy.

[zambonir]

Wasn't he already showing a big velocity drop all year. Seems like a harbinger now if so.

[andyb]

In happier news, here is the Burkholder inside the park HR from yesterday. Looks like the ball got stuck at the bottom of the fence underneath the padding though a little hard to tell. Burkholder is a pretty big guy but seems to have really good speed when he gets going.

Griffin Burkholder’s first career home run is an inside-the-park home run to get Clearwater on the board

[image or embed]

— Mitch_Rupert ( @mitchrupert.bsky.social ) May 13, 2025 at 7:50 PM

[andyb]

Rincones having a big day. 2-2, 2 HR, BB, 5 RBI so far.

[Squire]

Mathison and his .128 BA is back with Clearwater

[phillychuck]

Quite the 10th inning for Lehigh Valley...10 runs!!