Phillies trade Howie Kendrick to the Nats for Mckenzie Mills

[bkeich]

Mills will be 22 in AA next year off a very good year. This was the first season he really pitched many innings, so while he has some ugly years they are in very few innings.

6'4" pitcher for a guy that we have no use for. Not bad at all, especially since Kendrick has been hurt.

Klentak redeeming himself in my opinion, one good trade and one mediocre to good. Certainly an improvement, and no players that need to be protected this offseason

[andyb]

I imagine he is in Clearwater next year. Still in Low A and really must considered a one-step-at-a-time raw HS player. Though he has played well enough he could go to Clearwater now if they have room.

[bkeich]

I misread, I thought he was in high A. You are right

[bkox]

Actually... Matt Winkleman just told me on twitter that Mills has been promoted to High A as of yesterday

[andyb]

Well maybe we both are right. Clearwater rotation seems to be a little crowded with Seranthony back and Romero and Suarez newly arrived.

[julio]

Actually... Matt Winkleman just told me on twitter that Mills has been promoted to High A as of yesterday

Yeah, we had the same conversation. Regardless, he hasn't pitched in high-A, and starting him at Reading would be a significant jump - notwithstanding that he's had a good year in Hagerstown.

[bkox]

Yeah I was implying he should be jumped... Hes way too raw at this point.

[schooldoc]

As the saying goes, you can never have enough pitching prospects and the outlook for LHP prospects in the system has improved in 2017. I'm not sure you can look at any of the guys listed below as "definite rotation piece for the future," but most have progressed nicely this year.

Leibrandt
Irvin
Suarez
Romero
Fanti
Falter
K.Young

Mezquita and Parkinson have done ok in very limited samples since the draft, too.

Unfortunately, the only guy to fall off was probably the top LHP starting prospect coming into 2017, Elniery Garcia.

Mills is a nice name to add to this list.

[LoneStarPhan]

For some reason, when I saw the name Mackenzie Mills, I thought of a shopping center.

I am pleased to see our GM getting a couple more deals done tonight. If he doesn't do any more before the deadline, I will consider it well done. There is always the chance of moving a reliever (Benoit ??) or a bench player (Nava, Blanco, ??) in August.

[phillychuck]

Credit to Klentak, I like this return better than the Neshek trade, but A-ball pitchers flame out at an incredibly high rate.

Gotta control Mills' innings for the rest of the year--he's jumped from about 30 IP in 2015 to over 100 already this year.

3 or 4 inning starts from here on if I'm making the decisions.

[Austinfan]

McKenzie Mills

What's nice is Klentak continues to build up the depth of starting pitching in the organization.
Half will flame out, a few more with flatline, but given the depth they already have at AA and AAA, you just need to hit on one or two.

[bkox]

MLB puts Mills at #24 in our top 30 prospects

[Austinfan]

Garcia was suspended, not injured, so it's more like a delay than a fall off.

[allentown]

Garcia was suspended, not injured, so it's more like a delay than a fall off.

Or, possibly, his past performance was drug-fueled, and he can't perform as well without the chemical assist.

[Austinfan]

I don't think he looks like a steroid body.
A lot of times players use drugs to heal faster from injury, so even when they stop, the healing sticks.
You don't see too many bobble heads (Bonds) in baseball, or skinny guys developing muscles on muscles anymore.

[allentown]

Was it steroids or Adderall type drugs he was busted for. A small LA player doesn't necessarily get a steroid-looking body, starting off to slender for that to happen without an awful lot of use. We've had LA guys busted in the past who were skinny and never developed steroid-body. Now, if Ortiz took steroids, he would quickly develop steroid-body.

[phillychuck]

Garcia reportedly has a sore shoulder right now, cold be an injury, could be a tired arm from lack of appropriate work-outs while suspended.