Weekly Minor League Wrap Up, 4/17/13

It’s time, once again, for our weekly glance around the Phillies’ developmental ranks, taking a look a some exceptional performers and those that have raised some eyebrows for different reasons.

Class A Lakewood
hot list-

Art Charles, photo- Jay Floyd

First baseman Art Charles, who was acquired from Toronto this spring in the Michael Schwimer trade, has hit in six straight games, going 9-for-22 (.409 avg) with two doubles, two homers and seven RBI in that stretch. Overall, the lefty batting 22-year-old is hitting .239 in 13 games this season.

Righty reliever Nic Hanson, who celebrated his 21st birthday this week, has struck out 10 batters while walking two in eight innings of work through three appearances. Additionally, he has a save and a 3.38 ERA during that time as well. The six-foot-seven 210-pounder was drafted by the Phils in the 16th round last year out of Golden West College.

Lakewood red flags-

OF Brian Pointer is batting .174 this season, despite a current three-game hitting streak. The lefty batting 21-year-old was the Phillies’ 28th round draft pick in 2010.

17-year-old outfielder Carlos Tocci, the youngest player in the South Atlantic League, has posted a .186 batting average with one extra-base hit (a double) in 12 contests this season. The right-handed hitting Venezuelan batted .278 with two doubles in 38 games last season with the Gulf Coast League Phillies.

Class A Advanced Clearwater hot list-

LHP Nick Hernandez has posted a 1-0 record along with a 2.45 ERA while striking out 12 and walking five in two starts after missing 2 1/2 years with recurring shoulder injuries. The 24-year-oldwas a 12th round draft pick by the Phillies in 2009.

3B Maikel Franco is 14-for-33 (.424 avg) with five doubles and two home runs in his last eight games. Additionally, the 20-year-old Dominican native is batting .333 overall in 12 games this season.

Aaron Altherr, photo- Jay Floyd

OF Aaron Altherr is 14-for-32 (.438) in his last eight games. In 12 contests, the Phils’ 9th round draft pick from 2009, has a .362 average with six doubles, a home run and three stolen bases.

Clearwater red flags-

Righty Colin Kleven, who turned 22-years-old this week, let up nine earned runs in 2 2/3 innings in his most recent outing. Through two starts, Kleven sports a 0-2 record along with an 18.90 ERA. The Canadian was Lakewood’s lone All-Star representative last season.

Left-hander Hoby Milner, the Phils’ 7th round draft choice last year, has had a rough go of it early this season, posting a 0-2 record and a 13.97 ERA through three starts. The University of Texas product posted a 7-3 record and a 2.50 ERA in 14 games with short-season Williamsport and Lakewood last year.

OF Kyrell Hudson is batting .139 with no extra-base hits in 10 games thus far in 2013. The 22-year-old was this Phillies’ 3rd round draft choice in 2009 and missed the final two months of last season after requiring finger surgery on his right hand.


Double-A Reading
top performers-

1B Jim Murphy wrapped up a nine-game hitting streak on Monday and is batting .340 with five doubles, two homers and 11 RBI in 12 games this year. The 27-year-old was originally a 17th round draft choice by the Phillies in 2008 out of Washington State University.

Righty hurler Seth Rosin, who was acquired from the Giants in the Hunter Pence

deal last season, is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in two starts. Additionally, the 23-year-old who was originally a 4th round draft pick in 2010, has struck out 11 and walked three in 10 innings of work.

Left-hander Mauricio Robles has a 1-0 record with a 2.16 ERA in five relief outings. With 11 strike outs and just one walk in 8 1/3 innings, the Phils’ 40-man roster member is looking very worthy of that spot.

Reading red flags-

Former Phils supplementary 1st round draft choice (2008) Zach Collier has posted a .122 average with a double and two steals in 11 games thus far. Collier, a 22-year-old lefty batting outfielder, is on the Phillies’ 40-man roster.

Triple-A Lehigh Valley top performers-

Cesar Hernandez, photo- Jay Floyd

Second baseman Cesar Hernandez, 22, has performed great, sporting a .370 batting average with three doubles, a triple, three RBI and a stolen base in 11 games. The switch-hitting Venezuelan was an All-Star with Reading in the Eastern League last season.

Lefty pitcher Adam Morgan is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA and a .191 batting average against in two starts. The University of Alabama product was the Phils’ 3rd round draft selection in 2011.

Left-hander Joe Savery has held opponents to a .091 average while recording a 1-0 record, notching a save and striking out nine batters and walking none in 6 2/3 innings. Savery was the Phillies’ 1st round draft pick in 2007.

Josh Fields, who has big league experience with the White Sox and Royals, is batting .455 with two doubles, a triple, two home runs and eight RBI in eight games. The 30-year-old was signed as a free agent last November.

Lehigh Valley red flags-

22-year-old righty pitcher Jonathan Pettibone is 0-1 with a 9.64 ERA in two starts. Pettibone, who was selected between the 3rd and 4th round in the 2008 draft, posted a 2.55 ERA in seven Triple-A starts last year.

OF Tyson Gillies is batting .111 with a triple and two steals in nine games. The 24-year-old, who has been plagued by injuries since he was acquired from Seattle in the 2009 Cliff Lee trade, batted .299 in 75 games, mostly with Reading, last season.

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Jay Floyd

Jay has been covering baseball as a professional reporter since 2009. Radio, television, podcasting, print & web features, you name it- he has done it. You can check out more from Jay on his site, PhoulBallz.com.

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