Kevin’s assessment seems to line up with my read on our system: it’s not necessarily the case that the Phils now have a clutch of top prospects, as they seemed to six or seven months ago, but there’s still a lot of raw talent. Of all the toolsheds, flyers and high-ceiling arms in the system, which three or four guys could he most easily imagine as five-star prospects in future lists?

And I guess a couple related questions: how much does quality of instruction have to do with who does and doesn’t convert that raw talent to on-field performance, and where would he place the Phils among the 30 organizations as far as coaching acumen?

A couple of questions I think are worth posing…

1. What are his thoughts on Jonathan Singleton, who obviously had a nice debut in the GCL?
2. Of the gaggle of polished low-ceiling arms the Phillies have — Vance Worley, Yohan Flande, Mike Stutes, Mike Cisco, Matt Way, Austin Hyatt — which of them jump out at him? Are any likely to stick as back-end starters?
3. Have any of the Zach Collier, Anthony Hewitt, Kyrell Hudson, Aaron Altherr crew of “toolsheds” done anything to indicate a possible breakout year, or is it the same old crapshoot?

I know not all of these players are in your top 11, but I’m just curious of your opinion.

1. Much like Domonic Brown, Kyrell Hudson was drafted in the 3rd & turned down a football scholarship at Oregon St. to play ball for the Phils. How much do you think his possible football career affected his draft value? & can he be a top 3 prospect in the system down the road?

2. Joe Savery, is he a bust? he played well at Rice & showed some promise in his fastball, curve & change. I’ve heard he may move to the pen or even rumors of him at 1st base.

3. Do you think Lakeland, Florida H.S. SS – Yordy Cabrera will fall to where the Phils can draft him? We could use a top middle infield prospect.

Has he heard anything about Miguel Nunez?

The Bad: While Brown’s power has improved each year, he hit just three homers in 147 Double-A at-bats. Many scouts feel that the 30+ home-run projection some put on him is far too strong, based on a swing that is on more of a single plane than one that provides loft and backspin. While he has the speed to play center field, he gets poor jumps and runs circular routs to balls. At times, he expands his strike zone when he’s behind in the count.

I believe Brown was recovering from a wrist injury when he was in Double-A last year.

Anyway: 1. Is having a line-drive swing all bad, or are there benefits to it as well? I’m guessing there are pros as well as cons, but if that’s wrong, can hitting with loft and backspin be learned? 2. Is Brown likely to improve on his defensive deficiencies? (Is he trending in the right direction? Does he show a willingness to improve? Etc.)

I was going to ask about Mayberry, but KG gave off the standard remark about his 4A status in the comments. I get it—Mayberry’s got to show something different before he gets out of that pigeonhole. But I’m perplexed how somebody who put up similar triple slashes to Utley (and at the same ages) in the high minors gets such seemingly short shrift. What am I missing, besides the fact that the organization is performing at a much higher level now than when Utley broke in?

Try to get your questions posted by 6 pm today (Wednesday), I’d like to send them to him this evening.

Yohan Flande and Justin De Fratus – thumbs up or down?

D Santana and Valle, legit prospects or flashes in the pan?

Seems like both came mostly out of nowhere and put up great numbers in the loooooow minors/internationally. Do either of these guys project to be good bats, or were they just dominating bad competition?