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Who could lead the final wave of Phillies’ September call-ups?

The Phillies have a wealth of talent residing in Triple-A with something to prove...

Photo via Bill Streicher / USA TODAY Sports

The Phillies primary roster currently sits at 33 players, with Nick Williams getting his call from Lehigh Valley Monday, and Nick Pivetta and Jose Pirela getting their respective calls on Tuesday.

As the Triple-A season comes to a close, it is very possible that we could see a smattering of other players make their way up to the Majors from the Iron Pigs’ roster.

The following names are those most likely to join the Major League club in the coming days. Some currently reside on the 40-man roster, while others could very well be worth adding in the Phillies’ last ditch effort to secure a Wild Card spot.

3B Maikel Franco

Maikel is a surefire addition to the big club — once he’s spent 10 days down in the Minors, that is.

Per MLB rule, any player that is optioned to the Minor Leagues must reside there for at least 10 days after the transaction is completed. Franco is already on the 40-man, and was once a Major League regular — this one’s a no-brainer.

RHP Enyel De Los Santos

This is Enyel De Los Santos’ big moment to prove that his stuff can transition well out of the bullpen.

EDLS has always profiled as more of a bullpen arm, and, given his struggles in his Major League starts, it may be time for him to begin said transition.

De Los Santos is a two pitch pitcher, and his fastball/slider combo is supremely effective. If he can learn to mix it properly out of the ‘pen, he’ll be one heck of a weapon for the Phillies.

Enyel is also already on the 40-man roster, making him a near-to-certain addition.

RHP JD Hammer

A familiar face!

Hammer really struggled in his return to Triple-A, making him an unlikely candidate to rejoin the big club in 2019.

That said, he already has his spot on the 40-man roster, so anything is possible!

RHP Dan Straily

The Phillies acquired Dan Straily at the deadline for mere cash, doing so given his excellent Triple-A campaign with Baltimore.

He has since regressed, but tossed a gem in his most recent start. Should any of the Phillies’ starters return to their pumpkin-like states, Straily will surely get a shot in their stead.

Straily has not yet been added to the 40-man roster, which could have an impact on whether he gets the call to the big leagues or not. This one is a strong maybe.

INF Austin Listi

Austin Listi scorched his way through Triple-A, and has shown no signs of slowing.

In his 70 games with the Iron Pigs, he slashed .277/.344/.488, belting 12 homers, and driving in 50. He’d be a welcome right-handed bat off of the bench, which is something the Phillies somewhat lack at the moment.

Listi is also not currently on the 40-man roster, making his future a bit more uncertain than that of Dan Straily.

RHP Connor Brogdon

Brogdon is, by far, the most interesting name on this list.

He surged through three levels of Minor League ball this year, recording a 2.64 ERA and 12.6 K/9 across all of High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A ball. He’s been untouchable, and will look to compete for a spot in the bullpen, if not this year, then certainly next year.

Brogdon, like the prior two names, does not currently reside on the 40-man roster, making him a bit less likely to be promoted.

LHP Damon Jones

Jones has been an exceptional breakout for the Phillies this year, excelling through three levels of the minor leagues at breakneck pace — recording a 2.91 ERA, and 12.0 K/9 over 114.1 innings as a starter.

While Jones profiles more as a bullpen arm long-term, he has undeniable stuff, and was able to take on the best of them in the Minors this year.

Damon did hit a bump in the road after transitioning to Lehigh Valley, but he finished out the season strong. That said, Jones, like many others on this list, is not yet a part of the 40-Man roster, thus hurting his chances of seeing the big leagues this year.


Guys that are close, but likely won’t make the cut: Tyler Gilbert, Kyle Dohy, Malquin Canelo, Jan Hernandez, Seth McGarry