Phillies MLR 4/12 - 4/14: Cabrera, Aldegheri, Klassen, OH MY

Lehigh Valley 9, Durham 4 (April 12)
Lehigh Valley 6, Durham 1 (April 13)
Durham 12, Lehigh Valley 9 (April 14)

Mick Abel - 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, HR, 4 GB, 1 FB
Tyler Phillips - 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 14 GB, 2 FB (throwing error)
Kolby Allard - 4 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, HR, 4 GB, 1 FB
Griff McGarry - 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 K
Matt Kroon - 0 for 9, 2 R, BB, 2 K
Jordan Luplow - 6 for 13, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 3 K (outfield assist, 2B)
Kody Clemens - 2 for 7, R, 2B, 3 RBI, BB, 3 K
Weston Wilson - 2 for 7, 2 R, RBI, BB, 2 K
Nick Podkul - 3 for 9, 3 R, 2B, 2 RBI, K
Scott Kingery - 5 for 10, 5 R, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 SB (throwing error)
Cody Roberts - 2 for 4, K
Darick Hall - 2 for 9, R, 2B, 3 K
David Dahl - 1 for 2, 2 R, HR, 2 BB, SB
Cal Stevenson - 2 for 6, R, RBI, BB, 2 K, SB
Simon Muzziotti - 3 for 8, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, K

A much better start for Mick Abel after a disastrous AAA debut last week, though this start wasn’t plagued by postponed games. The damage against him was mostly done by a three-run homerun in the 3rd inning. Friend of the blog MattWinks had him clocked at 94-95 in the first, but slowing down in the subsequent innings. Tyler Phillips is another starter who bounced back nicely after a bad start, looking more like his 2024 debut. Scott Kingery is off to a hot start and one has to think if he would be any worse than Whit Merrifield. Who knows, because we’ll never find out!

Portland 11, Reading 0 (April 12)
Portland 9, Reading 2 (April 13, GM1 of DH, 7 innings)
Portland 5, Reading 4 (April 13, GM2 of DH, 7 innings, makeup of 4/11 ppd)
Portland 9, Reading 5 (April 14)

Matt Osterberg - 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 5 K, 6 GB, 2 FB
Robinson Pina - 3 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 7 K, 3 HR, 0 GB, 1 FB
Efrain Contreras - 3.2 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, 2 HR, WP, HBP, 4 GB, 1 FB
Tommy McCollum - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, K
Noah Skirrow - 2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 3 ER, BB, K, HR, 2 GB, 2 FB (missed catch error)
Gabriel Rincones Jr. - 2 for 5, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, K
Carlos De La Cruz - 2 for 10, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 K (fielding error)
Marcus Lee Sang - 0 for 14, RBI, 3 BB, 2 K, CS
Jim Haley - 4 for 14, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K, HBP (outfield assist, 2B)
William Simoneit - 1 for 11, RBI, 4 K (throwing error)
Caleb Ricketts - 1 for 5, R, 2 BB, 2 K (passed ball)
Kendall Simmons - 1 for 11, 2B, RBI, 2 K (throwing and fielding errors)
Baron Radcliff - 1 for 3, K
Casey Martin - 0 for 8, BB, 6 K
Carson Taylor - 1 for 2, BB, K, HBP
Trevor Schwecke - 2 for 8, 3 BB, SB (throwing error)
Bryce Ball - 1 for 3, R, 2 RBI, 5 BB
Robert Moore - 2 for 7, BB, K

That is what we call an absolute brutal weekend; poor Reading. The roster doesn’t have much to work with, let alone any notable prospects to focus on. Tommy McCollum is probably, sadly, my favorite pitching prospect on the team. He is doing fine so far! The team’s best hitter, Gabriel Rincones Jr, hit his 3rd HR of the season, but only played in Sunday’s game.

Jersey Shore 4, Hickory 0 (April 12, GM1 of DH, 7 innings)
Hickory 5, Jersey Shore 0 (April 12, GM2 of DH, 7 innings, makeup of 4/11 ppd)
Jersey Shore 13, Hickory 0 (April 13)
Hickory 10, Jersey Shore 8 (April 14)

Jean Cabrera - 5 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 10 K, 3 GB, 0 FB
Starlyn Castillo - 3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, BB, 2 K, 2 HBP, 3 GB, 1 FB
Samuel Aldegheri - 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 7 K, 3 GB, 2 FB
Estibenzon Jimenez - 4 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, HR, 5 GB, 3 FB
Emaarion Boyd - 0 for 8, R, BB, K
Justin Crawford - 3 for 7, 3 R, HR, 3 RBI, BB, K, SB, CS
Bryan Rincon - 0 for 8, R, RBI, 4 BB, 6 K, SB
Andrick Nava - 1 for 7, RBI, K (two passed balls)
Troy Schreffler - 2 for 8, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB, 2 K
Leandro Pineda - 4 for 12, 3 R, 5 K, 2 HBP
Felix Reyes - 4 for 12, 3 R, 2 2B, BB, 2 K
Hendry Mendez - 3 for 12, 2 R, 2B, RBI, BB, 3 K
Jordan Dissin - 3 for 12, 3 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 K, HBP (pickoff error)
William Bergolla - 3 for 11, 2 R, 3B, 4 RBI, 3 K
Zach Arnold - 3 for 12, HR, 2 RBI, K
Erick Brito - 5 for 7, 2 R, 2B, RBI
Cade Fergus - 2 for 7, HR, 2 K
Chad Castillo - 1 for 6, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K

Jersey Shore might be the most interesting affiliate of the Phillies and will probably wind up having the most success. That shouldn’t be a surprise since most came from a very good Clearwater team in 2023. Justin Crawford notched his 2nd HR of the season (he had all of 3 last season), has a 4-game hitting streak and had reached base safely in all 7 games this season. Crawford developing faster than we anticipated would be a huge boost to the organization in a 2-3 years. Jean Cabrera breakout sure does look like it is happening as that is now two consecutive starts of 5-inning starts of 1 or less runs. His 10 strikeouts on Friday were a career-high, topping a 9-strikeout performance last May. Samuel Aldegheri, our Italian Stallion, was brilliant Saturday and could be a very quick mover in the organization. And yes, you read that right, Starlyn Castillo is still in the organization...and not doing terribly well.

Clearwater 3, Fort Myers 0 (April 12)
Fort Myers 10, Clearwater 0 (April 13)
Clearwater 5, Fort Myers 3 (April 14)

George Klassen - 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K, 4 GB, 0 FB
Jayden Estanista - 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 K
Casey Steward - 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, 1 GB, 1 FB (pickoff error)
Mavis Graves - 1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, WP, 1 GB, 1 FB
Braydon Tucker - 4.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 3 K, 4 GB, 2 FB
Devin Saltiban - 1 for 5, R, RBI, 3 BB, 3 K, SB
Aidan Miller - 1 for 8, 2B, RBI, 3 K
Otto Kemp - 1 for 5, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 HBP, CS
Pierce Bennett - 0 for 3, RBI, K, SB
TJayy Walton - 2 for 8, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 4 K
Avery Owusu-Asiedu - 1 for 7, 4 K, SB
Nikau Pouaka-Grego - 2 for 12, 4 K
Luis Caicuto - 1 for 6, R, 2B, BB, K, HBP
Keaton Anthony - 0 for 5, R, BB, K
Bryson Ware - 1 for 8, R, 2 K
Trent Farquhar - 1 for 5, 2 R, 2 BB, K
Dakota Kotowski - 0 for 6, 4 K
Kehden Hettiger - 1 for 3, BB (fielding error)

George Klassen is now a must-watch prospect for the 2024 season. He seems to have harnessed his control issues that plagued him in college. His arsenal includes a 99 mph fastball and he looks DANN good. Consider him a Top-5 pitching prospect in the system now. Aidan Miller didn’t have a great weekend and saw his 6-game hitting streak snapped. TJayy Walton launched his first homer of the season.