Jul 8, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; National League Futures designated hitter Justin Crawford (13) of the Philadelphia Phillies hits an RBI sacrifice fly against the American League during the second inning of the All Star-Futures game at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
Baseball America recently unveiled their top ten Phillies prospects for 2025. They also projected a 2028 Phillies lineup and rotation, which is a fun way to see how the youngsters may fit the roster.
Here's the position by position breakdown, with some BA analysis found elsewhere on their site. Ages listed are for 2028.
BA names Tait the Phils' No. 4 prospect overall for 2025, up from No. 9 last year. On the 20-80 scout grading scale, they assign him 50 for his hit tool, 60 for power, 40 for run, 45 for fielding, 55 for arm.
"Tait is a strong-bodied catcher with a smooth, powerful swing from the left side geared to annihilate fastballs with impressive ease. His thump rates as the best in the organization, an assertion backed up by strong analytical numbers, including 90th percentile and maximum exit velocities of roughly 103 and 112 mph. Tait started slowly in the [Florida Coast League] before a few mechanical tweaks and stronger swing decisions helped right the ship. Going forward, he’ll need to continue to improve his chase and avoid falling into the trap of getting too pull-heavy."
Hopefully Harper has a ring before 2028. But if not, he should still have plenty in the tank at age 35.
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© Vincent Carchietta | 2024 Oct 8Second Base: Trea Turner (35)The Phillies currently have no interest in moving Turner to second base, despite his defensive struggles at shortstop. After all, he signed with the club with the expectation that he'd play his preferred position. But at age 35, 2028 Turner might get squeezed out of SS by a talented youngster.
Miller, the Phillies' No. 2 prospect, was ranked No. 4 last season. BA gives him a 55 hit, 60 power, 50 run, 50 fielding, 60 arm.
"After an excellent season which saw him reach Double-A and cement himself as a Top 100 Prospect, Miller will likely open 2025 back at Reading. He has a future as a slugging infielder with a chance to stick at shortstop. If he has to move to third base, his bat should be plenty to profile at the position."
With Trea Turner on the team and Aidan Miller possibly reaching the majors at shortstop, it's a bit surprising to see Caba listed in this spot. But BA believes he can develop a shiny 80 fielding tool. They currently give him a 60 field, 60 hit, 45 power, 60 run, and 55 arm.
Caba jumps from No. 5 to No. 3 among Phillies prospects in this year's rankings.
"At the plate, he hit the ball with slightly below-average exit velocities when compared to his peers, but his contact skills were the real story. Caba’s overall and zone-miss rates over the course of 164 plate appearances were 9.5% and 4.2%--exemplary for any level, but especially so for someone his age."
Sounds like a good fit!
"Defensively, Caba shows elite instincts and actions at shortstop as one of the quickest infield defenders in the Phillies’ system. He has strong footwork to go with plus arm strength, which should help keep him at shortstop for the long run. Caba is also praised for his outstanding makeup, which internal evaluators say helps him act like another coach on the field."
That sounds good, too! Keep your eyes on Caba.
Photo via @BaseballAmerica on twitter Left Field: Justin Crawford (24)Crawford is a player we may see in the majors sooner rather than later. He dropped from the No.2 prospect in the organization last year to No. 5 this year, but expectations are still sky high.
BA grades: 55 hit, 40 power, 70 run, 50 fielding, 50 arm.
"Crawford’s goals entering 2025 will likely be the same as they were entering 2024: Get the ball in the air more often and become a more efficient outfield defender. If he can do so, he’ll inch closer to his ceiling of a classic leadoff hitter who racks up hits and stolen bases. If not, he might settle in as more of a second-division regular."
Rojas won't be much older in 2028 than many of the players still toiling in the minors. We all know what he can do defensively. And if he can continue to improve his bat, he has a chance to stick around with the Phillies to patrol CF (and just about the rest of the outfield) for years.
The Phils selected Burkholder in the second round of the 2024 draft, 63rd overall. He's ranked as the No. 8 prospect in the organization.
50 hit, 50 power, 70 run, 55 fielding, 55 arm.
"Burkholder’s loudest tool is his speed, which currently grades as a double-plus and aids both in the outfield and on the basepaths . . . If he reaches his ceiling, he could be an above-average big leaguer with the speed and power to make himself a threat in all facets of the game."
By age 31, Bohm may finally graduate from "The Daycare." Many are writing Bohm off long before 2028, but if he sticks around he could DH (and spell Harper at 1B if/when Harper needs to DH).
Bohm was BA's top-ranked Phillies prospect in 2019.
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© Bill Streicher | 2024 Aug 29The 2028 season would be Nola's 14th in the majors. He would own a lot of Phillies franchise records at that point.
Painter, unsurprisingly, is BA's top-ranked Phillies prospect for 2025. He was also the organization's No. 1 prospect for 2023 and 2024. BA gives him a 70 fastball, 50 curveball, 60 slider, 55 changeup, 70 control.
"When healthy, Painter showed an elite combination of stuff, command and poise. His fastball, which parked in the mid 90s and topped out at 101 mph, showed excellent induced vertical break and spin rates in the 2,400 rpm range. All of those factors make the pitch a potential double-plus offering. He backs the fastball with an array of offspeed weapons, the best of which is a potentially plus slider.
. . .
"He tied his pitch mix together with uncommon poise for a pitcher of his age and experience and a smooth, repeatable delivery with excellent extension. He has the potential for double-plus control, which showed up when he walked just two hitters in 28.1 innings at Double-A Reading.
. . .
"If he had been healthy, Painter was a candidate to reach the big leagues in 2023. Now, his first start at Citizens Bank Park will not likely come until sometime in the 2025 season. If he arrives showing the same combination of stuff, control and poise he displayed in 2022, he has a chance to pitch at the front of Philadelphia’s rotation for years to come."
Andy Painter impressed again today.
3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 33 pitches (25 strikes).
Fastball reached 99.1 mph.pic.twitter.com/6VJleXXiv2
Sanchez should be a productive Phillies lefty for a long time.
Suarez may not be here in 2028, if some of the speculation around him is true. But he'd be just 32 in '28, has shown flashes of brilliance, and has been terrific in the postseason. The Phillies could certainly do worse for a number four starter.
The Phillies acquired Chace as part of the Gregory Soto deal with the Orioles last season. He didn't bolster the team for its (brief) 2024 postseason run, but he could pay dividends down the line. BA ranks him as the Phils' No. 6 prospect for 2025, with a 60 fastball, 55 sweeper, 60 slider, 50 changeup, and 45 control.
"Chace’s fastball is one of the signatures of the righthander’s mix. The pitch averages 95 mph and peaks at 98, but under the hood is where it really stands out. Chace’s lower slot, unusual carry and an average of roughly 18.5 inches of induced vertical break combine to produce a fastball that reminds some of the offering that has made Astros righthander Cristian Javier famous. The pitch garnered a miss rate north of 40%, and Chace backs it with a deep and varied pitch mix that has been tweaked as he’s matured.
. . .
He has the mix to remain in the rotation if he can raise the quality and volume of his strikes. If he has to move to the bullpen, his fastball, slider and sweeper should give him plenty of options to blow away hitters in the late innings of games."
In 2028, Kerkering will be just 27, but should have a ton of experience in high-leverage situations (including the postseason). This projection is entirely realistic.
Orion Kerkering is awesome 🔥
2024 stats:
1.6 WAR
63.0 innings
2.29 ERA
178 ERA+
10.6 K’s per 9 pic.twitter.com/u8swRq27mB
Phillies fans may find these projections hilarious a few years from now. Guys get traded, guys get injured, guys surprise, guys disappoint. But if even a few of their most exciting prospects pan out before players like Harper, Turner, and Nola decline, the franchise will be in good shape.
Anything is possible, of course. But with enough financial flexibility to surround these youngsters with veteran talent, we're unlikely to see a return to the Phillies dark ages anytime soon.
