Forward!! On to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Philadelphia Phillies Draft Review
1) Jesse Biddle, LHP, Pennsylvania HS: Hometown lefty has already signed, being much easier to get away from college ball than originally expected, though no doubt being drafted by the Phillies helped. Like most cold-weather high school pitchers, he needs a lot of refinement, but he is physically projectable and can hit the low-90s on his best days already. I like the pick.
2) Perci Garner, RHP, Ball State University: Ex-football player can hit 92-96 MPH but understandably struggled with his command and secondary offerings at times. Has a chance to be a power reliever, but I wouldn't give up on him starting just yet. He's also signed.
3) Cameron Rupp, C, University of Texas: He has a good arm and has turned himself into a solid defensive catcher. He also has power, but his swing is long and he is unlikely to hit for average against pro pitching.
4) Bryan Morgado, LHP, University of Tennessee: Has a 90+ fastball and a sharp slider, but his performance record at Tennessee was dismal. He pitched much better against wood bats in the Cape Cod League, and the Phillies hope that his record there matters more. He has a very good arm, but is a definite wild card.
5) Scott Frazier, RHP, California HS: Low-90s fastball with the chance for more, along with a curveball, changeup, weird mechanics, erratic command, and a Pepperdine commitment. He could turn into just about anything.
6) Gauntlett Eldemire, OF, University of Ohio: On tools alone, he could have gone in the first round. He hit well this spring but has struggled with wooden bats in the past, and his aggressive style might not work against better pitching. He could be a 20-20 major league player...or he could flame out in A-ball.
7) David Buchanan, RHP, Georgia State University: Can hit 94 MPH and has a good breaking ball, but inconsistent control kept him from going earlier in the draft. Still very interesting upside in this spot.
8) Stephen Malcom, RHP, San Joaquin Delta Junior College: Throws 90+, good athlete who is also an infielder, where some teams liked him better due to his speed and arm at shortstop.
9) Brenton Allen, OF, California HS: Has good speed and power potential, but is quite unrefined. The Phillies like to draft guys like this, and he fits the mold. Good student who may be tough to sign away from UCLA. If he goes to college and develops, could be an early draft in 2013.
10) Mario Hollands, LHP, UC Santa Barbara: Upper-80s fastball and a wide variety of secondary pitches, but an erratic track record in college. This is another guy who might do better against wooden bats.
FOUR OTHERS OF NOTE: 12-Tyler Knigge, RHP, Lewis-Clark State; 17-Mike Nesseth, RHP, University of Nebraska; 20-Kevin Walter, RHP, Colorado HS; 26-Chris Duffy, OF, University of Central Florida
COMMENT: The Phillies are known as a very tools-oriented club. Garner, Morgado, Eldemire, Buchanan, and Malcom all fit that mold despite being college players: all are rawer than normal for their age groups, but could be refined into high-upside players. Biddle, Frazier, and Allen are all projectable high school types. The only one who doesn't really fit the "Phillies profile" is Rupp, and he at least adds some catching depth to the system. I rather like this class, with Biddle, Garner, Eldemire, and several of the double-digit drafts being particular favorites.
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