2020 Prospect Depth Chart: Miami Marlins

The Marlins' system is in a much better spot than it was a year ago, and that's in large part due to pitching success at High A Jupiter, where Braxton Garrett, Edward Cabrera, and Trevor Rogers all took big steps forward. The acquisitions of Sixto Sanchez, Lewin Diaz, Jesus Sanchez, and Jazz Chisholm, plus the drafting of JJ Bleday, have been huge as well, and Sixto in particular leads the system as a potential true ace. Meanwhile, the position player group has been a really interesting one. Just since the end of the 2018 season, they have spent over $19 million to reel in five amateur hitters: Bleday ($6.67M), Victor Victor Mesa ($5.25M), Jose Salas ($2.8M), Nasim Nunez ($2.2M), and Kameron Misner ($2.12M). They'll really be leaning on those players to carry the system from a hitting perspective, because their aggressive approach of pushing young, raw hitters through the minors has likely hurt the development of highly regarded amateurs like Connor Scott and Will Banfield, the two of whom they spent nearly $6 million on in the 2018 draft.

Affiliates: AAA New Orleans Baby Cakes*, AA Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, High A Jupiter Hammerheads, Class A Clinton LumberKings, short season Batavia Muckdogs, complex level GCL and DSL Marlins
*AAA affiliate will move from New Orleans, LA to Wichita, KS in 2020

Catcher
- Will Banfield (2020 Age: 20): High school catchers are the riskiest demographic to draft from, but the Marlins had success in the past with J.T. Realmuto so they grabbed Atlanta-area high schooler Will Banfield in the competitive balance round in 2018 and pushed him aggressively to Class A in his pro debut. Personally, I don't think that was the best decision, and in 2019 he slashed just .199/.252/.310 with nine home runs and a 121/25 strikeout to walk ratio over 101 games at Class A Clinton. Banfield has good power in his right handed swing, but he struggled with swing and miss even in high school and his bat flat out wasn't ready for South Atlantic League pitching in his age-19 season. His glove, on the flip side, was, and his cannon arm means he should be an above average defensive catcher at the major league level. The bat will take patience, though, as he learns to find the strike zone and tap that power consistently, and that will probably take more time than the Marlins had hoped. He'll be just 20 for all of 2020, so if I were them, I'd have Banfield repeat Class A.
- Keep an eye on: Nick Fortes, Arquimedes Cumana

Corner Infield
- Lewin Diaz (2020 Age: 23): It's been a long time coming for Diaz, who signed with the Twins for $1.3 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2013, but 2019 was finally the breakout year everyone was waiting for. Despite being shipped to the Marlins midway through the season for Sergio Romo, he slashed .270/.321/.530 with 27 home runs and a 91/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 121 games between High A and AA. Diaz's power is very, very real, as he uses his 6'4" frame and explosive left handed swing to drive the ball to all fields. He's an aggressive hitter who usually does not get deep enough into the count to draw walks, but he also has very good feel for the barrel that helps him keep his strikeout rates very low for a power hitter. That gives him a very favorable outlook at the next level if he can get over that last hump, and he could hit 30+ home runs annually. Defensively, he's limited to first base, but the bat should profile there.
- Evan Edwards (2020 Age: 22-23): The Marlins took Edwards as an under slot senior sign in the fourth round out of NC State in 2019, but a successful pro debut means he might be more than just a money saver. In extensive action, he hit .281/.357/.442 with nine home runs and an 83/30 strikeout to walk ratio over 73 games, mostly at Class A Clinton, showing that the big raw power he had in college will play up in pro ball. He struck out in 25.7% of his plate appearances up at Clinton, which is a bit high, but I'd actually take that if I'm the Marlins. He has a long swing and there were questions as to how that would be exploited in pro ball, so high strikeout rates were already expected, and Class A is a fairly aggressive assignment for a player in his pro debut. The pressure will be on Edwards' bat to continue to produce, as he's a first baseman only, but I'm interested to see how he fares in a full season in 2020.
- Nic Ready (2020 Age: 23): You could say it's been a good year for Nic Ready. He put up a big senior year for the Air Force Academy in the spring, graduated and was personally congratulated by President Trump in May, then got drafted by the Marlins in the 23rd round in June. It didn't stop there, though, as he went on to slash .263/.311/.508 with ten home runs and an 82/20 strikeout to walk ratio over 67 games at short season Batavia, also smacking 30 doubles and a pair of triples. He has a long swing that led to an elevated strikeout rate in pro ball, but he is also adept at finding the barrel and can spray deep line drives all over the park with ease. He'll have to shorten up his swing to keep from being exploited by higher level pitching, but it's as good of a start as you can have and with his natural Air Force work ethic, he's a good bet to outplay his draft position.
- Keep an eye on: Joe Dunand, Lazaro Alonso

Middle Infield
- Jazz Chisholm (2020 Age: 22): Chisholm is part of the new wave of Bahamian talent hitting pro ball, and so far, he might already be the best player from the islands since Andre Rodgers of the 1960's Giants, Cubs, and Pirates. Originally a Diamondbacks prospect, he was shipped to Miami in 2019 for Zac Gallen during a season in which he slashed .220/.321/.441 with 21 home runs, 16 stolen bases, and a 147/52 strikeout to walk ratio over 112 games between the two AA affiliates. Despite standing just 5'11", he's an extra base machine with his explosive swing, which produces lots of hard contact to all fields. The end result is a lot of home run power and balls in the gaps, which he can leg out with his above average speed. The one thing holding Chisholm back offensively is his tendency to swing and miss, which is a product of his big swing. He does have the strike zone judgement to draw his share of walks, so he really needs to just focus on finding the barrel more and may need to tone down his big uppercut. He's also a good defensive shortstop, so he has the potential to impact the game on both sides of the ball. Whether he can make enough contact is really the only thing between him and a ceiling of 20-25 home runs with good on-base percentages.
- Jose Devers (2020 Age: 20): We might have all made up our minds about the Giancarlo Stanton trade, but Jose Devers, who had just turned 18 when he was shipped from New York to Miami as part of the return, means we'll have to wait a little longer. In 2019, he slashed .322/.391/.390 with eight stolen bases and a 26/14 strikeout to walk ratio over 47 games between Class A Clinton, High A Jupiter, and complex level rehab work despite missing time with groin and forearm issues. Devers is extremely advanced for his age, showing exceptional contact ability even against pitchers much older than himself, and it's a pretty safe bet that he'll be able to hit his way up to the majors. His swing is very contact-oriented and at a listed 155 pounds, he doesn't hit for a ton of impact, so the Marlins will want Devers to continue to add weight and grow into his 6' frame so he can eventually be a threat for lots of doubles and triples with his speed. He's a very good defender at shortstop and could be a Gold Glover if he's forced over to second base, taking pressure off his bat, and he'll play all of 2020 at just 20 years old.
- Nasim Nunez (2020 Age: 19): The Marlins drafted Nunez out of an Atlanta-area high school in the second round in 2019, then signed him to an over slot deal for $2.2 million. Personally, I think that's a lot to spend on a high schooler whose bat is almost completely unproven, but the Marlins will hope he takes a similar path to Jose Devers. In his pro debut, Nunez slashed .200/.327/.238 with 28 stolen bases and a 48/35 strikeout to walk ratio over 51 games in the complex level Gulf Coast League and at short season Batavia, showing no power whatsoever but also better plate discipline than expected. Nunez was drafted for his glove, and he might be the best defensive shortstop in the system, so there is very little pressure on the bat for the 5'9" switch hitter. That said, he still needs to hit a little, and while the high walk rate is a nice start, he's going to have to learn to drive the ball more and start to hit for some real impact, even if it's just doubles and triples power. He's a great runner who stole 28 bases in 30 tries in complex ball, so getting on base will be key if he wants to maximize his value.
- Jose Salas (2020 Age: 17): It will probably be a few years before we even know what kind of prospect Salas is, but the Marlins liked his upside enough that they signed him out of Venezuela for $2.8 million in 2019. Born in 2003, he won't even turn 17 until April, and it's the athleticism that the Marlins are buying more than anything else. He's fast, produces some good power from both sides of the plate, has a good approach, and is athletic if somewhat raw at shortstop. There's a lot to teach, but since they got him this young, the Marlins also hope there's a lot of room to grow.
- Keep an eye on: Gosuke Katoh, Bryson Brigman, Riley Mahan, Osiris Johnson

Outfield
- Jesus Sanchez (2020 Age: 22): Lewis Brinson is looking like a bust now 200+ games into his big league career, but fortunately, the Marlins do have a nice crop of young outfielders coming up the pipeline behind him. Jesus Sanchez, acquired from the Rays in the Nick Anderson trade at the 2019 deadline, might be the next to break into the majors after slashing .260/.325/.398 with 13 home runs and a 100/39 strikeout to walk ratio over 113 games between AA and AAA this year. Big and strong at 6'3", he's more concerned with just spraying line drives around and making consistent hard contact, but it might do him good to start lifting the ball just a little bit more to tap his above average raw power. He's a very competent hitter that has no problem finding the barrel, even against advanced pitching, and if he tries to tap that power a little more, he could hit 15-20 or more home runs annually with good on-base percentages. He also profiles well in right field with sound defense and a good arm.
- Monte Harrison (2020 Age: 24-25): I see a lot of shades of Lewis Brinson here. Harrison, who is just over a year younger, is also a 6'3" right handed hitter with tools all over the place who hasn't quite put it together yet. Drafted in the second round out of a Kansas City-area high school way back in 2014, Harrison hit .270/.351/.441 with nine home runs, 23 stolen bases, and a 74/25 strikeout to walk ratio over 58 games in 2019, mostly at AAA New Orleans with a brief rehab stint at High A Jupiter. He generates a lot of power from an explosive right handed swing, though with that power comes a lot of swing and miss, and in fact, his 215 strikeouts in 2018 led the minor leagues that year. He's managed to cut his strikeout rate just a bit in 2019, but in order to get over the hump in the majors, there will be more work to do. Fortunately, Harrison has a lot of other traits to like, including his plus speed and exceptional arm strength from the outfield. He's very close to major league ready, and despite turning 25 next season, he maintains a high ceiling if he can figure out how to put the last few pieces together.
- JJ Bleday (2020 Age: 22): Bleday had a huge breakout junior season at Vanderbilt, where he led Division I baseball with 27 home runs despite facing the gauntlet of SEC pitching, and he rode that to being drafted fourth overall by the Marlins in 2019. Aggressively pushed to High A Jupiter to start his career, he started slow but heated up as he got his footing, finishing with a .257/.311/.379 slash line, three home runs, and a 29/11 strikeout to walk ratio over 38 games. Bleday is pretty much as close as you'll find to a complete hitter straight out of college, as he combines tremendous feel for the barrel with great raw power to hit lots and lots of home runs against advanced pitching. Defensively, he's more or less average in right field, but his strong arm helps him provide at least some value out there. He should move quickly and, with a little luck, he could be in the big leagues at some point in 2020. His ceiling is 35-40 home runs annually with good on-base percentages – i.e., a true middle of the order hitter.
- Victor Victor Mesa (2020 Age: 23-24): Mesa was one of the most hyped international prospects this year after defecting from Cuba, and he and his younger brother Victor signed with the Marlins shortly thereafter, the elder brother getting a whopping $5.25 million. Unfortunately, his pro career hasn't gone as planned so far, as he hit just .235/.274/.263 with 18 stolen bases and a 64/22 strikeout to walk ratio over 116 games at High A Jupiter and AA Jacksonville. He didn't have much of a problem making contact against quality pitching, but the problem was that he rarely found the barrel and was more likely to roll over a ground ball or pop up than he was to really drive one. He'll need to take a step back and really work on his pitch recognition and hand eye coordination, because even though he put up slap hitter numbers, he doesn't have a slap hitter swing. At this point, he probably looks like more of a fourth outfielder, but he's also just 116 games into his pro career and he has a chance to show that 2019 was just growing pains, not his true talent level. He is exceptional in the outfield with speed, instincts, and a great arm, and that (plus the signing bonus) buys the bat a lot of time.
- Kameron Misner (2020 Age: 22): Misner had an enigmatic career at Missouri, hitting really, really well most of the time until slumping hard in SEC play in his junior year. He had previously positioned himself to potentially go somewhere in the top half of the first round, but the SEC skid dropped him to the competitive balance round, where the Marlins picked him up with the 35th pick in 2019. In his pro debut, he hit .270/.388/.362 with a pair of home runs, eleven stolen bases, and a 42/30 strikeout to walk ratio over 42 games between the complex level Gulf Coast League and Class A Clinton, which was at least a nice sign in a small sample even if he didn't hit for much power. Misner is a tooled up prospect who really looks like a ballplayer at 6'4" with good power, speed, and defense. He was able to get to that power consistently against weaker non-conference opponents in both 2018 and 2019, but a broken foot kept him out of SEC play in 2018 and he had that slump in 2019, so he came into the draft completely unproven against higher level pitching. He did a good job of keeping that strike zone at least reasonably down in pro ball and he drew a lot of walks, and if he can pull it together by finding his power stroke in 2020, this could look like a steal for Miami with Misner's upside of 25-30 home runs annually with plenty of stolen bases and good defense.
- Connor Scott (2020 Age: 20): Miami drafted Scott in the middle of the first round out of a Tampa high school in 2018, though he hasn't quite figured it out in pro ball as the Marlins have pushed him aggressively. In 2019, he slashed .248/.310/.359 with five home runs, 23 stolen bases, and a 117/42 strikeout to walk ratio over 122 games at Class A Clinton and High A Jupiter as his baseball skills haven't quite caught up to his physical tools. Long and lanky at 6'4", he's more of a line drive hitter that relies on his good feel for the barrel to hit for impact at the plate, at least for now. There may be some power to tap into as he adds strength and leverage in his swing, but it hasn't shown up yet and I don't think the Marlins aggressively pushing him to High A as a teenager is going to help. Meanwhile, he's a great athlete with a ton of speed and a strong arm that could make him a plus defensive center fielder in time, and it's already helping him steal bases. The glove and high draft position will by the bat time, and he remains a breakout candidate even after the so-so 2019.
- Peyton Burdick (2020 Age: 23): Burdick absolutely mashed as a Wright State redshirt junior in 2019, slashing an unbelievable .407/.538/.729 against the Raiders' relatively weak Horizon League schedule, and the Marlins picked him up in the third round with hopes that he could make the leap up to pro ball and continue hitting for impact. As it turns out, he could, and his exceptional pro debut saw him slash .308/.407/.542 with eleven home runs and a 72/34 strikeout to walk ratio over 69 games, mostly at Class A Clinton. Burdick turns 23 right at the start of spring training, so he's not exactly the youngest prospect around, but he's extremely well everywhere he's gone and it wouldn't be smart to bet against his bat. He generates above average raw power with great feel for the barrel from the right side, and while he'll probably have a good amount of swing and miss at first while he transitions up from Horizon League pitching, he should cut it down reasonably going forward. To me, he looks like a 20-25 homer bat with decent on-base percentages, which would be enough to start in left field if he can get there.
- Victor Mesa Jr. (2020 Age: 18): Victor Mesa Jr. joined his older brother Victor Victor Mesa in defecting from Cuba last year, and while Victor Victor got $5.25 million, the younger Victor Jr. landed a nice $1 million bonus from the same Marlins. And while Victor Victor disappointed in his pro debut, Victor Jr. actually exceeded expectations, slashing .284/.366/.398 with a home run, seven stolen bases, and a 29/24 strikeout to walk ratio over 47 games in the complex level Gulf Coast League. He's not too dissimilar of a hitter from Jose Devers in that he has great feel for the barrel and the strike zone at a very young age, and while he doesn't hit for much power at present, he has enough athleticism and strength to eventually hit for average power despite standing just 5'11". He will play all of 2020 at just 18 years old, and with the way the Marlins like to push their young prospects, he could be in the majors at a very young age if he keeps hitting the way he's hitting and adds some power. However, unlike his brother, his defense plays closer to average, so his bat will have to carry him up.
- Keep an eye on: Brian Miller, Stone Garrett, Tristan Pompey, Jerar Encarnacion, J.D. Orr

Starting Pitching
- Sixto Sanchez (2020 Age: 21-22): Sixto was part of the return for J.T. Realmuto last offseason, and few minor league pitchers have a higher ceiling than he does. In his first season in the Marlins system, he posted a 2.76 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and a 103/21 strikeout to walk ratio over 114 innings at High A Jupiter and AA Jacksonville, starting a bit slow but finishing strong with a 0.90 ERA and a 35/6 strikeout to walk ratio in 40.1 innings over his final seven starts. Sixto is truly an elite talent, combining plus stuff with plus command in a way that very few other pitchers can. His fastball sits in the mid to upper 90's, touching 100, and he can put some sink on it when he wants to to get lots of ground ball outs. His curve is a hammer and his changeup misses bats as well, and since he can put them where he wants them, they all play up. Unfortunately, the one downside in Sanchez's profile is health – at six feet tall, he's a bit undersized, and he missed time with elbow problems in 2018. He set a career high with 114 innings in 2019, which is both good news and bad news in that he proved he was healthy after those elbow problems but also bad news in that he'd never even topped 95 innings before. If Sixto can get past those durability concerns, he has true ace potential, and I think he'll post great numbers no matter what, just perhaps in smaller samples if he ends up breaking down.
- Sterling Sharp (2020 Age: 24-25): The Nationals kind of surprisingly left Sharp unprotected for the Rule 5 Draft, and the Marlins scooped him up with the third pick a few weeks ago. That means after posting a 3.53 ERA, a 1.30 WHIP, and a 52/15 strikeout to walk ratio over 58.2 innings between AA and some lower level rehab work, Sharp will have to spend the entire season on the Marlins' active major league roster or else they'll have to send him back. Sharp should have very little trouble sticking in the majors, as he's a very advanced arm who stands out for his athleticism, control, and ability to sink his low 90's fastball for consistent ground ball outs. He also adds a decent slider and a good changeup, an overall average arsenal that the Marlins will hope plays up due to his feel for pitching. Overall, it's a #4 starter projection, though he'll likely pitch in the bullpen in 2020.
- Nick Neidert (2020 Age: 23): Neidert, a Mariners second rounder out of an Atlanta-area high school in 2015, has worked his way up slowly but with good numbers along the way, though a knee injury slowed him down in 2019. Overall, he had a 4.67 ERA, a 1.56 WHIP, and a 46/27 strikeout to walk ratio over 54 innings between High A Jupiter, AAA New Orleans, and complex level rehab work, the first time he'd ever had an ERA above 3.45 or a WHIP above 1.17. Acquired from Seattle as part of the return for Dee Gordon in 2017, Neidert is perhaps the most advanced pitcher in the system after from Sixto Sanchez, as he makes solid stuff play up great command and overall feel for mixing his pitches. He throws a lot to mid 90's fastball, adds a decent curve that stands out more for his ability to locate it than its actual movement, and gets most of his outs with a great changeup. His command wasn't quite as sharp in 2019 after the knee injury, and that exposed his overall arsenal a bit, so getting back to that plus command will help him become a #4 or #5 starter in the very near future.
- Braxton Garrett (2020 Age: 22-23): The Marlins picked up Garrett with the seventh overall pick in the 2016 draft out of a Northern Alabama high school, but he went down with Tommy John surgery just four starts into his pro career and missed most of 2017 and all of 2018. Returning in 2019, almost three years after he was drafted, he didn't miss a beat and posted a 3.54 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, and a 119/40 strikeout to walk ratio over 106.2 innings, mostly at High A Jupiter with one rough start at AA Jacksonville. Garrett is a very balanced pitcher with good stuff and good command, though aside from a great curveball that functions as his out pitch, nothing stands out as plus. He sits in the low 90's and adds an advanced changeup, and while his command was a bit spotty in 2019, he had a very good feel for the strike zone in high school and he should regain that feel as he gets farther away from all that time off. Garrett has the ceiling of a #2 or a #3 starter, though that is contingent of him getting back to hitting his spots and filling up the strike zone, and a very good chance of becoming at least a #4.
- Edward Cabrera (2020 Age: 22): Perhaps the biggest breakout star in the system, Cabrera was a little known prospect until a solid 2018 at Class A (4.22 ERA, 93/42 K/BB) at least put him on the map. Then in 2019, the Dominican prospect posted a 2.23 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, and a 116/31 strikeout to walk ratio over 96.2 innings at High A Jupiter and AA Jacksonville. He sits in the mid 90's with his running fastball, which is his best pitch, and he took a step forward in 2019 because he got more consistent with his command of the pitch. His slider is coming along as he continues to refine the pitch, and his changeup has come along as well. The next steps will be to just continue to refine and refine, and he'll need to prove his durability as well with a career high of just 100.1 innings in 2018. Still, with a little more refinement, his fastball should be enough to lead the way for a career as a #3 or #4 starter.
- Trevor Rogers (2020 Age: 22): It took Rogers a bit to find his footing in pro ball, as he didn't pitch in 2017 after being drafted in the middle of the first round out of a New Mexico high school, then struggled to a 5.82 ERA and an 85/27 strikeout to walk ratio in Class A in 2018. However, he figured it out in 2019, posting a 2.90 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and a 150/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 136.1 innings at High A Jupiter and AA Jacksonville, the biggest difference, like Cabrera, being taking a big step forward with his command. He's a 6'6" lefty that sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball, and that velocity comes pretty easily as he doesn't throw with much effort. The rest of his arsenal is beginning to take shape with a curveball, a slider/cutter, and a changeup, which are all better than when he was drafted but which still need more refinement. With his command now safely above average, the Marlins can have him focus on those secondary pitches and hopefully reach his ceiling as a mid-rotation starter.
- Humberto Mejia (2020 Age: 23): Mejia was never a top prospect, and that's why he's moved very slowly through the system since signing for $50,000 out of Panama in 2013, but he's also performed very well at every stop and has yet to really be challenged. In 2019, he finally reached full season ball and posted a 2.09 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP, and an 89/24 strikeout to walk ratio over 90.1 innings at Class A Clinton and High A Jupiter. He sits in the low 90's with his fastball from a projectable 6'3" frame, and he can get outs with his curve and his changeup because he commands them well. The overall package is pretty average, but he's passed every test the Marlins have given him, so it will be interesting to see how he potentially handles the upper minors in 2020, which will be his age-23 season. If it clicks, he could be a #4 starter.
- Evan Fitterer (2020 Age: 19-20): Despite turning 19 shortly after the 2019 draft, the Marlins took Fitterer in the fifth round out of his Southern California high school then signed him to an over slot $1.5 million deal. Fitterer then posted a 2.38 ERA, a 1.41 WHIP, and a 19/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 22.2 innings in the complex level Gulf Coast League, nothing that really changes his outlook. He's a balanced pitcher for his age, one who sits in the low 90's with his fastball, adds a pair of breaking balls that both look good at times, and a changeup that's pretty advanced for a high school pitcher. He usually commands all four pitches pretty well, and with a projectable 6'3" frame, he has all the building blocks in place for the Marlins to work with. Going forward, he'll just need to get more consistent with everything and continue to learn himself as a pitcher. High ceiling, low floor, and a lot of time to figure it out.
- Keep an eye on: Robert Dugger, Cody Poteet, Daniel Castano, Will Stewart, Delvis Alegre

Relief Pitching
- Jorge Guzman (2020 Age: 24): The Dominican flamethrower has already been traded twice, once from Houston to New York in the Brian McCann deal of 2016 and then, more notably, as the prospect with the highest upside in the Giancarlo Stanton trade a year later. In 2019, Guzman posted a 3.50 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and a 127/71 strikeout to walk ratio over 138.2 innings at AA Jacksonville, which was just enough to remain in the rotation for now but not enough to add any more confidence that he won't eventually end up in the bullpen. With multiple starting pitching prospects taking a big step forward at High A in 2019 and the acquisition of Sterling Sharp, Guzman will probably end up the odd man out when looking for a rotation spot, but he could be a real force in the bullpen. He sits consistently in the mid to upper 90's with his fastball, and his short arm action makes it really difficult to pick the ball up out of his hand. His slider stands out more for its mid to upper 80's velocity than for its movement, and his changeup has some nice fade, but his inability to throw strikes has kept him from putting it all together as a starter. Set to play in his age-24 season, the command probably won't ever get close to average, so at this point he's probably best off running his fastball up to 100 in the bullpen while missing bats with that hard slider. He could be up in 2020 if the Marlins go that route.
- Jordan Holloway (2020 Age: 23-24): A 20th round draft pick out of a Denver-area high school in 2014, Holloway probably finds himself in about the same spot as Guzman after posting a 4.45 ERA, a 1.51 WHIP, and a 93/66 strikeout to walk ratio over 95 innings at High A Jupiter. While he's still a starter, many of his teammates took steps forward that he couldn't match, and his two plus pitches likely fit better in a relief role at this point. Like Guzman, he sits in the mid to upper 90's with his fastball, though his breaking ball of choice is a curveball with really nice two-plane movement. Though he has a relatively easy delivery with a quick arm like Guzman's, he also struggles to throw strikes, and that has made his stuff play down. As a fastball/curveball reliever, he could work his way up and become a 7th or 8th inning guy.
- Sean Guenther (2020 Age: 24): The Marlins picked up Guenther as a strike throwing seventh rounder out of Notre Dame in 2017, but his average stuff wasn't quite enough to cut it as a starter in pro ball, so the organization bumped him to the bullpen in 2019 and the early returns are great. Often used for multiple innings at a time, the 5'11" lefty posted a 2.02 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and a 72/16 strikeout to walk ratio over 71.1 innings at Class A Clinton and High A Jupiter, using a high overhand delivery to get some added deception on his pitches. His fastball has bumped up into the low 90's, and while he used two breaking balls as a starter, I was unable to find if he's focused on one as a reliever but I'd have to guess he has. His plus command makes everything play up, and he could work his way up as a middle reliever.
- Keep an eye on: Tommy Eveld, Colton Hock, Jeff Lindgren

Phillies Acquire J.T. Realmuto

Phillies Get
C J.T. Realmuto (2019 Age: 28): 21 HR, .277/.340/.484, 3 SB, 126 wRC+, 4.8 fWAR

Marlins Get
C Jorge Alfaro (2019 Age: 25-26): 10 HR, .262/.324/.407, 3 SB, 96 wRC+, 2.1 fWAR
RHP Sixto Sanchez (2019 Age: 20-21): 4-3, 2.51 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 45/11 K/BB, 46.2 IP in High A
LHP Will Stewart (2019 Age: 21-22): 8-1, 2.06 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 90/21 K/BB, 113.2 IP in Class A
$250,000 in international bonus money

Phillies Perspective
The Phillies gave up a huge haul headlined by their top prospect to acquire the game's best catcher, but when you want to win a World Series, these are the things you have to do. They can actually stomach the loss of Sixto Sanchez due to the presence of Aaron Nola as well as numerous near-MLB ready starting pitchers in the minors, such as Cole Irvin, Ranger Suarez, Enyel De Los Santos, JoJo Romero, and Connor Seabold. By including Jorge Alfaro, who would have been relegated to backup catcher if he hadn't gone to Miami, the Phillies were also able to avoid giving up one of their secondary top prospects such as Alec Bohm or Adam Haseley. Losing Sanchez really hurts, but a World Series ring could make them forget real quick. If Realmuto attracts Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, even better.

Moving on, I'm sure Phillies fans would much rather hear about J.T. Realmuto than Sixto Sanchez. He'll immediately slot in as the starting catcher as well as into the middle of the order. Where Rhys Hoskins was originally supposed to be the guy to lead a decent offensive core consisting of Andrew McCutchen, Jean Segura, and Odubel Hernandez, Realmuto steps in and transforms the middle of the lineup. In 2018, he slashed .277/.340/.484 with 21 home runs for the Marlins, but it gets better. He was much better on the road (13 HR, .283/.350/.520) than at pitcher-friendly Marlins Park (8 HR, .269/.329/.444), a trend that has remained true throughout his career, and moving to more hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park will almost certainly boost his numbers. For 2019, it's not unreasonable to expect 25 home runs or more plus an on-base percentage over .350, which together with his defense would make him a five win catcher. He's only under contract for $5.9 million in 2019 and arbitration will limit how much he will make in 2020, so he's a real bargain monetarily. For his career, the Oklahoma City native has 59 home runs, a .279/.327/.442 slash line, and 14.3 fWAR over 540 games since 2014.

Marlins Perspective
The Marlins fielded offers on Realmuto for well over a year, asking for impact players like Victor Robles, Juan Soto, Cody Bellinger, Alex Verdugo, and Nick Senzel, among others along the way, showing extreme patience that many thought would actually end up costing them. However, after landing elite prospect Sixto Sanchez in a deal with the Phillies, the patience paid off. Among the Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, and Marcell Ozuna trades, Sanchez is easily the best prospect they have acquired, and with Jorge Alfaro coming in, they don't have to worry about finding someone to catch in 2019.

Even though Sixto Sanchez is the headliner, I'll start with Jorge Alfaro, the lone major leaguer in the return. He's a 25 year old catcher whose strengths and weaknesses are both very apparent, as his power at the plate is balanced out by his over-aggressive approach and high strikeout totals while his cannon arm behind the plate is balanced out by his otherwise decent defense. His high upside will take patience to bring out, though at 25, it's very likely that he never reaches it. As it stands, Alfaro evens out to an average hitter and an average defender, though surprisingly few catchers can actually say the same these days and his defense has in fact been improving. Without much in the terms of challengers, Alfaro should hold down that catcher's role for the foreseeable future as roughly a two win player. For his career, the Colombia native has 15 home runs, a .270/.327/.422 slash line, and 2.5 fWAR over 143 games since 2016.
I've said it multiple times and I'll say it again: Sixto Sanchez is a stud. As I highlighted in the Phillies farm system review, he's a 20 year old right hander with a mid to upper 90's fastball with movement at the lower velocities, a very good curveball, and an advanced changeup, but unlike most young kids with electric stuff, he can actually command it and command it well. He battled elbow inflammation in 2018, which led to the Phillies questioning the six footer's durability just enough that they were comfortable with shipping him to Miami. Because the stuff and command are both so good at such a young age, the only thing that could realistically stop Sanchez from becoming a true ace would be that durability factor. The Marlins will likely handle him carefully as he transitions to AA in 2019, and a healthy Sanchez could be the top prospect in baseball by the time Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis graduate off the lists later this season. Moving on, Will Stewart is a 21 year old lefty who has slowly worked his way up through the low minors and reached Class A Lakewood this year, dominating to the tune of an 8-1 record, a 2.06 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and a 90/21 strikeout to walk ratio over 113.2 innings. He's a sleeper prospect who fuels his success with good command of a low 90's fastball and a great changeup, and he could be a quick riser now that he has established himself with that breakout 2018. Stewart has back end of the rotation projection and serves to cover some of the risk that Sanchez comes with.

Reviewing the Philadelphia Phillies Farm System

The Phillies are on the rise, and despite the slow start to 2016 first overall pick Mickey Moniak's career, so is their farm system. It's a balanced system that features plenty of both power and contact hitters, and the system is especially deep in pitching as they have managed to successfully develop many of their highly regarded arms into legitimate prospects.

Affiliates: AAA Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, AA Reading Fightin Phils, High A Clearwater Threshers, Class A Lakewood BlueClaws, Short Season Williamsport Crosscutters, complex level GCL and DSL Phillies

The Headliner: RHP Sixto Sanchez
The first time I saw now-20 year old Sixto Sanchez pitch was in 2017 when his Class A Lakewood BlueClaws visited the Orioles' Delmarva Shorebirds. I don't remember the exact velocities, but the first at bat of the game, against the unfortunate Cole Billingsley, went something like this: 98 MPH for strike one, 99 for strike two, 100 just low for ball one, and lastly a disgusting curveball that Billingsley swung over top of for strike three. Sixto was just 18 at the time while Billingsley was 23, and Billingsley did not stand a chance. Sanchez was soon promoted to High A Clearwater, but he had to return there this season as he battled elbow inflammation, still posting a 2.51 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and a 45/11 strikeout to walk ratio over 46.2 innings. He's just six feet tall and won't even be able to drink legally until July, but he throws his fastball in the mid to upper 90's while adding a very good curveball and changeup, all three of which he can command very well. He can also manipulate his fastball to get movement on it down in the mid 90's range, and the overall package gives him true ace upside. Signed for just $35,000 as a 16 year old out of the Dominican Republic, he has developed  a very special right arm that could have made him the top pitching prospect in baseball had he been healthy this season, but he is nonetheless one of the top prospects in the game and should be joining Aaron Nola at the top of the Philadelphia rotation soon.

Drafted Bats: OF Cornelius Randolph, OF Mickey Moniak, OF Adam Haseley, 3B Alec Bohm, OF Dylan Cozens, and OF Matt Vierling
The Phillies have had some high draft picks recently and have used their last four first round picks on bats with mixed results. I'll start in 2015, when they took now-21 year old Cornelius Randolph with their first pick (tenth overall) out of a Georgia high school, and he has been fairly disappointing so far. He was at his best by slashing .250/.338/.402 with 13 home runs at High A Clearwater in 2017, but he dropped to .241/.324/.322 with just five home runs and a 92/48 strikeout to walk ratio over 118 games at AA Reading this year. As a so-so defender in left field, his bat is his true calling card, so he'll have to reverse whatever happened in 2018 if he wants to stay relevant as a prospect. At his best, he shows a knack for hard contact, a patient approach, and an overall balanced skill set at the plate, but it hasn't clicked yet for any extended period of time at this point. In 2016, the Phillies selected another outfielder who is off to a slow start, first overall pick and now-20 year old Mickey Moniak. After a mediocre 2017 (5 HR, .236/.284/.341 at Class A Lakewood), he put up only slightly better numbers in 2018 by slashing .270/.304/.383 with five more home runs and a 100/22 strikeout to walk ratio over 114 games at Clearwater. Fortunately for Phillies fans, Moniak heated up in the second half after slashing .254/.272/.321 with a 56/5 strikeout to walk ratio in the first half, moving that up to a .286/.332/.442 line and a 44/17 ratio after the break. He's skinny at 6'2" but doesn't look like he has much room to add more weight, his speed being his best tool. At the plate, he's more of a line drive/gap hitter than a power hitter, and while it's increasingly unlikely that he develops more than average pop, I still think there is a chance he can be an above average hitter both when it comes to getting on base and hitting for power. Defensively he may be able to stick in center field, his work ethic and feel for the game helping him in that regard. Don't expect a future star out of Moniak at this point, but he could still be a productive big league regular if he gets back on track. Now-22 year old Adam Haseley was the Phillies' first round pick (eighth overall) in 2017, and unlike Randolph and Moniak, he has had plenty of success. In 2018, he slashed .305/.361/.433 with 11 home runs, seven stolen bases, and a 73/35 strikeout to walk ratio over 118 games at Clearwater and Reading with no loss of production after the promotion, even when accounting for league/ballpark differences (Reading is very hitter friendly; Clearwater and the Florida State League in general, not so much). He is a very balanced player who makes easy contact and rarely gets fooled at the plate, runs well, may be able to stick in center field defensively, and hits for just enough power to justify calling him an "impact bat." His walk rate is fairly low, but that is okay given his low strikeout rate and general knack for base hits. At this point, he has a high floor as a fourth outfielder because even if his development stagnates from here on out, he's good enough today to at least handle major league pitching. This past year, the Phillies took now-22 year old Alec Bohm out of Wichita State with the third overall pick, who then slashed a moderately disappointing .252/.335/.324 with a 23/12 strikeout to walk ratio and without a home run in 40 games between complex ball and short season Williamsport. Small sample slow start aside, Bohm is truly an impact bat who can hit for power while also getting on base at a high rate, giving him middle of the order upside. At 6'5", he can blast balls a long way, and his plate discipline has improved consistently enough that it's easy to envision him adding more power without adding too many strikeouts. Defensively, he has work to do if he wants to stick at third base, but the bat will play even if he is forced to move over to first base and despite the slow start; don't worry about 40 games in complex/short season ball. Moving off of first round picks, 24 year old Dylan Cozens was a second round pick way back in 2012 from high school near Phoenix, and though his trip through the minors has been slow, he's just about ready for the majors. The 6'6" outfielder was long considered a projectable bat who could add a ton of power, then after hitting 38 home runs over his first four pro seasons from 2012-2015, he crushed 40 with (hitter friendly) Reading in 2016 then followed that up with 27 at AAA Lehigh Valley in 2017. This past year, he slashed .246/.345/.529 with 21 home runs and a 124/46 strikeout to walk ratio over 88 games back at Lehigh Valley, then slashed .158/.273/.289 with one home run in a 26 game stint with the Phillies. His raw power is arguably the best in the system, possibly better than that of Bohm and Jhailyn Ortiz (more on Ortiz in the next section), but he strikes out far too much at this point and will have to make adjustments to survive at the major league level. I definitely don't see him as having an Aaron Judge-type breakout (Judge faced the same problems in the minors), but just a small improvement in his contact ability could make him a valuable pinch hitter or platoon bat and a big one (less likely) could make him an every day player down the road. Lastly, 22 year old Matt Vierling was a fifth round pick out of Notre Dame in 2018 who caught fire in the minors and slashed .321/.365/.496 with seven home runs, seven stolen bases, and a 40/13 strikeout to walk ratio over 62 games between Williamsport and Lakewood, handling the promotion to full season ball well and slashing .293/.342/.473 in his 50 games there. He has no standout tool but does a little bit of everything well, showing some power, on-base ability, and speed, as well as a strong arm from the outfield. He's likely a fourth outfielder down the road, but with his balanced skill set, lack of a glaring weakness, and hot start to his minor league career, more certainly is possible.

International Bats: OF Jhailyn Ortiz, 2B Daniel Brito, SS Arquimedes Gamboa, and SS Luis Garcia
The Phillies aren't as deep in bats signed internationally as they are with those they drafted, especially with Jose Gomez's disappointing season in High A, but there are a few bright spots here. 20 year old Jhailyn Ortiz hasn't quite lived up to his $4 million signing bonus from back in 2015, but he's still a solid prospect who slashed .225/.297/.375 with 13 home runs and a 148/35 strikeout to walk ratio over 110 games at Class A Lakewood. He packs tremendous raw power into his 6'3" frame, though South Atlantic League pitching found holes in his swing and was able to exploit them in 2018. Defensively, he has worked hard to remain in the outfield, where his strong arm helps him out, but he will have to start getting to his power consistently if he wants to remain one of the Phillies more well-regarded prospects. High A will be a real test in 2019, but he won't turn 21 until after the season and he has a chance to really define himself as a prospect. A tough transition will mean that Phillies fans will have to be patient and play more wait-and-see and I-wonder-if, but a few tweaks in his approach and a good season could take him from projection bat to true impact prospect. 21 year olds Daniel Brito and Arquimedes Gamboa find themselves in similar positions to each other, both coming off seasons where they didn't hit quite as well as hoped in A ball. Brito has the slightly better bat and he slashed .252/.307/.342 with four home runs, 16 stolen bases, and an 83/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 119 games at Lakewood and High A Clearwater, while Gamboa, with the better glove, slashed just .214/.304/.279 with two home runs, six stolen bases, and a 111/53 strikeout to walk ratio over 114 games, all at Clearwater. Both lack much power and will have to rely on getting on base to move forward, and both have good enough approaches at the plate that they can realistically get by without power. Brito, a second baseman who has steadily improved his defense and should be above average there, has shown just a little more sock in his bat and probably has a better chance to hit at the major league level, while Gamboa is a good defender at shortstop who will need to do at least something offensively in order to keep moving up. At this point, both look like future utility infielders if they can't get the bats going, but both will also spend the whole season at 21 years old with plenty of A ball experience under their belt. Lastly, 18 year old Luis Garcia (not to be confused with ex-Phillies/now Angels reliever Luis Garcia or highly-regarded Nationals prospect Luis Garcia) was just signed for $2.5 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2017 and spent 2018 in complex ball, slashing .369/.433/.488 with one home run, 12 stolen bases, and a 21/15 strikeout to walk ratio over 43 games with the Phillies' Gulf Coast League affiliate. It was an exceptional debut for a 17 year old who skipped over the Dominican Summer League entirely as he sprayed line drives all over the park, showed great awareness of the strike zone, and played great defense at shortstop. Now, it's very important to take complex level (and even rookie/short season) stats with a grain of salt, as competition in the GCL varies from other Latin American teenagers, recent draftees, and higher-level players on rehab assignments, but you can't play much better than Garcia did and given the high expectations coming into the season, he's in a great spot. At 5'11", he's unlikely to develop much power, but his defense at shortstop will take the pressure off his bat and with his on-base ability, he could be one of the top prospects in the system a year from now.

High Minors Arms: LHP Cole Irvin, LHP Ranger Suarez, RHP Enyel De Los Santos, RHP Drew Anderson, LHP JoJo Romero, and RHP Connor Seabold
The Phillies have a good group of arms that are near-major league ready, and that's a very good thing considering the team is just beginning what it hopes will be a long stretch of contention. Interestingly, most of the pitchers in this group are about command over stuff, so they may end up with an abundance of back-end starters who can be used as trade bait. 24 year old Cole Irvin is the most complete pitcher up at the top, coming off a very strong year where he went 14-4 with a 2.57 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, and a 131/35 strikeout to walk ratio over 161.1 innings at AAA Lehigh Valley. With his low 90's fastball and full arsenal of average pitches from the left side, he has no true out pitch but mixes and locates everything extremely well, making all of his pitches play up and giving him a very good shot at sticking in the majors as a back-end, innings eating starter. He's already in the mix for a back-end spot out of spring training, and if he doesn't get it then, his name should be called upon early in the season. He'll be competing with 23 year old Ranger Suarez, a 6'1" lefty who posted a 2.75 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and an 85/35 strikeout to walk ratio over 124.1 innings at AA Reading and Lehigh Valley, also adding 15 major league innings with a 5.40 ERA and an 11/6 strikeout to walk ratio. He's a fairly similar pitcher to Irvin who has moved through the minor leagues just as quickly, though his stuff is a hair better and his overall feel for pitching is just a hair behind. Unlike with Irvin, his changeup stands out among his other pitches and it, rather than an excellent feel for pitching like Irvin's, makes his other pitches play up. His command is just as good as Irvin's and it will be interesting to see who can hang on to that back-end spot, if not both. 23 year old Enyel De Los Santos, over from San Diego in the Freddy Galvis trade, is a different pitcher from both Irvin and Suarez and posted a 2.63 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and a 110/43 strikeout to walk ratio over 126.2 innings at Lehigh Valley as well as a 4.74 ERA and a 15/8 strikeout to walk ratio over 19 major league innings. He's a 6'3" righty whose fastball sits in the mid 90's and who adds a good changeup, but while Irvin and Suarez get by on their command, De Los Santos is closer to average in that regard. When he's hitting his spots, he can be a better pitcher than both, but of course the opposite is true when he isn't. He also comes with more reliever risk, but his stuff would play up in the bullpen and he could be very valuable in that regard. Watching the three of them battle for starts will be very interesting in 2019. 24 year old Drew Anderson is also in that mix, though I think he'll be the first of the four to end up in the bullpen after posting a 3.87 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and an 84/29 strikeout to walk ratio over 104.2 innings at Lehigh Valley this year. He has a low to mid 90's fastball plays up because of its movement, but he otherwise has fringe-average stuff that he controls pretty well. Despite the extra velocity, he's not quite on the same tier as Irvin and Suarez in terms of control types because his arsenal is not as deep and he hasn't been able to stay on the mound as consistently, but I think he could do well in the bullpen as soon as this season. Lastly, 22 year old JoJo Romero put himself firmly on the map with a huge 2017 in A ball (2.16 ERA, 128/36 K/BB) and followed that up with a solid run through AA in 2018, posting a 3.80 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP, and a 100/41 strikeout to walk ratio over 106.2 innings with Reading. He's listed closer to the end of this section because he probably won't be major league ready straight out of spring training, but it is plausible that he ends up with the best career in the group. While he has no single standout swing and miss pitch, he can throw pretty much any pitch in the book but a knuckleball, giving him plenty of weapons to use in any count and any situation, and unlike many young pitchers with such deep arsenals, he commands everything pretty well. The six foot lefty is crafty and has a very nice combination of ceiling and floor, and he has mid-rotation upside if he can stay healthy and maintain his ability to hit his spots with all of his pitches. 23 year old Connor Seabold is a control type who posted a 4.28 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and a 132/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 130.1 innings at High A Clearwater and Reading, keeping runners off the bases but also falling victim to the home run ball when he missed his spots in AA. Though his ERA jumped from 3.77 in High A to 4.91 in AA, he continued to be effective and even upped his strikeout rate from 23.8% to 25.5%, a modest jump but impressive nonetheless considering he was just drafted out of Cal State Fullerton in the third round (83rd overall) in 2017. Like Irvin, none of his pitches stand out, but he hits his spots consistently enough that hitters don't get many mistakes to try to do something with. He has back-end potential.

Low and Mid Minors Arms: RHP Kyle Dohy, RHP Adonis Medina, LHP David Parkinson, LHP Will Stewart, LHP Kyle Young, and RHP Francisco Morales
While most of the upper-minors pitchers are advanced control-types who get by more on instincts than stuff, there's more variation in the guys who aren't quite as close to the major leagues. In this group, Sixto Sanchez aside, 22 year old Kyle Dohy is the closest to the majors in this group, and he put up a crazy season statistically with a 2.54 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and a 111/42 strikeout to walk ratio over just 67.1 innings at Class A Lakewood, High A Clearwater, and AA Reading. He's a 6'2" left handed reliever with a great fastball/slider combination that misses bats in bunches and helped him strike out 40.7% of those he faced in 2018 (including 47.7% over 33.2 innings at Lakewood). However, his stuff also misses the strike zone as often as it misses bats, and he walked 15.4% of his opponents this year including 21.8% over his 22.2 innings at Reading. If he gets his command closer to average, he could be in the major leagues as soon as 2019, and in the long run he could be a very useful bullpen arm in Philadelphia. However, if he can't start at least getting close to hitting his spots, his stuff isn't quite electric enough to keep him from getting shelled in the major leagues. 22 year old Adonis Medina made it up to Clearwater in 2018 and posted a 4.12 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, and a 123/36 strikeout to walk ratio over 111.1 innings, which was not quite the breakout season the Phillies were hoping for out of their young righty but still solid. He throws his fastball in the low to mid 90's and adds solid secondary stuff in a slider and a changeup, and they along with his command have been sharp enough for him to post very good component ratios in A ball over the past two seasons. As it stands, he looks like a guy with mid-rotation upside and a larger possibility of ending up in the back-end of the rotation, but the Phillies are high on him and think he has a very good shot of reaching his ceiling. 2019 and his transition to AA should be enlightening. 23 year old David Parkinson absolutely dominated A ball in 2018, going 11-1 with a 1.45 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and a 141/35 strikeout to walk ratio over 124.1 innings at Lakewood and Clearwater, though most of the season was spent facing younger competition down in Lakewood. The 2017 12th round pick out of Ole Miss made his average stuff play up in his first full pro season, and he has a much better chance to stick as a back-end starter than he did a year ago. The strong stint with Clearwater (1.24 ERA, 26/9 K/BB in 29 IP) was probably better news than the equally strong 95.1 innings in Lakewood considering his age relative to his competition, but it will be important to see if his stuff holds up over a longer run through High A and in AA this coming season to really feel confident about his future as a starter. 21 year old Will Stewart also had a dominating run through Lakewood, going 8-1 with a 2.06 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and a 90/21 strikeout to walk ratio over 113.2 innings. He's more of a sleeper prospect as a lefty without a ton of velocity, a high draft pedigree (20th round out of high school in Alabama in 2015), or a quick rise through the minors. Still, he makes his good command of a low 90's fastball and a very good changeup work for him, and because he was young for his class when he was drafted, he's not behind age-wise even though he didn't reach full season ball until his fourth pro season. The Phillies do very well with these types of guys (see Cole Irvin, Ranger Suarez, Connor Seabold up higher in the system) and while he looks more like a back-end starter right now, he could be a more well-known name come next season with success in High A. 21 year old Kyle Young posted a 2.73 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP, and a 50/9 strikeout to walk ratio over 59.1 innings mostly with Lakewood, and he's particularly interesting because he's just so darn tall. Standing 6'10" and coming at hitters from the left side, he throws fastballs that look like they're getting released right in front of your face and commands everything well for someone of his stature. While he doesn't throw as hard as a certain other 6'10" lefty (see Johnson, Randy), that command gives him a leg up and could make him a similar pitcher to right hander Chris Young (no relation). Injury risk is present though as he missed time in 2018 with elbow trouble, and personally there are quite a few other pitchers in this system that I see as better prospects. Lastly, 19 year old Francisco Morales doesn't quite have the numbers yet, but he's a high upside guy down in the low minors. The 6'4" righty posted a 5.27 ERA, a 1.54 WHIP, and a 68/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 56.1 innings with short season Williamsport in 2018, showing a low to mid 90's fastball and emerging secondary stuff. There is a lot he needs to work on, but the Phillies are high on him and with a big, durable frame, they see more velocity coming, with further improving his command and secondaries being the next lines on the to-do list. Think of him as a wild card for now, but he'll be interesting to track as a teenager in Class A next season.