With their first pick pushed back ten spots due to competitive balance overages, Philadelphia had less draft capital to work with than most teams. They still landed one of the best right-now high school players in the entire country in Tyler Spangler, an advanced bat and glove beyond his years. After following him up with outfielder Caden Bogenpohl, with arguably the loudest raw power in the entire draft class, they pivoted to focusing on pitching and found quite a few interesting arms. Fastballs were the focus, with many unique heaters with outlier traits dotted the class including Deven Sheerin's triple digits, Bo Rhudy's unbelievable spin rates, Wyatt Danilowicz's sneaky life, Drew Titsworth's low launch, and Justin Lee's perfect spin efficiency.
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Note that the number before a player's name indicates their draft position. For example, "2-50" would indicate that a player was taken in the second round with the fiftieth overall pick.
1-36: SS Tyler Spangler, De La Salle HS [CA]
Slot value: $2.76 million. Signing bonus: $3.25 million ($491,200 above slot value).
My rank: #38. MLB Pipeline: #36. ESPN: #34.
Despite moving back ten slots for their first pick, the Phillies brought in one of the best all-around players in the high school class. Had he been healthy this spring, Tyler Spangler likely would have gone 10+ picks higher. Earlier in his prep career and on the showcase circuit last summer, Spangler showed off one of the most well-rounded profiles in the class with a combination of hitting ability, thump, size, and steady defense rarely seen from teenagers. Unfortunately, he missed his entire senior season at De La Salle High School in Northern California with a back injury, but made a healthy return at the MLB Draft Combine in June. Listed at 6'3", he's not a big bopper at the plate but rather a more balanced hitter. He has consistently handled high-end pitching with ease while showing off enough present power to profile for perhaps 15-20 home runs annually in the bigs, perhaps a tick more if the Phillies can get him a little more explosive at the plate. For now, Spangler is a line drive hitter who confidently uses the entire field with a simple left handed swing with few holes. The profile is similar in the field, where he plays a sound shortstop with smooth actions and an above average arm, his baseball IQ helping his tools play up further there. He may be pushed to second or third base by a more explosive defender at the six, but if he is, he'll be at least above average at either if not potentially plus if he fully puts the back issues behind him. Previously committed to Stanford, Spangler will almost certainly sign here but could command $3 million-plus.
Slot value: $2.76 million. Signing bonus: $3.25 million ($491,200 above slot value).
My rank: #38. MLB Pipeline: #36. ESPN: #34.
Despite moving back ten slots for their first pick, the Phillies brought in one of the best all-around players in the high school class. Had he been healthy this spring, Tyler Spangler likely would have gone 10+ picks higher. Earlier in his prep career and on the showcase circuit last summer, Spangler showed off one of the most well-rounded profiles in the class with a combination of hitting ability, thump, size, and steady defense rarely seen from teenagers. Unfortunately, he missed his entire senior season at De La Salle High School in Northern California with a back injury, but made a healthy return at the MLB Draft Combine in June. Listed at 6'3", he's not a big bopper at the plate but rather a more balanced hitter. He has consistently handled high-end pitching with ease while showing off enough present power to profile for perhaps 15-20 home runs annually in the bigs, perhaps a tick more if the Phillies can get him a little more explosive at the plate. For now, Spangler is a line drive hitter who confidently uses the entire field with a simple left handed swing with few holes. The profile is similar in the field, where he plays a sound shortstop with smooth actions and an above average arm, his baseball IQ helping his tools play up further there. He may be pushed to second or third base by a more explosive defender at the six, but if he is, he'll be at least above average at either if not potentially plus if he fully puts the back issues behind him. Previously committed to Stanford, Spangler will almost certainly sign here but could command $3 million-plus.
2-64: OF Caden Bogenpohl, Missouri State
Slot value: $1.42 million. Signing bonus: $1.42 million
My rank: #92. MLB Pipeline: #93. ESPN: #121.
This is one of the most interesting profiles in the draft. Caden Bogenpohl is a hulking 6'6", 245 pound slugger from the small town of Jackson in southeastern Missouri, having spent the past three years as an everyday player at Missouri State. Expectations were high after he hit 33 home runs in his first two seasons in Springfield, but he dropped to just six in 2026 despite mostly facing mid-major competition. Still, the big lefty's power intrigued evaluators and he showed up to the MLB Draft Combine with high expectations. Suffice to say, Bogenpohl did not disappoint – his jaw dropping 115.1 MPH 90th percentile exit velocity was the best mark of the entire field, drawing literal gasps from the scouting crowd as he send baseball after baseball into oblivion. You can teach guys to add power, you can help them get stronger and go from hitting baseballs hard to crushing them, but you cannot teach a hitter to *delete* a baseball. Bogenpohl has the raw power to do just that. He's a patient hitter at the plate as well and ran walk rates above 19% in each of his three seasons at Missouri State, good for a .441 career on-base percentage, but the problem comes with pure feel for the barrel. While he keeps his swing and miss relatively reasonable, he doesn't always square the ball up and can be susceptible to hitting it on the ground too much. Scouts worry that quality pro stuff in the zone will make for a steeper transition. Still, his combination of approach and elite raw power means he won't help pitchers get him out and when he does square it up, it is going to be loud. His size points to more of a first base profile, but the big Missourian actually runs pretty well and played a respectable center field for the Bears. He probably moves to a corner outfield spot in pro ball, but he'll hold his own there for sure. Philadelphia hopes to improve the barrel accuracy just enough to get him to tap potential 30+ home run power consistently in games at Citizens Bank.
Slot value: $1.42 million. Signing bonus: $1.42 million
My rank: #92. MLB Pipeline: #93. ESPN: #121.
This is one of the most interesting profiles in the draft. Caden Bogenpohl is a hulking 6'6", 245 pound slugger from the small town of Jackson in southeastern Missouri, having spent the past three years as an everyday player at Missouri State. Expectations were high after he hit 33 home runs in his first two seasons in Springfield, but he dropped to just six in 2026 despite mostly facing mid-major competition. Still, the big lefty's power intrigued evaluators and he showed up to the MLB Draft Combine with high expectations. Suffice to say, Bogenpohl did not disappoint – his jaw dropping 115.1 MPH 90th percentile exit velocity was the best mark of the entire field, drawing literal gasps from the scouting crowd as he send baseball after baseball into oblivion. You can teach guys to add power, you can help them get stronger and go from hitting baseballs hard to crushing them, but you cannot teach a hitter to *delete* a baseball. Bogenpohl has the raw power to do just that. He's a patient hitter at the plate as well and ran walk rates above 19% in each of his three seasons at Missouri State, good for a .441 career on-base percentage, but the problem comes with pure feel for the barrel. While he keeps his swing and miss relatively reasonable, he doesn't always square the ball up and can be susceptible to hitting it on the ground too much. Scouts worry that quality pro stuff in the zone will make for a steeper transition. Still, his combination of approach and elite raw power means he won't help pitchers get him out and when he does square it up, it is going to be loud. His size points to more of a first base profile, but the big Missourian actually runs pretty well and played a respectable center field for the Bears. He probably moves to a corner outfield spot in pro ball, but he'll hold his own there for sure. Philadelphia hopes to improve the barrel accuracy just enough to get him to tap potential 30+ home run power consistently in games at Citizens Bank.
3-100: RHP Ruger Riojas, Texas
Slot value: $784,400. Signing bonus: $622,500 ($161,900 below slot value).
My rank: #106. MLB Pipeline: #92. ESPN: #103.
Ruger Riojas gives the Phillies one of the top senior signs in the class. Originally a UTSA Roadrunner, Riojas pitched two years in San Antonio before transferring to Texas for his junior year in 2025. A nasty battle with the flu sapped his stuff and his weight for much of the season, leading him to go undrafted and return for his senior year in Austin. 2026 proved to be a much different story as he sliced through non-conference play with ease (1.64 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 42/3 K/BB in 22 IP) then held his own against a difficult SEC schedule. Riojas' stock probably peaked around mid-season, when he was projected as a second round pick, then corrected just a little towards the end and he makes for a very interesting third rounder. He brings a ton of energy on the mound, starting with one of the game's better flow/stache combos and extending into his approach to pitching. Loose and athletic on the mound, he has an uptempo delivery in which he varies his timing to throw off opposing hitters and remains extremely balanced throughout, pairing well with the confidence he shows. The fastball velocity was up this year, sitting in the mid 90's and reaching as high as 99 on occasion with some hop. While his two-plane slider and truer curveball are more average in movement, he shows great feel to spot them and makes them play up with his conviction. The slider plays better when he tightens it up into a cutter, while his changeup gives him a legitimate weapon to finish off hitters. With a full arsenal and above average command across it all, Riojas pitches deeper into games than his slight 6' frame might indicate. That plus his moxie on the mound makes him a pretty safe bet starting pitcher and one who could move quickly through the minors. Having turned 23 a day after he was drafted, he was the oldest player selected in the first three rounds and is just as advanced as any. He should become a back-end starting pitcher for the Phillies in short order and gives them a nice little discount as well.
Slot value: $784,400. Signing bonus: $622,500 ($161,900 below slot value).
My rank: #106. MLB Pipeline: #92. ESPN: #103.
Ruger Riojas gives the Phillies one of the top senior signs in the class. Originally a UTSA Roadrunner, Riojas pitched two years in San Antonio before transferring to Texas for his junior year in 2025. A nasty battle with the flu sapped his stuff and his weight for much of the season, leading him to go undrafted and return for his senior year in Austin. 2026 proved to be a much different story as he sliced through non-conference play with ease (1.64 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 42/3 K/BB in 22 IP) then held his own against a difficult SEC schedule. Riojas' stock probably peaked around mid-season, when he was projected as a second round pick, then corrected just a little towards the end and he makes for a very interesting third rounder. He brings a ton of energy on the mound, starting with one of the game's better flow/stache combos and extending into his approach to pitching. Loose and athletic on the mound, he has an uptempo delivery in which he varies his timing to throw off opposing hitters and remains extremely balanced throughout, pairing well with the confidence he shows. The fastball velocity was up this year, sitting in the mid 90's and reaching as high as 99 on occasion with some hop. While his two-plane slider and truer curveball are more average in movement, he shows great feel to spot them and makes them play up with his conviction. The slider plays better when he tightens it up into a cutter, while his changeup gives him a legitimate weapon to finish off hitters. With a full arsenal and above average command across it all, Riojas pitches deeper into games than his slight 6' frame might indicate. That plus his moxie on the mound makes him a pretty safe bet starting pitcher and one who could move quickly through the minors. Having turned 23 a day after he was drafted, he was the oldest player selected in the first three rounds and is just as advanced as any. He should become a back-end starting pitcher for the Phillies in short order and gives them a nice little discount as well.
4-128: RHP Deven Sheerin, Louisiana State
Slot value: $597,400. Signing bonus: $597,500 ($100 above slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: #145. ESPN: #163.
The Phillies, perhaps more so than other teams, like to dabble in their own backyard and bring Mid-Atlantic kids home. Deven Sheerin is just that, and he has a dang good arm to boot. A Reading native, he graduated from Exeter Township High School just east of the city and less than fifty miles northeast of Citizens Bank Park. Beginning his career at Mount St. Mary's in Maryland, he caught the eyes of the LSU coaching staff and transferred down to Baton Rouge. A torn ACL kept him out of action his sophomore year, but in 2026 he roared back with one of the loudest fastballs in the SEC. It's far and away his best pitch and probably the best single pitch in the Phillies' entire draft class. Sitting in the mid to upper 90's and touching triple digits at peak, he tore apart really good SEC hitters almost on the fastball alone. It's a riding heater with a flatter approach that puts up elite numbers, and he leaned on it heavily in 2026. Sheerin also throws a hard slider in the mid 80's that plays well off his heater, especially when he can locate it, and the Phillies will likely focus there to take a step forward. He also occasionally flips in a curveball that may have some potential if he can gain a little more feel. The big 6'5" righty throws with some effort and can get scattered, and in two college seasons he's made just two starts. Part of that is probably due to LSU's depth on the mound, but in pro ball it's not going to get any easier to crack the rotation. If the Phillies focus in on his secondaries and bring one forward into plus territory, he has late inning potential with his devastating fastball. Better yet, he's young for a college junior and was still 20 on draft day.
Slot value: $597,400. Signing bonus: $597,500 ($100 above slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: #145. ESPN: #163.
The Phillies, perhaps more so than other teams, like to dabble in their own backyard and bring Mid-Atlantic kids home. Deven Sheerin is just that, and he has a dang good arm to boot. A Reading native, he graduated from Exeter Township High School just east of the city and less than fifty miles northeast of Citizens Bank Park. Beginning his career at Mount St. Mary's in Maryland, he caught the eyes of the LSU coaching staff and transferred down to Baton Rouge. A torn ACL kept him out of action his sophomore year, but in 2026 he roared back with one of the loudest fastballs in the SEC. It's far and away his best pitch and probably the best single pitch in the Phillies' entire draft class. Sitting in the mid to upper 90's and touching triple digits at peak, he tore apart really good SEC hitters almost on the fastball alone. It's a riding heater with a flatter approach that puts up elite numbers, and he leaned on it heavily in 2026. Sheerin also throws a hard slider in the mid 80's that plays well off his heater, especially when he can locate it, and the Phillies will likely focus there to take a step forward. He also occasionally flips in a curveball that may have some potential if he can gain a little more feel. The big 6'5" righty throws with some effort and can get scattered, and in two college seasons he's made just two starts. Part of that is probably due to LSU's depth on the mound, but in pro ball it's not going to get any easier to crack the rotation. If the Phillies focus in on his secondaries and bring one forward into plus territory, he has late inning potential with his devastating fastball. Better yet, he's young for a college junior and was still 20 on draft day.
4C-135: RHP Jaxon Jelkin, Kentucky
Slot value: $558,400. Signing bonus: $547,500 ($10,900 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: #166. ESPN: unranked.
Jaxon Jelkin has been around for a long time. A talented pitcher out of the Omaha high school ranks in 2021, he started his career at Nebraska but was dismissed from the team after one year. He transferred to South Mountain JC in Arizona, where he was a Dodgers fourteenth round pick in 2023, then transferred to Houston in 2024 and pushed his draft stock to its peak before spring Tommy John surgery. Makeup and medical concerns let him slip to the ninth round, where he did not sign with the Mets, then he transferred to Kentucky and missed the 2025 season recovering. Fully healthy and in his fifth year of school in 2026, he put together a very strong season in the SEC and looked as effective as ever. Jelkin's fastball sits in the mid 90's and at points in his college career has tickled triple digits, missing barrels with heavy run and sink. He spins a pair of strong breaking balls in an above average curveball and a tight slider that he has tightened further into a cutter over time, both of which miss plenty of bats. His changeup has stepped forward as well, giving him one of the better four pitch mixes available especially here outside the top couple of rounds. Over time, Jelkin has tightened up his command and ran just a 5.2% walk rate in 2026, pushing plus territory in that regard, though his low walk rate is more an indication of him pounding the zone than really being able to spot his pitches. He probably settles in with average to above average command in pro ball. Listed at 6'5", he's built like you'd hope for a starting pitcher, while his deep arsenal and strike throwing ability all point in the same direction. At the same time, his checkered injury and off-field history as well as his advanced age (he'll be 24 this offseason) create a lot of variance in the profile. It would be a mid-rotation projection if the rest of his profile was more straightforward and certainly wouldn't be available here after the fourth round.
Slot value: $558,400. Signing bonus: $547,500 ($10,900 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: #166. ESPN: unranked.
Jaxon Jelkin has been around for a long time. A talented pitcher out of the Omaha high school ranks in 2021, he started his career at Nebraska but was dismissed from the team after one year. He transferred to South Mountain JC in Arizona, where he was a Dodgers fourteenth round pick in 2023, then transferred to Houston in 2024 and pushed his draft stock to its peak before spring Tommy John surgery. Makeup and medical concerns let him slip to the ninth round, where he did not sign with the Mets, then he transferred to Kentucky and missed the 2025 season recovering. Fully healthy and in his fifth year of school in 2026, he put together a very strong season in the SEC and looked as effective as ever. Jelkin's fastball sits in the mid 90's and at points in his college career has tickled triple digits, missing barrels with heavy run and sink. He spins a pair of strong breaking balls in an above average curveball and a tight slider that he has tightened further into a cutter over time, both of which miss plenty of bats. His changeup has stepped forward as well, giving him one of the better four pitch mixes available especially here outside the top couple of rounds. Over time, Jelkin has tightened up his command and ran just a 5.2% walk rate in 2026, pushing plus territory in that regard, though his low walk rate is more an indication of him pounding the zone than really being able to spot his pitches. He probably settles in with average to above average command in pro ball. Listed at 6'5", he's built like you'd hope for a starting pitcher, while his deep arsenal and strike throwing ability all point in the same direction. At the same time, his checkered injury and off-field history as well as his advanced age (he'll be 24 this offseason) create a lot of variance in the profile. It would be a mid-rotation projection if the rest of his profile was more straightforward and certainly wouldn't be available here after the fourth round.
5-161: OF Will Gasparino, UCLA
Slot value: $433,200. Signing bonus: $430,700 ($2,500 below slot value).
My rank: #79. MLB Pipeline: #72. ESPN: #94.
Will Gasparino is the most tooled up player in this Phillies draft class and has a chance to outplay his draft position. A well-known draft prospect out of the famed Harvard-Westlake High School in the Hollywood Hills, he held firm on his commitment to Texas and hit 25 home runs over two seasons in Austin but also struck out in 29.2% of his plate appearances. Transferring back home to UCLA, he changed his approach by standing taller in the box, simplifying his right handed swing, and learning to hit it 400 feet instead of trying to blast it 450 every time. The results were immediate as he knocked eleven home runs in his first thirteen games against the Bruins' tough non-conference schedule, though the power cooled down in conference play. Gasparino is a lanky, athletic, 6'6" outfielder built like a wide receiver that produces a ton of power at the plate, projecting for plus at times if he can keep his approach in check. He's a very aggressive hitter who chases nearly a third of the time, often playing himself out of counts and creating weaker contact than he's capable of. It was better in 2026, especially with a career-low 21% strikeout rate, but remains an area which will need further improvement in pro ball. More than just a power hitter, he also runs very well for someone so tall and may have the defensive chops to stick in center field long term. With an above average arm, he could be a plus right fielder if he ends up there. The LA native has massive upside if he can get the approach under control, with the potential to become an annual 20-20 threat.
Slot value: $433,200. Signing bonus: $430,700 ($2,500 below slot value).
My rank: #79. MLB Pipeline: #72. ESPN: #94.
Will Gasparino is the most tooled up player in this Phillies draft class and has a chance to outplay his draft position. A well-known draft prospect out of the famed Harvard-Westlake High School in the Hollywood Hills, he held firm on his commitment to Texas and hit 25 home runs over two seasons in Austin but also struck out in 29.2% of his plate appearances. Transferring back home to UCLA, he changed his approach by standing taller in the box, simplifying his right handed swing, and learning to hit it 400 feet instead of trying to blast it 450 every time. The results were immediate as he knocked eleven home runs in his first thirteen games against the Bruins' tough non-conference schedule, though the power cooled down in conference play. Gasparino is a lanky, athletic, 6'6" outfielder built like a wide receiver that produces a ton of power at the plate, projecting for plus at times if he can keep his approach in check. He's a very aggressive hitter who chases nearly a third of the time, often playing himself out of counts and creating weaker contact than he's capable of. It was better in 2026, especially with a career-low 21% strikeout rate, but remains an area which will need further improvement in pro ball. More than just a power hitter, he also runs very well for someone so tall and may have the defensive chops to stick in center field long term. With an above average arm, he could be a plus right fielder if he ends up there. The LA native has massive upside if he can get the approach under control, with the potential to become an annual 20-20 threat.
11-339: Drew Titsworth, Clemson
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $250,000 ($100,000 against bonus pool).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: unranked.
Philadelphia's largest bonus of the back half of the draft went to Drew Titsworth, who was a talented high school prospect before spending three years as an important arm on some strong Clemson staffs. While he never broke out into the ace Clemson was looking for, he did finish his career 13-4 with a 4.34 ERA and 119/44 strikeout to walk ratio over 110 innings split between starting and relief. He works from a sidearm slot but still shows strong velocity, sitting in the low to mid 90's and touching 97 with run and ride from a flat approach angle. The velocity alone from that slot makes him a standout arm, and while the rest of his game can be a little shaky, he has the building blocks to become a strong piece. He can add and subtract from his slider, running it into the upper 80's with a cutterish look or taking some off for a deeper shape. Either way, it's probably an average pitch at best for now, so the Phillies will look to sharpen that up. He also shows a fringy changeup that he has used but sits at the back of his arsenal. The 6'3" righty is built like a workhorse starting pitcher and doesn't throw with too much effort, helping him show average command that will lend itself to starting if his secondaries can find a little more consistency. If not, he has the fastball to profile well in a big league bullpen and work the secondaries off of it.
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $250,000 ($100,000 against bonus pool).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: unranked.
Philadelphia's largest bonus of the back half of the draft went to Drew Titsworth, who was a talented high school prospect before spending three years as an important arm on some strong Clemson staffs. While he never broke out into the ace Clemson was looking for, he did finish his career 13-4 with a 4.34 ERA and 119/44 strikeout to walk ratio over 110 innings split between starting and relief. He works from a sidearm slot but still shows strong velocity, sitting in the low to mid 90's and touching 97 with run and ride from a flat approach angle. The velocity alone from that slot makes him a standout arm, and while the rest of his game can be a little shaky, he has the building blocks to become a strong piece. He can add and subtract from his slider, running it into the upper 80's with a cutterish look or taking some off for a deeper shape. Either way, it's probably an average pitch at best for now, so the Phillies will look to sharpen that up. He also shows a fringy changeup that he has used but sits at the back of his arsenal. The 6'3" righty is built like a workhorse starting pitcher and doesn't throw with too much effort, helping him show average command that will lend itself to starting if his secondaries can find a little more consistency. If not, he has the fastball to profile well in a big league bullpen and work the secondaries off of it.
12-369: RHP Christian Coppola, Saint Joseph's
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: unranked.
The Phillies dipped into their backyard again with Christian Coppola, a big righty from the Jersey Shore. Coppola grew up in Galloway, just across the bay from Atlantic City, and he attended Cedar Creek High School in nearby Egg Harbor City. Beginning his career at Rutgers, he made a big name for himself with a strong freshman season in 2023 but couldn't quite match that success in 2024. He transferred to Arizona for the 2025 season, but made it into just three games. Transferring a second time to Saint Joseph's for 2026, he found success as a reliever and put up a sharp 1.69 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and an incredible 44.8% strikeout rate. Coppola mainly pitches off a sharp, late breaking, two-plane slider that misses a ton of bats. He also mixes in a distinct curveball with depth, missing plenty of bats on its own. He also runs his fastball into the upper 90's, sitting in the low to mid 90's with great extension from his big frame. He doesn't throw much of a changeup and his command is average, so he's probably a reliever long term, but he has been stretched out in the past and shouldn't just be limited to short relief. As a senior sign who will turn 23 early in the offseason, his great feel for his offspeed stuff could carry him quickly through the minors and to the Phillies' bullpen.
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: unranked.
The Phillies dipped into their backyard again with Christian Coppola, a big righty from the Jersey Shore. Coppola grew up in Galloway, just across the bay from Atlantic City, and he attended Cedar Creek High School in nearby Egg Harbor City. Beginning his career at Rutgers, he made a big name for himself with a strong freshman season in 2023 but couldn't quite match that success in 2024. He transferred to Arizona for the 2025 season, but made it into just three games. Transferring a second time to Saint Joseph's for 2026, he found success as a reliever and put up a sharp 1.69 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and an incredible 44.8% strikeout rate. Coppola mainly pitches off a sharp, late breaking, two-plane slider that misses a ton of bats. He also mixes in a distinct curveball with depth, missing plenty of bats on its own. He also runs his fastball into the upper 90's, sitting in the low to mid 90's with great extension from his big frame. He doesn't throw much of a changeup and his command is average, so he's probably a reliever long term, but he has been stretched out in the past and shouldn't just be limited to short relief. As a senior sign who will turn 23 early in the offseason, his great feel for his offspeed stuff could carry him quickly through the minors and to the Phillies' bullpen.
16-489: C Matt Quintanar, Texas Tech
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: unranked.
Matt Quintinar represents one of the top sleepers in the Phillies' draft class. He began his career at Central Arizona JC, then transferred to Blinn JC in Texas as a sophomore where he was one of the best JuCo hitters in the state. Transferring a second time to Texas Tech, he had zero issues jumping to Division I and power conference pitching and made as much contact as anybody in the country. His elite bat to ball ability helps him overcome a noisier setup that includes a bit of a hitch in his swing, running an elite 7.4% strikeout rate in 2026 that still remained a minuscule 9.1% in conference play against Big 12 weekend rotations. Very few hitters in the country can pick a ball up out of the hand and get the barrel there as consistently as he can, but he's not just a slap hitter. There is some latent power in the profile that should help him get the ball over the left field wall when he turns on one, helping him project to potentially reach double digit home run totals at peak. At this point, he doesn't always square the ball up and makes too much weak contact, but if you bring up the quality of contact just a little, he could really step forward as a hitter. The key to that may be a more selective approach, as the Southern California native tends to jump on the first hittable pitch he sees and rarely goes deep into counts to get something he can really drive. A plus arm behind the plate could help him stick back there, which would be huge for the overall profile. A senior sign who turned 22 in April, he could move quickly through the minors and could profile as a hit over power backup catcher at the big league level.
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: unranked.
Matt Quintinar represents one of the top sleepers in the Phillies' draft class. He began his career at Central Arizona JC, then transferred to Blinn JC in Texas as a sophomore where he was one of the best JuCo hitters in the state. Transferring a second time to Texas Tech, he had zero issues jumping to Division I and power conference pitching and made as much contact as anybody in the country. His elite bat to ball ability helps him overcome a noisier setup that includes a bit of a hitch in his swing, running an elite 7.4% strikeout rate in 2026 that still remained a minuscule 9.1% in conference play against Big 12 weekend rotations. Very few hitters in the country can pick a ball up out of the hand and get the barrel there as consistently as he can, but he's not just a slap hitter. There is some latent power in the profile that should help him get the ball over the left field wall when he turns on one, helping him project to potentially reach double digit home run totals at peak. At this point, he doesn't always square the ball up and makes too much weak contact, but if you bring up the quality of contact just a little, he could really step forward as a hitter. The key to that may be a more selective approach, as the Southern California native tends to jump on the first hittable pitch he sees and rarely goes deep into counts to get something he can really drive. A plus arm behind the plate could help him stick back there, which would be huge for the overall profile. A senior sign who turned 22 in April, he could move quickly through the minors and could profile as a hit over power backup catcher at the big league level.
20-609: RHP Justin Lee, UCLA
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: unranked.
Justin Lee was a big name out of the Los Angeles prep ranks in 2023 at the same time as Will Gasparino, ranking just a bit behind him on most draft boards. In three years at UCLA, he hasn't progressed much and remains a projection play. Working mostly as a reliever, his fastball sits in the mid 90's and reaches the upper 90's with unique spin traits including a perfect 100% spin efficiency to put nice life on the pitch. He spins in a sharp slider that could be an above average pitch, while his changeup gives him a third solid pitch. Stuff has never been an issue for the LA native, but command has. He walked 15.7% of his opponents over his first two seasons, a well below average mark, then dropped that rate to a slightly better 13.3% in 2026. It's still a high mark and he'll need to tighten things up significantly in pro ball, but it's progress and it helped him drop his ERA from 7.19 over those first two seasons to 3.26 in 2026. The delivery features some effort that makes it difficult for him to stay on line and repeat his release point, but he's an athletic kid at 6'3" that should be able to smooth things out in Philadelphia. That frame would lend itself well to starting and he's young for the class, but he likely stays in the bullpen where he'll pitch off the fastball/slider combination. It's tremendous talent to find in the 20th round especially if they can get him moving towards his lofty ceiling.
Justin Lee was a big name out of the Los Angeles prep ranks in 2023 at the same time as Will Gasparino, ranking just a bit behind him on most draft boards. In three years at UCLA, he hasn't progressed much and remains a projection play. Working mostly as a reliever, his fastball sits in the mid 90's and reaches the upper 90's with unique spin traits including a perfect 100% spin efficiency to put nice life on the pitch. He spins in a sharp slider that could be an above average pitch, while his changeup gives him a third solid pitch. Stuff has never been an issue for the LA native, but command has. He walked 15.7% of his opponents over his first two seasons, a well below average mark, then dropped that rate to a slightly better 13.3% in 2026. It's still a high mark and he'll need to tighten things up significantly in pro ball, but it's progress and it helped him drop his ERA from 7.19 over those first two seasons to 3.26 in 2026. The delivery features some effort that makes it difficult for him to stay on line and repeat his release point, but he's an athletic kid at 6'3" that should be able to smooth things out in Philadelphia. That frame would lend itself well to starting and he's young for the class, but he likely stays in the bullpen where he'll pitch off the fastball/slider combination. It's tremendous talent to find in the 20th round especially if they can get him moving towards his lofty ceiling.
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