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<\/p>\nThe Phillies come into 2026 with one of the more interesting farm systems in the Majors. It\u2019s a top-heavy farm system, one filled with three, and possibly as many as six or seven, impact prospects who are close to the MLB level. And, many of those players performed very well this past season.<\/p>\n
Clearwater Threshers<\/p>\n
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There were several marquee names who stood out in Clearwater this past season. Namely, Eduardo Tait<\/a> and Aroon Escobar<\/a>.<\/p>\n We won\u2019t cover Tait too much, as the catcher was packaged alongside Mick Abel<\/a> to acquire Jhoan Duran<\/a>. But before Tait was promoted to High-A, the young catcher hit 11 home runs and 31 extra-base hits over 75 games. He had one of the highest Barrel% in the FSL but expands out of the zone often.<\/p>\n Escobar is more reserved, as he posted a Chase% below 28%. The young infielder hit 11 home runs and stole 10 bases, as part of what was a big year for the 21-year-old. He finished 2025 in Double-A.<\/p>\n There were also the two big 2024 MLB Draft picks. Dante Nori<\/a> and Griffin Burkholder<\/a> were given identical signing bonuses two years ago. Burkholder only played 19 games this past season. Nori played more \u2013 and played relatively well. Not a lot of home run power but he swiped 37 bases and had 11 triples on the season. Additionally, Nori was one of the best contact hitters in the circuit.<\/p>\n Carter Mathison<\/a>, taken in the fifth round in 2024, had one of the highest Barrel% in the Florida State League<\/a>. However, that came with lots of swing-and-miss (34.4%) and strikeouts.<\/p>\n As for the pitching staff, the Threshers\u2019 rotation was filled with older college pitchers, Ryan Dromboski<\/a> and Sam Highfill<\/a>, both undrafted free agents, who averaged almost a strikeout per inning. Dromboski had one of the better swing-and-miss rates (37%) among pitchers who used a slider, sweeper, or both.<\/p>\n One other pitcher to watch is reliever Marty Gair<\/a>. Gair, a 2023 MLB Draft pick, had the highest swing-and-miss rate (38.4%) off the four-seam fastball last season in the FSL. Big velocity, as he regularly got his fastball up to 98-99 MPH.<\/p>\n Jersey Shore Blueclaws<\/p>\n The Blueclaws had two of the best flyball hitters in all of the South Atlantic League last season: Dylan Campbell<\/a> (35.8%) and Carson DeMartini<\/a> (34.6%). The two ranked among the top six in the SAL.<\/p>\n Campbell was an interesting acquisition by the Phillies. Philadelphia acquired him in January 2025 from the Dodgers for international signing money, cash used for LA to sign Roki Sasaki<\/a>. The 23-year-old\u2019s .665 cumulative OPS from 2025 might not look sexy. However, the former fourth-round pick has power and speed; he swiped 33 stolen bases, 15 of which came in Lakewood Township.<\/p>\n High whiff rate, as illustrated by a Whiff% of over 30%.<\/p>\n DeMartini, who had a big strikeout problem with Virginia Tech, slashed .284\/.402\/.474 with eight home runs and 19 extra-base hits across 53 contests. He posted a Whiff% above 34%, though, and that swing-and-miss didn\u2019t go away after he moved to Double-A Reading.<\/p>\n Aside from those two, there were a bunch of other interesting position players to suit up for the Blueclaws.<\/p>\n Aroon Escobar hit four home runs and swiped 14 bases over 46 contests after he moved up from Clearwater.<\/p>\n Bryan Rincon<\/a> (60.7% take) was one of the more patient hitters in the circuit. However, Rincon\u2019s bat has stalled. The speedy infielder only slashed 181\/.304\/.298 with 40 stolen bases on the Jersey Shore, his third season with the team<\/p>\n Devin Saltiban<\/a> (33.6% Whiff%) only played 66 games in High-A. Saltiban posted a .577 OPS with the Blueclaws.<\/p>\n As for the pitching staff, left-hander Mavis Graves<\/a> had another quiet yet strong season. The 6\u20196\u2019\u2019 left-hander \u2013 who showed off a low-90s fastball but eclectic arsenal in 2024 \u2013 struck out 117 batters over 84 innings two years ago. This past season in High-A, Graves led the Blueclaws with 103 strikeouts over 81.2 IP, juxtaposed with 51 walks.<\/p>\n Graves posted a 33% Whiff% for Jersey Shore.<\/p>\n Alex McFarlane<\/a>, taken two rounds before Graves in 2022, struck out 74 over 74.1 IP, along with a sub-28% Whiff%.<\/p>\n Reading Fightin\u2019 Phils<\/p>\n After a successful season in A-ball during the 2024 campaign, Aidan Miller<\/a> had a strong 2025 in Double-A.<\/p>\n Across 108 games, Miller put up respectable numbers. The 21-year-old slashed .259\/.382\/.427 with 13 home runs and 40 extra-base hits, plus a team-high 52 stolen bases for Reading.<\/p>\n Miller has the kind of blend of traits that could make him a potential building block for years to come. Power and the ability to drive the ball, speed, and an astute eye at the plate. Miller took pitches north of 60% of the time last season, with the vast majority of those being balls, as opposed to called strikes.<\/p>\n Aside from Miller, two other notable standouts were Hendry Mendez<\/a> and Felix Reyes<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hendry Mendez, acquired from the Brewers for Oliver Dunn<\/a>, had a fantastic 2025, as well. Mendez slashed .290\/.374\/.434 with one of the lowest swing-and-miss rates in the Eastern League<\/a>, as well as a low rate on called strikes off takes (26.9%), notable given that he was willing to take pitches often.<\/p>\n The outfielder was flipped<\/a> to the Twins<\/a> for Harrison Bader<\/a> in the summer.<\/p>\n Reyes, meanwhile, posted a .937 OPS with Reading last season, a season that saw him belt 53 extra-base hits over 95 games. The 24-year-old doesn\u2019t swing-and-miss a lot, either, and like Miller, had fly-ball authority. However, Reyes had one of the lowest take rates in the Eastern League, explaining why he only walked 18 times with the Phils.<\/p>\n On the flip side, Reading had two of the more egregious swing-and-miss hitters: Cade Fergus<\/a> and Carson DeMartini.<\/p>\n As for the pitching staff, Reading had two big swing-and-miss pitchers: former MLBer John McMillon<\/a> and Griff McGarry<\/a>.<\/p>\n McGarry had a fantastic bounce-back season in Reading, as he posted one of the best swing-and-miss rates (36.6%) in the EL. The Nationals were impressed enough to take a flier on McGarry. Washington selected him in the 2025 Rule 5 Draft.<\/p>\n Lehigh Valley IronPigs<\/p>\n The IronPigs\u2019 2025\u00a0 roster throughout the year was littered with former Major Leaguers. Oscar Mercado<\/a>, Brewer Hicklen<\/a>, Rodolfo Castro<\/a>, and Nabil Crismatt<\/a> were among those players who fit that criteria. However, the two premier names on the list of players who went through Allentown in 2025 were Justin Crawford<\/a> and Andrew Painter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Crawford had a fantastic 2025 campaign. The 2022 first-rounder slashed .334\/.411\/.452 with 147 hits and 46 stolen bases, plus seven home runs for the Ironpigs last season. While he will expand out of the zone a lot (nearly 34% in 2025), Crawford\u2019s bat-to-ball skills are sublime. That led to a low amount of strikeouts and high contact rates.<\/p>\n The Phillies have room for Crawford at the MLB level in 2026. He doesn\u2019t have much, if anything, to prove in the Minors.<\/p>\n Painter, meanwhile, struck out 111 batters over 106.2 IP. Those numbers were part of what was a reconstruction process for the former first-round pick. Three years ago, Painter had real helium in Spring Training, to the point where he was under consideration for the Phillies\u2019 rotation. However, injuries derailed his 2024 and 2025 seasons.<\/p>\n The right-hander gave up a lot of hard contact. Eighteen home runs allowed, plus a Barrel% (6.9%) that ranked below the Triple-A median. His Whiff% was a shade under 28% \u2013 not the highest but not the lowest, either.<\/p>\n However, what was promising was the velocity. Yes, there was some fluctuation in his first month, understandable given how much time he missed. On the other hand, he held roughly steady despite some velo dips throughout the season.<\/p>\n Aside from those two, the real standouts were Otto Kemp<\/a> and Gabriel Rincones Jr.<\/a><\/p>\n Kemp, who worked his way into a regular role last season with the Phillies, posted a Barrel% over 12% in Lehigh Valley as part of a year where he belted 41 extra-base hits over 74 contests with the Pigs.<\/p>\n Rincones Jr. (10.5% Barrel%), meanwhile, hit 18 home runs and stole 21 bases for Lehigh Valley. The former third-round pick is one of those prospects who is on the 6-10 range as far as prospects go in the system. Power, and not a big chaser. Rincones walked 80 times over 119 games.<\/p>\n Bot Painter and Rincones Jr. were protected<\/a> on the 40-man roster this past November.<\/p>\n Early Top 5 Prospect List for 2026<\/p>\n Aidan Miller<\/p>\n Andrew Painter<\/p>\n Justin Crawford<\/p>\n Gage Wood<\/a><\/p>\n Aroon Escobar<\/p>\n Miller is the most well-rounded prospect in the Phillies\u2019 system right now, thanks to his combo of power and speed. Hence why he is head of Justin Crawford, who is arguably the closest Phillies prospect to the Majors right now.<\/p>\n The Phillies\u2019 prospect pool has some depth, moreso in the upper Minors than the lower Minors. However, Gage Wood \u2014 who had one of the most explosive fastballs in the 2025 MLB Draft \u2014 could shoot up in 2026 should Painter or Crawford, or both, graduate.<\/p>\n Check out more of our\u00a0MLB<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Minor League<\/a>\u00a0coverage.<\/p>\n Like this:<\/p>\n Like Loading\u2026<\/p>\n![\"Blueclaws](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/JS-BLUECLAWS-LOGO-4.jpg\"){kind=logo}
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