- News Home
- Blogs
- Awards
- Minoring in Business
- Players of the Week
- Top 50 Prospects
- Releases
- RSS News Feeds
- Archive
- Events Home
- Winter Meetings
- Playoffs
- Promotional Seminar
- Job Fair
- All-Star Games
- First-Year Player Draft
- Rookie Career Development
• 2007 Phillies organizational flashback
• 2007 Phillies statistical overview • 2007 Phillies photo gallery Before the 2007 season began, MLB.com took an in-depth look at every big league team's Minor League system. Now, it's time to recap all 30 organizations, from top prospects to the recent draft class.
Editor's Note: After Mike Costanzo was traded from Philadelphia to Houston, he was sent to the Orioles in the Miguel Tejada trade after this story ran. In our preseason preview of the Phillies organization, the focus was on pitching depth and how it enabled the club to trade for the pieces it needed while setting things up for long-term success. Philadelphia did indeed make the playoffs in 2007, but the prime example given -- bringing in Freddy Garcia in exchange for some of that depth (Gavin Floyd and Gio Gonzalez) -- had virtually nothing to do with the postseason trip. Though that trade didn't pan out, some help did arrive courtesy of the pitching down on the farm. Kyle Kendrick turned into a consistent big-league starter after beginning the year in Double-A. Top prospect Carlos Carrasco continued to progress through the system and should be in Philadelphia soon. Joe Savery was added via the draft in June, and there are other, perhaps lesser-known names to watch for as well. There still isn't as much on the position-player front, yet two homegrown hitters -- Mike Costanzo and Michael Bourn -- were dealt to Houston this offseason in return for Brad Lidge. So while the Phillies cannot boast the deepest system in baseball, they continue to use what they have to keep things going at the big-league level. Organizational Players of the Year PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Mike Costanzo, 3B: It was predicted that Costanzo would use a strong spring to lead the organization in homers and RBIs while cementing his place as third baseman of the future. We were half right. Costanzo's 27 home runs and 86 RBIs were tops in the Phillies system. (He also hit .270 while striking out 157 times.) He is still the third baseman of the future, but for the Houston Astros. He was dealt in the Brad Lidge trade while participating in the Arizona Fall League.
Carlos Carrasco, RHP: Once again, our prediction wasn't off the mark. We said Carrasco would make quick work of the Florida State League and continue dominating in Double-A. He got bumped up from Clearwater after making the FSL All-Star team and definitely showed glimpses in Double-A at age 20. He also showed what he needs to work on. He finished fourth in the organization in ERA, tied for second in wins and didn't crack the top five in strikeouts. He's still an upper-echelon prospect, but there were other hurlers in the system more deserving of Pitcher of the Year honors.
POSTSEASON SELECTIONS
Quintin Berry, OF: Normally it's the power-hitting, run-producing types getting this award, but the Phillies organization got it right when it gave its official Player of the Year award to Berry. Berry led the organization with a .312 average and topped the system with 55 stolen bases, a total that placed him eighth in the Minors. A South Atlantic League All-Star, Berry also made huge strides in his on-base skills, drawing 61 walks en route to a .395 OBP.
Josh Outman, LHP: The 2005 10th-round pick was dominant for the first chunk of the 2007 season in the Florida State League before getting promoted to Double-A. Though that proved to be a tougher challenge, Outman still led the organization in ERA and blew away everyone in strikeouts while tying Carrasco with 12 victories. He topped off his season on Team USA in the World Cup this fall. Climbed the Ladder
Andrew Carpenter, RHP: It's always hard to tell how a command pitcher is going to fare as a pro, especially one who's right-handed. Carpenter doesn't throw all that hard, topping out at around 93 mph, but he can throw it where he wants, and he has several other offerings to keep hitters off-balance. While victories are by no means a great way to measure a pitcher's potential, Carpenter did tie for the overall Minor League lead with 17 of them in 2007. He excelled for Clearwater in the second half of the season, going 10-2 with a 2.05 ERA and .209 batting average against. That included a seven-inning perfect game as Clearwater was fighting for a playoff spot, and he capped his season by winning the final game of the FSL championship. After spending all year at one level, he could move quickly in 2008.
Jason Donald, SS: When Donald was drafted in the third round of the 2006 draft out of Arizona, he was thought of as a gamer -- a guy whose tools didn't wow people but who knew how to help his team win. He could throw really well, but there were questions about his ability to play shortstop at the next level. His offensive skills weren't extraordinary and expectations on that front were somewhat limited. While there are still concerns about his long-term defensive home -- some think he's destined to be a utility man -- he did nothing but hit in his first full season, finishing with a .304 average across two levels. He also showed surprising pop with 12 homers and 31 doubles.
Greg Golson, OF: It hasn't exactly been a smooth ride, but it appears Golson is starting to figure things out. It actually started back in 2006, when the toolsy outfielder was scuffling in Lakewood and the Phillies challenged him with a promotion. He responded well, hitting better up a level than he had in the South Atlantic League. He began 2007 back in Clearwater and hit .285 with 25 steals and 42 extra-base hits over 99 games before getting moved up to Double-A and finishing in the Arizona Fall League. There are still some holes to fill -- he struck out 173 times while drawing just 23 walks overall -- but he also just turned 22, so considering how slow his climb has seemed, he's still very much ahead of the curve. The Phillies have been patient with him so far, and considering he finished the 2007 season with 30 steals and 52 extra-base hits, there's no reason to not see this through.
Kyle Kendrick, RHP: Kendrick skipped up the ladder in 2007, beginning the year in Double-A and finishing it as one of the better starters in the big-league rotation. His last start for Reading came in early June before taking his 3.21 ERA and outstanding command to the big leagues. He made 20 starts and came away with 10 victories and a 3.87 ERA, making a major contribution to the Phillies' playoff push and even collecting a few Rookie of the Year votes. A workhorse, Kendrick topped the 200-inning plateau and should soak up plenty of innings in the middle of the Phillies rotation in the future. Kept Their Footing
Adrian Cardenas, 2B: The only reason Cardenas didn't end up in the previous section is that he played all year at one level, and that wasn't necessarily his fault. Cardenas did everything asked of him, hitting in the middle of the Lakewood lineup at age 19, finishing close to .300 and showing signs of being able to hit with some pop, draw some walks and steal 20 bases. He made a smooth transition to second base and was named to both the South Atlantic League All-Star team and the Futures Game in his first full season. The lefty swinging infielder has the kind of offensive skill set that should move him quickly, and it will be interesting to watch how soon Chase Utley becomes a roadblock for him in the big leagues.
Brad Harman, 2B: Sometimes repeating a level is just what the doctor ordered. Harman opened some eyes as a teenager in the South Atlantic League back in 2005, but struggled when he moved up to the Florida State League in 2006. Back in Clearwater this past season at age 21, the Aussie infielder regained some of the luster that was missing the year prior, showing ability to hit for average and power. After a rough start, he really turned it on, hitting .321 and slugging .557 in the second half of the season. He then hit .344 in the postseason to help the Threshers win the FSL title. He played mostly second in 2007 with a little shortstop thrown in. He also worked on some third base in instructs with a future as a utility man a possibility.
Jason Jaramillo, C: The 2004 second-round pick is on the cusp of being a big leaguer. It's just a question of what his long-term role will be. The Oklahoma State product bounced back from a subpar 2006 season with a solid all-around year for Triple-A Ottawa that earned him a spot on the International League All-Star roster. He topped that off by playing well for Team USA this fall. He could be Carlos Ruiz's backup next season, and time will tell if a reserve role is his ceiling or whether he can ascend to starting status in the future.
Lou Marson, C: A Florida State League All-Star who hit .307 in the second half of the season, Marson is the catcher with the highest ceiling in the system, according to most. This past year with Clearwater was the first offensively productive season of his career. He also did a terrific job throwing out runners and handling a staff on a team that captured the FSL crown, Marson's second title in two years. The jump to Double-A should be a good challenge for the 21-year-old backstop in 2008. Slipped a Rung Kyle Drabek, RHP: As we've said throughout our organizational reviews, it's hard to knock a guy for getting hurt, but no matter how you slice it, injuring your elbow and requiring Tommy John surgery is a bit of an obstacle to overcome. He showed some glimpses of why he was a first-round pick in 2006 while pitching as a teenager in the South Atlantic League, but he made his last start of the year in the middle of June. The good news is that young pitchers have a good track record of coming back full strength from TJ surgery, and Drabek has every chance of returning to top-notch prospect status in a year or so. J.A. Happ, LHP: Coming off a 2006 season in which he pitched -- and largely dominated -- at three levels, Happ appeared poised for a big-league promotion in 2007. Instead, he battled some arm issues and finished the season with an ERA north of 5.00 for Triple-A Ottawa. He started off well enough, with a 2.05 ERA in April, but much of the rest of the season was a struggle, including a trip to the disabled list. If he can stay healthy in 2008, there's no reason to think he can't bounce back and contribute in Philly. Carl Henry, OF: Acquired from the Yankees in the Bobby Abreu trade, Henry (known previously as C.J.) was long on projection but short on performance. Drafted in the first round as a shortstop, the Phillies moved him to third and then to the outfield. None of it helped his offense as Henry hit .184 in 2007 to bring his career average to .222, with nary an at-bat above low-A ball. He asked for his release at the end of the season, and many thought he'd head to college to try to resume what was once a promising basketball career. Instead, he signed a Minor League contract with his original team, the Yankees, and will give it one more shot. On the Radar Quintin Berry, OF: While it's unclear what kind of future Berry has -- everyday leadoff hitter or fourth outfielder -- it's looking more likely that he has a future. That wasn't certain after the speedster came out of San Diego State as a fifth-round pick in 2006 and hit .219 for Batavia in his pro debut. He struck out too much in that first summer as well. That makes his breakout 2007 campaign all the more startling. Berry was an outstanding contact hitter, with just 85 strikeouts in 487 at-bats, and his walk rate jumped up as well as he finished in the South Atlantic League's top 10 in four different offensive categories (leading it with 55 steals).
Jeremy Slayden, OF: Say what you want -- that at age 25 he was too old for the Florida State League or that his overall numbers don't look that impressive. But considering Slayden was once a top-notch college hitter who had his Georgia Tech career ravaged by injuries, the fact he's moving up the ladder at all is something to note. Slayden was an FSL All-Star and won the game's Home Run Derby. He was largely a DH, something that won't work if he stays with the Phillies, but he's one of those guys you want to root for to buck the odds and succeed. 2007 Draft Recap
Joe Savery, LHP: Minor shoulder surgery and the time to come back from it hurt Savery's draft status a bit last June, but the Phillies weren't afraid to take him 19th overall. A two-way player in college, Savery is all pitcher now, and he posted a 2.73 ERA with Williamsport before pitching well against advanced competition in the Arizona Fall League. Travis d'Arnaud, C: The Phils took him in the supplemental first round and he hit .241 in 41 games in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. He's very good defensively and has a nice line-drive stroke with some power potential, but there were some questions entering the draft about his ability to hit as a pro. Travis Mattair, 3B: The Pacific Northwest native taken in the second round had some difficulty, especially in the early going, making the transition to pro ball. He finished with a .235 average and .637 OPS in 54 GCL games. A shortstop in high school, he profiles as a big, athletic third baseman with plenty of power potential. Others of note: 2B Tyler Mach (fourth round) batted .287 with 26 extra-base hits in 65 games for Williamsport and was named a New York-Penn League All-Star. ... RHP Tyson Brummett (seventh) had a 3.40 ERA in 76 2/3 innings for Williamsport. ... RHP Chance Chapman (eighth) posted a 2.09 ERA with 67 strikeouts in 77 2/3 innings for Williamsport and was also named an NYPL All-Star. ... LHP Jacob Diekman (30th) had a 2.72 ERA and .203 batting average against in 53 innings between the GCL and NYPL. Jonathan Mayo is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs. |
