Philadelphia Phillies: Draft Review

General Manager: Ruben Amaro Jr.
Farm Director: Steve Noworyta
Scouting Director: Marti Wolever

2006-2009 Draft Results:
First three rounds included
x- over-slot signees ($200,000 or more)

2009 1st Round: None
2. Kelly Dugan, OF, California HS
3. Kyrell Hudson, OF, Washington HS
6x – Steven Inch, RHP, Alberta HS [85-88 FB, CB, CH]
7x – Brody Colvin, RHP, Louisiana HS [89-94 FB, CB, CH]
8x – Jonathan Singleton, 1B, California HS

A bit of a surprise pick in the second round (the club’s first choice), Dugan was expected to go to Pepperdine University, but the Phillies organization convinced him to go pro. He had a slow start to his career by posting a wOBA of .288 and a triple-slash line of .233/.297/.300 in 150 at-bats. Known for having some pop, he did not go deep in his debut and his ISO rate was just .067.

Hudson appeared in just 10 games after signing and he hit .162/.225/.216 in rookie ball. Inch, a Canadian, appeared in two games after signing and allowed six runs in two innings of work.

Colvin, perhaps the best prospect grabbed in the draft, appeared in just one game after signing and did not allow a hit in two innings of work. The organization stole him away from a Louisiana State commitment and he possesses a good fastball-curveball combo.

Headed for Long Beach State, Singleton was swayed to pro ball for just $200,000 and that may end up being a steal. He had an excellent debut in rookie ball and hit .290/.395/.440 in 100 at-bats. He walked more than he struck out (1.38 BB/K) while showing solid power potential.

2008 1st Round: Anthony Hewitt, SS, Connecticut HS
1S. Zach Collier, OF, California HS
2. Anthony Gose, OF, California HS
2. Jason Knapp, RHP, New Jersey HS
3. Vance Worley, RHP, Long Beach State
3S. Jon Pettibone, RHP, California HS
4x – Trevor May, RHP, Washington HS
6x – Colby Shreve, RHP, Nevada CC
38x – Jarred Cosart, RHP, Texas HS

Although the club’s first two picks in Hewitt (.223/.255/.395 at short-season ball in ’09) and Collier (.218/.275/.319 at A-ball in ’09) have not shown much in pro ball, this was an outstanding draft for the organization, as it nabbed two Top 10 picks (Gose and May) and one that just missed (Cosart). Knapp would have been a Top 10 prospect if he had not been sent to Cleveland in the Cliff Lee deal last season.

Worley had an excellent debut, but he slipped a bit when he was rushed to double-A in ’09. The right-hander posted a 4.39 FIP and he allowed 163 hits in 153.1 innings of work. He showed good control (2.88 BB/9) but his strikeout rate was just 5.87 K/9. Worley also allowed 17 homers. Pettibone had a better year in ’09 than his 5.35 ERA would suggest in short-season ball. His FIP was just 2.61 and he was unlucky due to a high BABIP (.368) and a low LOB% (48.2%). He does need to improve his control (4.08 BB/9) but the strikeout rate was good (9.17 K/9).

The club handed Shreve a $400,000 contract to forgo his University of Arkansas commitment, despite the fact that he was due to undergo Tommy John surgery. He has yet to throw a pro pitch, but he is expected back on the mound in 2010. Cosart was a two-way player in high school with potential with the bat, but clubs coveted his mid-90s fastball. The Phillies organization got a deal done and it looks like a very smart decision. Cosart made just seven appearances in ’09 after beginning the year in extended spring training but he looked good. In 24.1 innings he allowed just 12 hits and seven walks (2.59 BB/9). He also did not give up a home run.

2007 1st Round: Joe Savery, LHP, Rice
1S. Travis D’Arnaud, C, California HS
2. Travis Mattair, 3B, Washington HS
3. Brandon Workman, RHP, Texas HS (Did not sign)
3. Matt Spencer, OF, Arizona State
x- Julian Sampson, RHP, Washington HS

This was a disappointing draft, save for D’Arnaud, who was recently sent to Toronto in the Roy Halladay deal. Third-rounder Spencer was sent to Oakland in a trade in ’08. First-rounder Savery has been a disappointment and has never fully recovered from injuries suffered in college. His command and control deserted him in ’09.

Mattair had a tough year while repeating low-A ball and hit just .236/.326/.333 in 450 at-bats. He posted a strikeout rate of 29.1K% and an ISO rate of just .098. Sampson has failed to build on his promise, thanks in part to chronically-low strikeout rates. In 69.2 high-A innings in ’09, the right-hander had a K-rate of 4.78 K/9 and allowed 93 hits (including 10 homers).

Michael Taylor was a great value in the fifth round, but he was lost in the Halladay deal.

2006 1st Round: Kyle Drabek, RHP, Texas HS
1S. Adrian Cardenas, 2B, Florida HS
2. Andrew Carpenter, RHP, Long Beach State
3. Jason Donald, SS, Arizona
x- Domonic Brown, OF, Georgia HS

The 2006 draft was another excellent one for the organization but the returns have been gutted by trades. First pick Drabek was lost in the Halladay trade. Cardenas went to Oakland in the Joe Blanton deal, and Donald went to Cleveland in the Lee trade.

On the plus side, the club also nabbed top prospect Brown in the 20th round for just $200,000. Carpenter has filled in for injuries a few times at the MLB level and looks like a future back-of-the-rotation starter or long reliever.

Up Next: The Philadelphia Phillies Top 10 Prospects