Phillies top Prospects dominate in first Playoff Game in 7 Years

The Reading Fightin Phils, the AA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies were a massive bright spot last night in an organization that has struggled over the last few years to get anything going. They have struggled not only developing prospects but also winning seasons in the minors. It was a packed house for the first home playoff game at First Energy Stadium in 7 years. The crowd was electric. The Fightin Phils were going up against the Hartford Yard Goats.

Phillies top pitching Prospect Gage Wood (1-5, 4.36 ERA) took the mound. He is ranked the 32nd best prospect in all of baseball. In the first inning he was dominant. He threw only 9 pitches and mowed the Yard Goats down 1-2-3. The 2nd inning was a different story. He lost his command and walked a few batters. He gave up a few weak hits. By the end of the inning, it was 3-0. He eventually settled down and struck out 4 batters through 4 innings. His fastball was sitting around 95 MPH, and the curve/slider combo was nasty. If he is able to figure his command out, he has a good chance to be a very good player in the majors.

 They were down 3-0 early but that would change very fast.

I talked to the Fightin’s Clubhouse Manager Nick Sklenarik before the game and he said

“The offense gets hot later in the game and they are electric:”

He couldn’t have been more spot on because in the bottom of the 2nd inning the Fightin Phils scored TWELVE runs. Twelve. That is not a mistype.

Aroon Escobar, a prospect who started off the season as a top 100 prospect smoked a line drive over the wall in left field for a 2 run homer and that got the boys going. Aroon slowly trotted around the bases and celebrated the homer all around the bases sort-of like how Ronald Acuña Jr. did last week against the big-league club.

Bryan Rincon who is the 4th ranked prospect in the Phillies system and 100th on the MLB top 100 list smoked a line drive into right field and that scored a run. He had another really nice swing where he smoked a ball off the wall in right. The sound off his bat is wonderful and a great change of pace from the struggles early on in his professional career.

Dante Nori, the Phillies 7th ranked prospect, also singled and drove a run home. He also showed off his tremendous eye at the plate and worked several deep counts as he walked twice to go along with the single. Raylin Heredia is currently not ranked as a prospect but he should be. He tore it up in Reading this year with 23 homers, 25 stolen bases and a .278 batting average. He continued that into the game where he had 3 nice hits and showed a great swing. He’s only 22 years old and can be that right handed outfield bat the Phils desperately need. 

The only notable prospect to not get a hit during this inning is Shortstop Aidan Miller the Phillies highest rated position player prospect fresh off a back surgery struggled as he was 0-3. That didn’t last long as he got a hit in the 4th inning. Aidan played 3rd base for the first time in his career and played it well. He could be the replacement for Alec Bohm next year at third base

Every player in the starting lineup had a hit by the 4th inning. The Reading Fightin Phils scored 21 runs in the game. They had 16 total hits. The team walked 12 times in the game. They won the game 21-4.

They play the Hartford Yard Goats once again on Thursday for the chance to clinch the championship series that happens next week.

Phillies Pitching prospect Cody Bowker, (5-6, 4.53 ERA) the organization's 3rd round pick in 2025 takes the mound. The future looks extremely bright for the Phillies.

Hopefully these players can get some much-needed winning experience that they can take onto the big club and help the squad finally get over the hump.

PHOTO CREDIT: READING FIGHTIN PHILS