The Phillies finally got the hint — after a slew of other teams called up their hottest prospects — and promoted slugging Rhys Hoskins to The Show Thursday after he slammed 29 home runs and hit .287 for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He joins a bevy of Phils minor league hands that have made debuts this year, including Nick Pivetta, Ben Lively, and Nick Williams.
With September call ups not far away, several of the prospects listed below will make their way to Citizens Bank Park. Here are some of the names to keep an eye on for this season and beyond:
J.P. Crawford, SS, Triple-A
The Phils’ top-ranked prospect is finally showing signs of progress at the plate at the highest level in the minor leagues. He’s hit for a .308 average over his last 10 games, raising his once pitiful season mark to .233 (as you can guess, it was at one point below the Mendoza line). He has 33 extra-base hits this season and has drawn quite a few walks, giving him a .345 on base percentage that is quite impressive when considering his batting average.
Mickey Moniak, CF, Single-A
It’s been a rough season for 2016’s first overall pick, as the 19-year-old has been dreadful at the plate of late. He’s gotten just seven hits in his last 38 at-bats, lowering his season average to .251 in this most recent slump. He’s also struck out 91 times in 105 games.
Scott Kingery, 2B, Triple-A
Many expect Kingery to become the second baseman of the future for the Phils’ organization, ousting Cesar Hernandez from his current post. He’s made a compelling case in both Double-A and Triple-A this season, bashing 24 homers and driving in 60 runs while hitting at a .308 clip.
Carlos Tocci, CF, Double-A
The 21-year-old outfielder is showing skill with the bat in recent weeks, hitting at a .406 clip over hig last 10 games. He has an impressive 48 RBI in 107 games but needs to cut back on strikeouts.
Drew Anderson, RHP, Double-A
Anderson made his major league debut back on August 1, pitching an inning of relief and allowing two runs. Prior to that, he had been red hot starting for Reading, with a 2.91 ERA and 5-2 record over his last 10 appearances for the Double-A club.
Sixto Sanchez, RHP, Single-A
You might want to remember the name Sixto Sanchez. And it’s a pretty cool name so that won’t be hard. The 19-year-old from the Dominican Republic has had an impressive third professional season, boasting a 2.83 ERA and 67 strikeouts to just nine walks in 73.1 innings.
