2008 R-Phils Spring Training Guide

Internal affairs

The R-Phils 24-man roster will likely have 10 or 11 position players, not counting catchers.  Of those 10-11 players about half will be infielders, some of whom can also play the outfield.  The 13 players we'll profile here are mostly known for their work in the infield.  Two of the 13 are in big league spring training with the Major Leaguers.  

P.J. Antoniato split last season between Lakewood and Clearwater hitting about .260, right-handed, at both stops.  He appeared in 58 games at third and 10 each at second and short.    

Welinson Baez got off to a fast start at Clearwater last year and ended up finishing the season at Lakewood where he smacked 34 doubles in 2006.  The Dominican native probably starts at Clearwater again.  He is a right-handed hitter.  

Adrian Cardenas is ranked the #2 prospect for the Phillies by Baseball America.  He was a supplemental first-rounder out of high school in 2006 and has hit .300 in his first two pro seasons.  Last year, at Lakewood he made the switch from shortstop to second base.  A high school draftee, it would be odd for him to skip Clearwater to start the season in Reading but the guru's at Baseball America believe it's possible so we'll at least get him on your radar.  He bats left-handed.

Shortstop Jason Donald is in big league camp and ranked as the #15 prospect in the Phillies system.  He started last year as Cardenas double play partner in Lakewood, where he hit .310, but was promoted to Clearwater after 51 games.  A right-handed hitter and the Phillies third round pick out of the University of Arizona in 2006, he hit .300 in 83 games for Clearwater to help the Threshers win the Florida State League.  Despite only half a season in Hi-A we think he'll be the R-Phils Opening Day shortstop.  

The Phillies picked up Michael Garciaparra on waivers from the Mariners last April and quickly sent him to Reading.  He played both shortstop and second base for the R-Phils and saw time in Triple-A as well.  He had some big hits for the R-Phils from the right side of the plate last year.  He's never been on a Triple-A roster for Opening Day but he has spent parts of the last two seasons at that level.  

Joey Hammond has been Mr. Everything for the R-Phils the last two seasons and has seen time at both Double-A and Triple-A since 2003.  He has nothing to prove here but one never knows how the numbers will work out.  He's a career .275 hitter with over 1,000 career knocks, joining the grand company with Reading last year.  He's also a very good defender anywhere you play him in the field.  Hammond hits right-handed.

Brad Harman is on the Phillies 40-man roster and ranked the 20th best prospect in the organization.  The Australian first opened eyes in his second pro season when he hit .303 at Lakewood as a shortstop.  He slipped a little at Clearwater in 2006 but the right-handed hitter rallied to hit .281 with a .449 slugging% for the Florida State League champs as a second baseman last year.  He also began to learn to play third in instructional league last fall.  This is the year he likely opens the season as an R-Phil.  It seems like we've had him on the radar forever but he's still just 22.  

Clay Harris has hit double-digit homers for Lakewood and Clearwater, respectively, the last two seasons.  He's played mostly first base but is capable of sliding over to third as need, he hits right-handed.  He was a 9th round pick out of LSU in 2005. 

Carlos Leon starred for Reading in 2006 and spent all of last season but the final week in Triple-A.  Like Hammond, he's best know for his work in the middle infield but can handle the outfield and third base too.  He's a switch-hitter.

The Phillies received Hector Made from the Yankees for Sal Fasano in 2006.  The right-handed hitter can play third, short and second.  He played three games for the R-Phils last year, his first experience above A-ball.  He homered in his first game for Reading last summer.  

The Phillies snagged Neil Sellers from the Astros in the Minor League portion of the Rule 5 Draft at the Winter Meetings.  A right-handed hitter, he hit .282 with 23 doubles for AA Corpus Christi in the Texas League while splitting time between first and third, mostly third.  He had 40 doubles in Hi-A the year before. Based on his last two seasons Triple-A would seem to be the next logical step.  

Juan Tejeda doesn't have much to prove as a run-producer at Double-A but he plays the oh-so crowded position of first base.  His RBI production has been super throughout his career.  He knocked in 61 for the R-Phils last year in just 314 at-bats.  That's very close to the pace the righty put up in 2002 when he had 106 RBI in the Midwest league in 524 AB.  He does have Triple-A experience.  

John Urick played in 77 games for Clearwater last year, 60 of them at first base.  He had 14 doubles, 10 homers and 55 RBI in just 262 at-bats.  He is a left handed hitter.  

This story was posted on March 3, 2008