2026 Phillies Preseason Top 30 Prospects - The Top

I will be putting out my midseason Phillies prospect list soon, but I forgot to post my top 8 for the start of the season previously. They were as follows:

1. Aidan Miller
2. Andrew Painter
3. Dante Nori
4. Justin Crawford
5. Keaton Anthony
6. Gabriel Rincones Jr.
7. Aroon Escobar
8. Jean Cabrera

This list has aged less than ideally to say the least. I had Jean Cabrera fairly high up due to a strong season in the unfriendly environs of Reading due a high floor - unfortunately that hasn't borne out. Aroon Escobar has played with a well-rounded approach at levels advanced for his age, but his experience above the Low-A level has shown for sure. He remains a longer-term project. Gabriel Rincones Jr. and Keaton Anthony were guys I had as contenders for the OD roster before injuries. The former hasn't had crazy numbers at AAA, but still has a lot of solid skills that should make him an effective MLB player, and the latter's torrid pace last year should still have him in the Majors in short order, even while blocked at 1B. Justin Crawford and Dante Nori came in close for me, but I leaned towards the latter's more balanced ceiling over the polish and contact-oriented approach of Crawford. Hard to tell if either have All-Star ceilings, but their floors are pretty high. Andrew Painter had a tough last year and it's continued into this year, but I still believe now as I did at the start of the year that his talent is worth holding onto. Finally, Aidan Miller takes the top spot after a season where he really showed all the tools, hitting for power and contact, stealing bases, and improving drastically at SS. Even with his injury concerns, I still believe he's a future star in this lineup.

2026 Phillies Impact Prospects - #6-#1

Continuing on with our list of impact prospects for the 2026 Phillies season, we get to the top 6, where we have a lot of expected names, but likely at least one that might surprise you.

#6 Gage Wood

Gage Wood’s placement on this list derives from a few potential uses he could have to the team this year. He’s already solidly within the game’s top 100 prospects by Baseball Prospectus, and well regarded by most other evaluators - something that naturally informs high trade value and suggests depth at SP that can allow for trades out of that pool of players, but some believe he could pitch in the Majors as soon as right now, and if not, very soon. It’s probable his value on each of these fronts will be even higher next year, but he’s still a very valuable piece for the organization’s plans even in 2026.

#5 Jean Cabrera

Jean Cabrera might be the biggest surprise of this list, but for good reason. The advantage he has on Wood is he’s much further ahead of him on the organizational ladder, which is useful for a variety of purposes. While the team seems interested in adding more SP depth, he entered camp with an outside shot at a SP job, but moreso the SP6 job - a job he could very close to Rangel in. Unlike Rangel, however, his ceiling as a SP is much higher, even if he’s unlikely to ever be a top 3 SP in a contending rotation. If he continues his strong work from last year, however, he could end up as the team’s top rotation fill-in in due order, or as a valuable trade chip, especially with how much teams desire MLB-ready SP.

#4 Aidan Miller

Aidan Miller might have the highest ceiling of anyone in the Phillies farm system, and while he’s likely more of a 2027 play at this point, his strong play in 2025 even while battling injury suggests he could be a Major Leaguer - and a very good one - sooner rather than later. I had him pegged as a longshot to make the team out of camp, presumably at 2B, but after his injury issues and Bryson Stott’s stabilizing, he’ll start in AAA - something that was very likely anyway. That said, I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s up very soon, even with the team likely taking it slow with his injury rehab.

#3 Gabriel Rincones Jr.

I did these rankings before Spring Training on purpose so as to not have the results be influenced by small sample size results and be more predictive, so I had Gabriel Rincones Jr. as having the inside track on the last bench spot as a versatile OF reserve to compliment someone like Adolis García in RF in particular, but after his injury in February, his turn to see MLB action will have to wait - enough to where I would have probably had him behind Miller if I did these rankings now, but I’ll keep them as I had prior to the start of ST. A menace to RHP when he’s healthy, Rincones offers several solid skills, even if few are stellar. He’s got good power-speed production and is a capable corner OF, which could make him an important piece for this team at some point this season.

#2 Andrew Painter

It’s tough to know what we’re going to get from Andrew Painter after a rough 2025, but what we do know is he’ll be given a shot. It does say a lot that he was effectively given a SP job to lose in camp, so it seems like there’s a good shot he’ll go the distance with the team this year - something that would suggest one of the biggest prospect impacts on the team, regardless of how well he plays in the action he gets. One thing that should help him is the team’s bullpen depth, which should allow his innings to be managed well - something that could help him be better as the season goes on and hopefully limit how much he wears down.

#1 Justin Crawford

I give the edge to Justin Crawford over Painter because he’s likely to play more than Painter, and he’s coming off of a better 2025 season. Crawford, too, is a guy who should benefit from a managed role - they have the ability to platoon him a bit with Brandon Marsh, and he could be a very effective 9 hole hitter with his speed and contact ability, allowing him to be a weapon on the basepaths ahead of the top of the order. Overall, he may need some time to develop into an effective contributor, but the team will give him time to take his lumps, and I think that could help him improve as the season goes on - something that I think matters a lot more than being more productive in April or May.

This list, of course, isn't exhaustive, even including the honorable mentions, and there will almost certainly be at least one rookie who sees action for the Phillies this year who I have yet to mention. After all, I wouldn't have had Max Lazar on a hypothetical 2024 list, and certainly not someone like Orion Kerkering in 2023, Seranthony Domínguez in 2018, or Luis García in 2013. Especially in the year following a draft where the team picked up a lot of polished college arms, it wouldn't be shocking to see a completely out-of-left-field prospect make an impact for the team this year.

2025 Phillies Top 30 Prospects

I've been sitting on my Top 30 Phillies Prospects list for this year for a bit, but I'm working on getting my mid-season one done, so I have to get this out now if I want it out. Here's the list:Andrew Painter

1. Andrew Painter
2. Aidan Miller
3. Justin Crawford
4. Eduardo Tait
5. Seth Johnson
6. Gabriel Rincones Jr.
7. Moisés Chace
8. Wen Hui Pan
9. Eiberson Castellano
10. Jean Cabrera
11. Otto Kemp
12. Mavis Graves
13. Mick Abel
14. Dante Nori
15. Devin Saltiban
16. Griff Burkholder
17. Keaton Anthony
18. Andrew Walling
19. Casey Steward
20. Daniel Harper
21. Matt Kroon
22. Max Lazar
23. José Rodríguez
24. Michael Mercado
25. Estibenzon Jimenez
26. Tommy McCollum
27. Tristan Garnett
28. Christian McGowan
29. Aroon Escobar
30. Rafael Lantigua

As has usually been the case, I generally lean towards more MLB ready players and higher floor players, even if that's something I've moved away from some. The top 16 were fairly obvious, and itw as a bit more confusing from there. The top 4 were far from surprising, but I did have Seth Johnson at 5, because my belief was his floor as a good RP was quite high, though the results so far this year suggest that may not have been true. Gabriel Rincones Jr. is an intriguing all-around prospect, and, Moisés Chace, Wen Hui Pan, Eiberson Castellano, all have big-league stuff that should see them up eventually. Jean Cabrera was a little lower because he's always been more a floor guy than ceiling. Otto Kemp was a hard rank at the beginning of the year, but his production last year was enough to get him in the middle of this tier. Mavis Graves landed in above Mick Abel, whose slide ended here after an awful 2024. Graves is more a floor guy as well, but there's reason to believe he could elevate that, while Abel's so far made some of the changes that should see him higher on the list in the next version. Dante Nori, Devin Saltiban, Griff Burkholder all sat in the next group, and I gave Nori the edge because of his floor in the OF.

The next group is a fall-off from the first one, and very fungible. Keaton Anthony is the most ineteresting, and would slot in higher were he not of an odd archetype as a contact-first 1B. Casey Steward is an interesting name I clocked in Spring Training (I tend to try not to take too much out of ST, granted, but his stuff was electric) who seems like he could be a great RP or maybe even a SP. Max Lazar was a guy I quite liked last year, but his struggles late had me wondering if he could really be anything more than a fungible RP. The rest of the 30 is composed generally of pitchers who I sit a little higher on that most, and of course Aroon Escobar, who was low on my list simply because I needed to see more (and I have indeed seen more so far).

2024 Phillies Prospect Rankings AA and A Levels

Next in the preseason prospect rankings we have the AA and A ball levels.

 

Andrew Painter+
Carlos De La Cruz
Ethan Wilson
Marcus Lee Sang
Tommy McCollum
Jordi Martinez
Cristian Hernandez
Konnor Ash
Max Lazar
Matt Osterberg
Triston Garnett
Casey Martin
Baron Radcliff

 

Andrew Painter and Carlos De La Cruz are the obvious #1 and #2 names on this list, but the next few are

interesting. Ethan Wilson had a miniature breakout in 2023 with Reading, while the young Marcus Lee Sang hit

a bit of a speed bump at the level after a strong start at Jersey Shore. Tommy McCollum had impressive 2023

seasons and have the stuff to see time in the Majors this season. Max Lazar was one of the names I was interested

in in Minor League free agency this offseason as a change-of-pace arm with starting experience.

 

Justin Crawford
Wen Hui Pan
Gabriel Rincones Jr.
Wesley Moore
Jack Dallas
Mitch Neunborn
Bryan Rincon
Kendall Simmons
Erubiel Armenta
Andrew Walling
Carlos Betancourt
Cade Fergus
Caleb Ricketts
Hendry Mendez
Robert Moore
Samuel Aldegheri
Jonh Henriquez
 

An interesting A+ list has a lot of interesting new names. Justin Crawford is an obvious #1 and Wen Hui Pan 

and Gabriel Rincones Jr. in the next two spots make sense as well. Wesley Moore is an interesting undrafted

hurler that is very deceptive, and early returns this season continue to show he can be a fast riser. Mitch

Neunborn, who turns 27 this year is an unconventional prospect who made his affiliated debut at A+ last year.

He's one of the more underrated names to watch in the system. A bunch more interesting names, particularly arms,

litter this list.

 

Aidan Miller
William Bergolla Jr.
Emaarion Boyd
Raylin Heredia
Nikau Pouaka-Grego+
Estibenzon Jimenez
Danny Wilkinson
Jordan Dissin
Zach Arnold
Brandon Beckel
Jaydenn Estanista
Jean Cabrera
Alex Rao
Eiberson Castellano
Alex McFarlane

A dominant Clearwater team naturally produces a good list, even with several names having made A+ or higher

later on in the 2023 Minors slate. 2023 1st rounder Aidan Miller looks every part of a future star, while youthful

and projectable names in Bergolla Jr, Boyd, and Heredia are worth following. Villanova alumnus Danny

Wilkinson dominated with 16.8 K/9, while Pottstown native Jordan Dissin held his own in his first full season in

the pros.

2023 Phillies Mid-Season Prospect Rankings - Upper Levels

And here are the remainder of my prospect rankings from the min point in the 2023 season.

MLB:
McKinley Moore^^
Cal Stevenson#

AAA:
Simón Muzziotti\/
Jakob Hernandez
Jeremy Walker
Jhailyn Ortiz^
Weston Wilson
Vito Friscia
Esteban Quiroz\/
Jordan Qsar
Will Toffey+

AA:
Andrew Painter+
Johan Rojas
Mick Abel
Orion Kerkering^^
Carlos De La Cruz
Ethan Wilson
Cristian Hernandez^
Oliver Dunn
Zach Haake#
Griff McGarry\/
Brett Schulze
Matt Kroon
Baron Radcliff^
Casey Martin

2023 Phillies Prospect Rankings - AA

The Fightins struggled last season, finishing just 61-77 in the Eastern League, but as the season wore on more talent rose into the team's rotation and lineup. Let's break said players down.

Andrew Painter^
Mick Abel^
Carlos De La Cruz^
Johan Rojas
Albertus Barber^
Ethan Wilson^
Jhailyn Ortiz
Ethan Lindow
McKinley Moore
Josh Hendrickson
Braden Zarbnisky
Brett Schulze
Andrew Baker
Andrew Schultz

Painter, ranked amongst the top small handful of prospects in the game, is the obvious #1 here, but the talent continues on from there. Abel and De La Cruz had strong 2022 campaigns, boasting their stocks and putting both in position to potentially debut in 2023. From there, however, the talent drops off, in no small part due to names departing recently (Logan O'Hoppe, Billy Sullivan IV, and Ben Brown are just some names who would make this list if they weren't dealt). Plenty of RP talent still remains however. Barber had an up-and-down 2022, but his overall Minors numbers are nice. Moore (already promoted to the Majors since this list was compiled) has intriguing stuff and limits home runs well. Schulze was dominant again last season, and some others had down season but still have strong stuff.

2022 Phillies Mid-Season Prospect Rankings - A+

Hitting struggles have persisted all year for the A+ Jersey Shore Blue Claws, who sit at just 31-55 at the All-Star Break, but the club has been boosted by strong pitching production out of a core made up mostly of former high school draftees. Here are the club's top fifteen prospects:

Andrew Painter
Mick Abel
Kyle Glogoski
Christian McGowan
Ben Brown
Ethan Wilson
Erubiel Armenta
Andrick Nava
Victor Vargas
Rixon Wingrove
Carlos De La Cruz
Cristian Hernandez
Luis Garcia
Rafael Marcano
Albertus Barber

Painter of course of the biggest name on this list as the consensus top prospect in the system having just turned 19 and already dominating at the A+ level. Abel at #2 is no surprise, but Glogoski takes the wide open #3 spot having shown well in his return from an injury-crossed 2021 season. Brown is having a breakout season, and could see his stock rise even more if he can translate his A+ success into AA success. Armenta slides a bit thanks to less impressive production in his second go at the A+ level. Nava looked poised for a breakout season in his first year above the rookie level, but he was sent down to Clearwater after his hot stretch ran out. Two names increasing their stock this season have been Vargas and Wingrove, both of whom have rebounded this season after nightmarish 2021 campaigns. Hernandez, Garcia, Casey Martin, and Nicolas Torres, on the other hand, have struggled to perform at the A+ level, with the hitters particularly taking a hit after having already played at the A+ level prior.

2022 Phillies Prospect Rankings - FCL

With the MLB lockout finally over, players are on the move again and baseball is set to be played again. The season is set to start in due order, but so are most Minors seasons. As I find myself excited to see what the Phillies will do, so am I about their prospects. With that in mind, why not go and rank them? That's what everyone seems to be doing these days. I, however, will do so by level. Why? Well, it's easier to do so this way for me given I have a large bias towards more advanced players, so this stratification allows us to better compare players. I will also say I'm a big believer that good prospects get results, so this will be very production-based. Given that there is much shifting amongst players with AAA and MLB experience who are prospects this time of year, we will start at the lowest level of the system and discuss players who topped out with the FCL Phillies last year.

First, lets discuss players who did not reach this level. This includes players like Rickardo Perez (DSL Phillies Red), Yemal Flores, Jean Cabrera (DSL Phillies White), and William Bergolla Jr. (just signed). I will not be ranking these players, simply because I do not know enough about these players as a whole to do so, and players this far down the system and so young are hard to project. Naturally though, those four remain names to watch.

In moving to the stateside rookie level, here is the list that I have constructed.

Andrew Painter
Hao Yu Lee
Jordan Viars
Alexeis Azuaje
Micah Ottenbreit
Corey Phelan
Jordan Fowler
Gavin Tonkel
Andrick Nava
Edward Barboza
Jake McKenna
Jose Pena Jr.
Jose Valadez-Acuna*
Anthony Quirion
Matt Goodheart
Cash Case

Naturally this comes with a bit of explaining. Painter's name is already quite well known by Phillies fans. His polish was lauded at the time of the draft, and while he managed just six innings in 2021 with the FCL outfit, he was impressive allowing just four hits, no walks, and striking out twelve batters. Is he already ready for Clearwater?

Following Painter are some less lauded but quite interesting prospects. In the #2 spot is Lee, a prospect who starred for Taiwan's youth baseball outfits. He did not miss a beat after debuting late in the FCL season, slashing .364/.440/.773 in nine contests. Viars was the club's 3rd rounder last season and showed well as one of the FCL's youngest players with a 1.048 OPS in September. Azuaje slashed .400/.509/.867 in a limited showing at the age of 19 in the FCL last year. I'm not much familiar with him, but it will be curious to see what he can do in a larger showing this season. Ottenbreit rounds out the top five. He was the club's 4th rounder last year. He does not turn 19 until May.

The rest of the names on this list are either real young guys who haven't shown much yet or older players that preformed decently. Phelan in particular is interesting, but I've been able to dig up little on him he was a HS UDFA in 2020 who allowed just one run in 9.2 IP at the FCL outfit last year. Also, this list ends with Cash Case. Case is almost 23 and has shown very little in the minors since debuting as a pro in 2017, but his signing after not playing since 2019 is curious to me. A Clearwater guy, perhaps he showed well at a club workout. He's perhaps just an org. filler, but it's curious they signed him of all the options they would have had. I placed Case in the FCL bracket because his last professional action came at the rookie level.

This concludes my FCL Phillies prospects roundup. My aim is to move on to Low-A Clearwater next.