As the 2026 Phillies season gets started, so too do the seasons of the team’s affiliates. Following an interesting past 12 months that have seen several quality prospects traded away, but several more added in the draft, the system looks a lot different, even at the top, where there’s been some noteworthy movement. This year, I’d like to break down my list a little differently. First, let’s start with the subtractions from the list:
3. Mick Abel
5. Eduardo Tait
8. Otto Kemp
10. Hendry Mendez
14. Eiberson Castellano
24. Jaydenn Estanista
26. Avery Owusu-Asiedu
27. Carson Taylor
28. John Spikerman
30. Juan Amarante
Abel, Tait, and Mendez were all dealt to the Twins at the 2025 trade deadline. Abel ended up exceeding rookie limits last year, though Tait and Mendez would still be top 10 prospects on this team were they still in the system. Kemp was the lone member of the mid-season 30 who left the list by graduating. Castellano became a free agent and signed with the Rockies in the offseason, though a rough 2025 season would have dinged him anyway. Avery Owusu-Asiedu would have likely risen in the rankings had he not been dealt to the Diamondbacks for Kyle Backhus in the offseason. Taylor would have again been a fringe-30 candidate this year had he not been a Minor League Rule Five Draft selection by the Mariners. Each of Estanista, Spikerman, and Amarante all fell out of the top 30 but remain in the system. Additionally, Zach McCambley would have made my list had he stuck with the team as a Rule Five selection, but he didn’t, so he isn’t. He would have been somewhere in the 20s on this year’s list.
Next, let’s talk honorable mentions. 5 members of the 2025 draft made my list - 5 names I’ve seen other lists that did not were Gabe Crag, Matthew Ferrara, James Tallon, Brian Walters, and Logan Dawson. These guys don’t have the combo of ceiling, floor, and proximity to the Majors to crack the top 30 right now. Same goes for Juan Parra and Romeli Espinosa, who both have high ceilings, but are even more green than the aforementioned contingent. Kehden Hettiger (who’s probably the first guy out of my top 30) and Alirio Ferrebus have the benefit of being catchers, but neither has a developed enough bat or fielding tool to make me confident right now that either is likely to be an impact player in the Majors. Guys like Dylan Campbell and Bryan Rincon are viewed highly in the organization for their defense, but both haven’t hit much in the pros. Saul Teran, Jack Dallas, and the aforementioned Jaydenn Estanista are fringe-30 guys who could sneak onto or back onto the list, but just sit outside right now. Casey Steward has great stuff, but a disastrous 2025 dinged his prospect hype; similar goes for Brad Pacheco. Zuher Yousuf and Angel Liranzo are interesting low Minors arms, but don’t have the dynamic arsenals to crack this list yet. Guys like Luke Russo and Reese Dutton have held their own in the low-mid Minors, but don’t have carrying skills. Christian McGowan and Griff McGarry still exist, but it feels like either actually having a season to get excited about at this point is wishful thinking. And there’s Felix Reyes, who, truthfully, I just need to see more of to have ranked.
While this collection of prospects likely won’t amount to much, several are MLB-adjacent, which always boosts the likelihood of making the jump. Many of these names are also very young, so they have time to develop. Don’t be shocked if a few of these guys end up cracking the top 30 by mid-season, especially with some graduations from the current top-30 being inevitable.
