Selected in the 8th round of the 2011 amateur draft, lefty hurler Austin Wright quickly proved to be a fast rising prospect in the Phillies’ organization.  Out of the University of Mississippi, where he posted a 4.73 ERA and an 8.57 K/9 mark through 14 starts that year, Wright never tired, continuing on for another 15 appearances primarily as a starter in the Phils’ system.

After making his pro debut with the short-season Class A Williamsport Crosscutters and posting a 3-1 record along with a 3.38 ERA in eight games (seven starts), Wright was promoted to full season Class A Lakewood, where he continued to look strong, tallying a 1-2 record and a 2.67 ERA in seven starts.  Combined at the two levels, Wright, who grew up idolizing big league stars like Kerry Wood and Mark Prior, notched an impressive 11.2 K/9 mark.

In 2012, as a member of the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers, the 6-foot-4-inch 235-pounder became an All-Star and was honored as the Florida State League pitcher of the year, as he posted an 11-5 record, a 3.47 ERA and an 8.11 K/9 mark.

Wright has a repertoire that features a low-90′s fastball (regularly clocked at 91-92 MPH, but can reach higher), a tough curve ball that can leave batters looking foolish, a solid slider and a change up.  As Wright climbs higher in the developmental ranks, that menu could be refined, but, for now, he’s sticking with the four-pitch selection.

One of Wright’s key strengths is his command, which enables him to get ahead of opposing batters and take charge of at bats.  He also has a tight mental game, always staying focused on improving his approach and his knowledge of how to pitch in certain situations.

Previously drafted in the 23rd round by the Boston Red Sox in 2010, Wright chose not to sign and instead returned to Ole Miss for his senior season.

Wright used yoga, swimming, weights and basketball to stay in shape this off-season.  With the help of his off-season battery mate and all-year-round father Anthony, Austin is able to keep the rust off in the colder months by actively throwing as spring training nears.  Wright also spent time coaching youth pitchers this winter, which proved fulfilling for the 23-year-old.

Look for Wright to begin the 2013 season with the Double-A Reading Fightin’ Phillies.  A promotion to Triple-A by season’s end might not be out of the question, if Wright can continue to progress at such a steady pace.

He may be shut down for the season, however, the Stephen Strasburg topic will not die. I know, I know, this has been beaten like a rented mule – but until now I haven’t been able to put my feelings down on paper.

As the Nationals approach the postseason with one of the best records in the game, they’ll be second guessed time and again for their decision to cut off one of the best pitchers in the game at 159 1/3 innings, well before he’ll get a chance to make his mark in the playoffs.

No one has broken down the decision as eloquently as Rany Jazayerli from Grantland and Baseball Prospectus. If you’re going to do some light reading today, this should be it.

Jazayerli basically says it’s a ridiculous move for the Nats to close up shop with Stras this year, and I could not agree more. He provides a steady stream of numbers backing the school of thought that shutting down the flamethrowing righty is bad for the team and does little to save his surgically-repaired arm. This isn’t Mark Prior or Kerry Wood 2.0.

With pitch counts as prevalent as ever, the work had already been done for the Nationals. They needn’t continue to put the shackles on their prized possession.

Two paragraphs stood out to me and captured my very feelings on the decision:

Major League Baseball before the turn of the century was like a highway with a speed limit of 80 mph. Baseball today has a speed limit of 55 mph, seat belts are mandated, and air bags are standard. What the Nationals are doing is lowering the speed limit to 40 mph and arguing that it will reduce car accidents further.

They might be right, but given that the injury risk has already been reduced so significantly, it’s likely that any further benefit to shutting down Strasburg will be minuscule. Meanwhile, the risk that shutting him down costs the Nationals the NL pennant or a world championship is a lot more than minuscule. The point of having a pitcher like Stephen Strasburg is to help you win a championship. Preventing Strasburg from helping you win a title this year — so that he might be more likely to help you win a title in the future — is causing certain harm to your team in the present for a theoretical benefit in the future. That is, in a word, dumb.

Couldn’t have termed it better myself. Dumb. A franchise that was laughingstock just a few years ago has a real opportunity to win a World Series, and will have to do it without a franchise-changing hurler because of an innings limit that MIGHT help. There is no science to it, but they’re putting the emergency brakes on him.

I’ve been asked about whether or not the Phillies would use the same approach with one of their own. It’s impossible to say because Strasburg really is in a league of his own.

What’s your take on the Strasburg situation? Before you comment, read the column, and then see if you still believe it was the correct move. And if you’re with me in thinking the Nats are dumb in this approach, this article should only strengthen that thought.

Click the link below to see my thoughts on Strasburg, on TV:

Philadelphia News, Weather and Sports from WTXF FOX 29

It just so happens that this year’s list of top 25 Phillies prospects includes 26 deserving talents. As a result, we have a pair of individuals that simply can’t be left off of these annual rankings brought to you by PhoulBallz.com and PhilliesNation.com. Two men tied for the number 25 spot on our list.

Austin Wright, an 8th round draft selection last year, prevailed as a tremendous talent in his few short months of professional baseball. The 6-foot-4-inch 235-pound left-hander was a JuCo standout and later transferred to Ole Miss, where he lived up to his parents’ dreams of him pitching in the Southeastern Conference.

Previously selected in the 23rd round by the Boston Red Sox in 2010, Wright chose not to sign at that time.

Wright, an Illinois native that grew up as a Cubs fan, idolizing impressive pitchers such as Kerry Wood and Mark Prior, capitalized on a strong confidence in his own abilities and improving control to sport a 4-3 overall record, a 3.03 ERA and a .234 batting average against in 15 games (14 starts) between short-season Williamsport and Class A Lakewood.

Hefty strike out totals helped Wright stand out in 2011, as he K’d 85 opponents in 68 1/3 innings pitched.

The 22-year-old’s arsenal includes a low-90′s fastball (clocked 91-92 late in the season, but college reports had him a shade higher), a big time curve ball that has impressed many within the system, a slider and a change up. Phillies developmental coaches will likely tinker with Wright’s secondary pitches in an effort to find what works best for him against pro competition.

Wright describes his fastball command as his own key strength, stating that his ability to get ahead of batters gives him the advantage on the field.

If Wright continues to progress, he should be ranked much higher on this list next year.

Aaron Altherr is a 21-year-old who was picked in the 9th round of the 2009 amateur draft.

A righty hitting outfielder that stands 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs around 195 pounds, Altherr was a fast rising youngster in the Phils’ developmental ranks a year ago, as he was ranked as a top 10 prospect in the Philadelphia organization by Baseball America. However, a lackluster 2011 campaign certainly dropped his stock in many people’s eyes.

Altherr was the starting center fielder for the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws in the South Atlantic League to begin the season, but after 41 games and some unimpressive numbers (.211 avg, 1 HR, 15 RBI), he was demoted to short-season Williamsport when that club came north to begin its season in June. Altherr was not discouraged, however, as he used the reassignment to up his focus and get back on track.

With the Crosscutters last season, Altherr earned himself a spot as a NY-Penn League All-Star, posting a .260 average with 5 HR and 31 RBI in 71 games.

Overall in 3 seasons in the Phillies’ developmental ranks, Altherr has posted a .255/.304/.354 line.

The best part of Altherr’s game has clearly been his speed. He has been tremendous on the base paths, as proven by his 90% success rate in stolen base attempts (37 for 41) during the 2011 season.

Altherr, who was born in Germany to a military family, played shortstop and was a premiere pitcher as a high schooler, but was repositioned to the outfield once he began his career in the Phillies organization.

The very athletic Altherr displays excellent range in the outfield. With a solid arm and great instincts, he has the ability to develop the defensive side of his game to an elite level.

Expect Altherr to get another shot at beginning the season with Lakewood in 2012. As a fourth-year pro, it will be crucial for Altherr to show some serious offensive improvements and establish himself as being worthy of the high praise that has been tossed his way by national outlets.

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Jay Floyd is PhilliesNation’s  minor league insider.  You can read more from Jay by visiting his site, PhoulBallz.com.

New York Yankees vs. Philadelphia Phillies

CC Sabathia vs. Roy Halladay

Time: 1:05 pm, Brighthouse Networks Field in Clearwater
Weather: Cloudy, 70 degrees
TV: TCN, MLB.tv

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Phillies:

1. Jimmy Rollins SS
2. Shane Victorino CF
3. Placido Polanco 3B
4. Ben Francisco RF
5. John Mayberry Jr. 1B
6. Delwyn Young RF
7. Carlos Ruiz C
8. Matt Miller DH
9. Josh Barfield 2B

Also slated to pitch: JC Ramirez (RHP), Michael Stutes (RHP), Michael Schwimer (RHP), Justin DeFratus (RHP), Antonio Bastardo (LHP)

Yankees

1. Brett Gardner LF
2. Russell Martin C
3. Jorge Posada 1B
4. Robinson Cano 2B
5. Nick Swisher RF
6. Curtis Granderson CF
7. Jesus Montero DH
8. Ronnie Belliard 3B
9. Ramiro Pena SS

Also slated to pitch: Dave Robertson (RHP), Mark Prior (RHP)

GO PHILLIES!