Back with the Lakewood BlueClaws this season, Aaron Altherr is proving that he belongs in the Class A South Atlantic League.  Through 41 games with Lakewood last season, the Phillies’ 9th round draft selection from 2009 posted a .211 batting average with 6 doubles, 1 HR, 15 RBI and 12 steals.  He was then demoted to short-season Williamsport.  Thus far in 2012, through 27 games, the 21-year-old is sporting a .292 batting average with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 2 HR, 14 RBI and 10 stolen bases.

Ranked over the off-season as PhilliesNation’s #25 prospect, and even higher by some other outlets, Altherr has certainly shown flashes of serious skill and earned recognition for his tools on the field.

Recently, I spoke with Aaron about his improvements this year, his manager Mickey Morandini and more.  Check out the media player below to hear that full interview.

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

Welcome to the (semi-)weekly minor league wrap up.  This edition takes a glance at each level of the Phillies’ developmental system and details hot and cold players from each club.

Lakewood

Who’s Hot-

Local product Bob Stumpo (pictured, right) has been hot for the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws through his first 5 games with the club. The West Chester University grad, who was a 33rd round draft selection in 2010, has gone 10-for-21 in the South Atlantic League thus far, after being re-assigned from Clearwater. Combined at two levels this year, the switch-hitting catcher posted a .405 batting average through action o Saturday.

Who’s Not-

Brian Pointer, who had been a standout star for the BlueClaws in the opening three weeks of the season, hit a slow spell this week, going 1-for-20 over a stretch of five games to drop his batting average over 50 points. Pointer still sported a .253 average with 5 HR and 19 RBI through 26 games through action on Saturday. The lefty hitting Pointer was a 28th round draft choice by the Phillies in 2010.

Well regarded third base prospect Maikel Franco has seen his production drop off lately. In a 9-game stretch that ended Friday, the 19-year-old third baseman had gone 2-for-35 (.057 avg), a slump that dropped the Dominican born slugger’s average from .295 down to .208.

Clearwater

Who’s Hot-

Third baseman Cody Asche has been steadily showing his worth this season for Class A Advanced Clearwater. The Phillies’ 4th round draft pick from 2011 sported a .322 batting average, through action on Friday, which ranked him 7th in the Florida State League. The 21-year-old attended the University of Nebraska prior to turning pro. Asche batted .192 with 2 HR and 19 RBI in 68 games with short-season Williamsport last year.

Left-handed starting pitcher Austin Wright (pictured, left), 22, has been excellent for the Threshers, posting a 4-0 record with a 2.40 ERA and a .182 batting average against in 5 outings this season. Additionally, the 8th round draft selection from 2011 has struck out 37 batters while walking 12 in 30 innings. Wright, a University of Mississippi product, went 4-3 with a 3.03 ERA while striking out 85 batters and walking 22 in 68 1/3 innings in 15 games combined for short-season Williamsport and Lakewood last season.

Who’s Not-

Right-handed hurler Garett Claypool has had a troublesome season thus far, tallying a 9.98 ERA through 9 relief outings for the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers. The 23-year-old UCLA product had the worst outing of his career on Friday, when he was charged with 6 earned runs without recording an out in an appearance against Charlotte. Claypool was terrific last season, when he sported a 5-7 record with a 3.47 ERA in 27 games (23 starts) for Lakewood.

Reading

Who’s Hot-

Reading second baseman Cesar Hernandez (pictured, right) has picked up his offensive game lately, posting a .385 batting average in his past 10 games, ending Friday. Hernandez capped off a stretch in which he had multiple hits in 5 of 8 games with a 4-for-5 effort with 2 doubles and 3 RBI in Friday’s victory over Erie. The 21-year-old Venezuela native sported a .268 batting average in 119 games with Clearwater last season.

Who’s Not-

Outfielder Leandro Castro has struggled lately for the Double-A Reading Phillies. The 22-year-old went 3-for-32 (.091 avg) over a ten game stretch that wrapped up Friday. Overall this season, the Dominican born Castro is batting .212 with 1 HR and 15 RBI in 24 games, through action on Friday.
Lehigh Valley

Who’s Hot-

Lefty reliever Jake Diekman has been tremendous out of the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs’ bullpen this season. In 11 outings, the 25-year-old has posted a 1-0 record with 4 saves and a 0.73 ERA. Additionally, Diekman’s strikeout to walk ratio (20:3 in 12 1/3 innings) is just about as good as it gets. Diekman was the Phillies’ 30th round draft selection in 2007.

Who’s Not-

Domonic Brown is still without a homerun through 24 games with the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, after action on Friday. The top rated Phillies prospect entered the weekend with a .247/.292/.337 line through 24 games.

Outfielder Scott Podsednik has posted a .190 batting average for the IronPigs through 17 games, prior to Saturday. Podsednik batted .309 in 31 spring training games with the Phillies this year.

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

The term prospect is typically reserved for younger players who display considerable talent in the minor leagues and tends to skip those players that might be of a more advanced age.  The omission associated with the way older players can be overlooked doesn’t bother 25-year-old Reading Phillies first baseman Darin Ruf, who has developed into an impact player and has proven to be his team’s standout offensive star.

Through 26 games for the R-Phils in the Double-A Eastern League, Ruf has posted impressive numbers, tallying a .362 batting average with 2 homeruns, 11 RBI and 15 runs scored.

A 20th round draft pick by the Phillies in 2009, Ruf has steadily progressed upward in the developmental system during his time as a pro, having made stops in the rookie level Gulf Coast League, Class A Lakewood, Class A Advanced Clearwater and now with Reading.

A solid performer at the plate last year with a .308 average, 17 HR and 82 RBI with Clearwater in the Florida State League, Ruf credits his time playing as a member of the Scottsdale Scorpions last autumn with benefiting his offensive development.

“I think a lot of my success can be attributed to my time in the Arizona Fall League.  I got a lot of good learning in, out there.  I got to pick the brains of some different coaches and some of the players…guys that have had success at the big league level and everything like that,” Ruf stated.

The Creighton University product also acknowledges his four years of collegiate baseball as being helpful in developing the type of player mindset that has become prevalent in today’s game.

“It’s a very fundamentally sound program.  It’s built from defense and playing a little small ball, bunting here and there.  It’s actually kind of what the Major League game is almost going back to, and
what they’re stressing, at least since I got in the organization, is situational hitting, things like that, which ultimately win games.  Not sitting around waiting for a 3-run homerun, to put runs on the board, you have to move runners and you have to get them in when they’re on 3rd with less than 2 outs,” Ruf said.

Even with all the essential elements, a minor leaguer that is deemed old can have issues within his organization.  Slugger Matt Rizzotti is one recent example of a player that the Phillies felt had reached his ceiling in relation to progress, despite his proven success at the Double-A and Triple-A levels.  Judgement by the brass isn’t something that Ruf sweats.

“I think all four-year college (players) are in the same boat,” Ruf said with a laugh.  “I’m always going to be old for whatever level I’m playing at, in terms of prospect ages and stuff like that, but it doesn’t really bother me.  It’ll always be a disadvantage, I guess, but if you can play, you can play.”

In an organization where former National League Most Valuable Player Ryan Howard is signed with the big league Phillies, to man first base, through at least the 2016 season, players downward on the developmental ladder would clearly seem blocked.  And with another older prospect, the versatile Cody Overbeck, holding that same position at the Triple-A level with Lehigh Valley, there’s even more talent in the way.  That fact is something Ruf admits to pondering, but he chooses to channel the majority of his thoughts away from things he has no control over and more toward what he can have an effect on, which is playing hard and contributing where ever he is assigned.

“It runs through your mind every now and again, but you can only control what you can control.  And I can control going out and giving a good effort every day where I’m at, at the current time.  I have a bunch of respect for Cody.  I got to play with him in Arizona and I have a relationship with him.  And I’ve gotten to talk with Ryan at times, when I’ve been over for a couple spring training games, and he’s been nothing but the nicest guy.  So, you just wish them the best and hope they do well and hope that you get an opportunity and take advantage of it.”

With a terrific frame of mind and a skill set that is clearly progressing, Darin Ruf could be the individual that breaks the trend of older players who don’t quite make that jump to the top level of the game and could very well overcome the obstruction of talent that lies ahead in the Philadelphia organization.

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

In the early going this season, one of the Phillies’ Baby Aces hasn’t been very sharp.  Through 5 starts with the Double-A Reading Phillies this season, Jonathan Pettibone has posted a 1-3 record with a 4.33 ERA and a .357 batting average against.  In addition, Pettibone’s strikeout to walk ratio (13:11, in 27 innings of work) is of concern.

Fresh off a solid season with Class A Advanced Clearwater in 2011, when he went 10-11 with a 2.96 ERA and a .248 batting average against while striking out 115 and walking just 34 in 161 innings, the expectations were high for the California native that ranked 9th on the PhilliesNation.com off-season prospect rankings.   Pettibone, a 6-foot-5-inch 200-pounder that was a 3rd round draft selection by the Phillies in 2008, isn’t worried.

I spoke with Jonathan last week about his less-than-ideal start, his progress along with battery mate Sebastian Valle, the fans in Reading, his pitch repertoire and plenty more.  Check out the media player below to hear that full interview.

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

Righty pitching prospect Trevor May continued with his exceptional 2012 campaign on Monday night, when he threw 7 innings for the Double-A Reading Phillies against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto affiliate), while allowing 2 earned runs, striking out 7 and allowing no walks.  The victory put May’s record at 5-0 on the season.  The effort raised May’s impressive ERA up to 2.40.

May, who stands 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs roughly 220 pounds, was the Phillies’ 4th round draft selection in 2008 and has been earning considerable recognition ever since.

The 2011 winner of the Paul Owens Award, an honor bestowed upon the top pitcher and the top offensive player in the Phillies developmental ranks each year, May really made an impact on the Florida State League.  In 27 starts last year, May posted a 10-8 record with a 3.63 ERA and 208 strike outs in 151 1/3 innings pitched.

Last week, I spoke with Trevor about his success, his rise up the minor league ladder with battery mate Sebastian Valle, the Reading community and much more..  Check out the media player below to hear the full interview.

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

Lakewood first baseman Kelly Dugan (pictured, left) has been sent to the Phillies’ spring traning home in Clearwater, FL to rehab his injured ankle.

The switch-hitting Dugan has been sidelined since the Class A BlueClaws’ game at Hagerstown on April 20th, when he stepped on first base awkwardly, while taking a throw on a ground out, and turned his left ankle.

According to Lakewood manager Mickey Morandini, there is no time frame for a return for Dugan, but the injury is not very serious.

“It’s basically a twisted ankle.  Once the swelling goes down and the pain goes away, he’ll resume some strengthening (exercises) and he’ll start running again,” Morandini stated.

Morandini added that Dugan spent some time in a protective boot, after suffering the injury, to limit the range of motion and to keep the swelling contained.

The 21-year-old Dugan was the Phillies’ top draft selection (2nd round) out of Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, CA in 2009.

This season in 15 games with Lakewood, Dugan posted a .245 average with 2 homeruns and 9 RBI.

Last year, after beginning the season in extended spring training, Dugan was named as a NY-Penn League All-Star with short-season Williamsport, where he sported a .284 batting average with 2 homeruns and 21 RBI over 47 games.

Additional minor league notes…

Lakewood outfielder Gauntlett Eldemire is considered day-to-day, after being hit in the left forearm with a pitch on Saturday.  Eldemire, who missed the entirety of each of the past two seasons with injuries, is expected to return to action by Wednesday.

Lefty reliever Ryan Sasaki was released by the Phillies on Sunday.  Sasaki, who missed the past two seasons following back surgery, had posted a 6.60 ERA in 7 appearances for Lakewood this year.   Right-hander Luis Paulino will be added to the BlueClaws’ roster from extended spring training to fill that void.

Last year’s 2nd round draft choice Harold Martinez (pictured, right) was assigned to Lakewood from extended spring training last week, to fill in at 1st base for the injured Dugan.  In 6 games, the righty hitting Martinez, who will turn 22 years of age this week, has posted a .304/.320/.478 line.

Class-A Advanced Clearwater outfielder Cody Asche ranks 5th in the Florida State League with a .319 batting average for the Clearwater Threshers.  Asche, the Phillies’ 4th round draft selection last year, has posted 3-hit games twice in his past three outings.  The 21-year-old is a University of Nebraska product.

Double-A Reading starting pitcher Tyler Cloyd took a no decision with 6 scoreless innings on Sunday, lowering his season ERA, in 5 starts, to 1.45.

Veteran minor league infielder Miguel Abreu has put together 6 multi-hits games in his last 7 contests and is batting .500 for the Reading Phillies through 11 games this year.

After opening the season with a 10-2 record, the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs have gone 3-9.

Lefty reliever Jake Diekman has opened the season on a roll, after impressive efforts in the Arizona Fall League and in spring training with the Phillies.  In 9 games, the 25-year-old has no record, but he has notched 3 saves and posted a 0.82 ERA while striking out 17 batters and walking 3 in 11 innings of work.

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

Tyler Cloyd feels no heightened sense of urgency to climb the developmental ladder because of his age. The righty starter, who will turn 25-years-old on May 16th, has all but exceeded everyone’s expectations of his ceiling, clearly proving, with a very solid 2011 campaign and an exceptional first month of this season, that he can compete at the highest levels of the minor leagues.

An 18th round draft selection in 2008, Cloyd made his professional debut that year, posting a 7-4 record with a 3.91 ERA in 14 outings combined with the rookie level Gulf Coast League Phillies and short-season Williamsport. Since then, the Nebraska native has had winning records every season, while alternating between starting and relief duties.

Cloyd made a considerable impact last year, following up a season in which he sported an unimpressive 5.17 ERA in 37 combined games (5 starts) with Class A Advanced Clearwater and Double-A Reading to serve up a 9-4 record and a 2.77 ERA overall in 2011, splitting time with Clearwater and Reading once again.

Officially on the prospect map, heading into the 2012 season, Cloyd was called upon to fill in for suspended Triple-A hurler Dave Bush on opening day this season. He took that opportunity to shine, throwing 6 shutout innings, allowing no baserunners and striking out 8 batters.

In his three starts that followed, after returning to Double-A, Cloyd has been nearly as sharp, posting a 3-0 record with a 2.37 ERA and 13 strike outs in 19 innings. Even more remarkable is that Cloyd has yet to allow a walk this season.

Many minor leaguers would be considered to have aged themselves right out of prospect consideration by the age of 25, but that’s not something that bothers Cloyd. He keeps a focus on performance, regardless of the level he is assigned to.

“For me it’s just- I do what I can, where I’m at. I’m not in a big hurry to move. Whenever the Phillies want to move me, then that’s their decision to make,” Cloyd said in an exclusive interview. “For me, I try not to get too caught up into that. I do what I can, where I’m at, every five days when I go out on the field. I just do what I can and go out there and show them that I can do this. As far as me moving up, obviously, I want to get back up there and keep climbing the ladder, but when that is would be up to the Phillies.”

Reading manager Dusty Wathan, who has coached Cloyd at four different levels of the Phillies’ developmental system, feels that there’s a definite place in baseball for a versatile pitcher like Cloyd.
“He’s really comfortable starting, he’s comfortable throwing out of the bullpen. That’s just another benefit that he has. Some guys have trouble going back and forth and he’s went back and forth his whole career. Sometimes he’s starting, sometimes he’d be in the bullpen. So, he does a nice job in both areas and he knows how to prepare himself well in both areas.”

The 6-foot-3-inch 210-pounder has a fastball that typically maxes out at 87 MPH, but the lack of great heat doesn’t stop Cloyd from shutting down the competition. Cloyd has shown so much progress in the past couple seasons thanks to some adjustments to his pitch repertoire. Ditching one offering that had not proven successful, for an option with more movement, has increased the damage he is able to do on the mound.

“I got rid of my slider and started throwing a cutter,” said Cloyd. “I’ve also been working on more of a curve ball pitch to get away from more of the speed change and the deception and the movement change.”

What has also helped Cloyd excel has been bursting levels of confidence that have just gradually brewed and bubbled over. He’s become a young minor league veteran that knows he can command every aspect of his game and he is capable of dictating the pace of a contest, no matter what the scenario may be.

“Obviously, momentum is a big thing for me, in any situation of the game. When I go out there, and everything’s working pretty good, it just helps out the next inning and the next inning and the next inning…I try to keep the game one speed, and that’s my speed. Whatever I want that speed to be. If I want it to be going quick, then I’ll make the batter get in the box and I’ll be ready for my pitches right away. If I want to slow it down, or I need to slow it down…I go out there and I try not to get flustered too often.”

So, with proven success in Double-A and a great showing in his lone outing at Triple-A, where does Cloyd belong? Ask Wathan, and he’ll tell you that Cloyd could move up any time and should reach the pinnacle of the baseball world in the near future.

“I think Tyler can pitch in the big leagues. Whether that’s with the Philadelphia Phillies or one of the others teams, is yet to be seen.”

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

Philadelphia Phillies (9-11) vs. Chicago Cubs (7-13)

Joe Blanton (1-3, 4.34) vs. Randy Wells (0-0, 3.60)

Time: 7:05 PM, Citizens Bank Park
TV: TCN, MLBN
Weather: 80% chance of rain, 41 degrees
Media: Twitter and Facebook

Even with Roy Halladay on the mound, the Phillies were unable to beat the last place Chicago Cubs. After showing signs of life during the last few games on the West Coast, the Phillies offense only managed one run against Chicago. The Phillies hope to inch closer to .500 today with Joe Blanton on the hill.

So far, Blanton has pitched better than most Phillies fans had expected. Subtracting his first appearance of the season from the bullpen, Blanton would have an even 4.00 ERA. Blanton has only walked 3 batters in 18.2 innings, which is always a good sign. Blanton has had solid career numbers against the Cubs, posting a 3.04 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 26.2 innings.

Blanton will be opposed by Randy Wells, who is filling in for the injured Ryan Dempster. Wells was a Rookie of the Year Candidate in 2009, when he went 12-10 with a 3.05 ERA. He has yet to follow up his rookie season, as he has been spending time in the Minor Leagues. After his rookie season, the Cubs had expectations for Wells, but he never lived up to them. Wells makes only his second start this season, but he has a lot to prove and will try to win a spot in the Cubs’ rotation.

Lineup:

Your gameday beer: Kentucky Joe takes the mound, and what better way to celebrate the man than with Bluegrass Nut Brown Ale, right from his home state’s Bluegrass Brewery. Laced with caramel and nutty flavors, this English Brown is much like Newcastle, but probably a little sweeter. It goes well with a fat burger. A big, fat, Kentucky Joe burger. Yeah, kid. – By Tim

GO PHILLIES

Righty reliever Justin De Fratus, who has been checking in with this site throughout his delayed 2012 campaign regarding his progress, as he recovers from an elbow ailment, has experienced a setback on his road to recovery.

De Fratus told PhilliesNation.com’s Jay Floyd exclusively last weekend that, following a rehab appearance with the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers that he would have a similar outing with Clearwater the following Wednesday.  After experiencing more discomfort with his increasingly aggressive work schedule, De Fratus was shut down by the Phillies, as a precautionary measure to avoid additional problems.

Described as a strain on the flexor tendon in his throwing elbow, the ailment is expected to heal fully with rest.  The native of Oxnard, CA is expected to sit out for two weeks and will then be reevaluated for a return to an active throwing program.

An 11th round draft pick in 2007, De Fratus made his Major League debut last season and posted a 1-0 record with a 2.25 ERA in 5 relief appearances for the Phillies.

This year, after rest and several bullpen sessions, De Fratus got his first taste of game action nine days ago, when he threw an effective inning in extended spring training and followed that up with a scoreless frame for Clearwater on Sunday, April 22nd.

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

Former catcher Dusty Wathan is in his first season as manager of the Double-A Reading Phillies.  With a group of young, talented prosects, Wathan has led his club to a 13-6 record thus far, which has the team sitting atop the Eastern League’s Eastern division in first place.

After his 14-year playing career, Wathan began the next leg of his career, managing, with the short-season Williamsport Crosscutters in the Phillies organization in 2008.  Since then, the son of former Royals manager John Wathan has climbed up the Philadelphia developmental ranks, making stops with Class A Lakewood, Class A Advanced Clearwater and now Reading.

As a player, Wathan was signed by Seattle in 1994 and went on to compete in the Florida, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Kansas City and Philadelphia organizations.  With the Royals, Wathan appeared in 3 big league games in 2002.

This week, I sat down with Dusty to discuss the collection of well-regarded prospects that make up the R-Phils’ roster, including RHP Tyler Cloyd, second baseman Cesar Hernandez, catcher Sebastian Valle, outfielder Tyson Gillies and the trio of starting pitchers known as “The Baby Aces”.  Check out the media player below to hear the full interview.

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