Phils Ink Five to Minor League Deals, Make Camp Adjustments
Matt Hitt
Troy Marks
According to Matt Eddy of Baseball America, the Phillies have signed RHP Troy Marks, C Matt Hitt, 2B Shawn Williams, SS Miguel Abreu, and SS Andres Blanco.
Marks, 23, is a 6’5 righty who attended the University of Nevada. As a member of the Wolfpack, he earned WAC All-Academic team distinction He went undrafted in 2012.
Hitt, 23, is a 6’0 catcher who hit .226 for Eastern Michigan Universtiy in 2012. Hitt made his pro debut last summer with the Arizona Centennials.
Williams, 29, is a 6’2 second baseman who went to Emery-Riddle Aeronautical University. He hit .272/.353/.373 with 6 HR and 18 steals for the Long Island Ducks last year and last played organized ball in the Tampa Bay Rays organization in 2010. Williams figures to fill the hole left by the departed Harold Garcia in Reading.
Abreu and Blanco were both shortstops in the Phillies organization last season and were released and then re-signed. Abreu, 27, hit .280/.298/.362 for Reading last season. Blanco, 28, hit .235/.301/.346 for Lehigh Valley last season and is battling shoulder trouble.
In addition, the Phillies have added the following players to Major League camp today: RHPs Jordan Whatcott and Colby Shreve and catcher John Suomi. Whatcott, 27, joined the Phillies organization in 2010 after graduating from the University of Utah and was an Eastern League All-Star for Reading in 2012. Shreve, 25, has found success in Clearwater but needs to make the jump to Reading permanent. Suomi, 32, hit .265/.311/.393 for the IronPigs last season and replaced Russell Martin on Team Canada in the WBC. Whatcott, Shreve, and Suomi are all likely to be depth pieces for late Spring and not much more.
