Jesse Biddle to the Inactive List, Jiwan James Released

The Reading Fightin Phils have announced that starting pitcher Jesse Biddle has been placed on the temporary inactive list. This move comes just three days after the 22 year old surrendered 10 earned runs in just three innings of work. The team also announced they have released outfielder Jiwan James.

Biddle entered the year as the second best prospect in the Phillies system, and the 45th ranked prospect in all of baseball. But the lefty out of Germantown Friends high school has struggled mightily this year. In his second year with with Fightin Phils Biddle has a 3-9 record with a 5.03 ERA. In Biddle’s last 10 games he’s compiled a 6.26 ERA and has won just one game.

This is coming a year after Biddle, in his first year in AA, posted a respectable 3.64 ERA in 138.1 innings of work. Biddle has gotten rocked this season resulting in some to say he might need a demotion to High A Clearwater to get his head right. Hopefully this leave of absence will result in him finding his game again.

James had just returned from a knee injury and played respectably. But the 25 year old was likely never to get a real shot with the Phillies, and they decided to cut ties. The former 22nd round pick in the 2007 draft had battled injuries during his career, and was left unprotected in the Rule 5 draft. This move comes just four days after the Phillies released another former top prospect Tyson Gillies. Its been a banner year for the Phillies farm system!