Phillies Minor League Update: Is it time to move Kingery to Philadelphia?

Let’s run through the minor leagues and check in on the Phils’ top prospects.

LEHIGH VALLEY: A winning week for the Pigs, but like just about every team ever all of a sudden, they ran into Yankees prospects and lost a couple in a row. At 41-21, Lehigh Valley is still Very Very Good.

The hitters:

• Jorge Alfaro: .257/.285/.366, 13 XBH, 64 K, 4 BB, 191 AB
• Jesmuel Valentin: .229/.282/.292, 4 XBH, 16 K, 6 BB, 96 AB (out for season)
• Rhys Hoskins: .303/.402/.602, 32 XBH, 37 K, 34 BB, 211 AB
• Roman Quinn: .274/.344/.389, 13 XBH, 49 K, 18 BB, 175 AB (7-day disabled list)
• Cameron Perkins: .311/.413/.486, 20 XBH, 30 K, 27 BB, 177 AB
• Nick Williams: .278/.313/.500, 23 XBH, 70 K, 8 BB, 216 AB
• Dylan Cozens: .248/.309/.500, 23 XBH, 79 K, 19 BB, 214 AB
• J.P. Crawford: .194/.313/.252, 7 XBH, 42 K, 36 BB, 206 AB

Quinn’s UCL injury is likely to keep him out for a while, which is really unfortunate, as the kid can’t seem to stay on the field for an entire season. Alfaro had a disastrous week. Perkins continues to be the hottest hitter in Allentown, save a good week from Mr. Cozens.

The pitchers:

• Jake Thompson: 49.1 IP, 6.93 ERA, 44 K, 21 BB 
• Ben Lively: 56.1 IP, 2.40 ERA, 45 K, 7 BB (promoted to Philadelphia)
• Ricardo Pinto: 48 IP, 4.88 ERA, 31 K, 17 BB
• Mark Appel: 57.1 IP, 5.65 ERA, 37 K, 36 BB
• Tom Eshelman: 52 IP, 1.56 ERA, 37 K, 5 BB (29 IP, 3.10 ERA, 22 K, 5 BB in Reading)
• Nick Pivetta: 32 IP, 1.41 ERA, 37 K, 2 BB (promoted to Philadelphia)
• Jesen Therrien: 7 IP, 1.29 ERA, 5 K, 0 BB (26.2 IP, 1.35 ERA, 35 K, 3 BB in Reading)

Maybe Lively can stick in Philly for a while; good news, because nobody else in Allentown (except Eshelman) seems to want a callup. Watching Appel keep his K/BB rate on the good side of 1.00 is a fun side hobby.

READING: Phillies Nation is at First Energy today! And what a time to go, as the Fightin’ Phils have won six of their last seven, mostly thanks to great pitching.

The hitters:

• Andrew Pullin: .307/.373/.564, 33 XBH, 38 K, 21 BB, 225 AB
• Malquin Canelo: .255/.345/.366, 12 XBH, 46 K, 22 BB, 153 AB
• Scott Kingery: .300/.377/.612, 33 XBH, 42 K, 25 BB, 227 AB
• Carlos Tocci: .286/.354/.360, 11 XBH, 34 K, 15 BB, 203 AB
  
• Brock Stassi: .333/.429/.333, 0 XBH, 0 K, 1 BB, 6 AB
• Zachary Coppola: .227/.370/.227, 0 XBH, 2 K, 5 BB, 22 AB (.350/.413/.413, 7 XBH, 26 K, 17 BB in Clearwater)

So about that headline. With Cesar Hernandez likely hitting the disabled list, it makes sense for Kingery to go to Philly, right? He’s the next best second baseman in the organization and there’s nobody blocking him in triple-A. Just do it! Right?

If the Phillies want to be aggressive, they would promote Kingery to Philly, but chances are they’re going to stay conservative. Nothing in the Phils’ recent history says they’re going to be aggressive with any hitting prospects, so don’t expect any wild promotions.

But as I wrote last week, it’s about time to move Kingery to Allentown. He could use a good share of reps against triple-A pitching (including guys who have been in the majors before). That puts him on target for an opening day 2018 assignment at Citizens Bank Park.

Meanwhile Coppola gets bumped to Reading from Clearwater after a solid five months with the Threshers (dating back to August).

• Drew Anderson: 62 IP, 3.77 ERA, 51 K, 16 BB
• Brandon Leibrandt: 60.2 IP, 3.56 ERA, 48 K, 19 BB
• Yacksel Rios: 33 IP, 2.18 ERA, 40 K, 7 BB

Apparently I deleted Anderson’s line last week; don’t worry, he’s still definitely a prospect, and one making huge leaps recently.

CLEARWATER: The Threshers won just one game this week; luckily, they remain in first place by a half-game over Daytona. The first half is almost over; hang in there, Threshers!

Hitters:

• Herlis Rodriguez: .260/.346/.450, 16 XBH, 37 K, 19 BB, 169 AB
• Damek Tomscha: .294/.389/.455, 16 XBH, 37 K, 25 BB, 187 AB
• Cornelius Randolph: .234/.309/.376, 14 XBH, 57 K, 22 BB, 197 AB
• Jose Pujols: .181/.218/.246, 7 XBH, 83 K, 7 BB, 171 AB
• Cord Sandberg: .353/.421/.529, 3 XBH, 4 K, 2 BB, 17 AB (.265/.309/.407, 19 XBH, 56 K, 11 BB, 189 AB in Lakewood)

With Coppola moving up, Sandberg gets bumped back to Clearwater. The 22-year-old immediately turned it on in his first week.

Pitchers:

• Cole Irvin: 57 IP, 2.84 ERA, 44 K, 12 BB
• Franklyn Kilome: 46.2 IP, 2.70 ERA, 43 K, 17 BB
• Jose Taveras: 70.2 IP, 2.17 ERA, 65 K, 15 BB
• Seranthony Dominguez: 35.2 IP, 2.02 ERA, 45 K, 13 BB (assigned to Williamsport)
• Alberto Tirado: 51 IP, 4.06 ERA, 46 K, 28 BB

Taveras is on fire, having a great week where he didn’t issue a walk.

LAKEWOOD: A losing wee for the BlueClaws puts them a little behind the eight-ball. At 33-29, they’re now in fourth place in their division.

Hitters:

• Daniel Brito: .236/.301/.324, 12 XBH, 54 K, 18 BB, 225 AB
• Mickey Moniak: .266/.325/.397, 20 XBH, 49 K, 17 BB, 214 AB
• Arquimedes Gamboa: .246/.338/.348, 5 XBH, 12 K, 10 BB, 69 AB

The end of the first half can’t come fast enough for Moniak, who has been sliding a bit and may be fatigued. Brito stopped some bleeding this week.

Pitchers:

• Sixto Sanchez: 24.1 IP, 3.70 ERA, 28 K, 3 BB
• JoJo Romero: 63.2 IP, 2.26 ERA, 66 K, 21 BB
• Ranger Suarez: 57.2 IP, 1.72 ERA, 69 K, 18 BB
• Adonis Medina: 53.1 IP, 3.54 ERA, 63 K, 21 BB
• Nick Fanti: 58.1 IP, 2.31 ERA, 60 K, 15 BB
• Bailey Falter: 54 IP, 3.50 ERA, 39 K, 10 BB

Sanchez is back, starting today against Hagerstown. Meanwhile, great weeks for Romero and Suarez, who continue to anchor the Lakewood rotation.