Phillies' Top Prospects, Farm System Progress Report, Draft Targets

The Philadelphia Phillies have looked like the team to beat in the National League over the first two months of the 2024 season, and homegrown players like Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez, Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott have been a big reason for their early success.

So who might be next to emerge from the Philadelphia farm system and develop into an impact player?

Pitchers Andrew Painter and Mick Abel remain the headliners of the system, but the club's most recent first-round picks were outfielder Justin Crawford and infielder Aidan Miller who have both lived up to the hype early in their pro careers.

Let's take a closer look at the Phillies Top 10 prospect list, a general overview of their farm system and who might be on their radar when they are on the clock in the 2024 draft.

Top 10 Prospects

1. RHP Andrew Painter (No. 23 on B/R Top 100)
2. SS/3B Aidan Miller (No. 40 on B/R Top 100)
3. RHP Mick Abel (No. 55 on B/R Top 100)
4. OF Justin Crawford (No. 58 on B/R Top 100)
5. SS Starlyn Caba (No. 81 on B/R Top 100)
6. OF Gabriel Rincones Jr.
7. RHP George Klassen
8. C Eduardo Tait
9. SS Bryan Rincon
10. LHP Samuel Aldegheri

The Phillies checked in No. 16 in Bleacher Report's first farm system rankings of the year, which were released on April 16.

Top Hitter: The Phillies selected Aidan Miller with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2023 draft, and after a solid 20-game debut last year, he is hitting .296/.427/.515 with 14 doubles, five home runs, 25 RBI and 10 steals in 35 games at Single-A. Most expect him to eventually shift to third base, but he has continued to play shortstop at the onset of his pro career.

Top Pitcher: Despite missing the entire 2023 season dealing with an elbow issue that eventually led to Tommy John surgery in July, right-hander Andrew Painter remains one of the most promising pitching prospects in baseball. The 21-year-old is on the recovery trail and is eyeing a return to the mound before the 2024 season is over.

Breakout Prospect: Still only 18 years old, Starlyn Caba is quickly developing into one of the best young shortstops in the minors. After a strong pro debut in the Dominican Summer League, he is hitting .288/.441/.397 with 21 hits, 20 walks and 14 steals in 21 games in stateside rookie ball.

The Phillies have the No. 27 overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft, which gets underway on July 14 during MLB All-Star weekend.

Here's a look at some recent mock draft projections:

MLB.com Mock Draft (5/31): C Malcolm Moore, Stanford

There are multiple catchers in the mix to be taken at the back of the first round, and Moore started the spring widely regarded as the best backstop in this draft class. He had an inconsistent spring at the plate, hitting .255/.414/.553 with 16 home runs, but the tools are still there for him to be a starting catcher at the highest level. He is a draft-eligible sophomore, so he does have some leverage if he wants to return for his junior year.

Baseball America Mock Draft (5/31): LHP Kash Mayfield, Elk City High School (CA)

Mayfield has been a pop-up prospect this spring, showing a significant uptick in his stuff after taking off the showcase circuit last summer to rest his arm following a state semifinals run as a junior. What was an upper 80s fastball now regularly sits in the mid-90s and bumps 97 mph, and his secondary stuff has also improved. He is already 19 years old, but his smooth mechanics and advanced pitchability make that easy to overlook.