Phillies Prospect Watch: Active Duty No Obstacle for Tanner Gresham

Phillies affiliates went 3-1 on Saturday, June 27, with right-handed starter Tanner Gresham putting together a strong appearance in his second game with High-A Jersey Shore. 

Gresham allowed one earned run (and two unearned) across 4.1 innings, striking out six batters before the bullpen broke apart late. A West Point graduate and second lieutenant on active duty with the military police right now, Gresham is a former undrafted free agent who even spent time on the Military Leave List last season. He holds a 2.94 ERA and 60 strikeouts across 52 innings this season, even managing a promotion from Single-A Clearwater to the BlueClaws.

Nevertheless, Jersey Shore lost 9-1: Devin Saltiban hit two singles and Tyler Pettorini doubled, the lone offensive highlights.

Triple-A Lehigh Valley won 8-6 on the strength of four home runs, three of them in the eighth inning. Dylan Moore, Bryan De La Cruz, Dylan Carlson and René Pinto did the honors; De La Cruz and Pinto added doubles.

Double-A Reading outdid the IronPigs with a six homer night, winning 14-5. 29-year-old second baseman Luke Ritter hit two; shortstop Bryan Rincon, right fielder Raylin Heredia (3-for-6), first baseman Alex Binelas (4-for-6 with a double) and left fielder Bryson Ware also cleared the fences.

Starter Jean Cabrera put together one of his best starts of the season, covering four innings on 64 pitches. Cabrera, whose struggles continued with the Fightin Phils after a demotion from Triple-A in early May, allowed just one run and struck out three batters.

Single-A Clearwater won 17-6, most of their damage coming via small ball. Griffin Burkholder hit the lone homer; Juan Villavicencio (three steals), Alirio Ferrebus and Matt Ferrara each reached base three times on a 15 hit, 10 walk night.