Phillies Prospect Watch: Hot Bats on a Hotter Day

Phillies affiliates went 4-1 on Thursday, July 2, with the bats at the top of the system as hot as the weather outside.

Triple-A Lehigh Valley won their suspended game in dominant fashion; leading 2-0 when the weather pause set in the previous day, the IronPigs poured it on in an 18-3 win that saw seven players reach base at least twice. Right fielder Steward Berroa hit two doubles and his teammates added five more.

The IronPigs’ bats stayed hot in the nightcap, an 11-9 win in seven innings. Keaton Anthony, Otto Kemp and Felix Reyes all homered; Reyes also doubled and singled, flirting with the cycle. 

Double-A Reading won 10-4, benefitting from homers from new additions like Raider Tello — recently called up from Jersey Shore — and Riley Tirotta. Catcher Kehden Hettiger homered for the second time in three games, Aroon Escobar reached base three times, and Wen-Hui Pan pitched a scoreless inning in relief. 

High-A Jersey Shore lost 8-4, center fielder Carter Mathison (2-for-2 with a homer, a double and two walks) providing most of the offense. Devin Saltiban also doubled, but starter and Saint Joseph’s alumnus Luke Gabrysh got chased in the first inning after three walks and four runs allowed, putting the BlueClaws behind the eight ball.

Single-A Clearwater won 4-2. TJayy Walton homered and walked; Nathan Humphreys hit two doubles and drew two free passes, together accounting for all the Threshers’ RBI. Starter Brad Pacheco struck out seven over five innings, allowing just one unearned run. Alirio Ferrebus had a night to forget behind the dish, committing two catcher interference errors along with a passed ball.