8. Adam Haseley, OF
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 4/12/1996 (21)
2017 teams/levels played for: Gulf Coast League Phillies, short-season A-ball Williamsport Crosscutters, low-A Lakewood BlueClaws
2017 Stats: .284/.357/.405, 246 PA, 3 HR, 6 SB, 22/44 BB/K
Info: Haseley had attention out of high school as a hitter and a pitcher such that pro clubs couldn’t decide where they liked him best. After time at Virginia where he was able to both but finally broke out as a center fielder in his draft year, he finally distinguished his pitching from his hitting.
The Philadelphia Phillies picked Haseley with the 8th overall pick in June, following Virginia teammate Pavin Smith as the first two college position players selected. Haseley then went on to show very tired in his first couple weeks of pro ball, but that’s very likely due to the combination of pitching and hitting wear on his body over a long collegiate season.
Haseley isn’t a guy who does anything particularly elite, but he has a stable of average to above-average tools across the board. In spite of his career on the mound, his arm is above-average in the field, but his baseball instincts do allow him to really play up all his raw tools.
While Haseley won’t likely be a guy to ever win a home run title or batting title or a stolen base title, he could be a guy who plays above-average defense in center field with quality numbers across the board once he works his way up the Philadelphia Phillies farm system, likely starting at high-A this season.
7. Franklyn Kilome, RHP
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 6/25/1995 (22)
2017 teams/levels played for: high-A Clearwater Threshers, AA Reading Fightin Phils
2017 Stats: 24 GS, 127 IP, 2.83 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 9.8% BB, 19.4% K
Info: A lanky Latin arm with a loose arm seems to be a Philadelphia Phillies cheap buy method, especially in the Dominican, and Kilome is possibly the first of the recent batch, signing for $40,000 in 2013 as a 17 year-old.
Kilome has filled out enough into his 6’6″ frame that he has seen his top-end velocity rub against triple digits
He’s still plenty skinny, but Kilome has filled out enough into his 6’6″ frame that he has seen his top-end velocity rub against triple digits, sitting in the mid-90s with his four-seam and adding a two-seam fastball in 2017 that sat just a tick below in velocity but had incredible late movement low in the zone and benefitted from the plane of his lone limbs and 6’6″ height.
Kilome works with three offspeed pitches that can all be quality when he can control them well. His curve is definitely his best, showing above-average often and flashing plus at times. His slider can get slurvy, but when sharp, he has a tight, late break on the pitch. His change pairs better with the two-seam, but it’s a work in progress still.
Like many at 6’6″ and taller, Kilome struggles with his long limbs in being consistent in his delivery. This has kept Kilome from consistently controlling his elite raw stuff. If he could build that consistency, he has the type of raw stuff to be a frontline starter. He will move up to the upper minors for all of 2018 with the chance to get that delivery correct.
Next: #5 and #6