Pictures From The First Day Of Minor League Pitchers and Catchers Spring Training

Sorry for the absence over the last 10 days or so. I had to have a procedure done on my “Frankenfoot” that required rest. On the plus side, I’m able to walk now, the best since I sprained it and broke a bone just 10 days before spring training began. 

Yesterday was one of my favorite days of the year…the day that minor league pitchers and catchers report. Additionally, the majority of the position players are here already. I’ve known some of these guys for more than five years so it’s great to see some of my friends again.

Matt Hockenberry, now a pitching coach

Matt Hockenberry, who pitched for the Threshers last season, is now a pitching coach for one of the two Gulf Coast League teams the Phillies will be fielding this year. I love this picture as the pitchers are all former colleagues of Hockenberry’s and it’s good to see them all enjoying a laugh together before the work begins. Also in the picture from left to right: Tyler Viza, Alberto Tirado, Alexis Rivero, Garrett Clevenger, Luke Leftwich and Jacob Waguespack in the red shirt.

I took a lot of pictures all around camp yesterday as they are all during drills, there’s not much to say as the pictures speak for themselves:

Sixto Sanchez

Seth McGarry

Deivi Grullon

Alberto Tirado

Adam Haseley

Adonis Medina

Felix Paulino

Cornelius Randolph

 

Mickey Moniak and Jose Pujols

Garrett Clevenger

Edgar Garcia

Alexis Rivero

Adonis Medina

Sixto Sanchez

Adam Haseley

Malquin Canelo, Grenny Cumana, Daniel Brito and Arquemedes Gamboa

THE PHILLIES MINOR LEAGUE ROSTERS HAVE BEEN POSTED!

Thanks to a dear friend, I have a copy of the newly posted final rosters! I have not had time to go over them and see who was released.

So here you go:

Note:

* denotes a left-handed player

# denotes a switch hitter/pitcher

Phillies Minor League Workgroup List Updated

Here is the most updated group list:

Phillies Minor League Action-A Day in Pictures

This is the part of spring training where in many aspects, it’s hard to write a narrative of where a team is going to be. This week is sort of a “limbo”for the players. There are way too many players in camp and the minor leaguers who are on the major league roster have yet to be cut.

The major league camp will start cutting players and those players will either be sent to minor league camp or given their outright release. Once that happens, all of the players sent down will have to be placed on a roster and then the players will have to be shifted around and again, some will be given their release as well.

It’s a nervous time. That being said, as far as a story, the story is the minor leaguers are playing other minor leaguers to keep a spot on the roster. It’s as if everyone is waiting for the other proverbial “shoe to drop”.

Baseball Ross and I will have a recap of the week’s intrasquad games tomorrow so be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, you can find it HERE. 

What I thought I’d share today is a series of pictures I took for your enjoyment. 

Matt Hockenberry

Ulises Joaquin

Carlos Indriago

Miguel Nunez

Jake Kelzer

Jhailyn Ortiz

Alex Wojciechowski hits a ball right at Jesus De Los Santos

Cole Stobbe

Greg Pickett

Ben Pelletier

Orestes Melendez

First 2017 Minor League Work Group List Released

Today the first minor league work group list was released. Keep in mind this list is FLUID and will change. The first big change will be when the guys that are currently in the major league camp are sent down. Then some of the players in group 1 (AAA, the far left column) will shift right into AA. Then players in the second column will shift to the third, high a and so on.

So to lay it out the columns from left to right are:

AAA-Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, AA-Reading Fightins, A+-Clearwater Threshers, A–Lakewood BlueClaws. The fifth column will be the Williamsport Crosscutters/Extended Spring group once the shift of players starts.

2017 Schedule for the ENTIRE Phillies Organization

Baseball Ross and I were given a copy of the 2017 schedule for every team in the Phillies organization, including extended spring training. 

Entire Phillies Organizational Schedule Including: Extended Spring-Williamsport and Gulf Coast League Phillies

I was able to get a copy of the massive schedule that the team hands out at the Carpenter Complex. This schedule has every team in the organization: Phillies, IronPigs, Fightin’ Phils, Threshers, BlueClaws, Crosscutters, Extended Spring Training and Gulf Coast League Phillies.

Please remember that especially with the Extended Spring and Gulf Coast League games, time and location does change, especially when bad weather happens or is expected.