Inside Glimpse at Preston Mattingly's New Look Phillies Farm System

Phillies Director of Player Development Preston Mattingly believes the Phillies system is better than they're given credit for and he's determined to get their prospects major league ready.

© Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

When 34-year-old Preston Mattingly was hired by the Phillies this past September as their new director of player development, he inherited a system with a long history of meager production.

Mattingly was brought in after President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski took the first step in re-building a system that was "not on the same page" in terms of philosophy and instructional methods. He let go of Assistant General Managers to the operation Bryan Minniti and Scott Proefrock, Director of Player Development Josh Bonifay, and minor-league field coordinator Chris Truby.

Quite frankly, it was overdue. Media outlets ranked the Phillies farm system in the bottom five and Philadelphia fans could see that something was amiss. The Phillies track record at developing players into major league products was not good.

Mattingly hails from the San Diego Padres organization which was ranked as the top farm system in all of MLB back in 2019. He served as their Coordinator of Major League Advance Scouting and Game Planning and as Manager of Scouting over the course of five seasons. 

As soon as he landed in Philadelphia, Mattingly began learning the ins and outs of the Phillies' system through video, data study, and personal communication. He's also made changes to his staff, with all of them gathering this week in Clearwater, Fl. to see Phillies' prospects in action.

"I think the (system) is deeper than people think," Mattingly told NBC Sports Philadelphia. "I've had the pleasure of seeing a bunch of other teams' top guys and I think the guys in our system stack up with those guys. They don't get the recognition that others do."

A shining example of depth within the Phillies system is pitching prospect Griff McGarry. The 22-year-old was Philadelphia's fifth round selection in the 2021 MLB Draft, and they just might've found a hidden gem. 

Selected out of the University of Virginia, McGarry spent 2021 with Low-A Clearwater and High-A Jersey Shore. He appeared in just eight games, pitching to a 2.96 ERA, fanning 43 batters in 24.1 innings pitched. He's currently ranked at #30 on mlb.com among Phillies prospects, but he's likely to rise on that list next season with a fastball that has reached triple-digits, a plus slider, and two distinct breaking balls.

Griff McGarry pitching for University of Virginia in 2021 :: © George Walker IV / Tennessean.com via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Mattingly also offered Johan Rojas and Logan O'Hoppe as examples from within the Phillies system that hold a lot of potential. "You throw in a (pitcher) McGarry and Rojas and O'Hoppe. I've gotten to see a bunch of catchers. Logan stacks up with anybody. Johan Rojas, if there's a better defensive center fielder in the minor leagues, I haven't seen him."

He pointed out the promise of former first round picks and top-ranked prospects Mick Abel and Andrew Painter as well. "When you talk about the top of our prospect list, Abel and Painter, those guys are as good as anybody's two pitchers," Mattingly said. 

He thinks that the pair can be at the top of the rotation someday. They have the stuff to do so, "it's on our staff, and it's on our organization, everything. It's mental performance, it's strength and conditioning, it's medical, it's everybody together. It's on us to groom them and move in the right direction."

Mattingly believes in Abel and Painter. He believes in McGarry, Rojas, and O'Hoppe. And he firmly believes that the Phillies system is better than they are continuously ranked. 

"You see the rankings and I'm here with these guys and I think these guys are better than that," he said. "There is a competitive aspect. I'm a really competitive person. So you see something and you're ranked toward the bottom—well, I want to get that to the top."

Mattingly acknowledged how crucial of a role both he and his staff play in getting these guys ready to contribute at a major league level. 

"It's all a team effort," Mattingly said. "The players, the staff, it's a two-way street. We've got to work together. It's their career. We're trying to help them in any way possible." The Phillies' system seems to be in good hands with Mattingly, and hopefully by next season, the rest of the league believes in them as much as he does.

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