Phillies Receive a Less Than Stellar Draft Grade After Questionable Strategy

The Phillies were able to get a steal in last year's draft, but this year was different.

Northville's Dante Nori hits during the Division 1 baseball regional on Thursday, June 6, 2024. / Brandon Folsom/Hometown Life / USA TODAY

The Philadelphia Phillies have been the best team in the National League in 2024. However, their first misstep may have come in the MLB Draft. According to CBS Sports, the Phillies earned just a C for their entire draft haul. Picking at the end of the first round means that there is always a lot of risk, and their first pick is no different.

With the 27th overall pick, the Phillies selected Dante Nori, a high school outfielder from Michigan. Picking a prep bat always comes with it's risks, but Nori is an interesting case just outside of that. He will turn 20 in October, making him one of the oldest high school players in the class.

A lot of teams may have been turned off by his age, but Nori does have some great tools. While he doesn't show a lot of power, he has a good approach at the plate, particularly with two strikes. He's also a plus runner, with a 65 grade, and will be able to stick in centerfield at the next level.

Philadelphia's next pick was Griffin Burkholder, another high school outfielder. Similar to Nori, he has a good approach at the plate, but there is more power in his bat. He's also a prep player with the ability to stick in centerfield thanks to his plus-plus run tool.

In all, they were able to snag six players in MLB Pipeline's top 250, including getting shortstop Carson DeMartini later than he should've been taken. Ranked 93rd overall, he was taken at pick 130 and has an above average hit tool, displayed with his 21 home runs in 2024.

In the ninth round, the Phillies selected Marcus Morgan, a pitcher from the University of Iowa. He offers five pitches, with his fastball sitting mid-90s and a good slider. While he can miss bats, he walked 8.3 batters per nine innings throughout his college career. If the stuff can play, the command will need some serious work.

The Phillies picked a lot of highly regarded players, but it's their first pick that holds them back in this grade.

"I'm docking this grade just a touch because of the Nori pick, but if you're a bigger believer in his game, it's fair to bump it up to a B," said CBS Sports' R.J. Anderson.

Nori will be the focus of this year's class for the Phillies, but if he hits he could wind up being a great defensive cornerstone. Last year, they were praised for drafting Aidan Miller after he fell, but it's a different story this time around. Philadelphia still has one of the best farm systems in baseball and continue to add to it.