Inside The Phillies

Phillies Top-10 Prospects Heading Into the 2022 MLB Season

With the 2022 MLB season quickly approaching, Inside the Phillies ranks the top-10 prospects in Philadelphia's system.

Kade Kistner

Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Heading into the 2022 MLB offseason, Inside the Phillies ranked the top-10 prospects in the Philadelphia Phillies system. As we head into the 2022 MLB season, it seems like a great time to dive head first into a new set of rankings to see where the farm system sits after a full offseason.

Performances from spring training have certainly left impressions on our writers here at Inside the Phillies. Couple that with the speculation that certain players may make the club out of camp, and the rankings may look a bit different than they did six months ago. 

Here are your updated top-10 prospect rankings:

10. Jhailyn Ortiz, OF

Ortiz did not make our list last time but his 55 grade power is something that has caught the attention of many since his initial signing. Additionally, his spring training has been impressive. 

In three games, Ortiz has received four at-bats and made the most of them. He has notched a single, a triple and scored a run each time he was on the base paths. 

While it is a small sample size, he's someone to keep an eye on during the upcoming minor league season.

9. Griff McGarry, RHP

McGarry has wicked stuff. His fastball, slider, and changeup are all plus-pitches, but command has been an issue. He was drafted 145th overall in the 2021 MLB draft out of the University of Virginia. 

McGarry pitched in 24.1 innings last season as a professional where he struck out 43 batters, yes 43, but also walked 14. His command needs development, but he has the chance to be a nice bullpen piece, if not a starter. 

8. Luis García, SS

Garcia is another new name to the list, and for good reason. He's has had his ups and downs during his professional career, but Garcia finished up the 2021 season hitting .243/.353/.414 over two levels of single-A ball at shortstop. It was a nice improvement over his disastrous 2019 season in which he hit just .186/.261/.255 over 127 games.

García is still young so it is hard to predict a major league debut date, though he certainly has the raw talent to make the club.

7. Matt Vierling, OF

Vierling made his major league debut during the 2021 MLB season. He played every outfield position and first base. Over 71 at-bats he hit .324/.364/.479 with 2 homeruns. 

He is in line to win the centerfield position coming out of spring training and it's for that reason that he has received more at-bats than any other Phillies player this spring. He's undoubtedly made an impression in those at-bats this spring. 

Over 11 at-bats he has collected three hits and a walk, while playing the field well. He moves up from the number 10 spot in our fall list, to the seven spot ahead of the season.

6. Hans Crouse, RHP

Crouse has a fiery personality and is a fierce competitor. After coming over from the Texas Rangers at the 2021 MLB trade deadline, Crouse made his major league debut late in the 2021 season, when Philadelphia was in dire straits with their starting pitching.

His first pitch was a homerun. That pretty much sums up his time with the Phillies. After a lackluster spring with the big league team, Philadelphia optioned him to the minor league camp. He could still play a role this season, but he has a lot to prove. For this reason, he dropped from the third prospect in our rankings to sixth. 

5. Logan O'Hoppe, C

O'Hoppe is the best out of the catching group in the Phillies farm system. Scouts love his swing, defense, and attitude, he could be the next big thing behind home plate for the franchise. 

O'Hoppe didn't make our rankings in the fall, but after a solid offseason and spring, he has surged to number five.

4. Johan Rojas

Inside the Phillies may be a tad higher on Rojas than other publications, but it is for good reason. His speed, exit velocity, demeanor, and overall production in centerfield are exactly what Philadelphia needs. 

The centerfield position has been a black hole for the Phillies and Rojas looks like the kind of player that could take over long term. He was the number three prospect in the fall for Inside the Phillies, but dropping one spot reflects more on the burgeoning talent beside him, than Rojas' lack of production.

3. Andrew Painter, RHP

Painter was taken with the 13th overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft as a prep arm. The Phillies have a history of taking high school arms early and it hasn't always worked out. However, Painter's fastball, which touches 97mph, and his off-speed stuff, point to the possibility of future success in the pros.

After being drafted last year, the starting pitcher threw 6.0 innings over the course of four games, giving up just four hits and no runs. It was a small sample size in Rookie league, but it shows he has the talent to begin climbing through the farm system and potentially excel at the major league level.

2. Mick Abel, RHP

Abel was our top-ranked prospect in the fall and he has only seen a drop in our rankings due to Bryson Stott's rise. However, Abel's fastball and as his off-speed pitches, particularly his slurve, help project him as an effective big league starter.

He could see a quick rise through the organization in 2022 and may even have an impact on the big league club come 2023. Abel appears to be the real deal when it comes to a pitching prospect, something Philadelphia has had trouble producing in recent history.

1. Bryson Stott, SS

Moving from second to the top spot is shortstop Bryson Stott. The hype surrounding our top-ranked prospect this offseason and spring has been deafening. He has a real shot to make the Opening Day roster, if not the starting shortstop position.

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Stott is seen as the future for a premium position in Philadelphia. His 2021 season saw him climb from High-A to Triple-A and then cap off his season in the Arizona Fall League where he hit .318/.445/.489 against some of the top prospects in the game.

He should be an impact player for the big league club this season, if not right out the gate.

More From SI's Inside The Phillies:

  1. Implications of Nick Castellanos Signing for the Phillies
  2. Assessing the Phillies' Center Field Decision
  3. Dombrowski and Girardi Speak From Phillies Spring Training
  4. Will Zack Wheeler be Ready for Opening Day?
  5. How did Philadelphia end up with Citizens Bank Park?
  6. How the Phillie Phanatic Came to be America's Favorite Sports Mascot
  7. How Mike Trout Will Join the Phillies
  8. Predicting the Phillies 2022 Opening Day Roster
  9. Picking the Phillies' All-Time Single Season Lineup
  10. The Sad Story of the Phillies' First Black Ballplayer

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Published
Kade Kistner
KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl.  During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated.  Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.

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