The Philadelphia Phillies have been excellent this season, going head-to-head with the New York Mets for the National League East. Additionally, they are solidifying their position as contenders for the World Series. Even with their success, the Phillies need to avoid putting their best prospects on the trade market, which would risk jeopardizing their future.
The Phillies have exceptional sluggers who continue to hit the baseball all over the park. Meanwhile, the rotation staff continues to shine, and the Phillies are building what appears to be a great team that could potentially contend with the Dodgers. But with all contending teams comes the pressure to continually improve their team. The issue currently is the bullpen, which ranks 24th in team ERA.
The Phillies will be looking to upgrade their bullpen. However, they cannot offshore their best prospects to make it happen. These three prospects can make the Phillies contenders for the next decade.
Andrew Painter is the best Phillies pitcher since Cole Hamels
Andrew Painter is making an impression in the minor leagues, but is also dealing with an elbow injury. Because of that, he won’t pitch in the Futures Game. Painter has been slowly recovering since injuring his elbow in Spring Training 2023. After being called the best homegrown prospect since Cole Hamels, Painter is a Phillies prospect who is here for the long term.
The status report has been great this season. Initially, he made his first appearance since 2022, striking out three hitters across three shutout innings for Single-A Clearwater. Then, he made his Triple-A Lehigh Valley debut, striking out five across three innings. Recently, he struck out six across five innings, showing how dominant he could be.
There is no rush to bring Painter up right now. Currently, the plan is to have Painter debut in July. But with the Phillies sporting an elite rotation that already includes Zach Wheeler, Ranger Suarez, Cristopher Sanchez, and Jesus Luzardo, there might not be room, especially when Aaron Nola returns. There is a chance that Painter could be the temporary starter while Nola recovers, and then they would possibly go with a six-man rotation throughout the rest of the season.
Aidan Miller has the offense to avoid the trade market
Would the Phillies trade Aidan Miller to make room for a bullpen arm? It would be incredibly shortsighted and would sacrifice one of their great bats in the future for an arm that might not even pan out.
Miller is great defensively and has shown potential at the plate. Yet, his stats have been underwhelming lately. Miller is batting .234 with six home runs, 19 RBIs, and 27 runs with a .346 on-base percentage at Double-A Reading. But he has also been great on the basepaths, snagging 27 bags. With Trea Turner currently occupying the shortstop position, there is certainly no rush to bring Miller up right now.
Miller is still one of the prospects who should remain a Phillies player because he has the potential to bring so much to the team. Overall, he can play short, but also potentially move to second base down the line if Turner is still on the left side of the infield.
Justin Crawford is one of the fastest prospects in the majors
Miller is fast, but Justin Crawford is even quicker. Furthermore, he is causing a lot of damage and is more developed than Miller at the moment. There is also more of an opportunity for Crawford, especially if Bryce Harper cannot recover from his injury. While Harper no longer plays in the outfield, his absence from the lineup can shift things around, giving other players a chance.
Crawford is batting .335 with a .409 on-base percentage and two home runs, 29 RBIs, and 50 runs while also stealing 26 bags for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Ultimately, he has been outstanding, and the opportunity for making the big league roster is bigger than ever. Crawford is fast on the basepaths and in the outfield. That alone could give the Phillies pause as they attempt to determine how their postseason roster will shape up.
The Phillies do need help in the bullpen. However, trading Crawford would be a major mistake, especially as they attempt to balance a roster filled with veterans and without much youth. The time for winning is now, but Crawford has the opportunity to become one of their centerpiece players for the next decade. The Phillies must think long and hard about what to do, and trading one of their fastest prospects would cause them irreparable harm in the future when Harper, Turner, Castellanos, and Kyle Schwarber are past their prime.
