June 08, 2026
Andrew Dolph/Imagn Images
Aroon Escobar, the Phillies current No. 4 prospect, has been struggling this season.
After one of their worst starts ever, the Phillies are in playoff positioning and it's still only June.
No longer looking like a team that could be shipping off veterans and replacing them with prospects, the Phillies are now more likely to be using their top prospects as trade chips to help bring in a righty impact bat, or some help with the lop-sided pitching staff.
As we do from time to time, here's a look at everything you need to know about the top Phillies in the farm system right now. Who is itching for a promotion and could be the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade? And who is in over their heads?
(Ranking numbers denote the prospect's ranking, via mlb.com)
2. Gage Wood, SP, Reading
Wood has been as expected since being promoted to Double-A, torching minor league hitters with his dynamic fastball. In three starts for Reading, the 2025 first-round pick has allowed just one run per game in each game, tallying 14 strikeouts in 11 total innings. He has not tossed more than four frames in a start yet this year. Will they stretch him out a bit more this summer?
3. Francisco Renteria, OF, DSL
A big ticket international signee last year, the 17-year-old has finally began playing professional baseball in the Dominican Summer League. Against relatively low competition he's hit safely in every game so far, with an inflated .529 batting average though five games. That the organization's third-best prospect is still too young to buy a pack of cigarettes certainly says something about the top end of the talent in the farm system. Or maybe Renteria will be the homegrown outfielder of the future the team so desperately needs.
7. Cade Obermueller, SP, Clearwater
Obermueller was the Phillies' second-round pick less than a year ago and he's a lefty the team is excited about. He's finally back on the field after an early season injury delayed his debut. He is missing a lot of bats. In just six innings so far, Obermueller has a ridiculous 13 strikeouts. Perhaps he's a name to watch.
9. Ramon Marquez, SP, Clearwater
The 20-year-old, who signed from the Dominican Republic last year, has had a solid start to his pro career with a 1.50 ERA though six starts (24 innings). His most recent outing was his best, as he struck out nine in 5.1 innings, allowing just two hits. He could find his way to Reading before the year is over. He was the team's minor league co-pitcher of the month for May.
11. Griffin Burkholder, OF, Clearwater
Another Phillies prospect that earned hardware, May's minor league hitter of the month was Burkholder, who slashed 352/.440/.606 (1.046 OPS) with nine doubles, three home runs, 14 RBI in 18 games with single-A Clearwater in May. He's still a year or two away but the Phils desperately need outfield hitting.
12. Wen-Hui Pan, RP, Jersey Shore
A Taiwanese reliever who can hit 99 MPH continues to impress out of the bullpen this year. He has a 2.16 ERA for the year and has not allowed a run over his last eight appearances (10 innings).
17. Alex McFarlane, RP, Reading
The other recipient of the organization's pitcher of the month honors for May, McFarlane did his best Cris Sánchez impression, going the entire month without allowing a run. He has a 0.42 ERA over 21.2 innings and has to be looking at a promotion soon. At 24, he might be a candidate to join the bullpen as a late season reinforcement.
4. Aroon Escobar, 2B, Reading
The 21-year-old infielder has been struggling in Double-A, he's got a .222 average this season and has hit just .118 over his last 10 games. More troubling is his lack of power — he hasn't hit an extra base hit over that span either. Escobar could play his way into a job if he can peak as Alec Bohm (2027) and Bryson Stott (2028) see their contracts wind down with the Phillies.
5. Dante Nori, OF, Reading
Nori's torrid start to the year, which began in the World Baseball Classic for Team Italy and continued to Double-A in April, has slowed down a bit. After posting a .308 average over his first 18 games, the outfielder is hitting just .245 and has only two homers this year after hitting two in one game in the WBC.
6. Gabriel Rincones Jr., OF, Jersey Shore
Rincones, an older prospect at 25, is finally back on the field after a knee injury cost him the month of April. Since his return, the bat hasn't cooperated. He is hitting .225 with just one homer in 25 games. He's talented enough to be a big league fourth outfielder if he can locate his swing.
10. Matt Fisher, SP, Florida Complex League
A seventh-round pick by the Phillies last summer in their starting pitcher-happy class, Fisher is learning about being a pro the hard way. He has a 5.93 ERA in five starts this year.
13. Jean Cabrera, SP, Reading
At 24, Cabrera is running out of time to make his major league dream come true. His latest start certainly didn't help his cause, as he was pummeled for nine runs in 1.1 innings against Binghamton. He was demoted from Triple-A due to poor pitching a few weeks ago and it hasn't helped his performance.
14. Cody Bowker, SP, Clearwater
The Phillies third-rounder last July is struggling in single-A, with a 5.55 ERA over 11 games.
15. Sean Youngerman, SP, Clearwater
Now to their fourth-round pick from 2025, Youngerman is also having trouble in single-A with a 5.65 ERA of his own. In his last start he surrendered six runs over just two innings.
1. Aidan Miller, SS
The Phillies most talented youngster had minor back surgery, addressing pain he's had all spring dating back to spring training. He hasn't really swung a bat yet, and he's going to be sidelined for over a month while he recovers from the procedure. The team says it expects he'll be playing in games at some time this season, perhaps by August. Expect to see him in the Arizona Fall League as the club is hoping he'll be big league ready next season.
8. Moises Chace, SP
Make that a third player on the Phillies' top 10 prospect list on the injured list. Chase was acquired from the Orioles a few seasons ago, but was shut down in 2025 to get Tommy John Surgery, from which he's still on the mend.
16. Carson DiMartini, 3B, Reading
The 23-year-old lefty was really hitting well in Double-A — .274 on the year and .311 over his last 10 games — but an injury derailed his potent bat and he is currently on the injured list, where he's been for just over a week.
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