Hey IronPigs Fans! Here are some names to follow as we make our way towards April, and the 2014 IronPigs. I love this roster predicting stuff, but it’s early so I’ll give you “today” as well as a “watch list.” Of course, trades, injuries, roster moves and the like will impact this list. Invariably, I’ll forget or miss a few as well. Please use the comments section to correct me. Let’s go:
..
Catcher:
Today: Cameron Rupp, Lou Marson
Watch: Sebastian Valle, Tommy Joseph
Infield:
Today: Tyler Henson, Reid Brignac, Jonathan Roof, Maikel Franco
Watch: Freddy Galvis, Cody Asche, Darrin Ruf, Cesar Hernandez (they can’t all make the Phillies, without injury)
Outfield:
Today: Tyson Gillies, Leandro Castro, Dave Sappelt, Tony Gwynn, Jr., Clete Thomas
Watch: Darrin Ruf, Steve Susdorf, Zach Collier, Kelly Dugan
Starting Pitchers:
Today: Jesse Biddle, Adam Morgan, Sean O’Sullivan, Chris Bootcheck, Greg Smith
Watch: Ethan Martin, David Buchanan, Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez (MAG), Jon Pettibone
Relief Pitchers:
Pick from this group, some will be with Philadelphia, some with us, some with Reading and others long gone:
Shawn Camp, Phillipe Aumont, Justin DeFratus (no options), Jake Diekman, Jeremy Horst, Ethan Martin, BJ Rosenberg, Joe Savery, Mike Stutes, Luis Garcia, Brad Lincoln (doubtful, but he has options), Cesar Jiminez, Jay Johnson?, Michael Nesseth? Tyler Knigge? Kyle Simon? Hector Neris? Colby Shreve? Austin Wright?
..
Who am I excited to see? I’m looking forward to seeing Cam Rupp’s game evolve. I’m looking forward to seeing Jesse Biddle raise his game for AAA. I’m looking forward to seeing Maikel Franco–and where he plays–but nervous about how he might do initially. If MAG starts with us, that will be interesting to watch. The bullpen should be good to start, too, as a few guys who should be in the Bigs might start the season in Allentown.
Go Hog Wild!
@Kram209
noisenation.mlblogs.com 
Jonathan Root was taken in the rule 5 minor league draft, so he’s not an option.
Ahh, crap-ola. He would have helped, I think. Thanks for the update.
You’re welcome.
From the looks of it, we should have pretty good pitching this year — on paper, at least. And hopefully Cam Rupp, Maikel Franco and Tony Gwynn Jr. can give us the hitting we didn’t have last year.
As for the infield, I still think Galvis-to-Hernandez is the best shortstop-second base combo in the Minors. So I’d like to see Franco switched to 3rd base.
Looks like we could have some pretty good depth on the bench, too. All in all, I’d say this could be the year we make a second run at the championship. Here’s hoping!
What happened to Cody Overbeck? I haven’t been paying attention the past few weeks but I thought he was still around.
Jeff Manship was also signed to a minor league deal. He can start or relieve. He made a few starts at Coca-Cola Park for Rochester back in 2010. Andres Blanco signed a minor league deal too.
It should also be interesting to see where Jiwan James ends up in 2014 after missing most of 2013 with an injury. If he stays healthy he should reach AAA sometime during 2014. It could be his last year with the Phillies if he isn’t added to the 40 man roster.
Good stuff, Decal.
I don’t know about Overbeck. I wanted to include him above, but figured he was a free agent and hadn’t been signed. It seems he’s not really in the Phillies’ plans, and with the possibility that Franco and/or Ruf could get some time at first base, it seems Cody might need to hook on somewhere else. Make no mistake, I’d welcome him back. But, perhaps a change of scenery might be in order at this juncture anyway. I imagine Tyler Henson can play 1B as well, and you can always find a AAAA-type 1B out there on the FA market as well. Our opening day 1B might not be on the radar yet…
I’d forgotten about Manship. It seems he’d be destined for the ‘Pen, with the group above in the starter pool and no definitive news about where they expect to put Ethan Martin. Some in the org are supposedly still high on him as a starter (you might be able to count me here, as well–not that it means anything.) The baseball cognoscenti have him as a reliever and I reluctantly defer to their knowledge and experience where appropriate. Has it really been since 2010 since Manship pitched at CCP? Golly I’m old. Not in 2012 with Rochester? In relief maybe?
I forgot Blanco too! Forgive me, DiPro. He got a “redshirt” injury year last season, and if everyone’s healthy from the Phillies on down, and Cesar and/or Freddy are with the’Pigs, then I wouldn’t be completely surprised if Andres had to start in Reading or stay behind in EST for a bit.
I did think about Jiwan, but with the “lost” season last year and no prior experience at AAA, I couldn’t consider him for opening day. But, yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him at some point during 2014. It seems those PCL OFs (sorry Gwynn Jr, Sappelt) often flame out (see also: Matt Miller, Val Pascucci, Jermaine Mitchell) for whatever reason. That Reading OF looks fun, with Altherr, Dugan, Perkins et al.
Here are a couple other names to remember:
LHP Mario Hollands, currently in the VZ league, 10 starts in 13 games last year in Reading–had a stint with us at the end of 2012.
1B Jim Murphy who spent all of last season in Reading. The latest in the Rizzotti, Overbeck, Ruf line. Playing right now in the Dominican.
Looks like Adam Morgan and young prospect Shane Watson, will both be out for almost all of the 2014 season. Morgan reportedly has already undergone shoulder surgery after rest did not resolve the issues that put him on the DL last year. Watson, a 2012 1st round draft pick, is also scheduled for shoulder surgery. Both will likely be out until at least August. MLB.com had Morgan ranked as the #6 prospect in the Phillies organization while Watson was #8.