It's rare to see so much young talent together on one triple-A roster, but the Phillies find themselves in a situation where the prospects are front-and-center in the rebuilding efforts and the time to take inventory is nearing. Who will be a pivotal piece of the final product once the rebuild is complete?
Scott Kingery, the newest addition to the Lehigh Valley prospect crop, hit lead-off and collected a single and made a spectacular diving play on a ball over his shoulder at second base. Dylan Cozens added two hits, including his 17th homer of the season - a solo shot in the fourth. Jorge Alfaro and J.P. Crawford were each hitless, but collected two walks apiece. Rhys Hoskins and Nick Williams each drove in runs.
The IronPigs ultimately lost 5-4 in 10 innings, but wins and losses at the minor league level don't account for very much. The bright spot on the night was the combined effort of six of the Phillies' top prospects - 6-for-24 with two doubles, a homer, six walks, and two stolen bases.
It's tough to see any light given how poorly the Phillies have played over the last two months, but if you look into the future the club seems to be poised with young talent.
There's no guarantee any of these prospects excel at the major league level or become superstars, but that's part of the fun with prospects. At this point in the Phillies season, this may be the only fun around for the rest of the summer.
Remember next time you get frustrated with the Phillies that it's only an hour or so up I-476 to Coca-Cola Park.
One way or another, the kids aren't that far away.
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Follow Patrick on Twitter: @PGordonPBR
