AFL Highlights Phillies’ Rising Prospect Making Waves…
The Philadelphia Phillies have recently intensified their efforts to bolster their talent pipeline, influenced by Bryce Harper’s insistence that this strategy is crucial for future success. This shift in focus has yielded positive results in the past two seasons, with Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, Johan Rojas, and Orion Kerkering emerging from the minor league system to become impactful players during deep postseason runs. The Arizona Fall League has become a platform for up-and-coming prospects to showcase their abilities by competing against other elite players.
One of the Phillies’ promising relievers has been seizing the spotlight during this competition. After a challenging 2023 season, Andrew Baker has arguably been one of the standout performers at the AFL. In six appearances, he boasts a spotless 0.00 ERA, an impressive 0.83 WHIP, and has allowed only a single hit. He has struck out the side twice, including this past Saturday, significantly lowering opponents’ batting averages to a mere .053 when they face him. Notably, Baker was not previously ranked among Philadelphia’s top 30 prospects according to MLB Pipeline. Until his remarkable performance at the AFL, he had not truly demonstrated the potential to become a top-tier prospect.
Drafted in the 11th round of the 2021 MLB Draft, Baker spent the entire 2023 season at the Double-A level, where he faced considerable challenges. In 41 appearances, he struggled with an 0-6 record and an inflated 8.12 ERA. He had difficulty closing out games, blowing four out of five save opportunities, and grappled with major command issues.
Across 41 innings pitched, he issued 48 walks, resulting in a remarkably high WHIP of 2.02. Despite these challenges, Baker exhibited impressive pitching skills, striking out 64 batters during the past season. His performances at the AFL represent a significant turning point in his professional career, where he is finally starting to unveil his potential.
Competing against top-tier opponents, Baker is currently experiencing the most promising phase of his professional journey and is beginning to showcase his talent. The AFL serves as a unique opportunity for prospects to make a name for themselves within their organization and the broader baseball community. Andrew Baker is capitalizing on this opportunity and is emerging as a noteworthy option among Phillies’ relievers in their talent development system.”
In the Arizona Fall League, a Philadelphia Phillies prospect named Andrew Baker is standing out as a reliever, which is unusual in a league known for favoring hitters.
Baker, playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions, has caught attention for his strong performances. Despite being surrounded by prospects from various other teams, Baker has managed to shine.
Selected by the Phillies in the 11th round of the 2021 draft, Baker’s impressive run in the AFL was highlighted by his recent inclusion in MLB.com’s list of top performers. During a recent game, he entered in the sixth inning and struck out all three batters he faced, throwing only 13 pitches, nine of which were strikes. His statistics for the AFL season are remarkable, with a 0.00 ERA, an extremely low 0.83 WHIP, and an opponent batting average of just .053. He has even secured one save and two holds, striking out 10 batters in six innings, equivalent to a staggering 15.00 strikeouts per nine innings.
However, Baker’s Achilles’ heel appears to be his tendency to issue walks, as he has given up four walks in those six innings. While this may not seem alarming at first, it’s worth noting that control problems have plagued him throughout his career. In his recent season with the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils, Baker struck out an impressive 64 batters in 41 innings, boasting a 14.05 strikeouts per nine innings rate. However, he also struggled with 48 walks, resulting in a high 10.54 walks per nine innings and a less favorable 8.12 ERA for the year.
Baker’s propensity for walks has been a concern in his past experiences, including college, the Cape Cod League, and Single-A in 2021. While his AFL walk rate of 6.00 walks per nine innings shows a slight improvement, it remains a key area for him to work on. If he can refine his command in 2024, he has the potential to maximize his impressive strikeout ability, which is something the Phillies are certainly hoping for.
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