The Philadelphia Phillies are in the midst of a five game winning streak and tonight, they will face the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park, a team they trail by a half game in the National League East standings. The Phillies’ middle of the order in JT Realmuto, Bryce Harper, and Rhys Hoskins are on absolute fire and clicking together for the first time all year. In the minor leagues, things continue to look better for both Bryson Stott and Jhailyn Ortiz both continue to play tremendous baseball as well.

On Thursday, the Reading Fightin’ Phils defeated Richmond 9-2. Bryson Stott finished a home run shy of the cycle, going 3-for-5 from the plate. The Phillies No. 2 prospect began the night with a fly out before hitting a single, double, and triple in his next three trips to the plate. Stott drove in a run on the triple and added another RBI on a groundout in the seventh inning.

Stott is batting .258 with five home runs, 14 doubles, and 19 RBIs through 50 games at the AA level and landed himself on the MLB’s Top Prospect Performer list for Thursday.

Jhailyn Ortiz went 3-for-5 with double last night. After a slow start in the minor leagues with no homers, 28 strikeouts and a .530 OPS through 18 games, he caught fire in July for the BlueClaws. In the month of July, Ortiz had 13 home runs and 25 RBIs in 26 games with a 1.134 OPS. Literally half his hits in July left the ballpark. Ortiz is now batting .270 with 20 home runs and 50 RBI on the season with a .889 OPS.

Ortiz and Stott are not alone. Mickey Moniak had an incredible month of July as well in the minor leagues. He had an 11-game hitting streak and had hits in 17 of his last 19 games in July. Moniak’s 1.039 OPS included 15 extra-base hits and 19 RBIs. Over his last 33 games, Moniak has 21 extra base hits and 29 RBIs. Moniak recently notched a double, triple, a walk, and a sac fly in Lehigh Valley’s 9-7 loss to Buffalo.

With the Phillies clicking and the emergence of Travis Jankowski playing centerfield while Andrew McCutchen is on the injured list, it’s unlikely we see any movement right now in terms of calling up Moniak to the Phillies. Over his last 72 at-bats, Jankowski has 19 hits (.264 BA), 17 runs, one home run, and eight RBI and has been slotted in the lead-off spot for the Phillies.

Always great to see Phillies’ prospects performing well in the minor leagues but tonight, we shift focus to the New York Mets in South Philadelphia.

Kyle Gibson is on the bump for the Phillies. Gibson, who joined the Phillies at the trade deadline, pitched great in his first start with the Phillies, throwing 6.2 innings, allowing five hits, two earned runs, and two walks while striking out five. He will be facing Marcus Stroman, who is 1-5 over his last seven starts.

RING IT.

Mandatory Credit: Reading Eagle