When Keith Law released his annual top 100 prospects rankings last month, it took quite a bit of scrolling before you were able to find anybody playing in the Phillies organization. The Phillies’ top prospect, Bryson Stott, was ranked #66 and 20-year old RHP Mick Abel followed at #91. 

This news comes as little surprise to Phillies fans who have watched prospect after prospect flounder once reaching the show. 

Stott, who will arguably be the most scrutinized player in Clearwater (if we actually have a season) is the next in a long line of first round picks promised to become an everyday player. 

If anything is clear, it’s that the MLB Draft and international signing period are like playing the lottery. And for the last decade plus, the Phillies are like your degenerate uncle who drunkenly stumbles down to his favorite Wawa in Port Richmond to buy scratch-offs. He loves to tell everyone the story of how he won $1000 in 2014 but also asked you help pay his rent last month.

The Athletic: 28th (Ranked 27th last season)

“The Phillies did not earn having a farm system this bad. You get here because you won a bunch of games and made the playoffs a few times and maybe got to a World Series, great. You earned it. The Phillies didn’t do that. Their 82-win season in 2021 was their first winning season of any sort since 2011, their last playoff appearance.

Their 2018 draft class is still in the net negative. All of their drafts since 2014, the Aaron Nola/Rhys Hoskins year, have produced 4.5 WAR in total. It’s a combination of bad picks and failed development, including players changed for the worse after getting into the system. They spent their last two first-round picks on high school pitchers, both of whom offer high upsides, but as I’ve written many times, it’s the highest-risk category without the reward to justify it over the long haul.”

Bleacher Report: 23rd (Ranked 24th last season)

“After the Phillies announced that Didi Gregorius will need to compete for the starting shortstop job following a disappointing 2021 season, it looks like Bryson Stott will get a long look this spring. The No. 14 pick in the 2019 draft hit .299/.390/.486 with 44 extra-base hits in 112 games, then raked in the Arizona Fall League.

Projectable starter Mick Abel had a 4.43 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 44.2 innings in his pro debut. The 6’5″ right-hander has a polished four-pitch repertoire, plus command, and room to grow into even more velocity in the years to come.”

Baseball America: 23rd (Ranked 27th last season)

“With two prospects ranked in the site’s top 100, Mick Abel (51) and Bryson Stott (67), the Phillies moved up from last year’s rankings but still find themselves in the bottom third of the league. The team was ranked No. 27 in 2021 and No. 26 the year before.”

Prospects1500: 27th (Ranked 24th last season)

“The Phillies system has been hurt by trades, promotions, and struggles by past prospects, but this is not a system to sleep on. They have some potential impactful players from recent drafts and International free agent signings in their lower levels, especially on the mound. There is light at the end of the tunnel and this summer should give us a better idea of how the organization is trending. -Tony Bps (@tonybps1)“

Being ranked so low isn’t shocking, but a clear sign of what’s to come if this team doesn’t fix things fast. Hopefully, Stott can surpass expectations but this team has a long way to go in rebuilding their farm system.