Preston Mattingly was one of the sneakiest, but most important hires for the Philadelphia Phillies organization this offseason. After working with the minor leaguers for a few short months, Mattingly thinks differently than most about the team’s farm system.

“I think the system is deeper than people think…You’re competitive. So you see the rankings and I’m here with these guys and I think these guys are better than that. There is a competitive aspect. I’m a really competitive person. So you see something and you’re ranked toward the bottom- well, I want to get that to the top,” said Preston Mattingly

Preston Mattingly was hired back in late September as the team’s “Director of Player Development,” and knew there was a lot of work to be done.

From the second he stepped into the Phillies organization, Preston Mattingly had two main goals. Unite the staff, and improve on producing better players within the Phillies’ system.

The Phillies’ farm system has never been eye-opening. They’ve had many failed prospects due to drafting poorly, raising their players through the Major League’s too fast, and everything in between. Scott Kingery is the first name that comes to mind. After an impressive run in 2019, his game suffered a massive decline. By 2021, he was off the Phillies’ roster after appearing in only 15 games.

Although the farm system is towards the bottom in most rankings, the Phillies still have talent in the minor leagues. Preston Mattingly mentioned a multitude of players in the system, including Andrew Painter and Logan O’Hoppe. 

“I’ve had the pleasure of seeing a bunch of other teams’ top guys and I think the guys in our system stack up with those guys. They don’t get the recognition that others do. When you talk about the top of our prospect list, Mick Abel and Andrew Painter, those guys are as good as anybody’s two pitchers. You throw in Griff McGarry, Johan Rojas, and Logan O’Hoppe. I’ve gotten to see a bunch of catchers. Logan stacks up with anybody. Johan Rojas, if there’s a better defensive center fielder in the minor leagues, I haven’t seen him.”

Mick Abel and Andrew Painter are the two biggest names off the minor league mound for the Phillies. The back-to-back first-round picks for Philadelphia have already shown flashes of their game, and will continue to do so this season. 

Bryson Stott and Logan O’Hoppe were the key standouts in the Phillies’ minor league system in 2021. Both participated in the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game after putting together impressive campaigns. Stott’s dominance has also raised the question around the clubhouse regarding the shortstop position for Opening Day, and if Stott deserves that spot over the declining veteran Didi Gregorius.

Painter was high on my list before the 2020 draft, and for the amount of play he’s received in the minors, has already impressed. The 18-year-old threw just six innings in the low minors last season, but posted 12 strikeouts and zero walks in that time. For such a young prospect, that’s incredibly promising. 

Phillies fans have harped on the failures for years, but you need to sit back and look at the future. That’s what Preston Mattingly is doing, and he believes there’s something special brewing within the minor league clubhouse for the Philadelphia Phillies.