Phillies minors notes on Alex McFarlane, Aroon Escobar and promoted players who've shined

New York Times

16-06-2025

Returning from Tommy John surgery was akin to relearning the game for High-A Jersey Shore pitcher Alex McFarlane.
His presence on the mound, figuring out his flow while pitching, how to get out of bad innings and making in-game adjustments — all issues that McFarlane dealt with in September 2024, when he threw to live hitters for the first time in a year.
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'The mental side of the game is what I worked on a lot, obviously physically (as well),' McFarlane said. 'But the mental side is just as important. I took time to really understand how I handle adversity in any given game — just moving on to the next game, making an in-game adjustment, the little things.'
The work began in earnest when McFarlane returned to the mound with Low-A Clearwater and continues now during an up-and-down High-A season, his ERA sitting at 5.72 and his record 0-6 through 11 starts.
The 2022 fourth-rounder has started just 30 games across three seasons, spending some time on the development list in 2023 before returning for a handful of starts. He posted a 5.72 ERA in 50 1/3 innings that season before undergoing Tommy John surgery in the final month.
The adversity of rehab — aches and pains, starting over — helped McFarlane prepare for the adversity he'd face when back on the mound. With each step, he's tried to remain calm and stay in the moment because, he said, 'once you get too far ahead in the future or dwell on the past too much, you start to lose yourself.'
That mindset has helped amid difficult starts. Across three outings and 9 2/3 innings from May 28 to June 11, he walked eight and gave up 10 runs and 12 hits. In those moments, he's sought to learn, take it for what it is, and move on to the next outing.
McFarlane uses a three-pitch mix that includes a strong slider. His stuff has impressed since he pitched for the University of Miami, but command has been a consistent issue; he averaged 6.79 walks per nine innings in 2023 and has logged 5.49 per nine this season. And McFarlane's strikeouts have dropped significantly since surgery; he has 33 in 39 1/3 innings this season as compared to 69 in 50 1/3 innings in 2023.
Though it's good to be back, he said, there's work to be done.
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'It's not time for celebration,' McFarlane said. 'It's time to get on the mound and continue working and pushing.'
Infielder Carson DeMartini was already somewhat familiar with his bearings when he was promoted to Double-A Reading on June 9. He played with his Reading teammates during spring training. He saw FirstEnergy Stadium's facilities when he visited for a High-A preseason scrimmage.
The ballpark, which completed $45 million in renovations in 2024, still impressed DeMartini a few days into his tenure.
'I mean, you got the pictures hanging on the wall — Chase Utley right here behind us,' DeMartini said, gesturing to the photo behind him on the stadium's ground floor. 'A brand new weight room, state of the art kitchen, all that stuff is what I was looking forward to about professional baseball.'
The familiarity has eased DeMartini's transition, and it's showing on the field. He's had a hit in all but one of his games in Reading, batting .320 with a .730 OPS. DeMartini has started the last four games at shortstop in place of Phillies No. 2 prospect Aidan Miller, who has been out due to skin irritation, according to Ty Daubert of Phillies Nation. But DeMartini has split time at third base this season, where he will likely return when Miller is back in the lineup.
DeMartini credited some mental traits for his success: staying steady, working on his craft each day, and focusing on what he can control. Tinkering with his swing has also been valuable, helping him up his in-zone contact rate last season with Low-A Clearwater.
'That was the big kick,' DeMartini said. 'But really, here and there, (also working on) messing with where my feet are in the box, stance, working with some hand placements.'
Prospect Aroon Escobar has stood out at Low-A Clearwater this season, hitting .315/.410/.500 through 55 games. It's unsurprising to the Phillies.
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'He's hit the ball,' Phillies director of player development Luke Murton said. 'He's hit it hard. He's swung at strikes. He's hitting all different pitch types. He's done outstanding defensively. He's done well in the infield, making all the plays, catching all the balls he should.'
Escobar, who signed in 2022 as an international free agent out of Venezuela, is putting it together in his first healthy season in the United States. The 20-year-old second baseman entered Sunday ranked second in the Florida State League in hits and average, while leading in homers (10).
He wasn't a standout in the Dominican Summer League in 2022 and 2023, then spent much of 2024 out with shin splints in rookie ball. But Escobar made his mark in just 24 games last year, leading the Florida Complex League Phillies (minimum 100 plate appearances) in average (.338), on-base percentage (.495) and OPS (.976).
All of Escobar's starts this season have come at second base, though he played some third last season and has the arm for the position. He is not among a recent spate of promotions, though Murton said Escobar's performance ranks among many of the organization's hot starters. The Athletic's Keith Law had Escobar at No. 40 in his most recent list of the game's top prospects.
5-for-5 with a homer, 3 runs, and 2 RBI?
Have yourself a day, Aroon Escobar 🙌 pic.twitter.com/7EMj53a6ZM
— Phillies Player Development (@PhilsPlayerDev) May 19, 2025
Here and there:
• Among recent promotions: catcher Alirio Ferrebus, who slashed .267/.368/.478 in the Florida Complex League, joined Low-A Clearwater on June 10. Ferrebus can also play first base and showed an advanced approach at the plate with a strong walk rate in the FCL. The start to his Low-A career has been somewhat rocky, batting .100 with a .282 OPS through six games.
• There have been some recent flashes of greatness from 2024 first-round pick Dante Nori with Low-A Clearwater: a career-high five-RBI game on June 8, going 3-for-3 with two walks and four RBIs on June 14. Those performances are welcome after Nori batted .218 with a .614 OPS in May, but finding a power stroke continues to be a struggle. He has one home run this season, which he slugged on May 10. His exit velocity sits at 86.7 mph.
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• Pitcher Gabe Mosser made his first start for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on May 29. More exciting, however, was the Allentown, Pa., native's home debut in front of family and friends on June 12. He allowed two runs and three hits while striking out four over 5 1/3 innings. 'Full circle moment — same field, new chapter,' Mosser wrote in an Instagram post. The righty pitched in the Padres organization from 2018 through 2024 before joining the Phillies on a minor-league deal during the offseason.
• First baseman Keaton Anthony has excelled since his recent promotion to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, slashing .333/.364/.429 (.793 OPS) in five games. Those around Anthony during his college days at Iowa said he had a knack for manipulating at-bats and finding the barrel. His average exit velocity of 92.1 mph sits above the Triple-A average, 88.6.
(Photo of Alex McFarlane: Tom Priddy / Four Seam Images via Associated Press)