STEP RIGHT UP! STEP RIGHT UP!
You, YES YOU, can sign any undrafted free agent for just $20,000. THAT’S RIGHT! For just 20k big ones, your team could sign a genuine prospect.
Since the abbreviated 5-round draft ended, MLB teams can now sign any undrafted player for no more than $20,000. The Phillies have been hard at work finding pieces for the farm system. They have also seemed to announce to the world what kind of players they’re interested in.
Thanks for the assist classic rock band Aerosmith!
Just look at the 7 pitchers’ they’ve signed heights.
6′ 1″, 6′ 2″, 6′ 3″, 6’3″, 6’3″, 6’5″, 6’6″, 6’7″
That mean (or average) of those pitchers is 6′ 4″.
The absolute unit at 6′ 7″ is actually just graduating high school. Out of Ocean City (N.J.) High School, Jake McKenna just fulfilled his dream of being part of the Phillies. While he throws 89-90 MPH now, he could still grow in both velocity and height. Can’t wait until he’s a 7-footer.
The big 6′ 6″ lefty is J.P. Woodward out of Lafayette College in Easton, PA. He wasn’t spectacular in college, but he did have a strikeout rate of 9.2 K/9.
At 6′ 5″, Sam Jacobsak from Northeastern University started to show promise as a started this year in 4 starts, posting a 3.65 ERA and a K/9 of 9.1. It was in the summer that this prospect shined. In the New England Collegiate Baseball League, Jacobsak posted a 1.66 ERA with a 12.5 K/9.
The giants aren’t the only free agent signings that seem to have potential. There are still some regular tall-boys as well.
Noah Skirrow has improved every year of his collegiate career. His ERA has gone from 4.57 to 3.76 to 1.96 while at Liberty University. In the highest level summer league, the Cape Cod League, he posted a 2.76 ERA with a 12.3 K/9. He might not be a giant at 6′ 3″, but he might be the Phillies best shot at a bonafide prospect.
The shortest undrafted free agent is Blake Brown at 6′ 1″. Out of UNC Asheville, Brown was having his best season in 2020. In his 4 starts as a full-time starter, he posted a 2.37 ERA. In 4 years, he had a 10 K/9 ratio. He does have trouble with walks, however.
Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
