Freddy Galvis

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #6 prospect in 2012
  The Phillies have raved about Galvis' defensive exploits since they saw him as a 14- year-old in Venezuela, and they signed him two years later for $90,000. Always one of the youngest position players in his leagues, he reached Triple-A at age 21 in 2011, when he was named Phillies minor league position player of the year. Galvis is arguably the best defensive shortstop in the minors. He has plus range despite fringy pure speed, and he also has excellent hands, an above-average arm and incredible instincts. Slightly built, he went through a strength training program last offseason that helped him set career highs across the board in 2011. A switch-hitter who sprays line drives, Galvis makes consistent contact but never will hit for much power and profiles as a No. 8 hitter. He has improved at bunting and moving runners. Philadelphia praises his intelligence and makeup. Galvis' role will likely be determined by how much his bat continues to progress. Most scouts think his defensive wizardry will make him an everyday player, but some think he's no more than a second-division regular. He's in line for more Triple-A seasoning.
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  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #20 prospect in 2011
  The Phillies have been fans of Galvis for a long time, dating to when he was just 14 years old in Venezuela. They signed him two years later for $90,000, and he since has worked his way to Double-A. Galvis always has stood out with his incredible ability in the field. He might be the best defensive shortstop in the minor leagues, and Philadelphia think he could be an above-average defender in the majors right now. He has plus range and arm strength to go with excellent hands and keen instincts. Galvis won't be a top-flight offensive player, but he won't have to be because of his defense. What he does need to be is an average offensive player, and that's in question. He's a switch-hitter with good hand-eye coordination and the ability to make contact, but he has to get stronger to have a chance against major league pitching. He has improved at bunting and moving runners, and he profiles as a bottom-of-the-order hitter. He's an average runner. Added to the 40-man roster after the season, Galvis will return to Reading in 2011. It will be an important year in determining whether he can be an everyday major league player because Jimmy Rollins has dealt with injuries the last few seasons and has one year remaining on his contract.
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  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #13 prospect in 2010
  Venezuelan glove-first shortstops inevitably get compared to Omar Vizquel, and that has happened a few times to Galvis, whose defense prompted his promotion to Double-A at age 19. His career path and ceiling are much closer to fellow Venezuelan shortstop Cesar Izturis, whose glove is excellent and whose bat has been just good enough to make him a big league regular. The Phillies believe in Galvis' offensive potential for several reasons. He centers the ball, he has a balanced swing that he repeats, he has hand-eye coordination and he has solid offensive instincts. He has improved at bunting and at moving runners. He lost two months of at-bats last spring with a broken right hand. He has just average speed and won't be a basestealing factor. If his bat reaches his ceiling--and he'll have to mature physically and get stronger before that happens--he still profiles as a No. 7 or 8 hitter. Defensively, Galvis has few peers and might be the best shortstop in the minor leagues. He has top-flight instincts, plus range and arm strength and excellent hands. He makes more plays than most shortstops, and he's more reliable on routine plays than most young shortstops. Galvis figures to return to Reading in 2010. It remains unclear where he'll fit in Philadelphia with Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley starring in the middle infield.
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  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #18 prospect in 2009
  The Phillies aren't known for their Latin American program, with Carlos Silva their best recent big leaguer and Carlos Carrasco their top prospect from the region. Like those pitchers, Galvis is from Venezuela, and the comparison often thrown around with him is for another Venezuelan, Omar Vizquel. Though Galvis has a chance to be a premium defender, comparing him to a 20-year veteran with more than 2,500 hits is too much. Many big league shortstops put up big error totals in the low minors, trying to make every play. Galvis makes plenty of plays and still led the Sally League with a .968 fielding percentage, making just 21 errors while pacing the league in total chances. Galvis' soft hands, range and arm strength get 70 grades on the 20-80 scouting scale, allowing him to have what one club official called "natural mustard." He makes flashy plays because that's how the play has to be made, not to show off. Galvis' bat will determine whether he's an everyday regular or a 4-A player. His advocates point to his ability to make contact, bunt and handle the bat, saying the body control that makes him a plus defender also helps him avoid strikeouts. He lacks strength and bat speed to hit for power. He's just an average runner. With college draftee Troy Hanzawa, another premium defender, added to the system, Galvis probably will repeat low Class A to give his bat time to develop.
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  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #13 prospect in 2008
  Wherever the Phillies' minor league affiliates played during spring training, opposing field staffs gravitated to watch Galvis playing in the middle of the diamond. Since signing out of Venezuela in 2006, Galvis has achieved notoriety with his soft, quick hands, his outstanding range to either side and his plus arm. Scouts compare him to a young Omar Vizquel. Galvis didn't hit much in the short-season New York-Penn League as a 17-year-old making his pro debut, yet he still impressed the managers and scouts who saw him. He was shut down in late July after separating his left (non-throwing) shoulder trying to break up a double play. The question remains whether Galvis will hit enough, but Philadelphia believes he just needs more experience. He won't ever have much power, but he's a switch-hitter with a compact stroke. He has plus speed and some bunting ability, so his emphasis will be getting on base. He'll move up to low Class A this year and could be the South Atlantic League's youngest regular at age 18.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Florida State League #19 prospect in 2009
  While Castro was the complete package at shortstop, Galvis fits the more traditional profile. He has a great glove and a lot of work to do at the plate. Galvis has excellent range, soft hands and an average to plus arm at shortstop. Unlike many young shortstops who cover a lot of ground, he already knows how to play under control. After leading low Class A South Atlantic League shortstops with a .968 fielding percentage in 2008, he would have topped the FSL with a .969 marks this year if he had enough games to qualify. He missed two months with a broken finger. At the plate, Galvis has solid hand-eye coordination and a knack for putting the barrel on the ball. The hope is that as he gets stronger, his groundouts will turn into base hits. He doesn't have any power and has yet to show an aptitude for drawing walks. His speed is just average, so he won't be a threat to steal.

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: The Phillies have raved about Galvis' defensive exploits since they saw him as a 14-year-old in Venezuela, and they signed him two years later for $90,000. Always one of the youngest position players in his leagues, he reached Triple-A at age 21 in 2011, when he was named Phillies minor league position player of the year. Scouting Report: Galvis is arguably the best defensive shortstop in the minors. He has plus range despite fringy pure speed, and he also has excellent hands, an above-average arm and incredible instincts. Slightly built, he went through a strength training program last offseason that helped him set career highs across the board in 2011. A switch-hitter who sprays line drives, Galvis makes consistent contact but never will hit for much power and profiles as a No. 8 hitter. He has improved at bunting and moving runners. Philadelphia praises his intelligence and makeup. The Future: Galvis' role will likely be determined by how much his bat continues to progress. Most scouts think his defense alone will make him an everyday player, but some think he's no more than a second-division regular. While he could use more Triple-A seasoning, he could start for the Phillies in 2012 if Jimmy Rollins departs as a free agent.