Josh Phegley
| AB | 1116 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .225 |
| OBP | .268 |
| SLG | .381 |
| HR | 35 |
- Full name Joshua Aaron Phegley
- Born 02/12/1988 in Terre Haute, IN
- Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Indiana
- Debut 07/05/2013
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Drafted in the C-A round (38th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2009 (signed for $858,600).
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No college catcher has done more at the plate over the last two seasons than Phegley, who has hit .400 with 32 homers. He ranked second in Division I with a .438 average as a sophomore and had 17 home runs this spring. Phegley packs a lot of strength in his 5-foot-11, 215-pound frame and has the patience to draw walks and wait for pitches he can drive. Scouts aren't sold on his future production or his defense, however. Some think his bat is a little slow, and he didn't look impressive with wood bats during Team USA tryouts last summer or Indiana's scout day last fall. He bats out of an exaggerated crouch, which makes it difficult for him to catch up to velocity at the top of the strike zone. Phegley bulked up after batting .232 without a homer as a freshman, and his thicker build has cost him defensively. He has plus arm strength but a slow release, leading to average results in shutting down the running game. He has caught 31 percent of basestealers over the last two years. He is a below-average receiver who has been exposed this spring by Eric Arnett's explosive fastball and Matt Bashore's breaking pitches. He does block balls well. Phegley profiles only as a catcher, so he'll have to improve behind the plate. Scouts do rave about his makeup and believe he'll put in the work to do so. Phegley should be the second college catcher drafted (after Boston College's Tony Sanchez) and go off the board before the end of the second round.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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Phegley won a Rawlings minor league Gold Glove in 2012 after leading International League catchers with a .996 fielding percentage and ranking second by throwing out 46 percent of basestealers. He has caught 48 percent of basestealers during his pro career, thanks to his solid arm strength. Despite his Gold Glove, he's not a particularly advanced receiver. He has committed 32 passed balls in 195 games during the last two seasons and is somewhat stiff behind the plate. Phegley is still raw at the plate as well. He makes contact but lacks patience, and he also doesn't have the bat speed to catch up to good fastballs. He can drive mistakes and has power, but his consistently low on-base percentages relegate him to the bottom of the order. He's a well below-average runner. Phegley's throwing ability earned him a spot on Chicago's 40-man roster in November and could put him into the mix for a big league job in 2013 if the White Sox don't re-sign A.J. Pierzynski. He isn't likely to be more than a backup in the long term unless he finds a way to become more productive at the plate. -
If it wasn't for bad luck, Phegley wouldn't have any luck at all. Since signing for $858,600 in the 2009 draft, he has been slowed by a series of injuries and medical woes. A wrist injury prevented him from making a trip to the Arizona Fall league after the 2011 season, but at least he played in 116 games and reached Triple-A. The year before was a nightmare, as Phegley had his spleen removed after medication was unable to control a condition known as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, which results in low blood platelets. He has a level swing and solid two-strike approach, but good fastballs beat him too often. Some scouts think his bat speed will improve as he gets healthier, allowing him to make use of his plus raw power to all fields. Phegley has to hit because he doesn't do much else. He's thick-bodied and lacks athleticism, which limits when he's on the bases or moves behind the plate. He's a below-average receiver with solid arm strength and has nailed 48 percent of basestealers in his pro career. He figures to spend 2012 in Triple-A but should be first in line for a major league promotion if A.J. Pierzynski or Tyler Flowers is sidelined. The toughness he has shown should come in handy making the next step. -
The White Sox didn't see much production from Phegley in 2010, but that was the least of their concerns. He played in just 48 games because of a rare condition (idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura) in which his blood doesn't clot properly because of a low number of platelets. It can be a chronic condition, though it's not usually considered life-threatening. He held his own late in the season in Double-A, but wasn't able to make up for lost time in the Arizona Fall League because he wasn't medically cleared to play. He had his spleen removed in November after doctors determined his spleen may have been destroying platelets. An offensive-minded catcher, Phegley went 38th overall in the 2009 draft and signed for $858,600. He has the potential to hit for both average and power but needs to improve his pitch recognition to cut down on his strikeouts. He shows raw power to all fields, though he can get pull-conscious and some scouts question his bat speed. Phegley is rough behind the plate, with a thick body and below-average receiving skills. He does have an above-average arm and has thrown out 53 percent of pro basestealers, though his lack of athleticism slows his release at times. He's a below-average runner. Barring further setbacks, Phegley will return to Birmingham this year. -
Like Tyler Flowers, Phegley is an offensive-minded catcher who faces questions about his long-term future behind the plate. The White Sox thought enough of his potential as a hitter to take him with the 2009 sandwich pick they received for losing Orlando Cabrera to Oakland, and signed him for $858,600. While some organizations projected Phegley as a player who would need a position change, club officials say his arm gives him the chance to be at least an average catcher. He has repaid them for their faith so far, using his plus arm to throw out 58 percent of basestealers in his pro debut. He also had 11 passed balls in 47 games, however, showing the lack of receiving skills that caused other teams to pass on him. Some scouts also are bothered by his slow release. His thick body robs him of quickness behind the plate, and he had trouble handling premium 2009 draft picks Eric Arnett (first round, Brewers) and Matt Bashore (sandwich round, Twins) at Indiana. Phegley generates gap power has a good understanding of the strike zone. He hits from a crouch, making him tougher on pitches down in the strike zone than up. There are some questions about his bat speed and how well he'll handle quality fastballs. Ticketed for high Class A in his first full pro season, Phegley won't have to be rushed because Flowers is the heir apparent to A.J. Pierzynski.
