Basic Info
Age: 21
Height/Weight: 6’2”, 190lbs
Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia
How Acquired: Cliff Lee trade
Stats
Gillies numbers were superb last year. Only 4 players in the entire minor leagues hit over .340 in 400+ PA. Gillies, at 20, was the youngest of the 4. Only 5 players had a .430 OBP in 400+ PA. Only 10 players hit .300+ while stealing 40+ bases as well. His numbers were tremendous.
However, like with J.C. Ramirez, his numbers need to be taken with a grain of salt, as he played his home games at the most offensive friendly park in the minors. He was still solid in away games (.335 BA, .845 OPS), but his home numbers definitely inflated his totals a bit.
Scouting Report
Gillies is going to get a lot of Shane Victorino comparisons, and rightly so. However, he has 2 things going for him that could actually make him a better player than Victorino. First, he takes walks. Victorino is one of the worst in all of baseball at taking walks and getting on base. Gillies has shown an elite OBP over the last 2 years. Second, he has more power potential. At 6’2”, 190, and still a little room to grow, Gillies will be able to generate more power than the 5’9”, 180 Victorino.
Also like Victorino, he has great range in the outfield and a tremendous arm. Above average baserunner as well. Mariners’ scouts compared his game to Curtis Granderson’s.
Path to the Majors
It will be interesting to see how Gillies does in a full season away from the desert, but if he has another big year, you could see the Phillies thinking about having him take over for Ibanez when he leaves, while Dom Brown can replace Werth next year. Or, he might wait until Victorino’s contract is up to make his debut.
For prospects 11-20, and all other Phillies’ prospects posts, visit the Top Prospects page.
How does Gilles compare as a prospect to those we gave up. Sounds like somewhere between Taylor and Marson.
That’s fair. I’d rank the guys we gave up like this…
Well at least it sounds like two of the guys we got back are quality prospects that could be helping the team in 2-3 years. We can’t have everyone be some kid with worlds of potential but a long term question mark.
an interesting note on Gillies.
He has been very hearing impaired him entire life. He’s legally deaf, actually. 30% capacity in his left ear, 60% in his right. Wears hearing aids. Big inspiration to the deaf community as well.
Interesting kid.
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20100128_Hearing_loss_hasn_t_slowed_Phillies_prospect_Gillies.html
Gillies BABIP last year was .395.
I am really rooting for this guy. Seems like such a great kid, looking forward to seeing him in a few years and the preliminary numbers look great. I think the best part of the Cliff Lee deal is that any one of the three guys has the potential to be the “key” part of the deal. It wasn’t like we got one high ceiling guy and 2 mid-level prospects. They all are top-100 caliber right now (and all sooooo young)
I think the best part of the Cliff Lee deal is that any one of the three guys has the potential to be the “key” part of the deal. >>
That’s a good part of the deal. But my favorite is different. Mine is that if he had to do it over again, having had a chance to hear all the pundits views, the angles, the options like keeping Cliff, and just getting 2 draft picks, all that stuff, I think RAJ makes the same exact move. That’s called confidence.
I imagine most of you saw this, but I’m very excited about it. 12 spring training games will be televised this year. Usually it’s only 2 or so.
Here’s the schedule (hopefully you have DVR, or don’t work during the day): http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/20100128_Phillies_Notes__Phillies_plan_to_televise_12_spring_games.html
That high BABIP may not be a fluke either. I read that he has incredible home to first speed resulting in many infield singles. I forget where I read it though. It was soon after the Lee trade when I was doing research on the prospects we got back.
Here’s a scouting report (from Aug 09) on Gillies:
http://projectprospect.com/article/2009/08/13/tyson-gillies-scouting-report
“Gillies simply has to continue hitting line drives and using his speed to get on base. He’s a rare speedster who can turn any base hit into an extra-base hit in the blink of an eye. If he can improve his doubles power without sacrificing his strengths, he could become a very solid regular. Gillies’ power total will determine if a Dave Roberts type is his low end upside, or if he will reach his ceiling of a Juan Pierre with patience. “
Bob Feller was quoted again this morning. I started reading it, and decided it was the same old rhetoric. The man is old, literally, and figuratively. I already knew he hated Pete Rose. Already knew he hated steroids. Any and all traditionalists do.
But a funny thing happned this afternoon. I ran across a clip of a tv interview that Mike Wallace did in 1957, 12 years before Curt Flood unabashedly refused to play in Philadelphia and sued baseball for its illegal and unethical reserve clause.
This, is must see tv. To understand the history of baseball, fan perspective and what televison was like 53 years ago, you have to watch this.
http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/multimedia/video/2008/wallace/feller_bob_t.html
Do you think RAJ and the Phils have consciously shifted gears in terms of the type of team they want to field?
It seems for a while they put power bats first and pitching and speed secondary. But if you decide to go for elite pitchers like Lee and Doc, you can’t be a power and elite pitching team without eventually running out of money.
I’m glad they have gone after top pitchers. They also have the luxury of a power hitting 2B in Utley, who makes up for a lack of power at other positions. It looks like they are grooming guys like Gilles and Gose. even Dom Brown sounds like more of a gap hitter than a big time power hitter (although 30+ HR with speed would be nice:) ) Along the same lines, it sounds like their pitching prospects are power pitchers with sinking fast balls. Great for this park, and it sounds like they are building towards an elite defensive team that can run.
If this is a conscious change in direction do you think it is wise? They have a power friendly park. Is switching from a power line-up to a more small ball one make sense?
I believe when you factor in finances the answer is yes, but I guess time will tell.