Phillies’ New Prospect Has Superstar Potential.
While most of the attention is focused on Major League deals during the offseason, teams are also looking to bolster their farm systems. The Philadelphia Phillies have done just that, according to MLB.com’s Francys Romero. The Phils have officially announced the signing of 17-year old Cuban short-shooter Denilo Aguila. Aguila is a switch-hitter and showed some intriguing tools in his first two starts with the South Florida Colleges of the South Atlantic League (SAL).
Aguila walked three times and struck out once in his first four at-bats. He also displayed some defensive skills that fit well with his physical profile. Aguila also has a very polished swing that could be improved upon in the short-term.
Of course, it’s hard to put too much pressure on someone who’s only 17 years old and hasn’t played high school or college baseball in the U.S. It’s the scouts’ job to identify players that other teams may have overlooked and project what kind of player they could be. That’s where Aguila comes in.
Now that he’s signed with the Phillies, they’ll have every tool at their disposal to try and turn him into a major league player. They’ve done a great job of doing that in the past, as evidenced by the emergence of players such as Bryson STOTT (now with the Atlanta Braves), Alec Bohm (now with the Chicago White Sox), Johan ROjas (now with the Miami Marlins), Ranger Suarez (now with the Kansas City Royals) and Orlando Kerkering (now with the Philadelphia Athletics).
MLB.com ranks the Phillies at No. 23 in the draft order. Acquiring a switch-hitting infield prospect with Aguila’s bat speed certainly helps with the rebuilding process. As for when Philadelphia could see the Cuban, it’s too early to say.
While most of the attention this off-season has been focused on big-league deals, teams are also trying to shore up their farm systems. And the Philadelphia Phillies have done just that. According to MLB.com’s Francys Romero, “The Phils have officially signed 17 year old Cuban shortstop prospect Denilo Aguila.”
Aguila, who is a switch-hitter, flashed some intriguing tools in his first two games with the S.F.C.’s Boca Raton Blazers.
