Alfaro comes through in clutch with RBI single
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MIAMI -- While the Phillies will likely wait until early next week to usher in any September callups, one prospect is already making noise in the big leagues.
Jorge Alfaro, the club's No. 5 prospect and No. 69 prospect in all of baseball per MLBPipeline.com, drove in the tying run in Philadelphia's 2-1 win over the Marlins on Friday night at Marlins Park.
The 24-year-old awaited an 0-1 curveball from the right-handed Brad Ziegler -- which ended up about six inches off the plate -- and dumped it into right field to score Maikel Franco. Whereas some young players might try to pull that pitch, Alfaro simply went with it.
"He just didn't try to do too much," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I didn't really notice how he hit it, I just know that he hit it. Obviously, he didn't try to pull the ball which is huge. He came through."
Alfaro has come through often in his brief Major League action this season.
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Rated MLB's No. 4 catching prospect, Alfaro has been sensational at the plate. He's reached base in all 13 games he's played in and has at least one hit in 12 of them. Since he was recalled from Triple-A on Aug. 4, he's hitting .347 with a homer and six RBIs.
"So far, he's been putting the ball in play," Mackanin said. "I think that's, what is that 13 games in a row he's been on base? He's been a pleasant surprise."
Once a Rangers top prospect who came to Philadelphia in the Cole Hamels trade, Alfaro has always shown the ability to hit in the Minors. Last season at Double-A Reading he slashed .285/.325/.458 with 15 homers in 97 games.
Despite getting off to a slow start this year at Triple-A, he's made the most of his Major League stint this year.
And with fellow catcher Cameron Rupp struggling offensively -- he's hitting .225 with 99 strikeouts in 262 at-bats -- Alfaro's bat may force him into becoming Philadelphia's every day catcher.
Considering reinforcements (ahem, J.P. Crawford) could be on the way, Alfaro's early success is a good sign for a Phillies future that's starting to look brighter.