The Phillies have been among the MLB’s best teams over the last three years. Much of that success was thanks to smart moves, including signing Zack Wheeler in the winter of 2019 and the blockbuster pickup of Bryce Harper just months earlier. Those moves set the stage for the Phillies but the team’s front office and scouting played a key role, years before the Phillies won the pennant in 2022. Here’s a look at the Phillies’ best MLB Draft picks over the last decade.
Best Phillies Draft Picks Over Last 10 Seasons
| Name | Position | Year Drafted | Round | Career bWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Nola | P | 2014 | 1 | 33.0 |
| Rhys Hoskins | 1B | 2014 | 5 | 11.1 |
| Bailey Falter | P | 2015 | 5 | 2.2 |
| Cole Irvin | P | 2016 | 5 | 3.1 |
| Alec Bohm | 3B | 2018 | 1 | 2.9 |
| Matt Vierling | OF | 2018 | 5 | 2.0 |
| Logan O’Hoppe | C | 2018 | 23 | 2.5 |
| Bryson Stott | SS | 2019 | 1 | 7.4 |
The Phillies scored big in the 2014 MLB Draft, as Philadelphia landed two key pieces of the core that helped them go to the World Series in 2022. Aaron Nola developed into an ace who picked up three top-10 finishes in the NL Cy Young Award race. Only Trea Turner and Matt Chapman had higher bWAR figures than Nola in that first round.
As for Hoskins, he developed into a terrific power hitter, one with good discipline at the plate. Hoskins produced four 25+ home run seasons for the Phillies.
Nola and Hoskins were the two big home run pickups for the Phillies over the last decade. Philly also landed Alec Bohm, who manned third in the Phillies’ 2022 run and still does to this day, and Bryson Stott in consecutive drafts.
Additionally, the Phillies landed a steal in the 23rd round of 2018, when Long Island catching prospect Logan O’Hoppe signed with the team for $215,000. O’Hoppe, now a member of the Angels, was traded in the trade that netted Philadelphia Brandon Marsh.
Now, we move from the best Phillies draft picks of the last decade to the worst.
Worst Phillies Draft Picks Over Last 10 Seasons
| Name | Position | Year Drafted | Round | Career bWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornelius Randolph | OF | 2015 | 1 | Never played in MLB |
| Kevin Gowdy | P | 2016 | 2 | Never played in MLB |
| Cole Stobbe | SS | 2016 | 3 | Never played in MLB |
| Spencer Howard | P | 2017 | 2 | -2.0 |
| Connor Seabold | P | 2017 | 3 | -2.2 |
| Colton Eastman | P | 2018 | 4 | Never played in MLB |
| Jamari Baylor | SS | 2019 | 3 | Never played in MLB |
| Casey Martin | SS | 2020 | 3 | Never played in MLB |
Philadelphia selected infielder Cornelius Randolph out of Georgia in 2015. Philadelphia quickly converted him to be an outfielder and he hit well in the lower Minors. However, Randolph stagnated in the upper Minors.
After hitting .234/.323/.386 in Triple-A in 2021, Randolph went to free agent as a Minor League free agent. The White Sox signed him in March 2022 but was cut two months later.
Philadelphia used the savings from drafting Mickey Moniak in 2016 to sign Kevin Gowdy ($3.5M) and Cole Stobbe ($1.1M). Gowdy, who currently pitches in Triple-A with the Dodgers, never clicked as a starter and eventually moved to a relief role. Stobbe capped out at High-A and last played in affiliated baseball in 2021.
Philadelphia passed up on Daulton Varsho — son of former Phillie Gary Varsho — and Griffin Canning to select Spencer Howard 45th overall in 2017. Howard had promise as a starter but never clicked once in the upper Minors and eventually moved into a relief role. Which, to this point (164 H, 101 ER over 136.1 IP), has been hit-or-miss. The same could be said for 2017 third-round pick Connor Seabold, who struggled as a starter with Colorado in 2023.
There’s also the sticky cases of Mickey Moniak and Adam Haseley. Moniak was the first overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft, while Haseley was taken eighth overall a year later. Neither Moniak (.655 OPS over five seasons) nor Haseley (.675 OPS) lived up to expectations. However, the two did provide value in spurts.
Moniak carved out a career as a right-handed pitching specialist with the Angels. Haseley, thanks to his glove (+1 OAA, 1.4 career bWAR), had a better career than most draftees.
In more recent memory, the Phillies gave $1.3M to former Arkansas infielder Casey Martin in the shortened 2020 MLB Draft. Martin skyrocketed draft boards in 2018 after a standout freshman campaign, one that saw him hit .345/.418/.556 with the Razorbacks. His numbers (.286/.364/.548) slid in 2019 but Philly took a chance on him in the third round.
Martin posted sub-.670 OPS figures from 2021-23. The Phillies traded Martin to the Brewers in June 2024.
These lists do not include players selected but did not sign. bWAR figures as of June 2024.